Paes-Hingis win Australian Open mixed-doubles title

This is Leander Paes' seventh mixed-doubles crown.

India's Leander Paes and Swiss Martina Hingis turned back the clock to post a sensational win in the Australian Open mixed-doubles final and improve their respective Grand Slam count to 15, in Melbourne on Sunday.

The seventh seed Indo-Swiss pair played powerful tennis to serve past third seeds Daniel Nestor and Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 6-3 in the 62-minute battle at the Rod Laver Arena.

While the 41-year-old Paes clinched his seventh mixed doubles crown, Hingis, who came out of retirement for the second time a couple of years back, collected her tenth doubles Slam apart from her five singles titles.

Paes and Hingis broke the Canadian-French pair of Nestor and Kristina once in the first set and twice in the second to put up an entertaining display.

Paes, a veteran doubles specialist, joined forces with the 34-year-old Hingis last year only to come up with a Slam title in quick time.

Hingis, who burst into the scene in 1995, thanked her idol and legend Martina Navratilova for suggesting Paes as her mixed-doubles partner.

“I am thankful to Martina (Navratilova) for getting me partner Paes. It’s incredible to be playing on the surface that I made my debut in 1995. I never imagined that 20 year’s down-the-line I would be still be playing here,” said an excited Hingis — winner of three singles Australian Open titles.

Navratilovia, who also partnered Paes to clinch the Australian Open and Wimbledon mixed—doubles crown in 2003, was in the stands to watch the tennis veterans play.

Djokovic wins Australian Open 2015

The win means Djokovic stays at World no. 1 on the next ATP rankings when they are released on Monday, with Murray moving to four from his current sixth.

Novak Djokovic may never win as many Wimbledon or U.S. Open titles as Roger Federer or as many French Open championships as Rafa Nadal but when it comes to the Australian Open the Serbian reigns supreme.

At Melbourne on Sunday, Djokovic won his fifth Australian Open crown, beating Andy Murray 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-0 in an old fashioned slugfest where the pair went toe-to-toe like two prize fighters before the Serb knocked the Scotsman out.

The only man to win more Australian titles than Djokovic is Roy Emerson, who chalked up six in the 1960s when the Grand Slams were restricted to amateur players and the Australian Open was played on grass at different cities all over the country.

But in the professional era, Djokovic is the undisputed king down under, playing in five Australian Open finals and winning the lot.

“I am so privileged and honoured and grateful to be standing here as a champion for the fifth time and to be in the elite group of players with Sir Roy Emerson and Rod Laver and all the legends of our sport,” said the Serb.

“Tough luck tonight, Andy, you are a great competitor, you fight a lot and I want to congratulate your team and wish you all the best for the rest of the season,” he added.

The win means Djokovic stays at World no. 1 on the next ATP rankings when they are released on Monday, with Murray moving to four from his current sixth.

“We have put in a lot of hard work to try and get back in this position after what was a difficult year last year,” said Murray, referring to injuries that dogged his 2014 season.

Murray put Djokovic under immediate pressure with three break points in the third game of the opening set, played in cool and windy conditions on Rod Laver Arena.

But the Serb fought back to hold after an almighty 27-stroke rally and an ace.

Djokovic struck in the next game, breaking Murray to take an early 3-1 lead.

It was hard-fought tennis and the Scot worked his way back by breaking his rival on his third break point in the seventh game.

Djokovic jammed the thumb of his serving hand when he slipped chasing a low volley and needed treatment at the next changeover.

It seemed to bother him briefly only and he broke the Scot a second time before being broken back as he served for the opening set, taking it to a tiebreaker.

The top seed trailed 2-4 in the tiebreaker but then rattled off five of the next six points to claim the opening set in 72 minutes.

Undeterred, Murray broke for a 2-0 lead in the second set before Djokovic hit back with a double break as the Scot looked in trouble with Djokovic stringing together 13 straight points.

The final was then interrupted by a security scare for five minutes when political activists unfurled a banner in support of refugees.

One of them jumped on court with security guards ringing both players as at least four protestors were escorted out of the stadium.

The stoppage worked in Murray’s favour as he broke Djokovic’s service to level the set at 4-4.

The final went to a second tiebreak in which Murray prevailed 7-4 to level the hard-fought contest.

Djokovic suffered an immediate let-down, dropping his opening service in the third set, but he stormed back with a double break to edge in front two sets to one as Murray flagged.

