In a replay of epic clashes, Nadal has the edge

In 2006, he reached all four grand slam finals, winning in Australia, Wimbledon and the USA among a haul of 12 titles and a 92-5 win-loss record.

Rafael Nadal has reached the final of the Australian Open, where he’ll face long-time rival Roger Federer in a matchup that answers the prayers of tennis fans eager to see a ninth Grand Slam final between the pair.

Wawrinka earned three break points in the ninth game with some splendid groundstrokes and on his third break point he rifled a forehand cross-court victor to break, and then served out for a fifth set. The highly anticipated final on Sunday will be a repeat of the 2009 Australian Open final (which Nadal won in five sets).

Federer started strongly, breaking Nadal in the second, fourth and sixth games to take the set 6-0.

The fifth set started with Nadal scoring a break on Federer.

It was the Swiss who made the first breakthrough, though, converting the first break point of the match with a forehand victor to go 5-4 up.

Rafael Nadal of Spain serves in his first round match against Florian Mayer of Germany.

He hit 73 winners, including 20 aces, and won 76 per cent of his first service points for victory in three hours and 37 minutes.

From there he held serve, but Nadal also held, setting Federer up to serve for the first set at 5-4. He did it when it seemed he might not do it again and when he hadn’t done it – won a Grand Slam tournament – since Wimbledon 2012, a stretch of 17 major tournaments that saw him become a sentimental favorite drawing mass sighs for near-misses in three finals and five semifinals. But, somehow, someway, Federer found his way back from the brink, breaking back down 2-3 in the fifth with a spectacular backhand victor followed by an errant forehand from Nadal.

Wawrinka struggled in the early exchanges and Federer sealed the first set with a break at 6-5 after his opponent’s backhand was shown to be just out on review.

The match turned quickly for Wawrinka as Federer raced to a two sets lead after holding three set points.

His run at the Australian Open may dispel the notion that Nadal’s best days are behind him, however. That is until a sudden break and Wawrinka got his game going, reeling off six straight games to take the second and go up 1-0 in the fourth. The third set was interrupted by rain with Federer eventually clinching it on his third set point 7-5. Sachin tweeted, “Without any doubt one of the biggest matches in tennis history”.

If this was a test of character, Dimitrov passed as he came again two games later to finally grab the set.

His win was made to look plain-sailing by Nadal 24 hours later, as he was made to sweat by Grigor Dimitrov, making only his second semi-final appearance at a Major. A 30-year-old Nadal and his fractious left wrist had shut down his season in early October. Both men have survived two five-setters, but Nadal’s were far longer and more draining.