Australian Open

Rafael Nadal ousted Roger Federer in five sets for the title in the Australian Open. Roger had nowhere to hide. Rod Laver was about to present the cup to Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal. Federer stood on the court, having just missed his first chance to equal Pete Sampras' record 14 Grand Slam singles titles. He was sobbing. He could not speak. I guess I can't blame him, can you? He said it was the worst feeling. He was stuck out there and the problem was he couldn't go in the locker room and just take it easy and take a cold shower.

Nadal, the first Spanish man to win the Australian Open, beat Federer in Grand Slam finals on clay and grass last year. He added the missing link Sunday with his first major title on hard courts. The 22 year old Spaniard is 5-2 against Federer in championship matches at the majors. That was 3-0 in the last three and 13-6 in career meetings. I guess the most riveting was Nadal's five-set, 4 hour, 48 minute win over Federer at Wimbledon last year, ending the Swiss star's five year reign on grass. Now, here it is 40 years after Rod Laver last won the Grand Slam, all four majors in one season, Nadal is the only man who can emulate him in 2009. Until now, Federer had been the most likely of the recent contenders but he missed by one in 2006. That has got to be tough to take.

Australian Open - Henin, Sharapova

Henin, Sharapova win to set up quarterfinal showdown at the Australian Open. Now comes the hard part. Justine Henin will put her 32 match winning streak on the line against Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open quarterfinals. This is their first meeting since the season ending championship final in Madrid. The top ranked Menin had another straight-set win over an unseeded player, routing Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei 6-2,6-2, in the fourth round Sunday when two-set victories dominated after an extra long Day 6. Sharapova pounded fellow Russian Elena Dementieva 6-2,6-0, breaking the 11th ranked player in six of her seven service games, including one at love to finish off the match in 62 minutes. She says she has always loved tough games against her.