Fired-up, the top seed then split the final set wide open, racing through the fourth set against a spent and frustrated Murray with a triple break to surge to victory.

Stanislas Wawrinka won Australian Open mens Single 2014

Stanislas Wawrinka held firm in a match of high drama to defeat an injured Rafa Nadal 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 and win his maiden grand slam title at the Australian Open on Sunday.

The eighth seed roared to a two-set lead after top seed Nadal struggled with an apparent back injury sustained early in the second set, but the Swiss was left stunned as his opponent suddenly revived in the third at Rod Laver Arena.

Though restricted in his movement, Nadal fought back into the match with a barrage of clean hitting, completely throwing the Swiss off his game who surrendered the third set in a hail of unforced errors.

Wawrinka captured a break in the fourth set, surrendered it with a terrible service game, but recovered again to earn a chance to serve for the match.

He stayed cool when it counted, serving strongly and sealing the win with an imperious forehand rocketing down the line.

A relieved Wawrinka raised his hands in the air in celebration and after shaking hands with a gloomy Nadal, went to console the Spaniard at his chair.

"First, Rafa, I'm really sorry for you, I hope your back is okay, you are a great friend and a great champion," Wawrinka said at the trophy ceremony.

"You did a remarkable comeback last year. For me it's the best grand slam ever.

"Right now I still don't know if I'm dreaming. I guess I'll find out in the morning."

The 2009 champion Nadal shed tears at the trophy ceremony, overcome by the emotion of a roller-coaster match.

"First thing I want to say, is thanks to Stan, we have a great relationship and you really deserve it today, so many congratulations and all the best.

"To all the crowd, it's been an emotional two weeks sorry to finish this way, I tried very, very hard.

"Last year was a tough when I wasn't able to play here, thanks for your support, see you next year."

The triumph capped a remarkable fortnight for Wawrinka who became the first man in 21 years to beat the top two seeds at a grand slam since Sergi Bruguera pulled off the feat at the French Open in 1993.

Five days after ending second seed Novak Djokovic's three-year reign at Melbourne Park, Wawrinka denied a distraught Nadal from becoming only the third man to have won all four majors at least twice.

BREAKING JINX

Though Nadal's injury clearly affected his game, Wawrinka had been well on top of their match early on and surged 3-1 clear in the first set after an early break.

Without a hint of nerves, Wawrinka blasted two aces before holding to lead 4-1, leaving the centre court crowd stunned.

Wawrinka stumbled when serving for the set to fall behind 0-40 but saved them all, as Nadal's returning went awry, and took the set with a crosscourt ace.

In all his previous 12 meetings against Nadal, Wawrinka had never won a set. Breaking that jinx propelled him on.

He broke Nadal in the first game of the second to march to a 2-0 lead before the Spaniard suddenly doubled over in pain.

He grimaced after a first serve and immediately signalled for a trainer and winced again after belting a forehand into the net from the baseline.

Nadal successfully held serve to trail 2-1 but quickly left the court for a medical time out, leaving Wawrinka to argue with the chair umpire about the lack of disclosure over the injury.

Nadal re-emerged after six minutes amid some jeers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd but his movement was clearly restricted and he was unable to generate any pace on his serve.

Wawrinka simply went about his business, marching to a 4-1 lead as Nadal double-faulted repeatedly and struggled to reach wide balls.

Nadal had more treatment on his back from a physio at the change of ends, then underlined his fighting spirit by holding serve to trail 5-2, but Wawrinka went on to serve out the set with an ace.

Whether it was painkillers or just pure grit, Nadal showed signs of a revival in the third set as he saved two break points before holding serve with a barrage of sweetly-struck forehands.

A searing forehand winner down the line gave Nadal two break points and astonishingly, the Spaniard broke a flat-footed Wawrinka when the Swiss bunted a bloodless forehand into the net.

As Nadal rallied, his eighth-seeded opponent sunk, spraying shots all over the court with his concentration clearly affected by the sudden momentum switch.

Still restricted in his movements, Nadal began gunning for the lines and his stand-and-deliver approach saw him march to a 5-2 lead.

With Nadal serving for the set at 5-3, Wawrinka had a chance to break back but was unable to flush the tension out and conceded the set when he smashed a forehand into the net.

As Nadal battled with his body, Wawrinka continued to battle with his mind as he broke Nadal in the final set and then gave it straight back.

