A sobbing Roger Federer embraced his 18th Grand Slam singles title with the unbridled passion of a five-year-old. He came into the tournament with nothing to lose, chasing the impossible dream that became his on a brilliantly-lit Melbourne night.
The 35-year-old in his 100th Australian Open outing won 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in 3 hours and 38 minutes against Spain's Rafael Nadal, taking home $3,700,000. “I'm out of words,” Federer said, holding the trophy presented to him by Rod Laver, the man he idolises and after whom the stadium is named after. “I want to congratulate Rafa on an amazing comeback. I don't think either of us believed we would be here when we saw each other at his academy four/five months ago. Keep playing, Rafa please, tennis needs you. Keep doing everything you do.”
“Roger deserved to win more than me today,” the 30-year-old Nadal said. “I worked very hard to be here, I fighted (sic) hard here. I'll keep trying, keep fighting through the whole season. I hope to come back here. I'll let Roger keep the trophy (this time) and see you next year...”
The Federer versus Nadal is as much a rivalry as it is a bond. Rafa called it a contrast of styles, play and personalities that transcends the sport. Federer said he was the Spaniard's No.1 fan. It is the story of brothers, where the more physically gifted is the standard, setting the bar and the mentally resolute, flying over, reaching above. Neither player asks questions, both of them make statements, one with flair and flourish and the other all grit and gumption. The galleries worship at the altar of one and adore the other, shouts of `Vamos Rafa!' then were quickly drowned out by `Let's go Roger, lets go!' chant that has become the anthem of fans.
Federer was off the blocks quickly when hostilities began. He played sharp and broke the ninth early, sending out the first signs that he wasn't in a mood for that back-and-forth thing his opponent so enjoys. Nadal, not to be outdone, was playing to a plan, keeping Federer waiting, going through his motions -endless routines, testing his patience. Then in the second game, on his second breakpoint opportunity of the game and match, Nadal's forehand broke down Federer's with a wicked repetition drill. The Swiss master had two chances to pull back in the following game, only the Spaniard couldn't be put away, charging to a 3-0 lead which quickly became 4-0. Federer broke Nadal in the fifth game to get on to the scoreboard in the second set, but couldn't stop the Mallorcan from levelling sets.
Serena wins record 23rd major with win over Venus
Serena Williams has won her record 23rd Grand Slam singles title with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over her older sister Venus in the women's final. With her record seventh Australian title, the 35-year-old Williams moved ahead of Steffi Graf for the most major titles in the Open era. Margaret Court won 24 majors, but collected 13 of those before the Open era.
The victory at Rod Laver Arena also ensured Serena Williams will regain the top ranking, which she lost in September after 186 straight weeks when Angelique Kerber won the US Open. It was Serena's seventh win in nine all-Williams Grand Slam finals, and the first since Wimbledon in 2009. It was 36-year-old, No. 13-seeded Venus Williams' first trip back to a major final in 7 ½ years.
Williams has won 15 majors since last losing to Venus in a Grand Slam final, at Wimbledon in 2008.
"This was a tough one - I really would like to take this moment to congratulate Venus," Serena said. "She's an amazing person. There's no way I'd be at 23 without her. She's my inspiration and the only reason I'm standing here today. Thanks for inspiring me to be the best player I can be. "She deserves a round of applause - she's made an amazing comeback."
The match didn't live up to its classic billing, with nerves and tension causing uncharacteristic mistakes and unforced errors and four consecutive service breaks before Venus finally held for a 3-2 lead. That included a game when Serena had game point but served back-to-back double-faults and three in all to give up the break.
There were six service breaks in all. Both players were relatively subdued, except for Serena's racket smashing spike on the court in the third game that earned her a code violation. After making the three double-faults in the fourth game, however, the younger Williams didn't face another break point in the 1-hour, 22-minute match.
Sania beaten in mixed doubles final
Sania Mirza's aim for her seventh major tennis title ended in despair as she and Croatian partner Ivan Dodig were beaten 2-6, 4-6 by unseeded American Abigail Spears and Colombian Juan Sebastian Cabal in the Australian Open mixed doubles final. The Indo-Croatian pair accepted defeat in one hour and three minutes.
Sania was bidding for her seventh major tennis title, and first with Croatian partner Ivan Dodig, in the Australian Open mixed doubles final where the second seeds took on the unseeded American-Colombian pair.
Sania and Dodig were pushed on the backfoot at the onset of the match, getting broken twice to trail 0-4. Dodig lost his serve in the opening game of the match after a forehand unforced error. Sania too lost her first service game, third of the first set, unable to return a backhand shot.
The Indo-Croatian pair took a while to get going and began to combine well in the later stages of the first set, winning their next two service games. But it wasn't enough to save the set, surrendering it 2-6. But they stepped up their energy in the second set. Beginning to play more as a team, they attacked Spears' serve in the second game after Dodig won the first service game.
But Sania-Dodig couldn't maintain the momentum. Sania was broken in the seventh game with a backhand volley winner.
