They exchanged service breaks in the first two games. Normally calm on court, Federer pumped his fist after breaking for a 4-2 lead only to double-fault when facing break point in the next game.
　　Nadal got the key break with Federer serving at 5-5. The crowd was stunned when he smacked a forehand wide on an easy short ball to make it 15-40, and Nadal followed with a forehand passing shot winner, then held for the set.
　　With Nadal seemingly getting to everything and ripping winners, Federer was looking tentative and hesitating to charge the net.
　　But he started putting winners together and cutting his mistakes in the second set. After Nadal broke for a 4-3 lead, Federer broke the Spaniard's next two service games, taking a 5-3 lead after converting his fifth break point of the game. He then held to take the set.
　　Then the match intensified. One fan shouted: "Make him work, Roger!" referring to Nadal's 5-hour, 14-minute semifinal win over Fernando Verdasco on Friday, which could have left him tired. But Nadal showed few signs of fatigue.
　　Amid a series of rallies lasting more than 20 shots, Nadal saved six break points in his last two service games in the third set, and Federer fended off a set point while serving at 5-6.
　　A lunging backhand volley winner gave Nadal a 6-3 lead in the tiebreaker, earning him chants of "Rafa!" and Federer double-faulted.
　　Federer saved five break points while serving at 2-2 in the fourth set, then broke Nadal in the next game for a 4-2 edge.
　　He closed with a service winner to even it at two sets apiece.
　　Nadal broke Federer for a 3-1 lead and the clock ticked past midnight in the next game, taking the tournament into a third week.
　　It was the first Australian Open men's final to go to five sets since Mats Wilander beat Pat Cash in 1988, the first at Melbourne Park.