Amid the doubts, the Swiss's serve never quite deserted him and it carried him to match point before his forehand sealed it to raise thunderous cheers from the terraces.

Li Na after her maiden Australian Open title 2014

Finally I got her, last two matches vs Cibulkova were very close. Thanks to my team, my physio, who is doing a very good job. Thanks to my husband for leaving everything for me. My husband is very lucky.... to have me. He does all the odd jobs like even fixing my racquet.

# Li Na wins her second Grand Slam title and maiden Australian Open after a 7-6 6-0 win over 20th seed Dominika Cibulkova.

# World No.4 taking full control here with a second break of serve against Cibulkova. Li leads the match 7-6 4-0.

Novak Djokovic won Australian Open 2013 and beacame No.1 in mens Rank

Novak Djokovic in Australian Open Finals 2013

Novak Djokovic returned to his dominant best to win his third consecutive Australian Open title, denying Andy Murray a second major championship with a 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 victory Sunday night at Rod Laver Arena. 

The top-ranked Djokovic is the first man in the Open era to win three straight Australian titles nine others have won back-to-back but were unable to win three in a row. 

“I love this court,” Djokovic said. “It’s definitely my favorite Grand Slam. It’s an incredible feeling winning this trophy once more.” 

Born a week apart in May 1987 and friends since their junior playing days, the two played like they knew each other’s game very well in a rematch of last year’s U.S. Open final won by Murray. There were no service breaks until the eighth game of the third set, when Djokovic finally broke through and then held at love to lead by two sets to one. 

Djokovic earned two more service breaks in the fourth set, including one to take a 4-1 lead when Murray double-faulted on break point. 

The 25-year-old Serb didn’t rip his shirt off this time, as he did to celebrate his epic 5-hour, 53-minute win over Rafael Nadal in last year’s final. He just did a little dance, looked up to the sky and then applauded the crowd after the 3-hour, 40-minute match. 

Murray’s win over Djokovic in the U.S. Open final last year ended a 76-year drought for British men at the majors, but he still is yet to make a breakthrough in Australia after losing a third final here in the last four years. 

Djokovic’s win went against the odds of recent finals at Melbourne Park. In four of the past five years, the player who won his semifinal second has won the tournament. But this year, Djokovic played his semifinal on Thursday an easy three—set, 89—minute minute win over No. 4-seeded David Ferrer. Murray needed five energy sapping sets to beat 17—time major winner Roger Federer on Friday night. 

The win consolidated Djokovic’s position as the No. 1-ranked player in the world, while Federer and Murray will be second and third when the ATP rankings are released Monday. 

Their last two matches in Grand Slams Murray’s five-set win at last year’s U.S. Open and Djokovic’s victory here last year in five in the semifinals had a total of 35 service breaks. 

It was a vastly different, more tactical battle on Sunday, with the first two tight sets decided in tiebreakers. 

Murray, who called for a trainer to retape blisters on his right foot at the end of the second set, was visibly annoyed by noise from the crowd during his service games in the third set, stopping his service motion twice until the crowd quieted down. After dropping the third set, he complained about the noise to chair umpire John Blom. 

Djokovic also appeared frustrated at times, kicking the ball football-style back over the net after he hit a forehand long during a lengthy point, and muttering to himself while sitting down in his chair during changeovers. But both players were guilty of making unforced errors, often ending long rallies with shots into the net or long. 

Murray’s fans came dressed for the occasion, with some wearing “Braveheart“-style wigs, Scottish flags painted on their faces and tartan caps. One group of men wore white T-shirts with black letters that spelled out A-N-D-Y; they serenaded Murray at the start of the first two sets. 

There were a number of Serbian shirts, caps and flags in the stadium, as well as fans calling “Ajde!” or “Come on!” in Serbian to support Djokovic. Retired NBA basketball star Vlade Divac was sitting in Djokovic’s box.

Djokovic looked agitated after failing to convert the break points in the first set, frequently looking up to his box and yelling at the members of his team and himself.

Although Djokovic went into the match with a 10-7 lead in head-to-heads, Murray had beaten Djokovic five out of eight times in tiebreakers, and that improved to six of nine after four unforced errors by Djokovic to end the first set. 

Djokovic pegged back that edge in the second set, when Murray also didn’t help his cause by double-faulting to give Djokovic a 3-2 lead, and the Serbian player didn’t trail again in the tiebreaker. He leveled the match after nearly 2 hours, 15 minutes. 

