Fighting off a wide serve with a sharp backhand return down the line, Federer swooped forward firing a forehand swing volley for double break point. When Nadal nudged a stretch backhand wide, Federer converted the first break point of the match for 4-3. Serving with new balls, Federer streamed through a 70-second hold sliding an ace down the middle to stamp his second straight love hold. Resetting with a bathroom break, Nadal returned recharged. Hammering his heavy lefty topspin forehand high to his rival’s one-handed backhand, Nadal carved out his first break in the second game. In a grinding eight-minute game, he denied a pair of break points extending the second-set lead to 3-0. Winless in five major finals outside of Paris when losing the opening set, Nadal played with the urgency of a man seeking retribution in the second while his opponent lost the range on his forehand. Mis-firing on his forehand, Federer fell into a triple break point hole then scattered a diagonal forehand wide as Nadal snatched a second break for a 4-0 lead 24 minutes into the second set. His white t-shirt was saturated with sweat, as if he’d been dipped in the nearby Yarra River, as Nadal branded his second straight love hold to level the match at a set apiece. 30
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Squandering a 40-love lead to open the third set, Federer stood up to the test driving three aces wide in nearly the same spot to fend off three break points. The 17th-seeded Swiss fought through a tight test with a four-ace game to hold. Straddling the baseline, Federer made a slick pick-up of a snazzy forehand off the short hop for break point. Moving a foot to his left in anticipation of the wide serve, Federer coaxed Nadal into a body serve down the middle and hammered a deep forehand return to earn the break. Slashing successive aces out wide, the four-time champion rolled through a love hold for 3-0. The 2009 champion fought off three break points knocking a forehand down the line to cap a hardfought hold in the fourth game. Striking his forehand with much more conviction than he had in the second set, Federer fired a running forehand winner stamping his second straight love hold for 4-1. Impeccable serving and an incisive backhand powered Federer through the third. Dancing in the doubles alley, he drilled a diagonal backhand return to break for 5-1. Federer fought off a pair of break points streaking forehand to caress a backhand drop volley for a two sets to one lead. Federer fired six aces and won 18 of 22 first-serve points in the third set.