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Sunday, 27 January, 2002, 06:15 GMT
Game-by-game: Safin v Johansson
(9) M Safin (Rus) v (16) T Johansson (Swe)
Live game-by-game from the men's singles final at the Australian Open where Marat Safin takes on Thomas Johansson.
A long point ends when Safin's attempted lob drifts just long and Johansson is crowned champion.
Safin hits a backhand long and berates himself angrily.
Johansson comes up with some big serving to force the tiebreak.
Safin holds his serve to put the pressure back on Johansson.
Johansson holds his nerve as the players approach the business end of the set, holding his serve to love.
Safin's revival continues with another solid service game.
At 15-0 down, Safin runs down a drop shot but pushes his shot just long and hurls his racquet at the net in disgust.
Johansson goes on to hold his serve to love.
More composed serving from Safin enables him to hold his serve with relative ease.
Johansson steadies his nerve to hold his serve in comfortable fashion.
The break of serve and the cooling conditions seem to have given Safin a second wind and he looks much more on his toes as he holds serve.
Johansson begins to sense what he might be about to achieve and shows signs of nerves.
He allows Safin a break point and the Russian takes full advantage to pull himself back into the set.
Safin is made to battle hard to hold serve but the Russian manages to do so.
Johansson appears to tighten a little and Safin takes him to deuce.
But two big first serves from the Swede enable him to consolidate his break.
Safin begins the set well with an ace but his body language is betraying his discomfort.
A tired-looking forehand drive goes long and gives Johansson the chance of an early break.
Safin saves himself but another unforced error gives the Swede a second opportunity.
And another weary backhand from Safin gives Johansson a crucial early advantage in the set.
Johansson begins the game well with a delicate stop volley and works his way to 40-15 and two set points.
An outswinging serve is enough to force the error from Safin and the Swede seals the third set.
At 30-30, Johansson anticipates a wide Safin serve and hits a winner on the return to earn a set point.
But Safin manages to save himself and goes on to hold.
Johansson begins the game with his 10th and 11th aces but then serves a double fault.
This is followed by yet another ace as he consolidates his break.
Safin finds himself 0-30 down but does well to claw himself back to 30-30.
But then the Russian hits long to hand Johansson a chance to break and a double fault gives the Swede the upper hand in the set.
Safin's footwork looks a little weary and a couple of errors allow Johansson to comfortably hold serve.
Safin races to a 40-0 lead but is pegged back to 40-30.
But Johansson dumps a simple volley into the net to give Safin the game.
Johansson serves a double fault but three aces help him secure the game in extra-quick time.
Johansson is making Safin work hard for his points and the Russian is beginning to get visibly frustrated at being made to run from side to side of the court by his opponent.
But he manages to hold.
Johansson is living a bit dangerously with some risky volleys but he manages to hold serve, much to Safin's frustration.
Safin goes 40-0 up but is pulled back to deuce.
However the Russian manages to extricate himself from danger and holds.
Johansson is now serving for the set and begins with an ace.
Two more big serves give him three set points and he levels the match with an ace.
Safin holds serve, sealing the game with his eighth ace.
Johansson gets to 30-0 and then Safin completely misses the ball while attempting a showboating manoevre.
Johansson goes on to hold.
Some more clever play from the Swede gives him break point but Safin's serve saves him.
Johansson has another chance to break but nets an attempted pass.
Safin then holds courtesy of an ace.
Johansson has a much easier service game and holds with ease.
Safin regroups and holds his serve to love.
Johansson serves his first double point of the match on the first point of the game.
A volley from Johansson lands just wide to give Safin two chances to break straight back.
The Swedish 16th seed saves the first with an ace and then Safin nets his backhand approach shot on the next.
Although it is relatively early in the match, Safin is looking a little jaded and Johansson manages to hold.
A blocked backhand return off a fierce Safin serve gives the first point of the game to Johansson.
Johansson lures Safin to the net with a drop shot and then lobs him to take the game to deuce.
Safin serves a double fault to give Johansson a break point. It is the seventh break point he has had and finally he manages to convert one as Safin nets a backhand drive.
Yet another dubious call goes against Johansson as what he thinks is a volley winner is called out.
But he manages to keep his concentration and holds the game, finishing with an ace.
Safin begins the second set in confident mode and holds his serve to 15.
Johansson is again upset by the lack of a call from a line-judge on a Safin drive to the baseline and allows himself to get rattled by it, slumping to 0-40, which means three sets points for Safin.
The Swede saves the first but a drive down the line clinches the first set.
Johansson is beginning to settle and is mixing up the balls well.
Safin hits a tentative backhand into the net to give Johansson two more break points.
Safin saves the first with an ace, which is called good even though it looks clearly wide - Johansson appeals to the umpire to over-rule but in vain.
Johansson then overhits on a straightforward put-away and Safin survives again.
Johansson serves his first ace of the match on the first point of the game and then comes up with a clever dropshot to go 30-0 up.
He lets the next point slip but then serves another ace and a service winner to close out the game.
Safin looks more comfortable in this service game and clinches it with an ace.
Johnasson delights his vociferous Swedish supporters with another solid service game.
Johansson hits a fine backhand winner to go 0-30 up on Safin's serve.
Safin serves the first ace of the day but fails to finish off the next rally and concedes two break points, which he saves with two excellent first serves.
Two more huge first serves give Safin the game.
Johansson comes up with a much more convincing service game and wins it to love, sealing the game with a delightful drop volley.
Safin also begins his service game rather cautiously and finds himself at 0-30.
He pulls back a point but Johansson attacks the net on the next point and Safin's attempt to lob drops long, giving the Swede two chances to break straight back.
But Safin wins the next four points and holds.
Johansson begins with a nervy serve into the net and loses the first two points after overhitting the ball.
But the Swede pulls it back to 30-30 before a powerful drive from Safin gives him a break point.
Johansson pushes a nervous forehand into the net to give first blood to the Russian.
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