Colombia’s Juan Sebastian Cabal and Abigail Spears of the United States captured the Australian Open mixed doubles title on Sunday after they defeated Croatia’s Ivan Dodig and Sania Mirza of India 6-2, 6-4 in 64 minutes. Cabal and Spears raced to a 4-0 lead, losing just six points. Although 2016 Roland Garros finalists Dodig and Mirza regrouped, winning the first three games of the second set, Cabal and Spears won five straight games from a 1-4 deficit for the title. Cabal reached the 2011 French Open men’s doubles final (w/Eduardo Schwank) and Spears tasted success for the first time having finished runner-up with Santiago Gonzalez in the 2013 and 2014 US Open mixed doubles finals. 🇨🇴 🇺🇸 @australianopen @absters10s #nowordstodescribe...
Roger Federer recovered from a 1-3 deficit in the fifth set against his great rival Rafael Nadal to capture his 18th Grand Slam championship crown and his fifth Australian Open title on Sunday night. Federer, the No. 17 seed, defeated ninth seed and 2009 winner Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in three hours and 38 minutes. Throughout, it left the capacity crowd on Rod Laver Arena on the edge of their seats. The win marks Federer's first Grand Slam championship victory since he beat Andy Murray for the 2012 Wimbledon title. Federer is the first No. 17 seed to capture a Grand Slam championship crown since Pete Sampras, who clinched the 2002 US Open title in his final...
John Peers ended his home country's Australian Open title drought, as he and Henri Kontinen ousted six-time champions Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 7-5, 7-5 on Saturday at Melbourne Park The reigning ATP Finals champions took the inside track in returning to The O2 in London, claiming their first Grand Slam title together and improving to an impressive 6-1 in tour-level finals. They dropped just one set en route to the title, edging the Bryans behind 12 aces and three breaks of serve after one hour and 14 minutes. For Kontinen, it was his maiden major crown in his first final, while Peers lifted his first trophy in his third title match. He previously finished runner-up alongside Jamie Murray at...
It will be Rafael Nadal against Roger Federer in the Australian Open final after the Spaniard withstood a gritty performance from Grigor Dimitrov to prevail 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-4 in an exhilarating contest on Friday night in the semi-finals at Melbourne Park. It was an emotional victory for the 30-year-old Nadal, who is through to his first Grand Slam final since winning the 2014 Roland Garros crown – his 14th major triumph. It will be his fourth final appearance at Melbourne Park, having lifted the trophy in 2009, beating Federer in a dramatic five-set finale, and finished runner-up in 2012 (l. to Djokovic) and 2014 (l. to Wawrinka). "It was a fantastic match. Very emotional," said Nadal. "I think...
Roger Federer will attempt to win his 18th Grand Slam championship crown against his old foe Rafael Nadal or Grigor Dimitrov on Sunday after a battling performance in the Australian Open semi-finals. The 35-year-old Swiss superstar, who recently returned to top-level tennis after a six-month injury lay-off, booked a spot in his 28th Grand Slam final with a 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3 victory over his compatriot Stan Wawrinka, the 2014 titlist and fourth seed. Federer will now compete for his fifth crown in his sixth Australian Open final on Sunday night, when he will attempt to become the first No. 17 seed to win a major since Pete Sampras won the final professional match of his career at the...