Men's Final Highlights Australian Open Tennis


Men's Final Highlights

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They first met 13 years ago. They have played 34 times. Rafa leads

:00:39.:00:48.

23-11. COMMENTATOR: Rafa rules in

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Melbourne. They have come face to face in eight Grand Slam finals.

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Rafa leads 6-2. Federer's magnificent run ends. Nadal is the

:01:01.:01:05.

top man. Between them, they have five Australian Open crowns. Rafa

:01:06.:01:12.

one Roger four. Together, they have 31 Grand Slam titles. Rafa 14, Roger

:01:13.:01:21.

17. Not even Rafa can stop Roger's reign. They are two of only eight

:01:22.:01:26.

men who have achieved the career Grand Slam. In a sport defined by

:01:27.:01:30.

rivalries, we have had the great Australians of the 60s. Bjorn Borg,

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Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe in the 70s and 80s. Sampras and Agassi in

:01:37.:01:42.

the 90s. But Federer Nadal is perhaps the daddy of them all. They

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make the game look so easy. So bad and down the hatches. It is Roger

:01:50.:01:55.

four versus Rafa again. Are you ready?

:01:56.:01:57.

That is how the numbers stack up. But this match wasn't about titles

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and records. This, for tennis, was a celebration. It was the Grand Slam

:02:06.:02:08.

final that everybody wanted but never believed they would see again.

:02:09.:02:13.

Here were two great champions fighting for their legacies in what

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was probably their most important final ever. There was not a spare

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seat in the Rod Laver Arena as the two players made their way to court.

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And first, as the lower ranked player, Federer was introduced.

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And then another huge cheer, for Rafa.

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What Roger and Rafa have proved here is that greatness and years. It was

:02:48.:02:53.

history in the making for both players. Can Federer extend his lead

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in Grand Slam titles to 18 or can Nadal narrow the gap to just two? We

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join the match in the opening set, three games all, Nadal to serve. The

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commentators are John Lloyd and Andrew Castle.

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COMMENTATOR: Yes, the matte black racket of Roger Federer. Bigger

:03:14.:03:22.

racket head than it used to be. Timing the ball better since he

:03:23.:03:23.

changed. APPLAUSE

:03:24.:03:47.

Oh! Here is an opportunity, 0-15. New racket in hand and 98 square

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inches, this racket. He just has the feel on the backhand side. He was

:03:56.:03:59.

struggling with the timing for a few months or so and decided to change.

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He is somebody that does like to play quickly. Nadal the absolute

:04:08.:04:08.

opposite. No, not this time. Nadal's racket

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much lighter and a smaller grip. Very powerful frame, polyester

:04:43.:04:45.

strings, the ball shooting off the racket face.

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The 2014 French Open, that was Nadal, in this great rivalry.

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Oh! What a point, that is ridiculous! He looked in trouble for

:06:04.:06:19.

so much of that rally. He looked like he was playing catch up but

:06:20.:06:23.

then when he got the chance, he just exploded. Took the top-spin volley.

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Brilliant shot. That is a way! First blood to Roger

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Federer, in the last game with these tennis balls. Rafa is going to have

:06:59.:07:03.

a look at that. The last time Federer beat Nadal in a slam was

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2007 at Wimbledon. He has never beaten him in the final of a slam

:07:09.:07:17.

outside of The Championships in NSW 19. -- in SW19. Welcome he has taken

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a step towards that victory, he has the break in the opening set.

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Roger Federer, one of the sports stories of the year so far to see

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both of these players... Look at their seedings, 17 and nine. These

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guys haven't played, it's been six months since Roger Federer was out

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here. Nadal curtailed his last season with a bad wrist. We thought

:08:26.:08:32.

that was it, he's had so many physical problems. Knee surgery for

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Roger Federer, six months of and now they are in the final of the first

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Grand Slam of the year! No two players have contested more

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Grand Slam finals than these two. What a shot.

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Ten winners to one. He is taking the ball on. Big-time.

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What a game. You break to go for- three up, step up to the line

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thinking, don't mess it up... That was clinical. 27 minutes. And

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Federer has come out here with the intensity of old.