Andre Agassi was among those in the capacity crowd at Rod Laver Arena the four-time Australian champion’s first trip Down Under in nearly 10 years and he later presented the trophy to Djokovic. 

Victoria Azarenka, who won Saturday’s women’s singles final over Li Na, was in the crowd with her boyfriend rapper Redfoo. Actor Kevin Spacey, who met in the dressing room with both players ahead of the match and later tweeted a photo of himself with them, also was in attendance for the third straight night. 

In the earlier mixed doubles final Sunday, wild-card entrants Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden of Australia beat the Czech pair of Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak 6-3, 7-5.

Gajdosova-Ebden take mixed doubles title in Australian open

Wildcard entrants Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden combined to win the Australian Open mixed doubles title with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Czech pair Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak on Sunday. 

The Australian pair ousted second-seeded Elena Vesnina and Leander Paes in the second round and fifth-seeded Nadia Petrova and Mahesh Bhupathi in the quarterfinals. 

They had two service breaks in each set and dropped twice in the match. 

Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebdenwin the Australian Open mixed doubles

“As Australians it’s incredible to play here,” Ebden said. “We’ve had an incredible time the last couple of weeks and we’ll see you next year.”

Bryans win Australian Open doubles title

Mike and Bob Bryan won Australian Open 2013

Mike and Bob Bryan have captured their record 13th Grand Slam doubles title, defeating the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling in the Australian Open final 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday. 

The Americans had been level with the Australian legends John Newcombe and Tony Roche with 12 major titles. 

The Bryans now have six Australian Open titles to go along with four at the U.S. Open, two at Wimbledon and one at the French Open. 

The brothers, top seeds at Melbourne Park, have also finished eight of the last 10 years as the No. 1 ranked doubles team, including last year.

Azarenka secures back-to-back Australian titles

Victoria Azarenka has won back-to-back Australian Open titles

Victoria Azarenka has won back-to-back Australian Open titles, beating Li Na 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a dramatic final that contained a break for fireworks and two medical timeouts. 

Li tumbled twice to the court after twisting her left ankle. She had her left ankle taped after falling in the fifth game of the second set. 

On the first point after a 10-minute pause in the third set while fireworks crackled overhead from nearby Australia Day celebrations, Li fell over again and slammed the back of her head into the court. The 2011 French Open champion was treated immediately and had another time out before being allowed to resume the match. 

Azarenka won five of the next six games to claim her second major title and retain the No. 1 ranking.

Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal and won Australian title

Defending champion Novak Djokovic battled past Rafael Nadal in an epic, five-set Australian Open final which clocked in at 5hr, 53min — the longest title match in Grand Slam history — here on Sunday.

Djokovic fought back from losing the first set to take a 2-1 lead, but he was then taken to a gripping fifth set by resurgent Nadal before winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5 for his third consecutive Major title.

The nail-biting match of wildly swinging fortunes, played in front of an enthralled crowd, started before 8:00 p.m. (local time) on Sunday and did not wind up until 1:40 a.m. on Monday, and was also the longest in the tournament's history.

“Good morning everybody,” Nadal told the crowd afterwards. “I will never forget this match. Even though I lost, it was something really special for me. Thank you very much, I will come back here a lot and I will keep fighting.”

Djokovic, who picked up a cheque for Aus$2.3 million ($2.4 million), has now beaten the Spaniard in three consecutive Grand Slam finals and seven consecutive title matches overall.

Total respect

“Rafa, you're one of the best players ever. You're one of the most respected guys on the tour,” he said.

“We made history tonight, and unfortunately there couldn't be two winners. But I wish you all the best for this season and I hope that we will have many more matches like this and many more finals.”

Djokovic's win, his fifth Grand Slam title, means he joins a rarefied company. Only Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer (twice) and Nadal have previously won three consecutive Grand Slams in the open era.

The Serb, who had a gruelling five-set semifinal win over Andy Murray, came into the final with a day less rest than Nadal, and having complained about allergy-related breathing problems in Melbourne.

He struggled to get into the match early on against his never-say-die opponent, slamming racquet to the ground when he was broken and falling a set behind but, re-energised, he found his rhythm in the second set to level.

Starting to dictate, the defending champion ran away with the third set, overpowering Nadal and breaking him to love to win it 6-2.

But the 25-year-old from Majorca, deposed from the top ranking by Djokovic after his losing last year's Wimbledon final, refused to be beaten and dragged himself back into the contest through sheer force of will.

