MELBOURNE, 28 January 2005 — Marat Safin brought Roger Federer’s grand slam streak to a shuddering halt, beating the seemingly invincible world No. 1 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6, 9-7 in a heart-stopping semifinal at the Australian Open yesterday.
Safin, runner-up in two of the last three Australian Opens including last year when Federer beat him, twice came back from a set down and saved a match point in the fourth set tiebreak before triumphing in one of Melbourne Park’s greatest battles.
“It was one of the toughest matches I ever had in my life,” Safin said.
“Normally he toys with all the other players ... but for some reason I found the power to fight, to wait for my opportunities and eventually they came.”
Safin, whose only grand slam title was at the US Open in 2000, will now play the winner of today’s second semifinal between Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt in Sunday’s final.
The women’s final, to be held tomorrow, will be an all-American clash between Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport after they also clawed back from the brink of defeat to win their semifinals yesterday.
Williams saved three match points before beating Russian teenager Maria Sharapova 2-6, 7-5, 8-6 while Davenport came within two points of losing before she wore down Nathalie Dechy of France 2-6, 7-6, 6-4.
“Those are always the best wins, when you’re down match point because you can’t give up any,” Williams said.
“She has a fighting spirit and I think that’s gotten her to where she is today ... but I’m still the top fighter out there.”
Davenport was a bundle of nerves in her match with Dechy but regained her composure when it mattered to reach her first grand slam final since 2000.
“I’m ecstatic to be back. It seems like forever for me,” she said. “I was pretty despondent about the chances of getting back to a final. I haven’t been in one in almost five years but I’m ready.”
Federer had not lost a match since last year’s Athens Olympics in August and was chasing his fourth grand slam title in 12 months after winning last year’s Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open crowns.
The Swiss master had also won his last 24 matches against players ranked in the top 10 and was the hottest favorite in a century to win the Australian Open after romping through his first five matches without dropping a set.
Everything seemed to be going according to script when he won the opening set but the first hint of a boilover came when Safin won the second.
Federer appeared to have regained control when he won the third and held match point in the fourth but the Russian produced a perfect lob to stay alive.
Federer saved six match points in the final set but his resistance finally snapped after four 1/2 hours as Safin celebrated his 25th birthday with a victory that brought the capacity crowd to their feet. “I live my whole life with pressure, so this is nothing different,” Federer said.
“It’s always going to hurt, no matter how great the match was but at least you can leave the place feeling good about yourself because I thought I gave it all I had.”
Williams lost last year’s Wimbledon final and the season-ending tour championship to Sharapova and seemed destined for a third defeat when the 17-year-old Siberian won the opening set and served for the match in the second and third sets.
But the former world No. 1 broke back both times in a struggle reminiscent of her semifinal against Belgian Kim Clijsters in the 2003 Australian Open when she saved two match points before reaching the final and winning the title. There was no hiding Sharapova’s disappointment at wasting her opportunity but she still managed to put on a brave face.
“Of course I’m sad, and obviously it’s a tough one to lose but I’ve got a long way ahead of me,” she said. Davenport also drew on her wealth of experience to beat Dechy, who was appearing in her first semifinal in a decade as a professional.
Dechy was two points away from winning the match in the second set tiebreaker but a double fault allowed Davenport back into the match and the current world number one seized her chance.
“That’s why she’s there at the top,” Dechy said. “I was close to winning that match but I don’t regret anything. I did the best I could.”
Meantime, Roger Federer had no complaints after he was beaten by Marat Safin in a dramatic five-set semifinal.
“Losing by having match point is always going to hurt no matter how the match was, but at least I can leave feeling good because I gave it all I’ve got,” he said.
“He was the better player. I’m hoping for a rematch but I am thrilled to be a part of it. That’s very clear.
“I haven’t been involved in too many such great matches. It is really unfortunate. I thought I played really well and a point here and there changed the match. That was a pity but at least I gave it a fight.”
