Aus Open 2017, Men's Singles Final: Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal — As it happened...

Roger Federer (SUI x17) beats Rafael Nadal (ESP x9) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in three hours 38 minutes on Rod Laver Arena for his 18th Grand Slam title.

Here's match stats:

Time: 3hr 38min
Federer - Nadal
20 Aces 4
3 Double Faults 3
73 Winners 35
57 Unforced Errors 28
6/20 Break Point Conversions 4/17
150 Total Points Won 139

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05:47 PM IST: A review of Federer's forehand winner delayed the championship winning moment. But it came nonetheless as the ball just caught the line by a whisker and there was that sinking feeling for Nadala. Won on second match point.

# Gave away now serving for match-point again.

Federer now serving for match point! 

05:38 PM IST: 26-shot rally and Federer comes out winner! Breathtaking stuff in Melbourne. Federer takes 5-3 lead and will now serve for the title.

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05:28 PM IST: Federer wins the game without losing a single point! Tables turned and Nadal instantly looks troubled. Will he fight back to hold the next serve?

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05:26 PM IST: Horns locked in Melbourne! Both Nadal and Federer are battling for every single point. Federer finally gets the break. It's 3-3. THRILLING!

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05:18 PM IST: Federer not giving up but 5th set has always been Rafa's game. Will Federer get an opportunity to break? Only time will tell. It's 3-2

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05:15 PM IST: Nail-biting, exquisitely thrilling! Nadal gets abig win under his belt. Pressure now on Federer.

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Meanwhie, have a look at this gallery of Federer's past achievements.

05:07 PM IST: It has been almost three hours since the play started and we just can't predict a winner. Federer holds on his serve to cut the lead short to 2-1.

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05:04 PM IST: 2-0 it is! Despite trailing 15-40, Rafael Nadal goes on to win the game. Thrilling things happening in Australian right now. 

#Nadal is keeping warm while waiting for #Federer to return #AusOpen #FedererNadal pic.twitter.com/R6zU2nKoVC — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2017

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04:57 PM IST: BREAK in the first game itself! Nadal leads the final set 1-0 and will serve now.

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We are underway in the decider. Hold on your breath!

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# Federer is receiving an off-court medical time out!

04:47 PM IST: We are now into the fifth set. Nadal wins the game without dropping a point. Be prepared for the decider now!

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04:43 PM IST: 25 unforced errors by Roger Federer in he set so far and Rafael Nadal constantly capitalising on it. The game however belonged to Federer. It's 5-3 now in the 4th set.

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04:39 PM IST: Nadal racing away to claim the set. Leads 5-2 as the Swiss maestro Federer prepares to serve to defend the set.

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04:37 PM IST: A string of unforced errors continue from Federer but still survives to hold on the serve. It's 4-2

#Nadal pic.twitter.com/M5fU8uffQ9 — doublefault28 (@doublefault28) January 29, 2017

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04:31 PM IST: Mounting unforced errors from Federer, but the Swiss maestro just about managed to keep the game on with a deuce. He even called for a review, which was pretty long. And Nadal failed to capitalise on the short ball, allowing Federer to kill on his forehand, for his 100th point. Then came the shot of the match, with Nadal winning with a deep back hand cross court winner. Hold for Nadal, and he leads 4-1.

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04:23 PM IST: From 0-40 down, Federer got a kicking serve forcing Nadal to send his return long, but the Spaniard broke the fourth game with Federer crashing his cross court return into the net.

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04:18 PM IST: Easy hold for Nadal too. It's 2-1 in favour of Federer, in the fourth set.

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04:15 PM IST: Federer responded with a quick service game.

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04:12 PM IST: Nadal won the first game of the fourth set with Federer sending a forehand shot long.

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04:05 PM IST: That's it! Nadal came close to breaking Federer but the Swiss held on to his serve to claim the set. 

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03:58 PM IST: Broken again! Federer takes 5-1 lead and will be serving for the set now!

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03:55 PM IST: Another quick one for Federer! The score is 4-1.

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03:51 PM IST: An extremely lengthy battle in the middle yet again and Nadal finally managed to hold on to his serve. It's 3-1.

# Another close encounter underway! No one is giving up.

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03:41 PM IST: 60 seconds is all it took for Federer to hold on to his serve and take a 3-0 lead. How will Nadal respond?

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03:39 PM IST: Federer fired up! BREAKS Nadal to take 2-0 lead in third set. Timely shift of gear for FedEX!

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03:34 PM IST: Third Set Underway! A long-long battle it was and after mutiple deuces, Federer comes out on top to claim first win in the 3rd set.