The Spanish left-hander saved three break points in the eighth game of the fourth set, producing a fist-pumping celebration when he levelled at 4-4.

But in a surreal addition to the mounting tension, action was suspended for rain to organisers could close the stadium roof and dry the court.

When play restarted the set went to a tie-break, with Nadal clinching it at his first opportunity on a Djokovic forehand error to set up the decider.

And in the dramatic fifth set, Nadal secured a crucial break in the sixth game, but with the Spaniard now suddenly looking the more likely winner, Djokovic battled back to secure a break of his own.

With players refusing to give an inch, the Serbian top seed broke again in the 11th game when Nadal netted with a backhand and then, in almost unbearable tension, saved a break point as he served out for the championship.

The Serb ripped off his shirt in celebration and marched to his players' box, flexing his muscles and then hugging his coach as he claimed his third Australian Open title, after 2008 and 2011.

The match was longer than the 1988 U.S. Open final between Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl, which lasted 4hr, 54min, and also beat the Australian Open record of 5hr, 14min set by Nadal and Fernando Verdasco in 2009.

Azarenka swept won her first Grand Slam title with worlds no 1 ranking

Belarus's Victoria Azarenka swept imperiously to her first Grand Slam title and the World No. 1 ranking on Saturday when she demolished Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final.

The 22-year-old, playing her first major title match, made light of the occasion and her illustrious opponent as she hammered the Russian former champion 6-3, 6-0 in just 82 minutes.

Azarenka appeared on court in a yellow hoodie and listening to her MP3 player, and after being broken in the first game she was quickly into the rhythm of a match set to both players' notoriously loud shrieks.

After going 0-2 down in the first set, she stepped forward to claim 12 of the next 13 games against Sharapova, who was powerless to stop the onslaught despite her three major trophies, including the 2008 Melbourne title.

The third seed, who now succeeds Caroline Wozniacki as the new women's No. 1, was equally cool afterwards as she lifted the Daphne Ackhurst Cup and dutifully thanked her grandmother in her acceptance speech without tears.

“I can't wait to be back next year, I've had an amazing month in Australia. It's a dream true,” said Azarenka.

In the new rankings to be released on Monday, Czech player Petra Kvitova will be second behind Azarenka with Sharapova third and Wozniacki fourth, while China's Li Na falls to ninth. “As in any sport you have your good days, you have your tough days and you have days where things just don't work out. Today Victoria was just too good,” Sharapova said.

“It all comes down to the last two athletes, winner takes it all after all the players in the draw. I've had great wins here and I've had tough losses but there's no doubt I'll be back.”

Earlier there was controversy in the juniors' competitions as boys' winner Luke Saville swore in his acceptance speech and girls' runner-up Yulia Putintseva angrily smashed her racquet before shaking hands. Australia's Saville, blamed “raw emotion” for his profane reaction after being presented with the trophy by Ken Rosewall.

Horia Tecau and Bethanie Mattek-Sands clinches mixed doubles title in Australian Open

Elena Vesnina ended runners-up in the mixed doubles event after being outplayed by Horia Tecau and Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the summit clash here on Sunday.

The fifth-seeded Indo-Russian pair lost 3-6, 7-5, 3-10 to eighth-seeded Romanian-American combination in one hour and 48 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.

Paes was chasing a rare feat of winning two Grand Slam titles in the same tournament for the second time in his career but fell at the final hurdle.

In the 1999 Wimbledon, he had won both the men's doubles (with Mahesh Bhupathi) and mixed doubles (Lisa Raymond) titles.

On Saturday, Paes had won the men's doubles title with Czech Radek Stepanek to complete a career Grand Slam.

It was Paes' fourth Australian Open mixed doubles final, having won two and lost two. Overall, Paes has six mixed doubles titles with the French Open trophy missing from his Slam cabinet.

The combination of Tecau's strong serve and Mattek's stunning and powerful groundstrokes, proved too hot to handle for Paes and Vesnina.

Mattek hit some breathtaking winners, especially with her crushing forehand while Tecau hardly erred on his serve.

Mattek and Tecau made a strong start to the match as they broke Paes and Vesnina in the second game to take the lead.

Mattek returned well and played aggressively. One of her lobs and then a winner by Tecau earned them three breakpoints straightaway. They broke Paes' serve when the Indian fired a backhand to the net.

