Rafael Nadal on his victory over Roger Federer © Clive Brunskill / Staff – Getty Images Sport
Rafael Nadal won his first Australian Open title in 2009, winning three of the previous four Majors and coming one step away from a career Grand Slam at 22!
Rafa dominated Roger Federer in an epic final with almost nothing left in the tank, feeling blown for days after the encounter. Nadal lost to Gael Monfils in the Doha quarter-finals earlier in the season and raised his level in Melbourne.
He toppled three rivals ranked outside the top 70 in straight sets to find themselves in the round of 16. The Spaniard ousted world number 14 and former runner-up Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in the fourth round for another big step towards the trophy.
World number 8 Gilles Simon fell 6-2, 7-5, 7-5 in the quarter-finals, and Nadal set the all-Spanish semi-final encounter with Fernando Verdasco. turned into an epic encounter, as Rafa won 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 after five hours and ten minutes in one of the most extraordinary encounters at Melbourne Park!
Nadal won a point more than Verdasco, serving well and getting broken twice from just four break chances offered to his compatriot. 16 break opportunities out of 20 and pushing Rafa to his limits.
The older Spaniard fired almost 100 winners and over 60 unforced errors. He overpowered Nadal in the extended rallies but lost ground in the shorter rallies by up to four shots. Starting from scratch in the final, Rafa wasted just a point after the initial shot, increasing the pressure on Fernando and obtaining a break at 5-4 following the double fault of his opponent to qualify for the final.
Rafael Nadal at the 2009 Australian Open:
Rafael Nadal spent more than nine hours in the final stages of the 2009 Australian Open. Nadal had to endure another marathon en route to the title with almost nothing left in his legs!
Three-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer stood between Nadal and his sixth major crown, with two arch-rivals clashing for the first time at Melbourne Park. The encounter turned into open warfare and Nadal secured a memorable 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 victory in four hours and 19 minutes. time to recover after the semi-final.
Still, he did his best to get off to a good start against Roger and find the remaining strengths physically. Federer won a point more than Nadal, but not the ones that mattered most in the decision. The Swiss lost serve seven times and converted six of 19 break chances on the return.
Roger stayed in touch with Rafa in extended points but that wasn’t enough to bring him home. Federer did well in the fourth set, claiming it at 6-3 and forcing a decisive point, yet he lost ground and allowed Rafa to emerge on top and celebrate the title.
“I was exhausted before the final, with low energy and flat reactions. Toni shared some key thoughts and I needed to get off to a good start, which I did.
I handled the fatigue and somehow won the game, feeling blown away for several days. “, said Rafael Nadal.
2023-08-30 21:18:58
#Rafael #Nadal #win #Roger #Federer
