Wozniacki beats Halep to win 1st major at Australian Open

By JOHN PYE
AP Sports Writer

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- For all her success in tennis, from holding the No. 1 ranking for more than a year to winning 27 titles, one question had plagued Caroline Wozniacki's career.

Did she have what it takes to win a major?

It took 43 Grand Slam tournaments and two failed attempts in finals before Wozniacki ended her drought with a 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4 win over top-seeded Simona Halep in the Australian Open final on Saturday night.

Only three woman have taken longer to achieve their major breakthrough, a list topped by 2015 U.S. Open winner Flavia Pennetta (49).

"One of the most positive things about all of this - I'm never going to get that question again," the 27-year-old Wozniacki said as she clung to the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. "I'm just waiting for the question `When are you going to win the second one?'"

So more than eight years after appearing in her first Grand Slam final at the 2009 U.S. Open - a straight sets loss to Kim Clijsters - Wozniacki has finally erased the "but never won a major" footnote on her resume.

"Obviously adding a Grand Slam to my CV is what caps it off ... shows my whole career as a whole," Wozniacki said.

She'll also regain the top ranking next week for the first time in six years - beating Serena Williams' record of 5 years, 29 days between stints at No. 1 on the women's tour - in another benefit of beating the top-seeded Halep.

Wozniacki lost two U.S. Open finals - in `09 and 2014 - and Halep lost two French Open finals before their meeting at Melbourne Park.

It set up a first major final in the Open era between players ranked No. 1 and 2 who had never won a Grand Slam title.

Also, it was the first time that both Australian Open finalists had saved match points en route to the final.

In Halep's case, she was the first player who had saved match points in multiple matches. She saved triple match point in the third set to beat Laura Davis 15-13 in the third set of her third-round match. She also saved match points in her semifinal against Angelique Kerber.

Wozniacki saved match points in her second-round win over Jana Fett and said from then on she was "playing with the house money."

So both players rolled the dice in the 2-hour, 49-minute final, which featured long, absorbing rallies, some gritty defense, a combined 65 clean winners and 10 service breaks.

"I know that today is a tough day," said Wozniacki, acknowledging Halep's quest for a major. "I'm sorry I had to win today but I'm sure we'll have many matches in the future. Incredible match, incredible fight. And again, I'm sorry."

Halep was playing with an injured left ankle, needed treatment for dizziness in the second set and had rallied from a break down in the third set to lead 4-3 when Wozniacki took a medical time out to have her left knee taped. In the end, she just ran out of steam.

"It's not easy to talk now," Halep said. "It's been a great tournament for me. Sad that I couldn't make it the third time, maybe the fourth time will be with luck."

"I can still smile. I cried, but now I'm smiling,"

Wozniacki is the third first-time major winner in the four Grand Slam tournaments since Serena Williams won the 2017 Australian Open.

Williams chose not to defend the title after taking time out following the birth of her first child in September.

She didn't watch the game, saying she gets too nervous, but Williams tweeted to congratulate her good friend Wozniacki.

"New number one and aussie open champ. So awesome. So happy. Are those tears? Yup they are. From a year ago to today I'm so proud my friend so proud."

Wozniaki had never won a set in a major final until she went on a roll late in the opening tiebreaker, having wasted a chance to serve for the set at 5-3.

Halep rallied in the second, on either side of treatment from the trainer for her blood pressure to be checked amid the hot and humid conditions.

The players had a 10-minute break between the second and third sets, and Wozniacki come out quickly with an early break.

But Halep rallied again and, after an exchange of service breaks, she was leading 4-3 in the third when Wozniacki called for a medical timeout.

The momentum shifted again, and Wozniacki set up championship point on Halep's serve by retrieving and scrambling and eventually timing a forehand winner to finish off a stunning rally.

"That was a crazy point," Wozniacki said. "We both played very well. I had that backhand cross-court. I knew at that point I have to hit it hard, I have to just go for it cross-court. I was like, `Wow, that's a great shot.'"

