Abby Brammell

By Nick Metcalfe

Simply magnificent: Roger Federer won a 16th Grand Slam title in Melbourne

Roger Federer ruthlessly ended Andy Murray's Grand Slam dreams in Melbourne to win a 16th major title.

The Swiss legend sent out an ominous warning to his rivals that he is in no mood to relinquish his crown as the world's best any time soon as he claimed a 6-3 6-4 7-6 win at the Rod Laver Arena.

Murray was fighting back tears at the end, after losing a second Grand Slam final to the Swiss master.

An emotional Murray apologised to the British public for just coming up short in the year's first Grand Slam event.

'Sorry I couldn't do it for you tonight,' he said.

With the crowd cheering in sympathy, Murray joked: 'I can cry like Roger, it's just a shame I can't play like him.'


Emotional: Andy Murray fought back the tears while speaking to the crowd following his defeat against Roger Federer


'I'd like to congratulate Roger. His achievements in tennis are incredible and to keep doing it year after year is pretty special. He was a lot better than me.'
Federer offered words of support to his beaten opponent afterwards, telling Murray: 'You played fantastic and you're too good of a player not to win a Grand Slam, so don't worry about it.'


Second best: Andy Murray lost out to Roger Federer in Melbourne

A thrilled Federer, who has now won four Australian Open titles, added: 'Winning this again, I think I played some of the best tennis of my life these past two weeks.

'This is a very special moment - a first Grand Slam as a father.'


On fire: Roger Federer plays a forehand in his clash with Andy Murray at the Rod Laver Arena

Murray was broken in his first service game of the match, and even though he quickly broke back Federer looked in imposing form and he produced some fine returns to break serve again in the eighth game and went on to clinch the opening set.

Federer then broke the Murray serve to love in the third game of the second set, and with the Scot looking decidedly second best, a routine win looked on the cards.


Beautiful sight: Night starts to fall in Melbourne as a packed house watches the men's final

It wasn't until the third set, where Murray produced a fine cross-court pass to break Federer's serve, that the Briton made his opponent sweat.

The Swiss used all his big-match experience to good effect however, and a casual volley from Murray soon let Federer back in to break the Scot's serve at the Rod Laver Arena.


He's Scot a lot of support: Fans cheer on Andy Murray in Melbourne


In a superb tie-break, with both players playing some delightful tennis, Murray failed to convert five set points before Federer clinched victory on his third championship point when Murray fired a backhand into the net.

Federer has now won three of the past four Grand Slam events, taking him two clear of the previous all-time record held by Pete Sampras.


source: dailymail