The Roar
The Roar

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The Fed Express stood tallest at the Australian Open

(AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Expert
29th January, 2017
45

Roger Federer overcame his 35 years, his 100th Australian Open match, and a dogged Rafael Nadal to set up his record 18th Slam with a sensational 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 victory.

It took three hours and 37 minutes of tense tennis, with both players having the capacity Melbourne Park crowd evenly split between the two in both ecstasy and dismay.

The ecstasy were the breathtaking rallies with both players unleashing ground strokes of the highest order down the line or across the court.

Federer came out on top with 73 winners to Nadal’s 35, but the Spaniard made only 28 unforced errors to 57.

Where they both let themselves, and their supporters, down were the break point conversions, the most important stat.

Federer converted only six of 20 break points for 32 per cent, but it was enough to stand alone at the finish with Nadal converting a mere four of 17 for 24 per cent.

For two of the greatest players to ever wield a racquet, those conversion rates didn’t make any sense.

Was it choking, or just incredible pressure from across the net?

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I’d have to go along with the latter as both saved 27 of 37 break points between them at critical times.

But all that did was increase the tension among the multi-millions watching live on television around the world.

It will go down as a final for the ages which was rather fitting with a 35-year-old across the net from a 30-year-old.

Former French veteran Fabrice Santoro made the classic comment Federer had a 15-year-old head, 25-year-old legs, and a 35-year-old passport.

But both have been in the wars.

Just five months ago they were on the injured list and no certainty to make the first Slam of the year.

Federer had leg and groin problems, Nadal’s was a nagging wrist injury.

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That they fought their way through to the decider last night bordered on the miraculous.

That both covered over 3000 metres at full pace – Nadal 3306, Federer 3218 – and that did them credit as well.

And a personal salute from me to Nadal who, apart from two well-separated serving incidents, was within the 20 seconds allowed between points.

That was a major first for the Spaniard and it played no small part in making the match so memorable.

So it was fitting Roger Federer served 20 aces to four and won 150 points overall, to Rafael Nadal’s 139.

The best man won.

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