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Roger Federer wins the Australian Open 2010 - Source: Reuters -
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The Swiss master did it again. Roger Federer now has a 16th
grand slam title, a fourth in Australia and a stranglehold over his
rivals that shows no sign of ending.
Britain's long wait continues. The added burden of 74 years of
expectation was too much for Andy Murray and he failed to produce
his best when it mattered most.
The Scotsman was brave but Federer was just too good, winning
Sunday's Australian Open final 6-3 6-4 7-6.
It was not so much a match as a tennis lesson but Federer said it
was players like Murray that brought out the best in
him.
"I'm being pushed a great deal by the new generation coming up,"
Federer said.
"They've made me a better player, because I think this has been one
of my finest performances in a long time, or maybe
forever."
At the presentation ceremony, Murray broke down in tears, just as
Federer had done when he won the 2006 final and again last year
when he lost to Rafa Nadal.
"I can cry like Roger. It's just a shame I can't play like him,"
Murray said.
Murray's time may still come. He is just 22 and has already played
in two grand slam finals, at the US Open two years ago and now
Australia. At the same age, Federer had only made one grand slam
final.
Murray might have lost both his finals in straight sets to Federer
but there is no shame in that. The apprentice's best years are
still ahead of him and Britain may yet get their first male grand
slam champion since Fred Perry won the US Open in 1936.
"You're too good a player not to win a grand slam so don't worry
about it," Federer reassured him.
Later he added: "The next one is not gonna get any easier. But his
game is so good that I'm convinced he will win
one."
Tight grip
Federer's game is not quite as clinical and precise as it used to
be but his grip on the game has never been tighter.
Rarely was this better illustrated than Sunday's final at Melbourne
Park as the pair captivated the Rod Laver Arena crowd with some
absorbing rallies.
Murray went into the match full of optimism and confidence and
there were moments when he had the world number one under
pressure.
In the opening set, he broke Federer's serve when he chased down a
drop shot then whipped a forehand across the court, then in the
third set he broke him again, with another sweetly struck
winner.
He also served for the third set in the ninth game and had five
set points in the tiebreaker, but was unable to
convert.
"I thought I deserved to take it into a fourth, but it didn't
happen," Murray said.
"I had my chance to get back into the match. That was probably why
I was upset."
Throughout the match, Federer was always more aggressive. He made
more unforced errors than Murray but also hit more winners, 19 with
his forehand, six with his backhand and 11 thundering
aces.
He wasted two match points in the tiebreak but took the third that
came his way when he thumped a return back to Murray that put the
Scotsman on the back foot and ended when he lamely slapped a
backhand into the net.
"I'm over the moon, winning this again," Federer said. "I think I
played some of the best tennis of my life again the last two
weeks.
"This is also special because it's my first grand slam as a
father. I'm looking forward to them watching me next year
maybe."
Federer has already broken almost every record in men's tennis. He
has made the final in 18 of the last 19 grand slams but lost none
of his enthusiasm.
"There's no secret behind it. I'm definitely a very talented
player," he said.
"I always knew I had something special, but I didn't know it was
like, you know, that crazy.
"I definitely had to work extremely hard so I would pick the right
shot at the right time.
"I haven't put a number on how many grand slams I want to try to
win. Whatever happens happens."
