Melbourne: Rod Laver Arena would experience a new contender in Stanislas Wawrinka, as the in-form Swiss takes on the World No. 1 Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open men’s singles final at the Rod Laver Arena.
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ALSO SEE:
* 5 reasons why Stanislas Wawrinka can defeat +Rafael Nadal
* Nadal's Road to Australian Open Men Single's Final»
* Stanislas Wawrinka's Road to Australian Open Men's Singles Final »
* Our FULL COVERAGE ON AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2014»
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SECOND SET: Wawrinka leads 4-1
Nadal to serve. Rafa wins the first point, 15-0. Stan goes for a down the line forehand winner, ends up hitting marginally wide, 15-15. Double-fault from Rafa, 15-30. Rafa's return goes long, 15-40. Two break points for Wawrinka! Rafa plays a drop shot, Wawrinka comes to the net and hits a down the line winner.Wawrinka has broken Rafa's serve again!
SECOND SET: Wawrinka leads 3-1
Wawrinka to serve. Good wide serve from Stan, wide return from Rafa, 15-0. Another ace from Wawrinka, 30-0. Good wide serve again and Rafa's return hit the nets, 40-0. Wawrinka seals the game with another ace. Rafa isn't looking comfortable out there.
Rafa returns to the court almost after seven minutes.
Stan is unhappy with Rafa leaving the court with his physio. He is arguing with the chair umpire saying that he should know the reason when a player leaves the court with his physio.
Rafa called for the physical trainer and he has left the court for the time being. Another medical timeout for Rafael Nadal.
SECOND SET: Wawrinka leads 2-1
Nadal to serve. Rafa won the first point, 15-0. Stan wins the next with a deep return, 15-15. Stan's cross-court backhand just landed wide, 30-15. Stan's return of serve landed short, 40-15. Rafa's forehand crashed into the nets, 40-30. Stan dominates the rally again and Rafa's stroke went long, 40-40, deuce. Stan went for his cross-court winner which went wide, advantage Nadal! Nadal wins the game with a powerful forehand as Stan's return landed short. Nadal holds on.
SECOND SET: Wawrinka leads 2-0
Wawrinka to serve at 1-0. Stan starts off with an ace, 15-0. Rafa's shot goes long this time, 30-0. Rafa's return of serve once again goes long, 40-0, three game points for Wawrinka. Stan served and went for the volley, hit it wide, 40-15. Stan's down the line forehand was called long, the Swiss didn't go for the challenge, 40-30. Serve and volley for Stan this time, and on this occasions he hits a volley winner to win the game!
SECOND SET: Wawrinka leads 1-0
Nadal to serve. Wawrinka once again won point after a 22-shot rally, with a forehand winner, 0-15. Wawrinka slaps anothe cross-court forehand, 0-30. Nadal didn't have any chance to return those first two winners in the game. Stan makes Rafa stretch to his left as a result of which Rafa's forehand hit the nets, 0-40. THREE BREAK POINTS FOR WAWRINKA! Massive return of serve from Wawrinka and he has broken Rafa's serve with four consecutive points in the first game of a new set!
Wawrinka has been brilliant so far in the match as Rafa missed a big opportunity of capitalising on three break points he had in the ninth game.
FIRST SET: Wawrinka wins it 6-3
Wawrinka to serve for the set. Stan smashed one stroke high and way long, he looked in a hurry to end the point, 0-15. Rafa's return of serve was spot on, Stan had no chance there, 0-30. Rafa has dominated the point throughout and Nadal now has three break points! Stan wins the first point of the game, 40-15. Stan wins another point with a deep serve, 40-30. Two break points saved by Stan. Stan saved the third break point as Rafa's return of serve goes long, 40-40, deuce! Three break points saved by Stan! Rafa's return once again went long, and Wawrinka now has a set point! Wawrinka wins the first serve with a quick ace!
FIRST SET: Wawrinka leads 5-3
Nadal to serve to stay in the set. Good serve from Rafa, 15-0. Quick serve from Rafa and Stan's return once again went long, 30-0. Double-fault from Rafa, 30-15. Good wide serve from Rafa, 40-15, two game points for him. Stan's cross-court forehand goes long, Nadal wins the game.
FIRST SET: Wawrinka leads 5-2
Wawrinka to serve. Good wide serve, Rafa's return hit the nets, 15-0. Another good wide serve and Stan followed it with a volley winner, 30-0. Another superb down the line forehand, he hammered it on that occasion, 40-0 lead. Stan's serve was called long, he challenged and it was long. Stan misses out on a forehand, 40-15. Rafa smashes an off-forehand cross-court for a winner, 40-30. Wawrinka wins the game as Rafa's return of serve is long.
