Nadal outlasts Verdasco in epic Aussie Open semifinal
Melbourne, Australia (Sports Network) - Rafael Nadal outlasted fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in a thrilling five-set semifinal on Friday at the Australian Open to set up a dream final with Roger Federer in the first Grand Slam of 2009.
Nadal, the top seed and world No. 1, gutted out a 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (1-7), 6-4 triumph. The five-hour, 14-minute epic was the longest match in Australian Open history.
After wasting five break-point chances in the first nine games of the fifth set, Nadal won the first three points of the 10th to gain three match points.
Verdasco committed a double fault to make it 0-40, but won a pair of points at the net to stay alive. He then nearly came up with an ace to keep it going, but the ball sailed just long and his next serve found the net for another double-fault that gave Nadal the match.
Although he is a five-time Grand Slam champion, Nadal has never won a hardcourt major title. He did win Olympic gold last year on a hardcourt in Beijing, but had never been to a final at the U.S. or Australian Open before finally prevailing over Verdasco.
Nadal, of course, has four French Open crowns and last year captured Wimbledon for the first time. Three of his French Open titles came with victories over Federer in the final, as did last year's Wimbledon championship that Nadal won in a remarkable rain-plagued five sets.
Federer, who will be trying to match Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles with a victory on Sunday, advanced to the final on Thursday with a straight-set semifinal victory over American Andy Roddick.
Nadal owns a lifetime record of 12-6 against Federer, which includes wins in all four matchups last year. Nadal's triumphs at Roland Garros and the All England Club enabled him to surpass Federer as the top-ranked player in the world.
Verdasco, playing in his first career Grand Slam semifinal, had captured only one set in losing all six previous meetings with Nadal. That included a 6-1, 6-0, 6-2 drubbing at last year's French Open. Friday, though, was much different.
Playing with confidence, Verdasco was aggressive and made Nadal work for every point. The shot-making for both players was stellar, even late in the match.
Nadal had the first opportunity to break in the fifth set. In the second game, a slam set up a break point and he just missed a hooking forehand down the line. A backhand down the line then set up a second break point, but Verdasco countered with an ace before winning the next two points to square the set at 1-1.
A Verdasco double fault in the sixth game gave Nadal another break point chance, but Verdasco answered with three straight big serves to hold for 3-3.
Nadal then gained another break point in the eighth game when Verdasco netted a backhand, but the underdog came up with a brilliant forehand that clipped the line on the en suing point. Another Verdasco error gave Nadal still another break chance, but the favorite lifted a forehand long and followed with a shot wide before Verdasco finally held with an ace.
Verdasco carried the momentum into the next game and won the first two points, but committed a pair of errors on the next two points to allow Nadal a chance to regroup. Nadal won the next two points as well for a 5-4 lead, setting up the heroics of the final game.
The previous longest match in Aussie Open history was five hours and 11 minutes between Boris Becker and Omar Camporese in 1991. The fifth set of that match finished 14-12, as there are no tiebreaks in the decisive set.
Friday's first set went to a tiebreak and Verdasco took advantage of a fortunate net cord to win it. With a 5-4 lead in the tiebreak, a Verdasco shot hit the top of the net and dropped over. He didn't let the set point go to waste, attacking the net and drilling a volley to hand Nadal his first lost set of the championship.
Nadal, though, finally managed to break Verdasco once to capture the second set and things changed somewhat in the third as both players broke twice. The third set eventually went to a tiebreak, which Nadal controlled thanks to three unforced errors by Verdasco. After a blistering forehand winner gave Nadal a set point, he ripped an ace to finish the set.
The fourth set remained on serve throughout, although it did feature one of the best sequences from Nadal.
To finish the eighth game, Nadal completed a pair of spinning shots and was in the right place to fight back a Verdasco slam before blasting a passing shot for the winner. The point drew a standing ovation from the crowd and a wry smile from Verdasco.
Neither player managed a break point in the fourth set and Verdasco dominated the tiebreak by winning the first six points. He came up with a pair of forehand winners on his way to a 3-0 lead, then made it four points in a row with a perfect backhand drop volley at the net. Another forehand down the line set up the first set point that Nadal staved off with a big serve, but Verdasco won it on the next point to force the deciding set.
Nadal's famed stamina was tested Friday and might come into play Sunday against Federer, who needed only two hours and seven minutes to dispose of Roddick. The Swiss superstar will also take the court Sunday with an extra day of rest.
Federer will be gunning for a fourth Australian Open title, as well as his place in history alongside Sampras. He won the Melbourne crown in 2004, 2006 and 2007.
Sunday's match will mark the first final between Federer and Nadal on a hardcourt since 2006 when the Spaniard prevailed in Dubai. Overall, Federer owns a 3-2 record against Nadal on hardcourts.
Federer will appear in his 79th career final, seeking a 58th title. His only losses in Grand Slam finals have come against Nadal -- three times at the French Open and once at Wimbledon.
Nadal has an amazing mark of 31-8 in finals, including 5-2 in Grand Slam title matches. His only two losses came against Federer at Wimbledon in 2006 and 2007.
Sunday's champion will collect over $1.3 million.
