ao09nadal_federer

Points won by each set: | 42-36, 27-36, 52-50, 25-36, 27-16 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
19 % Nadal – 34 of 175
23 % Federer – 40 of 172

The first Australian Open final (the second will come in 2017) between Federer and Nadal – unquestionably two best players in the world at the time. The Swiss led *4:2 (30/15) in the 1st set, and wasted six mini-set points in the 3rd set: three consecutive at 4-all & another three at 5-all. # Nadal became the first man since Mats Wilander to win the Aussie Open title with back-to-back five-setters.

Nadal’s route to his 32nd title (6th major):
1 Christophe Rochus 6-0, 6-2, 6-2
2 Roko Karanusic 6-2, 6-3, 6-2
3 Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
4 Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
Q Gilles Simon 6-2, 7-5, 7-5
S Fernando Verdasco 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-7(1), 6-4
W Roger Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2

# Comparison of Wilander and Nadal in the Aussie Open semifinals & finals:
1988: Wilander over Edberg 6-0, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 and Cash 6-3, 6-7, 3-6, 6-1, 8-6… 7 hours 47 minutes [3:19 & 4:28 hrs]
2009: Nadal over Verdasco 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 and Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2… 9 hours 33 minutes [5:14 & 4:19 hrs]

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