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STUDIO And two games later, Roger went on

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to serve out the set in style. Federer in fact only dropping one

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point on his first serve in that opener. So Roger takes the first set

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six games to four. Now we move onto the second set and we rejoin it with

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Nadal leading 1-0. well, the decibel level has gone up

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from Nadal. The clenched fist, is a chance at 0-30. Moving fine, after

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his brutal semifinal, over five hours begins Grigor Dimitrov. Not a

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lot of time for recovery but a couple of sleeps.

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Is anything into the Nadal forehand. You offer him a target and he will

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generally hit it. Should have made him play the ball, he will be

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thinking. Still, 15-30, he would have taken that at the start of the

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game. That is truly good fortune. 15-30, a

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dead net cord. Well, we've seen some of those net cords that have

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actually hit the net and gone over the baseline, so that one was pretty

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fortunate. But again! He picked the right spot, Nadal, on the Federer

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approach. 50-50. I don't really understand why Federer is going in

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on the left-hand side on the approach, the left-hander loves to

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put it down the line. So, here we go.

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Break point, a first. Just about three quarters of an hour played.

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Went in the forehand again. He fights it off.

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He as got a good backhand volley. Nadal very good with that one. He

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steered it a bit and gave Federer another shot at it. Almost had it.

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APPLAUSE And Nadal attacking the Federer

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backhand, lining it up with the top-spin, and it pays off. Over

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three quarters of an hour but the breakthrough is his at the beginning

:14:32.:14:35.

of the second set. And Federer is going to have to dig deep. One of

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the great surprises to Federer himself has been his physical energy

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levels, he has been fine. He's been out for six months! It's much

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different playing to practising in terms of what you have to give, but

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for Federer, the cadres are still good. Even after the match with

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Berdych, he was very clean and clinical and quick, but the match

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against Nishikori, he said he came back well after that. But this is a

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different order of test because of the emotions.

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It's the purity of the strike off the Federer racket today which has

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impressed so much. Keeping his weight low and going through the

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ball, the timing of it, it is like a forward defensive from Viv Richards

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rating to the boundary. It's the sound of the racket that is so

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impressive. Nadal making more errors than he would like. Break point.

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Two errors on the forehand side. The feet perhaps not working quite like

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they were, with Nadal wearing Federer down. We certainly didn't

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see those forehands in the set. His forehand was amazing. Maybe just

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trying to force the action. There is only so long you can keep doing

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that. One of the features of this

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Australian Open has been the speed of the court. And the tennis balls

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as well. It's been quicker than in previous years. The balls seem to

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get less fluffy and move quicker through the air and off the surface.

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Federer would like that. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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Fantastic. What a volley that was. Against somebody normal, that

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passing shot probably would have been good enough, but what happened

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from Federer! The overhead a mere formality. It was the volley,

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unreal. He's probably never getting to that volley, let alone forcing it

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back that deep and forcing Nadal to put up the forehand lob. Brilliant

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point. LINE JUDGE: Out! Taxing rally for

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Federer. Just a little exhalation of air, he just turned away before he

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breathed out there. That is hard, physically. I just wonder, with 53

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minutes played, I know it's early doors, but how much is left in that

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tank? He'll be fine. LINE JUDGE: Out!

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UMPIRE: Advantage Nadal. One of the happiest sites in tennis,

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when you look down and you see a ball landing over your own baseline.

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Thank you! That is a way that Federer had his

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chances to get back level pegging, there, but Nadal has consolidated

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the break. Important game, 3-0 Nadal.

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STUDIO What a tussle, Nadal got ahead and

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then held on and here he is with a set point at 5-3. That arrow from

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Federer and now they are tied at one set all. We hope for a classic and

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this was building nicely. Let's see how set number three would unfold.

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What a lovely way to start the set. Exactly!

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This fearsome forehand. For five years ago it was the best shot in

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tennis. He lost a little bit of his potency, but he seems to have got it

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back now. Well, that was a surprise! He

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actually got the volley that he was looking for. It was perhaps dipping,

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was it any the height of the net? It was one that he will feel he should

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have made. A second serve? Having been 40-0 up, I'm worrying about his

:26:00.:26:04.

energy levels and the concentration, the whole thing, after six months

:26:05.:26:11.

out of the game. Keep an eye on it. 40-0 back to deuce. Yeah, it's a

:26:12.:26:17.

tank that might be saying no, get back to the petrol station. He was

:26:18.:26:23.

taking on board some nutrients about 15 minutes ago, ten minutes ago.

