Friday 30th January 2009 - 15:38:34
Rafael Nadal will meet Roger Federer in the final of the 2009 Australian Open after battling past fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in an epic five set match that lasted into the early hours of the morning.
The world number one was expected to be relatively untroubled by the number fourteenth seed but Verdasco, the conqueror of Britain’s Andy Murray had other ideas.
Twenty five year old Verdasco was playing in his first Grand Slam semi final but you wouldn’t have known it as he brought the match to the number one seed taking the first set in the tie break, over coming a mini break in the process.
It was more of the same in the second set until Nadal stepped it up a gear to take it 6-4. It looked as if the French and Wimbledon champion was going to dominate early in the third with a break of serve but within moments Verdasco had broken back and the set was back on serve.
With another break of serve a piece the third set also went into a tie break and Nadal put his foot on the pedal taking it 7-2 to take a two sets to one lead.
But Verdasco’s new found confidence and belief, which many put down to him emphatic win in the Davis Cup at the end of last year, didn’t waver as he fought his way through the fourth to take it to another tie break.
Here Verdasco dominated taking six points in a row eventually sealing the fourth set 1-7 to take the match to a final set shoot out.
Chances came thick and fast for the world number one in the final set as he began to apply pressure and tension crept into Verdasco’s came. But Nadal let five break point slip as Verdasco hung on.
It was Verdasco’s serve that finally gave way as he double faulted to give Nadal the win and at over five hours on court the match was the longest men’s single match in the history of the Australian Open.
Winning 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-2) 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 Nadal reaches his first Aussie Open final where he will take on world number two Roger Federer who overcame Andy Roddick yesterday.
It will be the first time that the pair have met since their epic Wimbledon final last year where Nadal beat Federer in a five set thriller, also taking away his number one ranking.
It will be the nineteenth time that the pair have faced one another, the seventh in a Grand Slam final where Nadal leads 4-2.
Tomorrow it’s the turn of the women as Russia’s Darina Safina takes on former champion Serena Williams, who is trying to win her tenth Grand Slam title. The pair will also fight it out for the number one spot and it will be the first time that the women’s final will be held in the evening.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Readers' Comments
Be the first to comment!