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Federer: 13 unforced errors, 6 winners
Nadal: 3 unforced errors, 6 winners

03:25 PM IST: OUTSTANDING! Nadal fights back to draw himself level on sets. It's 1-1 in the final!

#Federer taking time away from #Nadal by hitting ball early. Rafa will need to find more depth to counter. #AusOpen — Pat Cash (@TheRealPatCash) January 29, 2017

03:22 PM IST: 5-3 it is as the Swiss ace holds on his serve. Nadal will be serving for the set now.

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03:19 PM IST: Nadal holds on his serve to make it 5-2. Federer couldn't trouble his opponent in this one.

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03:16 PM IST: Federer hold on this one but still trails 2-4!

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03:11 PM IST: A little frustrated Federer fights back to break Nadal. The Swiss is going to be needing a lot more of this to win the set. It's 4-1 to the Spaniard!

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03:06 PM IST: Rafa breaks again to take 4-0 lead. What a scintillating match-up!

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03:02 PM IST: On brink of giving away the serve, Nadal fights back to take 3-0 lead. The game had come to 40-40 thrice!

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02:53 PM IST: Federer broken! Nadal gets his first break of the match. Leads 2nd set 2-0

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02:48 PM IST: SECOND SET UNDERWAY! Rafael Nadal holds his serve to take 1-0 lead. 

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02:42 PM IST: Federer wins the first set 6-4 with an ace! It is going to be a clash of close calls. Will Nadal fightback?

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02:38 PM IST: Nadal holds his serve to bring score to 4-5. Will Federer win the set in this serve?

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02:35 PM IST: Error-less performance from Federer. He now leads 5-3. Nadal will be serving for survival of first set.

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02:32 PM IST: BROKEN! Federer produces an emphatic round of play to take lead from Nadal. FedEX to serve now!

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02:28 PM IST: 3-3 it is! Federer holds on his serve. Earlier, Sania Mirza and Ivan Dodig lost in the mixed doubles final to Juan Sebastian Cabal and Abigail Spears.​

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02:24 PM IST: Nadal didn't give a single point away to Federer. Back in lead 3-2!

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02:22 PM IST: 2-2. It is a nail-biting encounter. No one giving anything away so far...

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02:18 PM IST: Nadal in the lead now. No serve broken yet! The Spaniard leads 2-1.

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02:13 PM IST: Roger Federer holds on his serve to bring himself level at 1-1 in first set.

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02:10 PM IST: Rafael Nadal holds first serve! It's 1-0 in Set 1.

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02: 02 PM IST: Rafael Nadal wins toss and will serve first. Both players are warming up!

.@rogerfederer and @RafaelNadal arrive on RLA for the #AusOpen 2017 men’s singles final #Federer #Nadal #Fedal pic.twitter.com/dZznXlHgqn — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2017

01:57 PM IST: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are on court. Stay tuned! The action is about to begin.

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Live coverage of the Australian Open men's singles final will be start from 2 PM IST. (AUS Open, Mens' Singles Final - PREVIEW)

In arguably the most anticipated Grand Slam final of the decade, two of the most decorated Tennis players of modern era prepare to battle it out for the Australian Open title.

Federer and Nadal will be up against each other for the 35th time as fans prepare to roll back pages to an an era where Federer was rarely beaten, with Nadal clearly being his Kryptonite.

The Spaniard owns a strong 23-11 edge in the head-to-head battle, including an impressively strong tally of going 6-2 against Federer in their eight Grand Slam finals matches thus far. The last time the pair met in a Grand Slam final was more than 5 years back at the 2011 French Open, where Nadal emerged triumphant.

Federer, being considered as favourite for today's showdown, holds the record for the most men's Grand Slam singles titles with 17, while Nadal will go on to grab his 15th with a win over the Swiss.

Rafael Nadal's road to final:-

Road to the Final: @RafaelNadal

R1: Mayer
R2: Baghdatis
R3: A. Zverev
R4: Monfils
QF: Raonic
SF: Dimitrov #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/j5YXPdTLyz — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2017

Roger Federer's road to final:-

Road to the Final: @rogerfederer

R1: Melzer
R2: Rubin
R3: Berdych
R4: Nishikori
QF: Zverev
SF: Wawrinka#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/3uMCWlzSTg — #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2017

Federer, at 35 years of age, is 5 years elder to Nadal, who has had an injury plauged last few years. Catch live action of the mouth-watering encounter of two of the most famous names in the competition.