16 for Federer

vIndianz.com (1 Feb, 2010) — Melbourne: Roger Federer dismantled Andy Murray in the Australian Open final Sunday to extend his own record to 16 Grand Slam titles and prolong the British drought.

Roger_Federer Federer collected his fourth Australian Open title with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (13) win at Rod Laver Arena that, apart from the tiebreaker, lacked the drama and raw emotion of his five-set loss here last year to then No. 1-ranked Rafael Nadal.

Federer saved five set points and wasted two match points in the tiebreaker with some uncharacteristic shot selection before clinching it when Murray netted a backhand after 2 hours, 41 minutes.

Murray was desperate to become the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win one of the four tennis majors, but seldom had the answers to Federer’s unrivaled finals experience.

The 22-year-old Scot had set a record for British men just by reaching two major finals in the Open era.

Federer was playing in his 22nd Grand Slam final and 18th of the last 19.

He also beat Murray in straight sets in the 2008 U.S. Open final, the only previous meeting between the pair at a Grand Slam.

Murray still holds a 6-5 advantage over Federer in career head-to-heads — one of only four players who can boast that — but has lost the last three.

This time last year, Federer sobbed when Rod Laver presented the winners’ trophy to Nadal, having missed a chance to equal Pete Sampras’ record 14 career majors.

Federer had just discovered — unknown widely at the time — that he was to be the father of twins. He recovered from that defeat to claim his first clay court major at the French Open, completing a career Grand Slam of titles at the four majors.

He regained his Wimbledon title and then, after his twin daughters were born, reached his fourth Grand slam final of the year at the U.S. Open, only to lose in an upset to Juan Martin del Potro.

Federer ensured no recurrence of the upset here and added the 2010 title to his wins at Melbourne Park in 2004, 2006 and ‘07, becoming only the fifth man to win four Australian titles.

American Andre Agassi, who won the last of his four in 2003, was also the last father to win a Grand Slam title.

In the mixed doubles final, India’s Leander Paes and Cara Black of Zimbabwea beat Ekaterina Makarova and Jaroslav Levinsky 7-5, 6-3 for the Australian title. It was the second Grand Slam title for Paes and Black as a pair, following their victory at the 2008 U.S. Open.

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