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Concentration... If he does flag, the crowd will be

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there to elevate him on their shoulders, I promise you. Something

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is not right now. The trouble is, you know that it's

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Nadal down the other end and he is moving to his forehand side and you

:27:12.:27:16.

think, better get there quick. Exactly. He just sort of took his

:27:17.:27:18.

eye off it a bit. Oh no! Two volley errors, two

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forehand errors. He had 40-0 in the game and he has also saved two break

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points. His first serve right now is what is helping him to hang in.

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APPLAUSE He can't keep doing that every time

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he gets break point down, can he? That was like, just give me one

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chance to get my racket on the ball... You can feel the ticks and

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the electricity running through Nadal. This is a big moment in this

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match. Well, it was a great ball. People

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thought it might be going out. The crowd on that backhand. But it's

:29:19.:29:24.

amazing, when you are down courtside and you watch these two players play

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and you see that top-spin, you do think the ball is going out and the

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last-minute the ball just drops. It's amazing, how many times you

:29:36.:29:36.

think it's going to go way out. That was something Steve McQueen

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would have been happy with, The Great Escape. He had 40-0 but also

:30:05.:30:13.

break points against. Federer holds, just.

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Riding the wave from the previous game when he managed to hold from

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multiple break points down, taking the ball early, feeling the

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adrenaline now. Any tips of energy seem to have disappeared from

:31:19.:31:21.

Federer. -- get. Magnificent backhand. Nadal

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continues to throw everything at him. Once again, the backhand, he is

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on top of it. Taking it as early as he can. That one was relatively

:31:48.:31:48.

simple for a man of his calibre. Coach to Roger Federer, he has

:31:49.:32:40.

clearly had a big impact here. He has worked with so many fine coaches

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in the past. They would certainly have said, do

:32:43.:32:58.

not allow the ball to play you, either on the wide serve like that

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or the hooked forehand. Don't let it rise up, take you off the playing

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surface. I don't believe that rally! That is

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a shot you cannot coach. There were about five of them in there, John.

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Exactly. The last one. Nadal smacked it so hard indeed. Unbelievable, to

:34:01.:34:07.

fit a clean winner from that position. Timing has to be so

:34:08.:34:18.

precise -- to hit. Suddenly Federer with a chance now. Break point.

:34:19.:34:40.

Federer just moved a little to his left. He was in the tramlines.

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Taking away Nadal's wide serve on the second. Nadal serves into the

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body. Federer rounds it down the centre of a court. What a

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fascinating match these two play. Federer seemingly out of gas in the

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previous games. The serve saved him in Game one of

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the set. Break points on the left side.

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Rafa Nadal that far back, any opponent will look at that and

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think, I will go ahead and volley. Too much court to cover from back

:35:58.:36:01.

there on the next shot. What a passage of play this has

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been. Break points down, big serves out wide to Nadal's forehand and now

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takes over this game. Fantastic, isn't it? The dog has -- Nadal is

:36:24.:36:33.

not going anywhere. His level will not change too much. But Federer has

:36:34.:36:40.

had a surge of power and energy to take the lead.

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SUE BARKER: Federer stayed in charge. He only had to save one

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break point. Here he is. Now the momentum very much with

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Federer. Roger just one set away from his 18th Grand Slam final. Two

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hours of play just over, we entered the fourth set and we rejoin it with

:37:08.:37:10.

Nadal leading 2-1. Nadal defending the backhand side.

:37:11.:37:39.

That half of the court was entirely open. Disappointing start for

:37:40.:37:43.

Federer. Something for Nadal to hook into here.

:37:44.:37:57.

And now 0-30. How quickly it happens, the start of the game is so

:37:58.:38:04.

big, so easy to get a little bit complacent. It is about the fifth

:38:05.:38:07.

time he has completely mis-hit forehand side.

:38:08.:38:38.

Fantastic recovery from Federer. The forehand from Nadal took over. He

:38:39.:38:46.

did well to hook it back. The foot speed of Nadal to get around

:38:47.:38:52.

beforehand. Two options, he can go the off forehand or down the line,

:38:53.:38:55.

pick the right shot. Big trouble now.

:38:56.:39:25.

