MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (AP) -- Rafael Nadal has continued his recent dominance of Roger Federer while becoming the first Spaniard to win the Australian Open.
The top-ranked Nadal claimed his sixth Grand Slam title by outlasting the No. 2 Federer, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2. The four-hour, 22-minute match came on the heels of Nadal's five-hour, 14-minute victory in the semifinals, the longest match in Australian Open history.
Federer was trying to tie Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam crowns. Instead, he fell to 2-and-5 against Nadal in Grand Slam finals matches.
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