Federer beats Nadal 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3
The Swiss, 35, wins a record 18th major title
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Christopher David: Just when you thought you couldn't love Roger and Rafa any more, they go and give you a five set final
Sahil Oberoi: It had to be a 5 set epic, nothing else would have sufficed. Time to crack open the Red Bull folks.
Harrison Short: What happened to the 7-6 6-7 6-7 7-6 100-98 we were all hoping for?
Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 Nadal
Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent on Radio 5 live
I did wonder - Roger Federer is receiving an off court medical timeout, just as he did before his fifth and final set against Stan Wawrinka.
Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 Nadal
Time for a quick breather. Both men disappear down the Laver Arena's tunnel for a loo break. Rafa returns pretty quickly, taking a good gulp of an electrolyte-packed orange-coloured drink back in his seat. But where's Roger?
Image source, ReutersFederer 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 Nadal
We knew it would happen didn't we! These two tennis heavyweights stagger into winner-takes-all final brawl. The fifth set beckons...
Nadal takes us into the decider with a simple enough hold to love, greeting the winning point - when Federer lacks the strength to return a powerful first serve down the middle - with a vocal-cord stretching roar and triple fist pump.
Image source, EPAFederer 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-5 Nadal*
Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live
There's a bit more about Nadal's body langauge right now, he can smell that he's in it. He's got the new balls, which skid through a little faster, and should fire off his serve. There's always the risk of the ball flying off the racquet. He's mixing it up a lot more.
Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-5 Nadal*
An exclamation of shock greets a clumsy club of a forehand from Federer at 30-30 - but guess what comes next. Yup, an ace.
Rafa is not goosed yet though, forcing deuce, before Federer swats him off again.
Over to you then Mr Nadal...
*Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 2-5 Nadal
What Rafa wants is a routine hold. And that's what he gets. Federer manages to stick his strings on the ball in the first three points, but not with any great conviction. A Nadal ace - just his fourth of the match compared to 14 by Federer - puts him within a game of a deciding set.
Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 2-4 Nadal*
Federer drags himself by the collar and lifts himself off the hook. Big points, big serve. An ace takes us to deuce, where another superb first serve seals the game. That chance jumps out of Rafa's grasp.
Image source, Reuters*Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 1-4 Nadal
Any jitters from Roger after that last aberration of a service game? Nah. He belts down an ace for 15-0, but then...we do see some signs of nervousness from the great man. He wallops a volley well over the baseline with the court open for 30-30, then misses again to serve up a break point for Nadal....
*Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 1-4 Nadal
Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live
That was an unbelievable rally. A squash shot, completely off balance, for a complete winner. To be able to do that, in a semi-final - it's almost superhuman. How is that possible? Rafa has nothing to lose. Swing away!
Image source, Reuters*Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 1-4 Nadal
Federer goes long and wide with a cross-court backhand at 40-40 - he's challenging it. Roger's eyesight must be going. The technology shows it is well out, as we suspected.
But Federer hits back with a stunner of a forehand, only to cough up another game point straight away.
And then...wow! Laver raises to its feet after Nadal, stretching and lunging to his left, digs out a spectacular forehand to beat Federer all ends up. Even Roger claps his racquet in recognition of an extraordinary winner.
Image source, ReutersFederer 6-4 3-6 6-1 1-3 Nadal*
Not the ideal start for Rafa as he looks to back up that break with an easy hold. An easy hold - is there such thing in this match. There haven't been that many.
A poor forehand sees Fed go 0-15 ahead, only for Nadal to drop gears, stick his foot down and race 40-15 in front.
But wait! Federer wrongfoots Nadal with a forehand up the line for 40-30 and then goes deep as the scampering Spaniard can only plough back into the tape. Deuce...
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Vieira151: Federer tightening up. Not a good sign for him. Giving Nadal free points is the worst thing you can do
Zeb Bowyer: Now comes down to conditioning, heart and fight. If anyone can Rafa can, although still think Roger's extra days rest is pivotal
Kenny Kong: Federer dominating Nadal in the last half hour or so, much like Nadal did on clay back in the 2000s
Image source, ReutersFederer 6-4 3-6 6-1 1-3 Nadal*
Crunch. Rafa breaks. The 14-time Slam champion can't take the first chance, he makes no mistake with the second. Federer flailing as a forehand volley fails to trouble his great rival.
*Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 1-2 Nadal
Roger Federer leaves the back window open. Can Nadal sneak in and rob a break? Two loose shots from Federer - the second looking suspiciously like a shank - is followed by an arrow of a cross-court forehand from Nadal. Three break points...
Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 1-2 Nadal
Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent on Radio 5 live
Nadal hasn't been particularly demonstrative. We haven't seen the 'vamos' and the fist pumping we usually see. If he does strike a blow in this set, at some point, the lid will come off and we will get the full leap into the air. Against Dimitrov, he got stronger when the match went on, and that is a trademark of his career.
Image source, Getty Images*Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 1-2 Nadal
Even Uncle Toni is sweating in Rafa's box. The Nadal family should sign up for an anti-perspirant advertising deal. They'd make a mint.
Nadal gallops forward to put away a forehand winner for 30-0, a brief blip of a forehand quickly eradicated for 40-15, the game tucked in the Spaniard's back pocket when Federer can't direct back a stinger of a serve.
No sign of a break yet in this fourth set.
Image source, Getty ImagesFederer 6-4 3-6 6-1 1-1 Nadal*
If anyone is napping on Laver they are soon awoken by a supercharged Rafa grunt. The Spaniard groans as he wallops into the mesh for 0-30, Federer volleying in for 0-40, then some silky hands gets the Melbourne crowd going. Rafa's slither of hope lasts a few seconds, another brilliant backhand down the line from Fed seals the deal.
*Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 0-1 Nadal
Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 live
Rafa went really hard to put Roger off his rhythm. But how long can that last? What a competitor he is. He's putting everything he can into this but the ball is just not zipping off the court. It's lost a little sting. In the past he's been able to up his level when need be but he'll have to do it for two more sets if he's going to win.
Image source, EPA*Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1 0-1 Nadal
Are those beads of sweat running down Federer's forehead? I thought Madame Tussaud's models sweated more than him. That shows how hard these two fellas are working. Rog briefly threatens at 30-30, Rafa swatting away with some raw power, clinching it when Roger goes long with a forehand after a brutal rally.
Scoreboard momentum straight away for Rafa. He needed it.
Image source, Getty Images