And the tone was set on the very first point of that game, the

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forehand from Federer. After that, Nadal does not need a written

:39:34.:39:39.

invitation. Unable to find the magic to dig this service game out. I

:39:40.:39:46.

wonder if we are going five here. That would be something the sports

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world would enjoy. SUE BARKER: Nadal break serve and in

:39:55.:39:58.

the next game he holds 4-1 with possibly the point of the

:39:59.:39:59.

Championship. What a shock! Or most a squash shot

:40:00.:40:21.

from Rafa. Standing ovation from the crowd for both players after that

:40:22.:40:25.

and Rafa was right back in the match because he went on to take the

:40:26.:40:31.

fourth set 6-3. The two great champions, fitting finale at the

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Australian Open. It is quite fitting we go down out of the fifth and

:40:36.:40:39.

final set that would decide the Championship.

:40:40.:41:04.

ANDREW CASTLE: Three unforced errors from Nadal. Federer is going to need

:41:05.:41:11.

to find inspiration. Brilliant. Just refused to miss,

:41:12.:42:04.

Nadal. They played five five set matches. It is 3-2 to Nadal. He lost

:42:05.:42:09.

the last couple, Australian Open final here, and the great one at

:42:10.:42:13.

Wimbledon in 2008. It has been ten years since Federer

:42:14.:42:37.

beat Nadal in five sets. Ten years! Both players, there has to be

:42:38.:42:43.

fatigued, just because of the circumstances in getting to the

:42:44.:42:47.

finals. This is one set for the Australian Open, they will push

:42:48.:42:50.

through the pain barrier. Whatever it takes. They are both warriors.

:42:51.:43:06.

Wow, what a forehand. Nadal is about to strike an important blow, 15-40,

:43:07.:43:12.

two break points. Less time out for Rafa Nadal with

:43:13.:43:28.

the wrist injury. But time-out nevertheless.

:43:29.:43:46.

Glorious. He was looking at the forehand reverse to Nadal's forehand

:43:47.:43:55.

and he said, no, I will keep it there. Nadal tried everything to get

:43:56.:44:00.

Federer off-balance. He could not get enough on any of the shots to

:44:01.:44:06.

put Federer to defend. Once he gets the chance to take over, with that

:44:07.:44:10.

pace, the forehand, it is the weapon, it used to be just winners

:44:11.:44:17.

whenever he hit it. While it seemed to lack pace for a couple of years,

:44:18.:44:19.

now it is back to its best. No, it is a way! Take it easy, not

:44:20.:44:39.

home yet. But a break of serve. Right at the start of the fifth and

:44:40.:44:45.

deciding set. Nadal with his nose in front. When Federer was taking his

:44:46.:44:56.

time-out, Nadal was pretty much doing his laundry, jumping up and

:44:57.:45:03.

down, taking on carbohydrate gels and hydrating with various different

:45:04.:45:10.

fluids. Dad, coach, girlfriend. Agent. And he has had a big job to

:45:11.:45:21.

do over the preceding 43 hours before this match after a monster

:45:22.:45:24.

five set semifinal with regard it. He is the masseuse. -- with Grigor

:45:25.:45:32.

Dimitrov. He has recovered magnificently from that contest.

:45:33.:46:11.

Just count that errors from Nadal. Any sort of mistake, I think he is

:46:12.:46:17.

going to make very few. It is up to Federer. What can he

:46:18.:46:24.

find? He cannot look at the unforced error

:46:25.:46:53.

account in isolation. You have to look at the winners. It is the ratio

:46:54.:46:57.

that is crucial. Just a couple of those forehands

:46:58.:48:04.

from Nadal landing a bit short. He could not put it where the first

:48:05.:48:09.

time. The second time, that one lands a bit short. Getting it round

:48:10.:48:15.

the outside of the balls. He flicks the ball away crosscourt.

:48:16.:49:04.

He wouldn't still be thinking about that second point and the forehand

:49:05.:49:14.

halfway up the net, would he? 15-0. That was the crucial point in this

:49:15.:49:18.

game, an unusual mistake. Break point now, second one.

:49:19.:49:31.

Oh, you're kidding me! This is a tough ball to handle. One of those

:49:32.:49:47.

drills. The coaches, they have a basket of balls and they feed them

:49:48.:49:51.

into that area and Nadal has to run around it and whipped the forehands.

