AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2012

SPAIN’S Rafael Nadal extended his mastery over Roger Federer when he came from a set down to win a gripping Australian Open semi-final.

In a rematch of the 2009 final, Federer opened like a train yesterday but he was gradually reeled in by the tenacious Nadal to suffer his fifth straight Grand Slam defeat to his great rival 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

“For me it’s a dream to be back in the final,” said a smiling Nadal.

“It’s a real honour to play against Roger, it was a fantastic match. It’s fantastic to have one player in front of you who doesn’t make mistakes, having a totally complete game.”

Nadal will now face either defending champion Novak Djokovic or fourth seed Andy Murray, who play today, as he looks for his second Australian Open crown and his 11th Grand Slam title.

The 25-year-old strengthened his spell-binding hold on the otherwise masterful Swiss, who has won only two of their 10 Grand Slam meetings, both at Wimbledon, and none since 2007.

Sheer joy: Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates after booking his place in the Australian Open final in Melbourne. –EPA

Three years ago, Federer wept openly when Nadal won their epic, five–set Melbourne final. And on a chilly Melbourne night there was no revenge for the 16–time slam winner, who now extends a two–year Major drought.

Federer produced flawless tennis at the start of the match but his game unravelled when put under pressure by Nadal and he finished with 63 unforced errors.

Unleashing his full arsenal, four–time Australian Open champion Federer held serve to love and broke the Spaniard at his first opportunity with a devastating crosscourt backhand with Nadal struggling to gain a foothold.

Nadal broke back but third seed Federer raised his game again after his mid–set wobble and he took the tiebreak when Nadal went long.

The players swapped service breaks at the start of the second set but the turning point came when Nadal held off a Federer break point in the fifth game and then broke the Swiss in the very next game to move ahead 4-2.

The match was suspended for 10 minutes for Australia Day fireworks with Nadal leading 5-2 and when play resumed, Federer badly lost his focus, losing 11 consecutive points on top of straight three points he lost before the break.

Nadal, 25, levelled the match at one set apiece, took the first game of set three to love and held three break points after two consecutive Federer double faults, only for the misfiring Swiss to claw himself out of the hole.

Hard work: Roger Federer of Switzerland wiping his face during the semi-final against Rafael Nadal. –Reuters

Federer, 30, battled hard to break Nadal in game seven of the third set but the Spaniard broke back immediately to level things up and Nadal went on to take the tiebreak on his sixth set point.

A tense fourth set went with serve with Nadal looking stronger mentally, continuing to chase down balls from seemingly impossible situations.

He saved a break point from Federer in the eighth game and broke the Swiss in the following game.

But the Spaniard still had to fight hard to serve out for victory, saving two Federer break points, including an astonishing retrieval onto the baseline which the Swiss then wafted wide.

Federer, seeking his first Grand Slam win in two years, had not dropped a set until yesterday’s semi-final but Nadal, who now leads their overall series 18-9, once again proved he has the edge on the biggest stage.

The match was their 10th Grand Slam encounter, putting them equal with Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe for most matches played at Majors. – AFP