Fabulous Federer fights to new milestone

MELBOURNE - An emotional Roger Federer hailed his "fairytale" career after outlasting Marin Cilic in five sets to win his sixth Australian Open and 20th Grand Slam title on Sunday.

The 36-year-old defending champion dropped his only sets of the tournament before completing a 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over the sixth-seeded 29-year-old in 3 hours and 3 minutes.

Federer, playing in his 30th Grand Slam final, equaled Novak Djokovic and Aussie great Roy Emerson's record for most Australian Open men's singles titles.

He added to his already imposing win-loss record in Melbourne and is now 94-13. His overall Grand Slam mark stands at 332-52.

"I'm so happy, it's unbelievable, it's been a long day," said an emotional Federer as he cradled the Norman Brookes trophy on court.

"I'm happy it's over now. The fairytale continues for us, for me, it's incredible."

Federer had difficulty finishing his speech and started crying as the crowd gave him a lengthy standing ovation.

Afterward he walked over to his wife Mirka in the stands and grabbed her hand while she blew him a kiss.

The roof was closed over Rod Laver Arena as the tournament's heat policy was implemented amid evening temperatures of 38 Celsius.

Cilic's serve came under immediate pressure with a whipping backhand return winner for break point which the Croatian followed with a smash into the net for a break in the opening game.

Cilic changed rackets in his second service game but dropped serve again after three break points to trail 0-3.

He finally held serve to get on the board but Federer served out the first set in just 24 minutes.

Federer fought off two break points in his opening service in the second with pinpoint serves, while Cilic struggled to hold in the third game.

Cilic worked his way back into the match as both players traded furious forehands to stay on serve.

Cilic was break point down in the ninth, but rescued himself with a second-serve ace and a forehand winner.

Two Federer double faults gave the Croatian set point in the 10th game but a tentative backhand into the net cost him his chance.

In the tiebreaker, Cilic got to two set points when his forehand clipped the line before a smash leveled the match.

But Cilic lost serve on the back of a couple of groundstroke errors and Federer went 4-2 up in the third set.

The Swiss shifted gears with a stunning forehand off his toes and confidently held serve to lead 5-2.

Federer closed the door, serving out clinically for the third in 29 minutes.

Cilic was broken in the opening game of the fourth set with a poor backhand dropshot into the net as Federer closed in for the kill.

But the Croatian broke back in the sixth game when Federer netted and fought off a break point in the next game to put his nose in front.

Cilic was now in the groove and broke Federer again, with his big forehands starting to find their mark. He served it out to take the absorbing final into a fifth set.

Federer faced intense pressure in his opening service but produced quality backhands to hold amid mounting tension.

The world No 2 broke to 2-0 when Cilic netted a forehand and held the next service game to lead 3-0.

Federer got the vital double break when Cilic netted a forehand, leaving the Swiss to serve out for the championship.

Agence France-presse