:49:52.:49:55.

He has done it thousands of times. Almost in his sleep.

:49:56.:50:12.

Oh, what a time for that! People say that the net cords, they always even

:50:13.:50:25.

out. No, doesn't matter how many there are, it is when they occur,

:50:26.:50:30.

crucial points. That was a big time for it to happen.

:50:31.:50:55.

How is that...? Federer hit the most brilliant return. He is thinking,

:50:56.:51:06.

OK, now I am going to be in a good position. And that is what happened

:51:07.:51:10.

to him! Nadal right away just hit the flick shot and put Federer right

:51:11.:51:16.

back under pressure. At break point down.

:51:17.:51:27.

That forehand on the line. First serve. Forehand. What a combination.

:51:28.:51:44.

He is setting up such an attack. Not opening the door.

:51:45.:51:58.

And that is away. Three break points saved in the second game of the

:51:59.:52:04.

fifth set after break. Really important holds. 2-0.

:52:05.:52:12.

SUE BARKER: Federer throwing everything at Nadal. Federer had

:52:13.:52:16.

another break point but still could not find a way to break Rafa's

:52:17.:52:26.

serve. Let us rejoin it with Rafa serving at 3-2.

:52:27.:52:46.

ANDREW CASTLE: That is a stunning rally from Federer to start off this

:52:47.:52:58.

service came from Nadal. 18 shots of pure quality, three or four times in

:52:59.:53:02.

that rally he was in trouble. The extra leg strength pushing himself

:53:03.:53:09.

to keep the ball deep. He took charge and exploded with a backhand

:53:10.:53:14.

again. He has hit that shot so well today.

:53:15.:54:29.

Fantastic length from Nadal in response.

:54:30.:55:02.

Phenomenal serve. Federated well to get the ball back in play. --

:55:03.:55:12.

Federer. He was so far off the court. Stabilised oneself with the

:55:13.:55:21.

right foot. He had to cover his backhand side. Nadal finding his

:55:22.:55:26.

target. No chance of him missing that one.

:55:27.:55:45.

Unusual, isn't it? The tension. Electing not to attack the Federer

:55:46.:56:02.

backhand. Did it dip in with the enormous paean on it, the top-spin?

:56:03.:56:09.

-- rpm. It is break point. Third game in a row. Nadal's serve.

:56:10.:56:42.

CHEERING That is scintillating. At 15-30, the

:56:43.:56:54.

wide serve, followed by the winning forehand. Break point down, body

:56:55.:57:00.

forehand serve, whack, goes away, this guy does not make mistakes on

:57:01.:57:04.

big points very often. Just marginally, Federer might have

:57:05.:58:03.

had the rub of the green when it comes to net cords so far.

:58:04.:58:20.

Nadal made a bit of room on the forehand side, left the crosscourt

:58:21.:58:45.

open, but you have got to hit it and it was a hammer blow. Another break

:58:46.:58:47.

point. And it is away this time Federer

:58:48.:59:18.

does breakthrough. APPLAUSE

:59:19.:59:30.

Standing ovation. In the middle of a set.

:59:31.:00:16.

Doesn't have to come right out of the

:00:17.:01:04.

He would love that. Another standing ovation, two straight games, the

:01:05.:01:27.

longest set of the match. I want a lot more of this, don't you?

:01:28.:02:42.

This is about the 14th round of a 15 round championship boxing match!

:02:43.:03:03.

They have been slugging each other for well over three hours now.

:03:04.:03:09.

Federer and Nadal. You couldn't possibly have picked this final

:03:10.:03:11.

after what they have both been through. 4-3 in the fifth set. Nadal

:03:12.:03:21.

has lost the last two Games. He was a break up.

:03:22.:03:29.

GP ball from Federer. He meant that. Well, that's just genius. No one

:03:30.:03:38.

else would have the imagination do hit that shot at this stage in the

:03:39.:03:42.

match. And also have the ability to do it!

:03:43.:04:14.

APPLAUSE It looks like it is 1-1 in the first

:04:15.:04:30.

set. Three hours and 24 minutes played.

:04:31.:04:44.

Oh! Pressure, tension. Well, if it's getting to Nadal, you know it's

:04:45.:05:22.

there. He can't believe it. Five points from the title.