On match point, Halep stayed on the attack and Wozniacki tried to play deep, even framing some shots, before the Romanian netted backhand.

"When I saw that ball go into the net," Wozniacki said, "it was crazy emotional."

She attributed it all to the comeback in the second round, when she was staring at another early exit.

"From being almost out of the tournament to sitting here with the Australian Open trophy, it's amazing," Wozniacki said. "It's been quite a turnaround. Something I'm very proud of."

Federer beats Nadal in Australian final to win 18th major

By JOHN PYE
AP Sports Writer

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Roger Federer has won his 18th Grand Slam title and put some extra distance on the all-time list between himself and Rafael Nadal, the man he beat 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in a vintage Australian Open final on Sunday.

It was the 35-year-old Federer's fifth Australian title, his first at a major since Wimbledon in 2012, and it reversed the status quo against his nemesis, Nadal.

Federer had lost six of the previous eight Grand Slam finals he'd played against Nadal, and had only previously beaten the left-handed Spaniard in 11 of their 34 matches.

Both players were returning from extended layoffs for injuries - Federer the left knee; Nadal the left wrist - and were seeded 17th and ninth respectively.

Nadal remains equal second with Pete Sampras on the all-time list, with the last of his 14 majors coming at Roland Garros in 2014.

After four sets where the momentum swung alternately from one player to the next, the fifth had all the tension and drama that these two players are famous for.

Nadal went up an early break and it seemed as if the injury time-out Federer needed after the fourth set may have been an indicator of things to come.

But the Swiss star rallied, and broke back in a pivotal sixth game and took control in a period when he won 10 straight points.

Nadal saved three break points in the eighth game but lost momentum again when Federer finished off a 26-shot rally - the longest of the match - with a forehand winner down the line.

Consecutive forehand errors gave Federer the pivotal break for 5-3, but Nadal made him work for the very last point.

Serving for the match, Federer had to save two break points with an ace and a forehand winner.

At deuce, he was called for a double-fault but challenged the out call on his second serve. The call was overturned, and he got to play two.

Not long after, he fired an ace to get his second match point and hit a forehand crosscourt winner to finish off.

His celebrations were delayed, though, when Nadal challenged the call. Federer watched the replay on the tournament screen, and leaped for joy when it showed his last shot was in. His 100th match at the Australian Open ended with his fifth title at Melbourne Park.

No two players had met more often in Grand Slam finals in the Open era, and Nadal had previously dominated. But they hadn't met in a major final since the 2011 French Open, won by Nadal.

Three months ago, they were both on breaks when Federer joined Nadal in Mallorca for the opening of the Spaniard's tennis academy and the pair joked about ever being able to contend for majors again.

Yet here they were, first Grand Slam tournament of the season, renewing the classic rivalry that saw them dominate tennis a decade ago.

The long-odds final - No. 9 against No. 17 - unfolded after six-time champion Novak Djokovic was shockingly upset by No. 117-ranked Denis Istomin in the second round and top-ranked Andy Murray, a five-time losing finalist in Australia, went out in the fourth round to left-handed serve-volleyer Mischa Zverev.

Federer beat Zverev in the quarterfinals and U.S. Open champion Stan Wawrinka in an all-Swiss semifinal to reach the championship match. The six years between his Australian titles set a record, too, longer than the five years that both Boris Becker and Andre Agassi had between championships in Melbourne.

Serena Williams wins record 23rd major with win over Venus

By JOHN PYE
AP Sports Writer

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Serena Williams has won her record 23rd Grand Slam singles title, and her sister was right there on court to give her a congratulatory hug.

The all-Williams final - the first at the Australian Open since Serena won the first edition here in 2003 - went to the younger sibling 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday night.

With her record seventh Australian title, the 35-year-old Williams moved ahead of Steffi Graf for the most major titles in the Open era. Margaret Court has the all-time record and was also in the crowd for the final.

