Tennis

Federer wins 16th Grand Slam title

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-01-31 20:19

Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts after defeating Britain's Andy Murray in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 31, 2010. [Agencies]

MELBOURNE: Roger Federer has beaten Andy Murray 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (11) for his fourth Australian Open title, extending the British men's drought in Grand Slam singles championships into a 74th year.

Murray was riding the hopes of a British public, most of whom have only read about the last British man to win a singles title in a Grand Slam, Fred Perry in 1936.

Federer won the lengthy third-set tiebreaker on his third match point after fending off five set points for Murray. He clinched the match in 2 hours, 41 minutes when Murray netted a backhand.

The last time Murray and Federer met in a Grand Slam final was the 2008 US Open, where Federer won 6-2, 7-5, 6-2. That was Murray's first and only previous opportunity to end the British men's dry spell in majors.

It was Federer's 22nd Grand Slam final, where he's won a record 16. Federer has appeared in 18 of the past 19 Grand Slam finals.

Switzerland's Roger Federer kisses the championship's trophy after winning his men's singles final match against Andy Murray of Britain at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 31, 2010. [Agencies]

Andy Murray of Britain returns a shot against Switzerland's Roger Federer during their men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 31, 2010. [Agencies]