Roger Federer fights off Rafael Nadal to win Australian Open title

MELBOURNE — Roger Federer’s first official tournament back after six months on an injury timeout miraculously ended with his 18th career Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Sunday night.

In a match in which he looked likely to lose, down 1-3 in the fifth set, the 35-year-old Federer proved just why sports captures the imagination. Results can’t be called in, the expected doesn’t always happen.

Federer, at an age where most would declare him over-the-hill for taking top prizes, defeated 30-year-old Rafael Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in 3 hours, 38 minutes. The match was the 100th Federer’s played in his career at the Australian Open.

No man in the game has as many Grand Slam titles as Federer. Nadal and Pete Sampras are the closest with 14 and tied at second place.

The two old rivals saved the high-intensity drama for the fifth set, which had spectators jumping out of their seats in excitement. Prior to the set starting, Federer took a medical timeout off the court for a right upper leg problem — he rarely has done that in his career, but he did the same in the semifinal against Stan Wawrinka.

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The win came on a second match point and Federer had to wait until the challenge replay confirmed his forehand crosscourt winner was actually a winner. He jumped up and down, and then was seen teary-eyed as he sat in his court-side chair.

“When I hit the ball and Rafa challenged, I knew it was in — I knew this ball was in,” said Federer, of the final point. “It was awkward with the challenge, but that’s how it is.”

Federer sustained a knee injury last year, the day after he lost in the semifinals at Melbourne Park when he was bathing his children. He had arthroscopic surgery in February and played sporadically the first half of the year. But after losing in the Wimbledon semifinals, he finally closed down his 2016 campaign to allow for the knee to properly heal.

Nadal also had health issues last season — a left wrist injury — and he finally called it quits for the season in October.

“I’d like to congratulate Rafa on an amazing comeback, too,” Federer said. “I don’t think either one of us thought we would be in the final at the Australian Open this year. I am happy for you. I would’ve been happy to lose to you tonight, too, really.”

At the net they shared a friendly moment, but Nadal had to be disappointed to have surrendered a service break lead in the final set. “This is the third time I have this trophy, it is beautiful, but not what I wanted,” said Nadal to the crowd, laughing, about being a finalist again.

Nadal offered Federer 11 break point opportunities in the final set, and while he saved nine of those, Federer only needed two to clinch the match. Federer took advantage of a sixth break point in the sixth game to pull even to 3-3, and he broke on a fifth break point in the ninth game to set up serving for the match at 5-3.

“I could have been left disappointed there and accepted that fact,’ said Federer, of the fifth set. “I kept on fighting. I kept on believing…that there was a possibility I could win this match.”

Nadal understood how close he was to victory and how his serve failed him at times, most especially in that fifth set.

“If I hold that one (game to 4-3), you never know,” Nadal said. “You are just two games away. But I didn’t.”

Federer still trails Nadal in career meetings as the Spaniard leads 23-12. The match was the 12th time the two played at a Grand Slam with Nadal now leading 9-3, and a ninth in a major final that still finds Nadal on top 6-3.

Nadal came into the match having won three of the five previous five-setters the two played, including their last in the 2009 Australian Open final, the only time Nadal won this trophy.

Through much of the match, Federer repeatedly would take the ball early, thereby preventing Nadal from keeping rallies going. His backhand was the impressive shot in his arsenal, especially a backhand cross-court return, and that showed all the earmarks of Federer now working with Ivan Ljubicic.

“I told myself to play free,” Federer said. “You play the ball, you don’t play the opponent. Be free in your head, be free in your shots, go for it.

“The brave will be rewarded here,” he added.

Federer’s serve was a solid weapon as well, and he put up 20 aces. He even set up his second match point with an ace.

But where his aces really were most noticeable was in the first game of the third set.

Federer had just come off losing the second set, even allowing Nadal to break his serve twice in that set, although he recouped one of those breaks. And now in the first game of the third set Nadal challenged with three break points — Federer saved all three of those with aces.

PHOTOS: Federer vs. Nadal