Australian Open 2009 Final - Tennis of the Highest Quality

What sublime tennis we were witness to today! Rafa's will to win paired with super-human stamina proved just too good for Federer. In almost every game that weas played today, Roger hit several of what he would have thought were winners, until Rafa most astonishingly not just returned them back, but hit winners of his own! The extreme acute angles that he time and again makes to such perfection is one of his secrets to success - the other being his supreme fitness levels and unbelievable athleticism. Point-for-point, game-for-game, Roger was matching Rafa most of the time, but where Roger lost was at the mental level. His confidence was shaken first and then ripped out of its foundations by the tireless Spaniard. Remember that Roger had 71 winners against Rafa's 51, so statistically Roger was outhitting Rafa. But it was the weak serve and the inability to close out crutial break opportunities that let Roger down today. I have not doubt that Roger will return stronger sooner than later.