:05:23.:05:40.

Rafa! UMPIRE: Thank you.

:05:41.:05:50.

CHUCKLES Look at the attitude!

:05:51.:06:22.

Oh! Well, he's gone for that shot in this match often, to conserve taking

:06:23.:07:19.

it early, but that one had a bit extra on it.

:07:20.:07:26.

Nadal double faulted early on in this game. That was a good second

:07:27.:07:33.

serve, well directed. Three straight now, back to deuce.

:07:34.:08:23.

Oh! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

:08:24.:08:32.

That's one of the best points ever! Longest rally by miles and the Best

:08:33.:08:39.

by miles. That's ridiculous. Is that what you've got to do? No way.

:08:40.:08:57.

For the break point of the game coming up. -- the fourth break

:08:58.:09:03.

point. Oh! This is just awesome. You just

:09:04.:09:22.

knew that if this went to five sets they would play their best stuff in

:09:23.:09:26.

the fifth! That's just the way they are, two champions.

:09:27.:09:34.

The first four sets were just a measly starter, weren't they... This

:09:35.:09:39.

is the main course all right! Doesn't say much for his bad leg!

:09:40.:10:09.

He's just lying on adrenaline at the moment. -- so much for his bad leg!

:10:10.:10:17.

Look at the eyes. Fifth break point of this game.

:10:18.:10:33.

CHEERING And this time the breakthrough

:10:34.:10:47.

comes! And the umpire says new tennis balls. That is a big aid to

:10:48.:11:02.

Federer as he serves. For an 18th Grand Slam title. He hasn't won one

:11:03.:11:09.

of these, the eight's biggest prizes, since Wimbledon 2012, that

:11:10.:11:16.

memorable final with Murray. This was never going to happen, it

:11:17.:11:25.

couldn't happen. You can't take this much time off and do this. But

:11:26.:11:30.

nobody told him that. Just a -- vicious forehand is there

:11:31.:11:43.

from Nadal. The great Spaniard will not go away.

:11:44.:12:53.

The pace and spin... 0-30. That's just so good! No hesitation

:12:54.:13:37.

coming into the net. 30-15. He has to hit an ace just to

:13:38.:14:14.

win a point in this game so far. At different points Rafa has been quite

:14:15.:14:16.

devastating. Oh! I mean, that was a great

:14:17.:14:44.

forehand from Nadal. He kept it deep. How did Federer find that

:14:45.:14:52.

angle and that power from that position on the court? That was a

:14:53.:14:59.

good forehand by Rafa. Leg power, rotation of the hips.

:15:00.:15:12.

LINE JUDGE: Out! UMPIRE: Mr Federer is challenging

:15:13.:15:54.

the call on the service line. The ball was called out. Good Lord.

:15:55.:16:06.

Really? Nadal is not sure. He gets a good serve!

:16:07.:16:12.

Thank goodness for the electronic line calling.

:16:13.:16:24.

UMPIRE: Mr Federer is challenging the call on the service line. Well,

:16:25.:16:34.

if this is in committed that call affect Nadal's return? It is out,

:16:35.:16:40.

second serve. That one, by his standards, was a

:16:41.:17:02.

fairly comfortable forehand. The challenge was a strange one. After

:17:03.:17:06.

he missed that first serve, it was way out. He's nervous. Even the

:17:07.:17:13.

great ones, even the greatest get nervous.

:17:14.:17:20.

Not really nervous! Oh! Once again... Or he's nervous for about

:17:21.:17:31.

one second. Readjust and plays the ace. It is is 100th match at the

:17:32.:17:36.

Australian Open. Oh! Another one! He has rolled this

:17:37.:18:00.

forehand and Rafa is not sure, again. It is the match if it goes

:18:01.:18:07.

past and, if it's in. And that is it, it's going to be over! That is

:18:08.:18:12.

it! Federer wins the Australian Open and it is one of the sports stories

:18:13.:18:14.

of all time. It just couldn't happen! I'm not

:18:15.:18:23.

surprised by this. It is all about Roger Federer at

:18:24.:19:00.

this point but more, it is about both of them and what they have

:19:01.:19:03.

contributed to the game and to the sport. There has to be more from

:19:04.:19:09.

both of these players. The next time the tennis world gathers will Beer

:19:10.:19:16.

the French Open. -- will be at the French Open. Did he really believed

:19:17.:19:21.

he was going to come back and do this, even himself? I'm not so sure

:19:22.:19:27.

he did. Just an outstanding sportsman. Grand Slam number 18. He

:19:28.:19:33.

further extends his lead in the record books. At more than that,

:19:34.:19:38.

it's just about the heart and soul. That face, these achievements, that

:19:39.:19:45.

is why you practice, why you do what you do. Fantastic tennis match from

:19:46.:19:51.

