Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal Australian Open Final Live Score Match Updates

Thanks for staying with us tonight, everyone! We hope you enjoyed the coverage. Now for some much-needed rest for these two - and for our wearied nerves!

A brilliant sporting weekend indeed!

"I hope to see you next year," Federer says, "but if not, it's been a wonderful run here. Thank you."

Federer takes a moment to thank Nadal's fitness team. "Keep playing, Rafa, please, tennis needs you."

Federer takes the stage. And thanks Rafa first off. "It's you, so I would have been happy to lose, or share it with Rafa tonight, really."

Nadal, ever kind, says "Maybe Roger deserved it a little bit more."

Three hours, 38 minutes. That's how long it took for a brilliant Federer attack to counter Nadal's equally brilliant defense. And I've teared up completely here. Have you?

Roger Federer beats Rafael Nadal 6 - 4, 3 - 6, 6 - 1, 3- 6, 6 - 3

ROGER FEDERER WINS THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN!!!!!!!!!!

An ace! And a second championship point.

And a long shot. Deuce.

Another ad Federer. Another challenge. Fate in the hands of hawkeye. Second serve.

Nadal sends it long. And it's ad Federer. And championship point.

Vicious bounce on the ball and Federer, down a break point, brings it to deuce.

Ace No. 19. 199km/h. Unearthed down a break point.

A loopy return from Federer and Nadal picks up to end with a smash. Break point Rafa.

But he pulls out his 18th ace of the match. 15-30.

Another great rally. We're not tiring of saying it, and they're not tiring of playing it. Just a bit too much on that backhand from Federer, though, and he trails 0-30...

AND FINALLY, he takes it! Nadal returns into the net again, this time it's crucial. And Federer takes the 5-3 break. And will now serve for the match. Championship. Yes.

Rafa sends it into the net post. Ad Federer. Break Point #5.

WHAAAAT. WHAT WAS THAT RALLY? The entire stadium has erupted. A stunning down-the-line shot, but that's not nearly enough to describe it. 4th break point.

Again, he sends it sky high. Deuce from three break points.

And third break point for Roger Federer now....

Rafa serves. Federer slices a return, but he shanks it. It's in the air. Second break point .

Three break points.

Break point for Roger Federer here. Break point.

NADAL DOUBLE FAULTS!

We're watching some great stratetic play from Roger Federer, here. He advances, like a tiger on the prowl, and there's little Nadal can do but get his racquet on. It goes wide again. 0-30 to Nadal here.

A net approach from Nadal who tries to get creative with that point. It's gone way long, and Nadal trails 0-15.

I don't know about all of you, but I'm nervous just watching this.

Roger Federer leads 4-3 in the fifth set.

Federer holds. To love. With an ace to end. Champion? Understatement.

Federer's net approach is working and how! Nadal spins it out wide and we're at 40-0 Federer.

As the late great David Bowie once said, "I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring."

True, and how. Especially today.

We're at 3-3 in the final set. FINAL SET. No idea which way this'll go.

Nadal sends it out - AND FEDERER BREAKS!!!!!!!

Sublime from Roger Federer. What a pressure backhand!

Nadal saves one break point. But ad Nadal brought back to deuce.

But Nadal keeps himself in it. Forehand at the service line. Deuce.

Nadal's shot out. And it's break point again.

Nadal gets himself into the net and serves down the line. No way Federer was getting to that one, and Nadal has brought himself up to 30-30.

Nadal's serve looked long, but it's just in. Federer's backhand goes in with full force, but it goes up and outta here. 15-30 Nadal.

Nadal's forehand didn't have enough meat on it, and he now trails 0-30.

A great backhand return from Roger Federer and he takes the point! Nadal at 0-15 here. Risky and tense tennis here.

Nadal sends one wide, wide, wide, and we're now 3-2 Nadal. Another break could well swing this match right in again.

40-15. Federer sends a cross-court forehand ever so smoothly at the net.

And Federer pulls it back to 30-15, but that last net approach may not have been the best idea...

Nadal tries one of his signature returns and sends it outside of play. 15-0.

And after yet another tense rally (way too many for our nerves here), Nadal holds. He leads 3-1.

Federer sends that one DTL but a little too long. From deuce and now we're back to ad Nadal. Tense stuff.

Magnificent. That return was so good, everyone's standing up. It kisses the line. Ad Federer and we're at break point!!