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01/30 10:08:27 ET
Melbourne, Australia (Sports Network) - Rafael Nadal outlasted fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in a thrilling five-set semifinal on Friday at the Australian Open to set up a dream final with Roger Federer in the first Grand Slam of 2009.
Nadal, the top seed and world No. 1, gutted out a 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (1-7), 6-4 triumph. The five-hour, 14-minute epic was the longest match in Australian Open history.
After wasting five break-point chances in the first nine games of the fifth set, Nadal won the first three points of the 10th to gain three match points.
Verdasco committed a double fault to make it 0-40, but won a pair of points at the net to stay alive. He then nearly came up with an ace to keep it going, but the ball sailed just long and his next serve found the net for another double-fault that gave Nadal the match.
Although he is a five-time Grand Slam champion, Nadal has never won a hardcourt major title. He did win Olympic gold last year on a hardcourt in Beijing, but had never been to a final at the U.S. or Australian Open before finally prevailing over Verdasco.
Nadal, of course, has four French Open crowns and last year captured Wimbledon for the first time. Three of his French Open titles came with victories over Federer in the final, as did last year's Wimbledon championship that Nadal won in a remarkable rain-plagued five sets.
Federer, who will be trying to match Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles with a victory on Sunday, advanced to the final on Thursday with a straight-set semifinal victory over American Andy Roddick.
Nadal owns a lifetime record of 12-6 against Federer, which includes wins in all four matchups last year. Nadal's triumphs at Roland Garros and the All England Club enabled him to surpass Federer as the top-ranked player in the world.
Verdasco, playing in his first career Grand Slam semifinal, had captured only one set in losing all six previous meetings with Nadal. That included a 6-1, 6-0, 6-2 drubbing at last year's French Open. Friday, though, was much different.
Playing with confidence, Verdasco was aggressive and made Nadal work for every point. The shot-making for both players was stellar, even late in the match.
Nadal had the first opportunity to break in the fifth set. In the second game, a slam set up a break point and he just missed a hooking forehand down the line. A backhand down the line then set up a second break point, but Verdasco countered with an ace before winning the next two points to square the set at 1-1.
A Verdasco double fault in the sixth game gave Nadal another break point chance, but Verdasco answered with three straight big serves to hold for 3-3.
Nadal then gained another break point in the eighth game when Verdasco netted a backhand, but the underdog came up with a brilliant forehand that clipped the line on the en suing point. Another Verdasco error gave Nadal still another break chance, but the favorite lifted a forehand long and followed with a shot wide before Verdasco finally held with an ace.
Verdasco carried the momentum into the next game and won the first two points, but committed a pair of errors on the next two points to allow Nadal a chance to regroup. Nadal won the next two points as well for a 5-4 lead, setting up the heroics of the final game.
The previous longest match in Aussie Open history was five hours and 11 minutes between Boris Becker and Omar Camporese in 1991. The fifth set of that match finished 14-12, as there are no tiebreaks in the decisive set.
Friday's first set went to a tiebreak and Verdasco took advantage of a fortunate net cord to win it. With a 5-4 lead in the tiebreak, a Verdasco shot hit the top of the net and dropped over. He didn't let the set point go to waste, attacking the net and drilling a volley to hand Nadal his first lost set of the championship.
Nadal, though, finally managed to break Verdasco once to capture the second set and things changed somewhat in the third as both players broke twice. The third set eventually went to a tiebreak, which Nadal controlled thanks to three unforced errors by Verdasco. After a blistering forehand winner gave Nadal a set point, he ripped an ace to finish the set.
The fourth set remained on serve throughout, although it did feature one of the best sequences from Nadal.
To finish the eighth game, Nadal completed a pair of spinning shots and was in the right place to fight back a Verdasco slam before blasting a passing shot for the winner. The point drew a standing ovation from the crowd and a wry smile from Verdasco.
Neither player managed a break point in the fourth set and Verdasco dominated the tiebreak by winning the first six points. He came up with a pair of forehand winners on his way to a 3-0 lead, then made it four points in a row with a perfect backhand drop volley at the net. Another forehand down the line set up the first set point that Nadal staved off with a big serve, but Verdasco won it on the next point to force the deciding set.
Nadal's famed stamina was tested Friday and might come into play Sunday against Federer, who needed only two hours and seven minutes to dispose of Roddick. The Swiss superstar will also take the court Sunday with an extra day of rest.
Federer will be gunning for a fourth Australian Open title, as well as his place in history alongside Sampras. He won the Melbourne crown in 2004, 2006 and 2007.
Sunday's match will mark the first final between Federer and Nadal on a hardcourt since 2006 when the Spaniard prevailed in Dubai. Overall, Federer owns a 3-2 record against Nadal on hardcourts.
Federer will appear in his 79th career final, seeking a 58th title. His only losses in Grand Slam finals have come against Nadal -- three times at the French Open and once at Wimbledon.
Nadal has an amazing mark of 31-8 in finals, including 5-2 in Grand Slam title matches. His only two losses came against Federer at Wimbledon in 2006 and 2007.
Sunday's champion will collect over $1.3 million.
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=tennis-m/news/news.aspx?id=4207811
01/30 10:08:27 ET
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