Rafael Nadal after winning his first Australian Open against Federer, Credit : Daily Express
According to many tennis fans, this event has turned into the most memorable grand slam of the 2000s.
While Rafael Nadal's first victory reinforced the excitement behind the tournament, the 2009th edition of the Australian Open cannot be reduced to this single statistic, as the two weeks that made up the tournament have been a condensation of strong emotions.
Flashback on a competition that is still considered to be one of the finest masterpieces of this discipline.
Verdasco reaching his first Grand Slam semi-finals at the AO.
The incredible story of Verdasco
Seeded No. 14 going into this tournament, the well-known Fernando Verdasco was clearly not expected to be a serious contender for the title - on Australian soil, the Spaniard had never made it past the 2nd round in previous editions.
10 days later and ‘El Fuego’ had reached the semi-finals, having knocked a lot of heads along the way.
Unleashed and possessed of phenomenal power, especially on his forehand, the Madrilenian passed through his first 3 rounds without the slightest difficulty before defeating Andy Murray and Jo Wilfried Tsonga in matches for which he was not expected to be the favourite.
Then came the match that we all know - a tennis encounter that always stirs the emotions of any tennis fan. Verdasco may not have won his legendary semi-final against Nadal, but he left his mark on the world of tennis.
Djokovic defeating Baghdatis in an epic 4 set match.
The best of the best
Great matches require great players. Often surprised in their first Grand Slam rounds, the top seeds often fail to live up to their status, to the delight of a public eager to witness the birth of new heroes.
Aussie fans may not like it, but the 2009 Australian Open was an opportunity for the world's best players to assert their superiority over the rest of the ATP Tour.
For the first time in history, 29 of the 32 seeded players reached the second round, and with the exception of Giles Simon, all the 8th finalists had already reached a second Grand Slam week : The best of the best!
Nadal lifting the trophy after an epic 5 set battle, Credit : The New York Times
A final that keeps its promises
The tennis world had been waiting with bated breath for this clash since the start of the competition.
What better than a Nadal-Federer final to kick off a 2009 season already full of promise?
In the aftermath of what is still regarded as the greatest final in the history of Wimbledon, the clashes between the two new tennis icons
are captivating the whole planet.
Following a fierce battle that lasted around 4 hours 30 minutes, Nadal succeeded in defeating his greatest rival for the 5th time in a row, in front of an Australian crowd thrilled by the stylistic confrontation between their favorite gladiators.
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