Paes and Vesnina broke back immediately but Vesnina could not hold serve and they trailed 1-3, which became 1-4 when Tecau held his own in the next game.

Paes finally held his serve, albeit after saving three breakpoints when Vesnina hit a volley winner on Tecau's return.

But there was nothing to worry their rivals as they had a comfortable lead and Tecau served out the set with ease when Vesnina hit a backhand to net.

Early break

An early break of Vesnina's serve and easy hold by Tecau again put them up 2-0 and the eighth-seeded duo led 4-2 at one stage.

However, a seven-minute break due to drizzle changed the complexion of the match. Perhaps the rhythm of Tecau and Mattek got disturbed and they began to commit a lot of unforced errors.

Mattek was broken in the eighth game and the scores were level. Vesnina served impressively in the ninth game to lead 5-4.

The pair broke Tekov for the second time to take the second set and force a match tie-breaker. The momentum shifted yet again in favour of Mattek and Tecau following the amazing first point.

Mattek ran down the court on her right, just avoided colliding with an umpire but succeeded in hitting a stunning winner.

From there, Mattek and Tecau dominated the proceedings, not letting the hard work go into the drain.

Paes praised his partner Elena Vesnina for reaching up to the summit clash.

“Thank you Elena for supporting me and carrying me through some tough matches,” Paes said at the post-match presentation.

Congratulating Tecau and Mattek for winning the title, Paes said, “I would like to congratulate our opponents for some tennis lessons. The forehand winner Mattek hit in the tie-breaker was just awesome. You guys did a great job.”

Praising the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena, Paes said: “India and Australia have Republic Day in the same month — January. There is a great relationship between the two countries. It's a real pleasure to come to the Australian Open.

“Jai Hind,” Paes concluded.

Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek won mixed doubles

Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek denied the Bryan brothers a record 12th Grand Slam title as they beat the American top seeds in straight sets in the Australian Open final on Saturday.

The 7-6(1), 6-2 victory was the first for India's Paes over American twins Bob and Mike Bryan in a final after five defeats in title clashes, and helped him complete a career Grand Slam of doubles crowns.

Coming into the Australian Open, the Indian doubles specialist had won 47 career titles with 11 different partners, including one with Stepanek, who claimed his first Grand Slam doubles crown.

“I know what this means for him (Paes) because this title was missing from his career Grand Slam. I'm happy I was by his side,” Stepanek said.

The two danced around the court gleefully after their win, which came on a day when Bob and his wife were expecting their first baby.

“She's probably going to deliver tomorrow (Sunday) so thanks baby, thanks for holding it in for me,” he said.

Single break point

Serve dominated the first set with just a single break point for each pair and no breaks of serve, but the unseeded Paes and Stepanek stepped up their game in the tie-break to take it 7-1.

The fired-up Indo-Czech duo broke the Bryans' serve in the second game of the second set and looked like running away with the match.

The Americans, with 76 titles together, stopped the rot by holding in the fourth game, but could not reverse the momentum and were broken again to slip to a comprehensive defeat.

Paes and Stepanek, playing in just their fourth Tour-level event together, had lost to the Bryan brothers in straight sets in both their previous meetings.

The result meant that the Bryans remained on 11 titles, sharing the record for the highest number of crowns in the open era with Australia's Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde.

Crucial role

Paes had words of gratitude for his Czech partner for playing a crucial role in the win. The title was Paes' 13th Slam overall and first with Stepanek, who is five years younger than the Indian at 33.

Paes said he told Stepanek that it was special to beat the No. 1 pair.

“I have to thank my partner Radek [Stepanek] for putting me on his shoulders and carrying me through the week. I have played five finals against the Bryan brothers and lost, and you know how it feels,” said Paes.

Paes acknowledged the Bryans' talent and prowess. “I have the highest regard for you guys (Bob and Mike).

“You are great ambassadors of the game for the manner in which you conduct yourselves,” he said

Paes also remembered all those who contributed in his illustrious career. “To my daughter Aiyana, wife Rhea, Martina [Navratilova] for being such an inspiration, and all the support staff,” he said.

Emotional

Stepanek, who won his first Slam title, was emotional after the victory.

“It's tough to add to what Leander has said. This was one title that was missing for you and I am happy that I was by your side when you won it,” he said.

Mike Bryan congratulated Paes for completing a career Slam. “Congratulations to Leander and Radek. We have loved coming here and playing for the past 15 years. The crowd is fantastic.”