Court won 24 majors, but collected 13 of those before the Open era which began in 1968 after the sport became professional.

The victory at Rod Laver Arena also ensured Serena Williams will regain the top ranking, which she lost in September after 186 straight weeks when Angelique Kerber won the U.S. Open.

It was Serena's seventh win in nine all-Williams Grand Slam finals, and the first since Wimbledon in 2009. It was 36-year-old, No. 13-seeded Venus Williams' first trip back to a major final in 7 ½ years.

Serena sat on the court, holding both arms up for a while, before Venus walked over to her sister's side of the net for a hug.

"This was a tough one," Serena Williams said. "I really would like to take this moment to congratulate Venus, she's an amazing person - she's my inspiration.

"There's no way I would be at 23 without her - there's no way I would be at one without her. Thank-you Venus for inspiring me to be the best player I can be and inspiring me to work hard."

Williams has won 15 majors since last losing to Venus in a Grand Slam final, at Wimbledon in 2008. That was the seventh and last major title that the older of the Williams sisters won.

Venus hadn't made the second week of a major for a few years as she came to terms with an energy-sapping illness since being diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome in 2011, and made her return to the semifinals at Wimbledon last year.

"She's made an amazing comeback ... I don't like the word comeback," Serena Williams said. "She's never left. She's been such a great champion."

The match didn't live up to its classic billing, with nerves and tension causing uncharacteristic mistakes and unforced errors and four consecutive service breaks before Venus finally held for a 3-2 lead. That included a game when Serena had game point but served back-to-back double-faults and three in all to give up the break.

There were six service breaks in all. Both players were relatively subdued, except for Serena's racket smashing spike on the court in the third game that earned her a code violation.

After the fourth game, however, Serena Williams didn't face another break point in the 1-hour, 22-minute match.

"Serena Williams, that's my little sister, guys. Congratulations Serena on No. 23," Venus said. "I have been right there with you. Some of them I have lost right there against you. It's been an awesome thing, your win has always been my win, you know that. All the times I couldn't be there, wouldn't be there, didn't get there, you were there."

Venus stayed in the match with 21 winners, and won the longest rally of the match, but couldn't seem to keep up with her sister as the match progressed.

In terms of total years, it was the oldest Grand Slam women's final in the Open era with the Williams sisters combining for 71 years, 11 months.

Serena hadn't wanted to talk about the No. 23 before or during the tournament. She finally can now. She also had a pair of ready-made shoes - a red and black pair with the No. 23 stamped on the heel that were waiting for her to wear after the trophy presentation.

Rafael Nadal defeats Grigor Dimitrov to face Roger Federer

Rafael Nadal has beaten Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-4 to advance to the final of the Australian Open and set up a title match with his old rival, Roger Federer.

"The crowd was just amazing," Nadal said. "many many thanks for the huge support. Both weeks have been unforgettable for me.

"Now is the moment to be very happy, having a fantastic match. Great quality of tennis tonight."

The ninth-seeded Spaniard fought off two break points in the eighth game of the fifth set, then hit a backhand winner down the line to break Dimitrov in the next game and take a 5-4 lead. He served it out in the next game to win in 4 hours, 56 minutes.

"I'm very happy for me, and very happy for him (Federer), because we are going to be in a very nice moment," Nadal said.

"It's special to play with Roger again in the final of a Grand Slam. I cannot lie." 

Nadal improved his record in Grand Slam semifinals to an impressive 21-3 and advanced to his fourth Australian Open final. He's only won the title at Melbourne Park once in 2009.

"The combination of two different styles that makes the matches really special," Nadal said on his rivalry with Federer. 

Nadal has a 23-11 head-to-head match record against Federer and a 6-2 advantage in Grand Slam finals. Federer hasn't beaten Nadal in a major final since Wimbledon in 2007.