Nadal beat Federer to win 1st Australian Open title

Damn, it's Nadal again.......... Oh Come on Federer, i am your biggest fan from Malaysia... where is your magic Fedex??? Did you lost it????

Spain's world no. 1 Rafael Nadal wins his 1st Australian Open title, after beating world no.2 and 13 time Grand Slam winners - Roger Federer of Switzerland.

Its Nadal vs Federer again for the 7th time in a Grand Slam final, yet Nadal won again.

Nadal is now the current holder of the Australian Open as well as the French Open and Wimbledon he won last year..

And Federer ?? oh how frustrating....

Nadal played a total of 9 hours and 36 minutes in 2 matches - the semifinal and final to win this title.

This is the full report from Melbourne today 1st February 2009, which is truly heartbreaking for millions of Federer fans out there around the globe...!!!

MELBOURNE, Australia – Rafael Nadal held off Roger Federer in another five-set Grand Slam final, keeping Pete Sampras' record of 14 major titles intact for now.

Nadal became the first Spanish man to win the Australian Open, beating Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2 in a momentum-swinging, 4-hour, 22-minute final that finished just after midnight on Sunday.

Federer, trying to equal Sampras' record, sobbed at the trophy presentation.

"Maybe I'll try later. God, it's killing me," Federer said, crying.

He returned to congratulate Nadal within minutes, saying: "You deserved it. You played a fantastic final."

Top-ranked Nadal, who has won 5 of the 7 Grand Slam finals they've contested, now has a major on hard courts to go with his titles on clay and grass.

He's the only man capable of a Grand Slam this season, 40 years after Australian great Rod Laver last won all 4 majors in one season.

"Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now," Nadal said. "Remember, you're a great champion, you're one of the best in history. You're going to improve on the 14 of Sampras."
Nadal collected the trophy from Laver, on the court that was named in the great Australian's honor, and put his arm around Federer.

"To receive this trophy from Rod Laver is a dream for me," he said. "Rod, thanks very much. It was an amazing 2 weeks for me."

Nadal advanced to the final after holding off fellow Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco on Friday in 5 hours, 14 minutes — the longest match in the tournament's history.

Federer had a straight-sets win over Andy Roddick the previous night, but said the difference in preparation had no influence on the final.

He said the fact he'd missed the Sampras record at a tournament he's won 3 times didn't make the loss any worse or easier to take.

"Honestly, no," he said. "I mean, it's more like, in the first moment you're disappointed, you're shocked, you're sad, you know, then all of a sudden it overwhelms you.

"The problem is you can't go in the locker room and just take it easy and take a cold shower. You're stuck out there. It's the worst feeling. ... it's rough."

Federer, so dominant when he won 3 of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments in 2006 and 2007, each time losing only to Nadal at the French Open, has now lost Grand Slam finals on 3 different surfaces - hard, clay and grass courts to Nadal.

He hasn't given up hope of beating the 22-year-old Spaniard.

"For sure," he said. "I didn't spend 4 1/4 hours out there (not) believing it."

Nadal has 4 consecutive titles on clay at Roland Garros and beat Federer on grass in a 5-set epic at Wimbledon last year, ending the Swiss 5 consecutive wins as King of Wimbledon.

He is 13-6 overall against Federer and ended the Swiss star's 237-week streak at No. 1 last year after claiming the Beijing Olympic gold medal.

Federer, who turned around that season with a U.S. Open title, saved two championship points from 15-40 in the eighth game of the fifth set but sent a forehand long on the third match point.

Nadal flopped onto his back, then got up and raced to shake hands.

The players put their arms around the other's shoulders at the net as they walked off the court