Rafael Nadal beats Roger Federer in Ausrtalian open s-finals

Rafael Nadal once again proved Roger Federer's Grand Slam nemesis on Thursday, withstanding a withering opening from the Swiss great to reach the final of the Australian Open. The Spaniard won 6-7(5), 6-2, 7-6(5), 6-4 to prolong the agony for his greatest rival, who has now lost eight times to the Spaniard in 10 Grand Slam meetings, and has not beaten him in the majors since Wimbledon 2007.

“For me it's a dream to be back in the final,” said a smiling Nadal. “It's a real honour to play against Roger, it was a fantastic match. It's fantastic to have one player in front of you who doesn't make mistakes, having a totally complete game.”

“I thought Rafa played well from start to finish,” Federer said. “It was a tough match physically as well. I'm disappointed, but it's only the beginning of the season. I'm feeling all right, so it's OK.”

Earlier, Maria Sharapova, the fourth seed, beat second seed Petra Kvitova 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to reach the women's final. The Russian overcame some poor serving to outlast Kvitova and move into Saturday's final, where she will play Belarusian Victoria Azarenka who beat defending champion Kim Clijsters in three tense sets to reach her first Grand Slam final.

The third-seeded Belorussian saw off a powerful second-set fight-back by the Belgian to win 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

“I felt like my hand is about 200 kilograms and my body is about 1,000 kilograms,” Azarenka said, wiping away tears.

“Everything is shaking but that feeling when you finally win is such a relief. I can't believe it's over — I just want to cry.”

Azarenka had said earlier this week that she was in the best shape of her life after concentrating on her physical conditioning in the off-season.

She has also been able to shut out strong criticism of the screaming she makes when she hits the ball, which included large sections of the crowd mimicking her during her win over Australia's Casey Dellacqua.

Azarenka is the first Belarusian woman to reach a Grand Slam final since Natasha Zvereva finished runner-up at Roland Garros in 1988, representing the USSR.

Caroline Wozniacki will vacate the top spot in next week's rankings after her quarterfinal loss, leaving either No. 3 Azarenka or No. 4 Sharapova a chance to move to the top.

Brilliant start

Federer produced flawless tennis at the start of the match but his game unravelled when put under pressure by Nadal, and he finished with 63 unforced errors.

Unleashing his full arsenal, four-time Australian Open champion Federer held serve to love and broke the Spaniard at his first opportunity with a devastating cross-court backhand, with Nadal struggling to gain a foothold.

Nadal broke back but third seed Federer raised his game again after his mid-set wobble and he took the tie-break when Nadal hit long.

The players swapped service breaks at the start of the second set but the turning point came when Nadal held off a Federer break point in the fifth game and then broke the Swiss in the very next game to move 4-2 up.

The match was suspended for 10 minutes for Australia Day fireworks with Nadal leading 5-2, and when play resumed, Nadal went on to level the match at one set apiece.

He took the first game of set three to love and held three break points after two consecutive Federer double faults, only for the misfiring Swiss to claw himself out of the hole.

See-saw struggle

Federer battled hard and broke Nadal in game seven of the third set but the Spaniard broke back immediately to level things up, and went on to take the tie-break on his sixth set point.

A tense fourth set went with serve with Nadal looking mentally the stronger, continuing to chase down balls from seemingly impossible situations.

He saved a break point from Federer in the eighth game and broke the Swiss in the following game.

But the Spaniard still had to fight hard to serve the match out, saving two break points.

Federer, seeking his first Major title in two years, had not dropped a set until Thursday's semifinal. But Nadal, who now leads their overall series 18-9, once again proved he has the edge over Federer on the biggest stage.

The match was the 10th Grand Slam encounter between Nadal and Federer, putting them equal with Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe for most matches played at majors.

Nadal overcomes knee problem to win first round

Rafael Nadal has a new injury issue a tendon problem in his right knee that nearly prompted him to forfeit a first—round match at the Australian Open that he managed to win easily.

Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters, both bothered by injuries coming into the tournament, also advanced to the second round in more routine fashion on Monday and said they felt they were over their ailments.

That wasn’t the case with Nadal. Bothered by a left shoulder injury late last year, Nadal had his right knee heavily taped during his 6—4, 6—1, 6—1 win over Alex Kuznetsov. The injury occurred in the most innocent of ways sitting in a chair in his hotel room when he felt “a crack” in his knee and some “unbelievable pain.”

