Federer vs Nadal: 5 Best Grand Slam finals between the two legends

3. 2009 Australian Open

2009 Australian Open: Day 14

Rafael Nadal d. Roger Federer 7-5 3-6 7-6(3) 3-6 6-2

Match Stats:

Time Duration: 4 hrs 19 minutes

Points Won: 174-173 (Nadal)

Aces: 11-4 (Federer)

Winners: 64-44 (Federer)

Unforced Errors: 58-67 (Nadal)

The 2009 Australian Open will be remembered as the tournament when Nadal, after proving himself on clay and grass, proved himself on hardcourts as well.

The previous two Slam finals between Federer and Nadal had been won by the Spaniard. The first of those was the 2008 French Open where Nadal absolutely humiliated the Swiss, and the next was 2008 Wimbledon, where he defeated Federer in an iconic five-set encounter.

2009 was the first hardcourt Slam final for Nadal, which he reached by defeating his compatriot Fernando Verdasco in a five-hour-long epic semifinal.

The first set was won by Nadal in 12 games by the score of 7-5. Federer then leveled the match by winning the second, before the Spaniard claimed the third in a tiebreak.

Federer fought back to level again, but soon lost the fifth and with it the match. Federer was reduced to tears during the post match ceremony, and the picture of Nadal comforting his heartbroken rival has become a part of folklore.

This as the only Australian Open title for Nadal, who went on to lose all the four subsequent finals in Melbourne over the next 10 years.