Federer and Nadal, as we were hoping for.

:19:52.:19:55.

Ladies and gentlemen, our runner-up, Australian Open 2017, Rafael Nadal!

:19:56.:20:03.

How cruel the sport can be. You throw everything at your opponent,

:20:04.:20:10.

so close, 3-1 up in the fifth and final set. That will certainly play

:20:11.:20:14.

on his mind in the days to come. He received his runner-up trophy from

:20:15.:20:20.

the man this stadium is named after, Rod Laver. He is a class act and

:20:21.:20:24.

always so sporting in defeat. Well, good evening everybody. First

:20:25.:20:39.

of all I will just say can grudge relations to Roger and all his team.

:20:40.:20:43.

Just amazing, the way that he is playing after such a long time

:20:44.:20:48.

without being on the tour. It's just very difficult to make that happen.

:20:49.:20:54.

For sure, you have been working a lot to make that happen, so I feel

:20:55.:21:01.

very happy for you. I'm just going to keep trying now. I feel that I am

:21:02.:21:09.

back and at a very high level, so I want to keep fighting the whole

:21:10.:21:20.

season. Do have a great season and for sure to come back here for so

:21:21.:21:26.

many years. To have this trophy with me. It is the third time that I have

:21:27.:21:33.

this. It is beautiful, but... But that trophy is still much better!

:21:34.:21:38.

Thank you very much everybody. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

:21:39.:21:44.

And now the holder of 18 Grand Slam singles titles and the 2017 champion

:21:45.:21:49.

of the Australian Open, Roger Federer.

:21:50.:21:53.

I'm out of words and Rafa said so many great things, but of course I

:21:54.:22:47.

would like to also congratulate Rafa on an amazing comeback. I don't

:22:48.:23:00.

think either one of us thought we were going to be in the finals of

:23:01.:23:04.

Australia when we sought each other at the Academy four or five months

:23:05.:23:09.

ago. And here we stand in the finals. I'm happy for you and I'm

:23:10.:23:17.

happy to -- I would have been happy to lose too, to be honest. The

:23:18.:23:23.

comeback was perfect as it was. Tennis is a tough sport, there's no

:23:24.:23:27.

draws, but if there was going to be one, I would have been very happy to

:23:28.:23:31.

except one tonight and share it with Rafa, really. I know everybody says

:23:32.:23:44.

they work very hard, I did the same, I really tried not to shout about it

:23:45.:23:50.

because we have got some serious legends and toughest guys in the

:23:51.:23:54.

game like Rafa here tonight. But I would just like to thank my team

:23:55.:23:57.

because it has been a different last six months, let's the honest. I

:23:58.:24:01.

wasn't sure if I was going to make it here, but here I am and we've

:24:02.:24:05.

made it, so I would just like to thank you guys. Thank you. Thank you

:24:06.:24:15.

for being here tonight, with your presence, it means so much more.

:24:16.:24:22.

Thanks again for everything, to everybody. And of course I hope to

:24:23.:24:26.

see you next year. If not, this was a wonderful run here and I couldn't

:24:27.:24:30.

be more happy tonight. Thank you very much, guys. Well, the speeches

:24:31.:24:38.

were as impressive as the tennis, but what an absolute classic. We

:24:39.:24:42.

talked about this being the dream final, and will it live up to the

:24:43.:24:45.

billing? It more than lived up to the billing, it was one of their

:24:46.:24:50.

classic encounters. It's a shame for Rafa, Andrew, isn't it? He threw

:24:51.:24:55.

everything at Roger. I think Rafa was absolutely amazed to lose that.

:24:56.:25:00.