FIRST SET: Wawrinka leads 4-2
Nadal to serve at 1-4. Rafa tried to come at the nets, Stan played a lob shot which went high and long, 15-0. Nadal hits a forehand winner, caught Stan on the wrong foot there, 30-0. Good deep return of serve from Stan, 30-15. Stan once again sends Rafa to his left-side of the court with cross-court backhands and then slaps one screamer down the line for a winner, 30-30. Amazing tennis there from Stan. Wawrinka once again dominated the point, came to the net and slapped a volley winner to get another break point!Huge moment this for the Swiss! Good wide serve from Rafa and Stan's return went wide, 40-40, deuce! Stan once again tried to go for that down the line backhand, missed it this time, advantage Nadal. Rafa wins the game with a good cross-court forehand.
FIRST SET: Wawrinka leads 4-1
Wawrinka to serve. Stan's backhand went wide as he tried to dominate with it, 0-15. Good wide serve from Stan and Rafa's forehand hit the net, 15-15. Wawrinka follows it with the first ace of the match to take a 30-15 lead. Wawrinka follows it with another ace, 40-15. Stan is looking extremely confident here. Stan serves and goes for the volley, gets it to take a 4-1 lead in the first set.
FIRST SET: Wawrinka leads 3-1
Nadal to serve. Nadal played a drop shot which dropped high and Stan slapped that for a backhand winner, 0-15. Good serve from Rafa and Stan's return hit the nets, 15-15. Double-fault from Rafa, 15-30!Wawrinka once again dominated game as Rafa came to the nets and Stan slapped a powerful backhand and Rafa hit it wide, he was surprised by the pace. Two break points for Wawrinka! Wawrinka breaks the serve after a good rally as Rafa's shot hit the net! What a game for the Swiss!
FIRST SET: Wawrinka leads 2-1
Wawrinka to serve. Stan hits a cracking forehand winner to take a 15-0 lead. Good cross-court forehand from Wawrinka and Rafa's return went way long, 30-0. Stan's backhand finds the net on this occasion, 30-15. Wawrinka slaps another down the line forehand – a sizzler! 40-15. Superb down the line backhand from Wawrinka, wins the game!
FIRST SET: Scores level 1-1
Nadal to serve. Stan's return of serve goes just long, 15-0. Stan hits a cross-court forehand which goes long again, 30-0. Stan trying his best to dominate. Good wide serve from Rafa, Stan's return goes wide, 40-0. Good wide serve from Rafa again and he followed it with a winner from the nets, game for Rafa!
FIRST SET: Wawrinka leads 1-0
Wawrinka to serve. First serve hit the nets. Off the second serve, Wawrinka played some goodstrokes and Rafa's forehand went wide, 15-0. Rafa's forehand once again goes long, 30-0. Good confidence from the Swiss. The first serve went wide, and Stan's cross-court backhand went long, 30-15. Rafa's cross-court forehand landed long, 40-15. Game point for Stan. Wawrinka wins the game as Rafa tries to dominate the service and hits the net!
Rafael Nadal has won the toss and he has decided to receive.
Both the players have arrived on the court. Despite not having won a single match against Nadal in their 12 outings, a lot is expected from Wawrinka just because the Swiss knocked out the defending champion Novak Djokovic in their quarter-final match.
Both the players have played some incredible tennis throughout this tournament, and in terms of matches won previously, Nadal has a 12-0 lead over the Swiss, who will be playing his first Major final. And as per another interesting fact, Wawrinka has never won a set against Nadal.
Nadal proved his worth as a world class athlete, yet again, when he thrashed 17-time major champion Roger Federer in straight sets to reach the final in the opening Slam of the year. Federer was playing some great tennis, but it was the Spaniard who ruled all the way in the semis, and the excitement of a Rafa vs Federer match didn’t live up to its hype.
In the quarter-final though, Rafa did struggle against Grigor Dimitrov. The 22-year-old Bulgarian surprisingly won the first set, post which Nadal fought back and registered a 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 6-2 victory.
Wawrinka on the other hand has emerged as a totally new player, as a result of which he knocked out defending champion Novak Djokovic in their quarter-final encounter. It was a sort of revenge for the Swiss who despite giving a neck-to-neck fight to the Serb, was ousted in an epic five-setter last year.
Wawrinka wasn’t at his best in his semi-final match, against Tomas Berdych, but he pulled off another win to reach the final. Wawrinka’s power packed game and that incredible backhand, has been the highlight of his play, and he will have to play his heart out, if he entertains any chances of winning his first Major title.
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