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With a tear, a hug and an on-court performance he will undoubtedly regret, Roger Federer has had to accept he is the world’s second best tennis player.
And his chances of reclaiming the supremacy he held for a record four and a half years is surely remote unless injury halts Rafael Nadal.
The game’s greatest money winner lost his Australian Open final early on Monday to a 22-year-old whose place as the world’s best player is as clearly defined as Federer’s place as the second best.
Nadal beat Federer 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-3 in the first Australian final in 20 years to go to five sets and only the second ever to go the full distance.
The match that promised to be an epic probably became more, particularly for Nadal.
The Spaniard played his final two matches of the Open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the semi-final and final taking a combined 9 hours 37 minutes.
But any notion that his semi-final would take a physical toll was to prove mistaken.
Nadal finished the match as physically sound as his opponent.
Mentally, he was in better shape.
Federer, as he did when he won the second of his three Australian Opens in 2006, broke down at the presentation, this time as he received the runner-up trophy.
“It hurts me to lose,” he said.
“It just overwhelms you and you can’t go into the locker room and have a cold shower.”
“I don’t want to have the last word. This guy deserves it. You played incredible. You deserved it, man,” Federer told Nadal.
“I’d like to thank the legends for coming out. You know how much it means to me.”
Then Nadal suggested in his gracious victory speech that Federer may well join the pantheon of the men whom he idolises so much.
“I know how you feel right now, it’s really tough,” he said.
“But you remember you are a great champion. You are one of the best of history.”
With his trophy under one arm, he threw the other around his rival in a moment that was more uncomfortable than touching, but nevertheless well meant.
It at least calmed the loser enough to say his “thank yous” and collect a cheque for A$1 million.
Nadal got one for A$2 million and extended his lead in the rankings.
Until this morning, Federer seemed only a match or two away from deposing Nadal from the position he claimed last August.
But the Spaniard proved here his defeat of Federer at Wimbledon last year and at the past three French Opens is a true reflection their relative abilities.
Nadal also showed that he is a champion who has gained acceptance with every tournament – for all his grunting, his questionable wardrobe and his constant difficulties with his underwear.
And with his first grand slam win on a hard court, along with his total dominance on clay and his obvious liking for the Wimbledon grass, he has the best chance of any player in 40 years to do what Laver did and sweep all four grand slams.
Factbox of Australian Open men’s champion Rafael Nadal (prefix denotes seeding):
RAFAEL NADAL (ESP)
Age: 22
Ranking: 1
Plays: left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Career prize money: $US20,814,797 PLUS $AUD2 million
Career titles: 32
Grand slam titles: 6 Nadal (Australian Open 2009; French Open 2005-08; Wimbledon 2008)
Career win-loss record: 338-78
Australian Open win-loss record: 21-4
ROAD TO TITLE
1st rd: bt Christophe Rochus (BEL) 6-0 6-2 6-2
2nd rd: bt Rocko Karanusic (CRO) 6-2 6-3 6-2
3rd rd: bt Tommy Hass (GER) 6-4 6-2 6-2 6-2
4th rd: bt 13-Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) 6-3 6-2 6-4
QF: bt 6-Gilles Simon (FRA) 6-2 7-5 7-5
SF: bt 14-Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-2) 6-7 (1-7) 6-4
F: bt 2-Roger Federer (SUI) 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-2
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Nadal leads Federer 13-6 (5-2 at grand slams)
2004 Miami, hard, Nadal 6-3 6-3
2005 Miami, hard, Federer 2-6 6-7(4-7) 7-6(7-5) 6-3 6-1
2005 French Open, clay, Nadal 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3
2006 Dubai, hard, Nadal 2-6 6-4 6-4
2006 Monte Carlo, clay, Nadal 6-2 6-7(2-7) 6-3 7-6(7-5)
2006 Rome, clay, Nadal 6-7(0-7) 7-6(7-5) 6-4 2-6 7-6(7-5)
2006 French Open, clay, Nadal 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(7-4)
2006 Wimbledon, grass, Federer 6-0 7-6(7-5) 6-7(2-7) 6-3
2006 Masters Cup, Shanghai, hard, Federer 6-4 7-5
2007 Monte Carlo, clay, Nadal 6-4 6-4
2007 Hamburg, clay, Federer 2-6 6-2 6-0
2007 French Open, clay, Nadal 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
2007 Wimbledon, grass, Federer 7-6(9-7) 4-6 7-6(7-3) 2-6 6-2
2007 Masters Cup, Shanghai, hard, Federer 6-4 6-1
2008 Monte Carlo, clay, Nadal 7-5 7-5
2008 Hamburg, clay, Nadal 7-5 6-7(3-7) 6-3
2008 French Open, clay, Nadal 6-1 6-3 6-0
2008 Wimbledon, grass, Nadal 6-4 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(8) 9-7
2009 Australian Open, hard, Nadal 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-2
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