FINALLY, IT'S OVER: Rafael Nadal drops to the ground after his epic win over Fernando Verdasco in the Australian Open semi-final yesterday. PIC/AP

After needing 314 minutes to beat Verdasco, Nadal admits Federer is favourite

For close to five hours, the winner of the Rafel Nadal-Fernando Verdasco Australian Open semi-final was hard to predict. For the first time in the Open era, two Spaniards were playing the semi-final in Melbourne and they put in a show that hardly anyone will be able to forget.

Huge relief
Eventually, Nadal's super athletic body and stamina prevailed as he won 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (1/7), 6-4 over five hours and 14 minutes, the longest in the history of the year's first Grand Slam.

And as Nadal dropped to the court after Verdasco's second serve also failed to clear the net giving the top seed a hard-fought victory, the relief was understandable.

The Open's previous longest match was Boris Becker's 1991 win over Omar Camporese, which lasted five hours and 11 minutes.

But having won an epic, it could all go to waste for the No 1 in the final. With the match going into Saturday morning, Nadal has just a little more than a day to recover after chasing down balls from the most impossible of angles for 314 minutes.

Especially because the other finalist, Roger Federer, won his match in three sets on Thursday evening and had plenty of time to relax, recover and rest. And Nadal knows that well.

Tough final
"For sure it's going to be a tough final. But it was amazing for me to play that match here. It was one of the best matches of my career," he said.

"It's going to be a little bit tough on Sunday. Roger had today off and only three sets in his semi-final so now, for sure, he's the favourite. But I'll try my best." Verdasco looked to have thrown the first set away when he smashed a routine overhead out on his only break point at 2-2. But he saved break points at 5-5 and edged the tie-break, helped by a huge stroke of luck when a ball which was heading out caught the net and bounced in.

Struggle
Nadal was in the ascendancy and Verdasco was struggling as he twice took treatment to his left lower leg, but he quickly recovered and dominated a rousing tie-break 7-1 in the fourth.

It was a fight to the finish and Verdasco saved five break points in the decider before crumbling at 4-5 as he netted on the third match point.

"Fernando is playing unbelievable, especially his serve was amazing. That's the best tournament of his career for sure. He beat some amazing players and today he deserved this win too," Nadal said.

FINALLY, IT'S OVER: Rafael Nadal drops to the ground after his epic win over Fernando Verdasco in the Australian Open semi-final yesterday. PIC/AP