Roger Federer claimed his 18th grand slam title with a thrilling 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory over his old foe Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final.
The Swiss veteran started strongly and won the opening set but Nadal came alive in the second, storming into a 4-0 lead before levelling the match.
The 35-year-old immediately took a medical time out and Nadal pounced upon the Swiss’s return, breaking serve in the first game of the fifth set. But Federer recovered his poise and eventually prevailed.
