Aussie Open 2012, Day 11/12

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Another spectacular day in Melbourne saw Federer take on old foe Nadal and Djokovic play Britain's Andy Murray, bidding to make his third Aussie Open final in a row.


The night match of day 11 was a must-watch for tennis fans. Federer and Nadal had not met in anything but a final for some years and the prospect of some weight off their shoulders with no trophy at the end of this match had us salivating with expectation. We were not disappointed. Federer went into the match as slight favourite - his route to the semis had been swift and magnificent, playing some of the best tennis of his career. In contrast Nadal has had a tumultuous time, with injury niggles, tight sets, scares against a couple of players (Berdych especially) - all in all, not looking at his very best.


Federer immediately broke in the first set and was 3-0 up and apparently cruising when a resilient Nadal started playing good tennis. He broke back and the set made its way to a tie-break, which Federer won. The 16-time Grand Slam champion was looking good but Nadal was having none of it and broke early in the second set to take an unassailable lead. With Nadal leading 5-2, the players had to take a ten minute break for the fireworks of Australia Day. This seemed to affect Federer most as he dropped serve on resuming the match, losing the second set to two and, crucially, relinquishing his serving first in the third set. 


Federer's game became more and more wayward as he tried to break Nadal's defences. An all too similar pattern was beginning to emerge. In the match, Federer made 63 unforced errors to Nadal's 34, and these errors cost the Swiss dearly.


A scrappy third set went to another tie-break after both players lost successive service games. Federer fought back  to save five set points from 6-2 down in the breaker but eventually succumbed to the force of Nadal. The Swiss was now two sets to one down and I feared for him. Nadal's record in five-setters is too good, not to mention his 18 victories in 27 meetings against Federer alone.


A single break in the fourth set was enough to see Nadal serve out an impressive win. He said afterwards that if you'd told him two weeks ago, 24 hours before his first match in Melbourne, that he'd be in the final, he wouldn't have believed you. The Spaniard twisted his knee in his hotel room just hours before the start of his campaign and had thought about pulling out. Thank goodness he didn't.


Federer said of his first loss in 25 matches: "I haven't lost in five months... Don't feel too sorry for me."


Djokovic versus Murray is a repeat of last year's final where the Serb overpowered and outplayed the Briton. This year, could Murray get his revenge? 


He lost the first set to three and immediately went a break down in the second - it looked for all the world like another top-three pasting for the world number four. He saved a double-break chance for the Serb in the third game of the second set and this proved the first turning point in the match. Murray began to be more aggressive, to take the points on instead of his usual style of waiting for his opponent to make the mistakes. He was moving well and hitting hard and the Serb had no answers as Murray broke back then broke again and served out the second set to three to level at one set all.


The third started with an 18-minute service game for Djokovic, in which he saved five break points. He then broke Murray in the second game and was broken back immediately in the third. Murray saved three three set points in game ten and the broke to serve for the set at 6-5. The Scot played a scrappy game and let Djoko back in to give him momentum going into the tie-break. However, Murray took the early mini-break and made sure he was never behind. He let out a roar when Djokovic hit wide and strode back to his chair full of intensity at two sets to one up.


That intensity disappeared in the blink of an eye in the 25-minute fourth set. This was the time for Murray to up his levels yet higher. To take it to Djokovic, to let the Serb know that he can win, that he is a champion. That he truly believes in himself. To push home his advantage and make his third final in a row. This was Murray's most disappointing half an hour of the match. He was 4-0 down faster than you can say 1936 and lost the set 6-1. 


With the momentum now well and truly in Djoko's court, the Serb was quickly 5-2 up in the fifth set and Murray's hopes looked to be dashed once and for all. Here is where the Scott truly impressed though as he held, then broke, then held to make it 5-5 in scintillating fashion. Game 11 of the fifth set was long and excrutiatingly tense as Murray garnered three break points but just couldn't get through Djokovic's defences to take that game and serve for the match. Now at 6-5 down, Murray's hold was crucial but he couldn't stem a pulsating Djokovic who took the game and the match then fell to the floor in celebration and, I should imagine, relief.


It was a great match. A brilliant display by Murray who finally showed that he could play with the big boys in the big games. He's lost the match but he's won something far more important - the knowledge and the belief that he can win against the top three in the Slams. The belief that he can be a Grand Slam winner and that he can reach world number one. 


Finally.


So it's a Rafa/Novak replay in the final. Who is going to win? God only knows. I'm going with Djoko but I think I could be wrong.


Ill keep you blogged...