Federer remains the master after beating Murray

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – The Swiss master did it again. Roger Federer now has a 16th grand slam title, a fourth in  Australia and a stranglehold over his rivals that shows no sign  of ending.

Britain’s long wait continues. The added burden of 74 years  of expectation was too much for Andy Murray and he failed to  produce his best when it mattered most.

The Scotsman was brave but Federer was just too good,  winning Sunday’s Australian Open final 6-3 6-4 7-6.
It was not so much a match as a tennis lesson but Federer  said it was players like Murray that brought out the best in  him.
“I’m being pushed a great deal by the new generation coming  up,” Federer said.

“They’ve made me a better player, because I think this has  been one of my finest performances in a long time, or maybe  forever.”
At the presentation ceremony, Murray broke down in tears,  just as Federer had done when he won the 2006 final and again  last year when he lost to Rafa Nadal.

“I can cry like Roger. It’s just a shame I can’t play like  him,” Murray said.
Murray’s time may still come. He is just 22 and has already  played in two grand slam finals, at the U.S. Open two years ago  and now Australia. At the same age, Federer had only made one  grand slam final.

Murray might have lost both his finals in straight sets to  Federer but there is no shame in that. The apprentice’s best  years are still ahead of him and Britain may yet get their first  male grand slam champion since Fred Perry won the U.S. Open in  1936.
“You’re too good a player not to win a grand slam so don’t  worry about it,” Federer reassured him.

Later he added: “The next one is not gonna get any easier.  But his game is so good that I’m convinced he will win one.”

TIGHT GRIP
Federer’s game is not quite as clinical and precise as it  used to be but his grip on the game has never been tighter.
Rarely was this better illustrated than Sunday’s final at  Melbourne Park as the pair captivated the Rod Laver Arena crowd  with some absorbing rallies.

Murray went into the match full of optimism and confidence  and there were moments when he had the world number one under  pressure.
In the opening set, he broke Federer’s serve when he chased  down a drop shot then whipped a forehand across the court, then  in the third set he broke him again, with another sweetly struck  winner.

He also served for the third set in the ninth game and had  five set points in the tiebreaker,but was unable to convert.
“I thought I deserved to take it into a fourth, but it didn’t happen,” Murray said.

“I had my chance to get back into the match. That was probably why I was upset.”
Throughout the match, Federer was always more aggressive. He made more unforced errors than Murray but also hit more winners, 19 with his forehand, six with his backhand and 11 thundering  aces.

He wasted two match points in the tiebreak but took the  third that came his way when he thumped a return back to Murray  that put the Scotsman on the back foot and ended when he lamely  slapped a backhand into the net.

“I’m over the moon, winning this again,” Federer said. “I think I played some of the best tennis of my life again the last two weeks.
“This is also special because it’s my first grand slam as a father. I’m looking forward to them watching me next year  maybe.”

Federer has already broken almost every record in men’s tennis. He has made the final in 18 of the last 19 grand slams but lost none of his enthusiasm.

“There’s no secret behind it. I’m definitely a very talented player,” he said.
“I always knew I had something special, but I didn’t know it was like, you know, that crazy.
“I definitely had to work extremely hard so I would pick the right shot at the right time.
“I haven’t put a number on how many grand slams I want to try to win. Whatever happens happens.”