You lost the last five games playing quite well! Just one or two points

:25:01.:25:03.

here and there he might have done something slightly differently. You

:25:04.:25:07.

could see him at the prizegiving ceremony going through it in his

:25:08.:25:10.

brain, added he lose this match? How did he lose those five games? The

:25:11.:25:16.

answer is it was just inspiration from this magnificent sportsman.

:25:17.:25:19.

Trying to put this into some sort of perspective is from the only thing I

:25:20.:25:24.

can think of, Jack Nicklaus at the 1986 Masters, 24 years or so after

:25:25.:25:28.

he won his first major championship, shooting a 30 on the back nine to

:25:29.:25:33.

win the Masters at the age of 46. I consider this to be right up there

:25:34.:25:37.

with one of those great sports achievements. He is 35, hasn't

:25:38.:25:41.

played for six months, fitness was obviously a question. He had surgery

:25:42.:25:45.

on the knee and he comes back and it's all very well hitting his shots

:25:46.:25:48.

but hitting them when you need them and having the clarity of thought

:25:49.:25:52.

without any self-doubt, it was very impressive. It's one of the sports

:25:53.:25:56.

stories of the year, is it even February yet? Not even of the year,

:25:57.:26:02.

maybe ever! Nobody expected him to come back and it's great for the

:26:03.:26:05.

game, isn't it? I've been reading through a lot of the newspapers

:26:06.:26:09.

worldwide and everyone was stopping to watch this for what they mean to

:26:10.:26:16.

the sport. Everyone was wanting this final and they didn't to happen. You

:26:17.:26:20.

look at the beginning of the year and you are thinking Djokovic and

:26:21.:26:24.

Murray, they are above everyone else. Now you've got Nadal and

:26:25.:26:28.

Federer back in the mix! You've got Nadal coming up to the French Open,

:26:29.:26:32.

he's favourite, and why not Federer for Wimbledon now on the grass? He

:26:33.:26:38.

could take four months off and go in without another tournament! He was

:26:39.:26:42.

pretty successful here. You look at the Williams sisters and Rafa,

:26:43.:26:45.

planning their schedule, this could be a -- a game changer for the

:26:46.:26:54.

sport. He is now on 18, Serena is on 23 and one behind Margaret Court. It

:26:55.:26:59.

illustrates the era we are watching. Andy Murray is world one right now

:27:00.:27:03.

and he's got to fight these sort of guys off. It's captivating. And then

:27:04.:27:12.

and Kyle doing very well and Johanna Konta as well. But just rewind that

:27:13.:27:18.

last 20 minutes and that is how good you have to be. We were talking

:27:19.:27:30.

about Djokovic catching Federer, or Rafa catching Federer on 18 titles.

:27:31.:27:37.

It's going to be tough. He was absolutely shattered. For anyone to

:27:38.:27:40.

catch Roger Federer now, I don't think so. You look at the fitness

:27:41.:27:48.

from Roger his third five set match during this tournament. Fitness

:27:49.:27:50.

wise, he's right back there, isn't he? It tells you a lot about

:27:51.:27:55.

managing your schedule. Take six months off. There's always the

:27:56.:27:59.

argument about fitness versus rashness. He came back because he

:28:00.:28:02.

wanted to play. The motivation is still to hit the ball. The money

:28:03.:28:07.

ceased to be an issue when he won his first slam 15 years ago beating

:28:08.:28:11.

Mark Philippoussis at Wimbledon. It's about the joy of hitting the

:28:12.:28:16.

ball and feeling fresh for the challenge each time, in direct

:28:17.:28:19.

contrast to Andy at the moment who has been playing so much. Going to

:28:20.:28:24.

be a fascinating year, isn't it? Andy and John, thank you very much.

:28:25.:28:28.

That's it for the day that we have more tennis coming up for you next

:28:29.:28:32.

week. We have Canada against Great Britain and it is live coverage from

:28:33.:28:35.

Ottawa and we will be there on Friday from 8pm on the red button.

:28:36.:28:41.

That is it, what a final we have had in Melbourne. Shame there has to be

:28:42.:28:48.

one winner only. That was Roger. He is a legend and his legend grows and

:28:49.:28:49.

grows. COMMENTATOR: Federer wins the

:28:50.:29:05.

Australian Open! It is one of the sports stories of all

:29:06.:29:06.

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