Tennis story by Fred Smith, Mon, 30 Jan 2006 00:48:00 GMT


MELBOURNE - Roger Federer woke up in the second set of the Australian Open Final against tournament revelation Marcos Baghdatis and seemed to realize that he was playing a final. After that it was all business as the 24-year-old Swiss ace blasted his way to a seventh Grand Slam title and his second one at Melbourne. His 5-7 7-5 6-0 6-2 win over the 20-year-old Cypriot means that Fed Ex as he is called, maintained his perfect record in Grand Slam finals winning all seven that he has so far appeared in.

Baghdatis stretched the champion to the limit and took the first set in 43 minutes after breaking Federer's serve at 5-5. He then took another break at the beginning of the second set and went ahead 3-0, but then Federer seemed to shift gear and from then on it was all about how he raced to the win. The Swiss ace was emotional and broke down in tears after his win, "When I won I was so relieved that I got through it. I wasn't emotional in the first minute, it only came out later when I was standing there with Marcos waiting for the ceremony," he said.

"I was very relaxed. Once I got up on stage, it all changed." He paid tribute to Baghdatis but said that he seized the initiative when he saw the former cramping up, "After seeing he was struggling all of a sudden with the cramp in his calf muscle I knew I was in very good shape, but I had to stay focused," Federer said.

On his part, Baghdatis squandered away a golden chance and he was well aware of it, "I really played very well in the first two sets. I had my chances. I had a break in the second," said. "I'm a bit unhappy but it's just after the match and I think it will take me one or two days to come back and smile again."

Federer is now halfway to equaling the all-time record of 14 Grand Slams held by Pete Sampras and Rod Laver thinks he will easily overhaul it. And when such a personage makes that kind of statement, who are we to dispute it?

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