Photo finish delivers Federer’s 20th major
Five-set battle nets sixth Australian title
MELBOURNE, Australia — As Roger Federer cried while accepting his 20th major title, Rod “Rocket” Laver took a chance to snap a picture for posterity.
Federer has won more major singles titles than any man, including a record-equaling six on the court that bears the great Laver’s name at Melbourne Park.
This one, following a tension-filled, momentum-swinging 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over Marin Cilic in Sunday’s Australian Open final, was a keeper.
Laver has been involved in the on-court presentations in the past, witnessing Federer’s tears at close range. This time, the 79-year-old Laver — the lone man to twice win all four major titles in one season — held up his mobile phone to get the shot from the stands.
“I didn’t see that through my thick tears, that he was taking a picture of me crying,” Federer said. He joked in a TV interview that, “I couldn’t lift my head, I was so embarrassed.”
Surely, it’s only an embarrassment of riches.
Federer arrived in Melbourne at the start of 2017 after an extended injury layoff and on a major title drought that dated to 2012 at Wimbledon.
Against the odds, he reached the final and then beat Rafael Nadal in a classic, five-set encounter. Now, having successfully defended his Australian title, Federer has won three of the past five majors in a stunning career resurgence.
Federer started to tear up toward the end of the trophy ceremony. He then received a standing ovation as tears streamed down his face.
At the age of 36 years, 173 days, Federer became the second-oldest man to win a major singles title in the Open era after Ken Rosewall, who won the 1972 Australian Open at 37.
The match wasn’t entirely without controversy after organizers decided to close the roof for the final, just as they had for the afternoon mixed doubles final when Mate Pavic and Gabriela Dabrowski beat Rohan Bopanna and Timea Babos for the title.
Former champions were among the commentators questioning the decision, suggesting there’d been hotter days when the heat policy was not enacted.
“I was surprised to hear they had the heat rule in place for a night match. I never heard that before,” Federer said. “For me, it doesn’t change anything.”
Federer took instant advantage of the air-conditioned venue, breaking Cilic’s serve in the first and third games.