SPORTS Saturday, January 28, 2017 23 Roger, Rafa Melbourne roll esurgent Roger Federer said a long period of rest when he took six months out with injury had fuelled his incredible Rshot at more Grand Slam glory at the Australian Open. The 35-year-old Swiss veteran is wowing the tennis world with his wholly unexpected run through to Sunday’s final, raising the prospect of an unprecedented 18th major title. Federer, whose ranking has dipped to 17 after a knee back problem ended last season following Wimbledon, has defied the doubters by reaching his 28th Grand Slam title match. After a fighting, five-set semi-final win over fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka, he became the oldest man to reach a major final since Australia’s Ken Rosewall (39 years 310 days) at the 1974 US Open. years Federer said much of his rejuvenation stemmed Melbourne from his injury break, the longest of his career, afael Nadal insisted his past Grand Slam wins against which followed surgery on his knee earlier in the Roger Federer will have no bearing on their much- season. awaitedR showdown in the Australian Open final on Sunday. “It was a good thing to do. You can only ever do The 14-time Grand Slam champion conjured one of his so much treatment to feel decent,” said Federer, greatest fighting performances to deny Bulgaria’s Grigor whose 19-year playing career has been largely Dimitrov in an epic five-hour, five-set semi-final on Friday. injury-free. The memorable victory sets Nadal up for his ninth “What I’ve come to realize is when you don’t major final with his great rival Federer, who is chasing an feel well, you have too many problems going on, unprecedented 18 major titles in this weekend’s showpiece. you just won’t beat top-10 players. Nadal leads Federer 6-2 in their Slam finals and 3-0 in “All the time all you’re doing is fighting the their matches at the Australian Open, but he says that will fire. From that standpoint, yeah, the six months mean little in their first major decider since the 2011 French definitely gave me something in return.” Open. The Swiss marvel has spent a total of 13 hours “No, that was a long time ago. It’s a different match, 40 minutes on court in his six matches to get to his different moment for both of us. I think this match is sixth Australian final, but he says he feels in good completely different than what happened before,” Nadal shape. said. “I just wanted to get healthy again. I’m happy this “It’s special. We have not been there in that situation for a week has been a good one,” he said. while, so that makes the match different. “So I will leave it all out here in Australia and “I really don’t think about what happened in the past. I (even) if I cannot walk for another five months, I will think the player who play better is going to be the winner.” give it all I have.” But Nadal’s first priority is to recover from his exhausting battle with Dimitrov, with Federer enjoying an extra day’s ‘Just relax, man’ rest after beating Stan Wawrinka in Thursday’s first semi- Federer, a staunch tennis traditionalist, said it final. meant a great deal to be linked with a record set “Now I’m going to go back to the locker room and say by Rosewall, an eight-time Grand Slam-winner, by thanks to my team for the support, then just try to recover,” reaching the final. Nadal said. “We don’t speak about him enough. I think he’s “First of all, I need to go to sleep. That’s the first thing that a wonderful man,” he said. is important for the recover. After that try to do all the things “He wrote me a letter again this week to the right way to be ready for Sunday.” wish me well again. He does it every year at Neither player had been expected to reach the final but the Australian Open. Still haven’t seen him, after the early exits of top seeds Andy Murray and Novak unfortunately. I know he’s around. Djokovic, they have seized their opportunity with both “I love that generation of players with Tony hands. Roche, Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson. Nadal said that even in his darkest moments in his recent “I know he’s a few years older, but I know he injury-hit years, he never gave up his dream of winning more had a tremendous career. So to be in the same Grand Slam titles. (AFP) breath like these guys, it’s a great feeling. Representative picture “I love these guys. It means a lot to me to have equalled something like this since a long time.” Nadal’s path to final Match statistics Today @ centre court Federer said his charge through the top half of the men’s draw, aided by (x denotes seeded player): Time: 4hr 56min the shock exit of world number one Andy Murray, had surprised even him. Nadal - Dimitrov (x denotes seeding): All the same, he needed to give himself a talking-to before Rafael Nadal (ESP x6) 8 Aces 20 Rod Laver Arena completing Thursday’s three-hour, 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3 win over 1st rd: bt Florian Mayer (GER) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 3 Double Faults 5 7.30pm (0830 GMT) Wawrinka. 2nd rd: bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 45 Winners 79 3rd rd: bt Alexander Zverev (GER x24) 4-6, 6-3, Venus Williams (USA x13) v “It’s gone much better than I thought it would. That’s what I was telling 43 Unforced Errors 70 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2 Serena Williams (USA x2) myself in the fifth set,” he said. 4th rd: bt Gael Monfils (FRA x6) 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 5/13 Break Point Conversions 4/16 Henri Kontinen (FIN)/John 186 Total Points Won 179 “I was saying like, just relax, man. The comeback is so great already. Let it QF: bt Milos Raonic (CAN x3) 6-4, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 Peers (AUS x4) v Bob Bryan/ fly off your racquet and just see what happens. SF: bt Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x15) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 afp Mike Bryan (USA x3) (7/5), 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 “It’s been nice these last six matches to have that mentality. It worked very well so I’ll keep that up.” (AFP).