He had an MRI scan late Sunday that showed no major damage to his knee, but before that, the incident left him thinking “I wasn’t 100 percent sure I would have a chance to play.”

“That’s in the past,” Nadal said when asked about his shoulder injury in a post—match television interview. But it was a different story later when he talked about his knee.

“I was sitting on a chair in the hotel, I felt like a crack on the knee ... really strange, he said. “I stand up. I felt the knee a little bit strange. I moved the leg like this two times to try to find the feeling. After the second time, the knee stays with an unbelievable pain completely straight. I have no movement on the knee.”

“The best thing is I felt the knee very well. I really don’t understand why happened everything, but I am really happy that today I was ready to play and I played a fantastic match.”

Federer, who pulled out of a tournament in Doha two weeks ago with back soreness, began the quest for his 17th Grand Slam title and first since the 2010 Australian Open with a 7—5, 6—2, 6—2 win over qualifier Alexander Kudryavtsev.

It was Federer’s 60th win at the Australian Open, and he also has 60—plus wins at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

The third—seeded Federer took the first two sets and was up a break in the third before the Russian rallied with a break of serve in the fifth game of the final set. Federer, however, broke Kudryavtsev in the next game with a backhand crosscourt winner and sealed the match when the Russian hit a forehand wide.

“No problem, I am happy to be 100 percent fit,” Federer said after his win.

He batted away just as quickly speculation about a possibly divisive issue with Nadal.

Nadal was critical of Federer on Sunday for not speaking out publicly in support of players who are pushing the ATP for changes in areas such as tournament scheduling and prize money.

“Things are fine between us, you know. I have no hard feelings towards him,” Federer said. “It’s been a difficult last few months in terms of politics within the ATP.

Nadal has “mentioned many times how he gets a bit tired and frustrated through the whole process, and I shared that with him. It’s normal. But for me, obviously nothing changes in terms of our relationship. I’m completely cool and relaxed about it.”

Venus Williams pulls out of Australian Open

Venus Williams has withdrawn from the Australian Open, prolonging her absence from the tennis tour because of an autoimmune disease that can cause fatigue and joint pain.

The seven-time Grand Slam title winner announced Monday on Twitter and on her website that she wouldn’t play in the year’s first major tournament, which starts Monday. She added, though, that she plans to be back in action next month.

Williams hasn’t played competitively since August 29 at the U.S. Open. Two days later, she pulled out of that tournament, revealing that she’d been diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome.

“I regret to announce that I am withdrawing from the 2012 Australian Open. After several months of training and treatment, I am making steady progress to top competitive form. My diet and fitness regimen have allowed me to make great strides in terms of my health and I am very close to being ready to return to WTA competition,” Williams said in a posting on her website Monday. “I have every intention to return to the circuit in February.”

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said Williams was “very disappointed” that she was not able to play in Melbourne.

“She had hoped she’d be further along in her preparation but is not quite ready for Grand Slam competition,” Tiley said in an email to The Associated Press. “She’s an amazing champion and she’s had a tough year battling illness and injury. We wish her all the best and look forward to seeing her back in Australia soon.”

Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki, a former doubles partner of Williams, said the American’s health must come first. “She’s been unlucky with the virus thing,” Wozniacki said after her second-round win Tuesday at the Sydney International. “I’m not completely sure what it is exactly, but the most important thing is the health.

“Tennis, it’s a game. I’m sure she’ll come back and fight and try to come back to the top again. But most of all, the most important thing is that you’re healthy. Hopefully she’ll be 100 percent healthy by February.”

The 31-year-old American is a former No. 1 who is 100th in this week’s WTA rankings. She’s dealt with a series of health problems, including a hip injury that forced her to withdraw from last year’s Australian Open, and a left knee injury that kept her on the sideline between Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2010.

Since reaching the semifinals at the 2010 U.S. Open, Williams has played only 11 matches.

After winning her opener at Flushing Meadows in August which was Williams’ first match in two months she withdrew shortly before her second-round match there.

At that time, she described the way she’d been feeling as “energy-sucking, and I just couldn’t play pro tennis.”

Her younger sister Serena, whose 13 Grand Slam titles include five at the Australian Open, badly sprained her left ankle at a tournament in Brisbane last week. It’s not clear whether Serena will be able to play at the Australian Open, although she appeared to be training well Tuesday at Melbourne Park and free of any major concerns about her ankle.