The tennis history book has become Roger Federer’s personal diary and the Swiss maestro penned another chapter on Sunday night with a crushing victory over Andy Murray in the Australian Open final.

Vintage Federer outclassed Murray 6-3 6-4 7-6 (13-11) to secure a record-extending 16th career major and heap yet more misery on successive-starved British tennis fans.

It has been well documented that Fred Perry was the last British man to win a grand slam singles title at the 1936 US Open and hopes had been sky-high that Murray would finally break the painful drought.

But, just as he had against Federer in the 2008 US Open decider, the 22-year-old Scot crumbled under the weight of a nation.

The world No.1 required the minimum three sets and two hours, 41 minutes to join Andre Agassi as the only man to snare four titles in Melbourne in the professional era.

Federer is now two clear of retired American Pete Sampras on the all-time grand-slam leaderboard and, at 28, the father of two is showing no signs of letting up.

Swedish great Mats Wilander – the only other man in the past 35 years to have captured three majors in a single season – says it’s frightening to think how many slams Federer will eventually wind up with.

“He’s done what he’s done in only six years. Give it another six years and see what happens,” Wilander told AAP on the eve of Sunday night’s final.

“I think he has three or four years that are going to be physically as good as the last three or four for sure.”

With the career of claycourt king Rafael Nadal once again in limbo as he battles chronic knee injuries, Federer now has a realistic shot of achieving a rare calendar-year slam in 2010.

Free-rolling after completing his major set at Roland Garros last year, the remarkable Federer will arrive at the French Open in May having reached 18 of the past 19 grand slam finals.

But while he can dream – and also celebrate becoming the first dad to reign at Melbourne Park since Agassi in 2003 – Murray, and an entire country, can only dwell on what might have been.

The fifth seed had dropped just one set en route to the final and, boasting a 6-4 head-to-head record over the Swiss, earnestly believed this was finally his time.

Since Perry’s success all those years ago, American men have racked up 91 grand slam trophies between them, Australians 72, Swedes 26 and Spaniards 17.

Even tennis minnows Peru, Ecuador and Hungary have landed major spoils.

Alas, Britain still waits.

Federer came out firing, unleashing a stinging backhand down the line and huge off-forehand winner to break Murray in the second game of the match.

Murray, though, appeared up to the challenge, breaking straight back with a stunning backhand pass from outside the tram lines and then a running forehand pass.

Fededer had to stave off two break points to hold for 3-2 but, after holding firm, the top seed grabbed a decisive second break in the eighth game with another sizzling off-forehand before comfortably serving out the first set.

A relentless frontrunner, Federer drilled a 155 km/h forehand winner to break Murray for a third time for a 2-1 lead in the second set.

He never looked like relinquishing his advantage and sealed the second set with a driving forehand volley.

Murray, who will climb from fifth to third in the rankings on Monday despite the demoralising defeat, briefly raised the prospect of a stirring comeback when he broke Federer to snatch a 4-2 lead in the third set.

He was unable to serve out the set at 5-3, though, as Federer upped the ante as only he can to force a tiebreaker.

Murray squandered five set points in the tension-filled breaker, and, opportunities lost for the the Scot, Federer finally finished his tiring foe off on his third match point when the fifth seed netted a backhand.

Just like Federer following his five-set defeat to Nadal in last year’s final, Murray was unable to fight back the tears in his losing speech.

“Congratulations Roger. His achievements in tennis are incredible. To keep doing it year after year is pretty special. He was a lot better than me tonight, so well done,” he said before choking up.

“I can cry like Roger. It’s just a shame I can’t play like him.”

Ever gracious in victory, Federer was full of praise for his vanquished rival.

“Well done for your incredible tournament. You’re too good a player not to win a grand slam, so don’t worry about it,” he told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena.

“I’m over the moon at winning again. I think I played some of my best tennis again of my life these last two weeks.

“So this obviously a very special moment sharing this with you guys. You get the best out of me.”

Federer said it was impossible to isolate his proudest achievement from his countless accomplishments.

“Maybe the grand slam count, being at 16 now, already having been at 15,” he told Channel Seven.

“Having won all the different majors, that’s beautiful.

“I guess also the consistency I’ve shown because I wasn’t famous at all for it.

“I used to come on tour and be a guy who could beat the top guys and not do it consistently and then lose against a guy ranked way lower than me just because the day wasn’t the best one, because it was too windy maybe.

“So for me to come through and be 237 weeks, I think, at No.1 in a row, that’s incredible.

“And obviously the (grand slam) semi-finals record (of 23 in a row), and the finals record – so many in a row – there’s many things.

“It’s nice playing for the history books but it’s not everything.”

The content champion insisted he had no more specific targets in mind that he needed to reach before putting his racquet away.

“I take it tournament by tournament. I try to do as well as I can,” Federer said.

“I don’t want to set myself a goal of, say, 18 (slams) and then you don’t reach that until the end of your career and then you’re like ‘man, I didn’t achieve my goal’.

“I’m happy with how far I’ve come already.”

ROGER FEDERER’S REMARKABLE RECORD IN GRAND SLAM FINALS
2003 Wimbledon: bt Mark Philippoussis (Aus) 7-6 6-2 7-6
2004 Australian Open: bt Marat Safin (Rus) 7-6 6-4 6-2
2004 Wimbledon: bt Andy Roddick (USA) 4-6 7-5 7-6
2004 US Open: bt Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) 6-0 7-6 6-0
2005 Wimbledon: bt Roddick 6-2 7-6 6-4
2005 US Open: bt Andre Agassi (USA) 6-3 2-6 7-6 6-1
2006 Australian Open: bt Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp) 5-7 7-5 6-0 6-2
2006 French Open: lost to Rafael Nadal (Esp) 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6
2006 Wimbledon: bt Nadal 6-0 7-6 6-7 6-3
2006 US Open: bt Roddick 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1
2007 Australian Open: bt Fernando Gonzalez (Chi) 7-6 6-4 6-4
2007 French Open: lost to Nadal 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
2007 Wimbledon: bt Nadal 7-6 4-6 7-6 2-6 6-2
2007 US Open: bt Novak Djokovic (Ser) 7-6 7-6 6-4
2008 French Open: lost to Nadal 6-1 6-3 6-0
2008 Wimbledon: lost to Nadal 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7
2008 US Open: bt Andy Murray (Gbr) 6-2 7-5 6-2
2009 Australian Open: lost to Nadal 7-5 3-6 7-6 3-6 6-2
2009 French Open: bt Robin Soderling (Swe) 6-1 7-6 6-4
2009 Wimbledon: bt Roddick 5-7 7-6 7-6 3-6 16-14
2009 US Open: lost to Juan Martin del Potro (Arg) 3-6 7-6 4-6 7-6 6-2
2010 Australian Open: bt Murray 6-3 6-4 7-6 (13-11)
Overall record: Played 22, Won 16, Lost 6

* Of 12 opponents, only Rafael Nadal (5-2) and Juan Martin del Potro (1-0) have beaten Federer in major finals.

© AAP 2012

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