Rafael Nadal v Roger Federer, Australian Open live Winning Interview Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal v Roger Federer, Australian Open live Winning Interview Rafael Nadal

 

[caption id="attachment_11325" align="alignnone" width="345"] (Photo The Telegraph)[/caption]

 

Live Australian Open scores

 

Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-3

 

Winning Interview

 

Rafael Nadal

 

11.22 Here is the Aussie Open finalist Nadal speaking on court: "We have played at a lot of important times. Roger is a great champion and it's an honour to be here with him."

 

11.24 On the prospect of a final against Stan Wawrinka: "He will be a very tough ooppnet. His serve is huge and he is hitting the ball very hard. I need to be aggressive and not let him hit the ball in easy positions."

 

11.26 Oddly (and a bit creepily if you ask me) interviewer Jim Courier also asked Nadal if his girlfriend is going to fly in for the final. The answer: No.

 

11.28 There is no doubting it then - Roger Federer is no longer Switzerland's number one male tennis player.

 

11.34 Can Federer hold the title of "the greatest" when he repeatedly comes up short against Nadal? The answer to that question may well be "yes" because of his brilliant all-round record but it's an interesting debate.

 

11.40 That's almost all from me. Federer's 11th consecutive Australian Open semi-final ends in defeat. Will he ever win another grand slam? It is looking increasingly unlikely having made only two finals in the last four years. His best bet appears to be at Wimbledon. Meanwhile the Nadal show continues. He has won two of the three grand slams since his long absence through injury last year and is now odds-on to claim his second Aussie Open title on Sunday.

 

11.44 It's time for me to wrap this up. The match wasn't the epic nail-biter we had hoped for and that is down to the sheer power and class of Rafa Nadal. If he beats Stan Wawrinka on Sunday he will become the first man to win all four Grand Slams twice in the Open era. That final kicks off at 8.30am on Sunday so do come back for that. Thanks for following. Cheerio.

 

(Ben Bloom)

 

(The Telegraph, 24 Friday January 2014 The Roman)

(Edited: R.S.F. toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 24 Friday January 2013 The Roman)