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.

Fourth set

A long point ends when Safin's attempted lob drifts just long and Johansson is crowned champion.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-7 (4-7) Johansson Johansson drives wide to set his supporters' nerve on edge.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (4-6) Johansson
A good first serve from Safin forces the error from Johansson.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (3-6) Johansson
Safin goes for broke and drives a winner into the forehand court.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (2-6) Johansson
Safin hits long to give Johansson five championship points.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (1-6) Johansson
Safin gets a stroke of luck when his drive clips the net and leaves Johansson, who is at the net, with no chance of retrieving.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (1-5) Johansson
Johansson makes it 5-0 with another good return of serve.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (0-5) Johansson
A good deep approach shot from Safin is met with a stunning crosscourt winner.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (0-4) Johansson

Safin hits a backhand long and berates himself angrily.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (0-3) Johansson
A crosscourt pass from Johansson consolidates his mini-break.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (0-2) Johansson
Johansson strikes first in the tiebreak with a touch half-volley.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 (0-1) Johansson

Johansson comes up with some big serving to force the tiebreak.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-6 Johansson

Safin holds his serve to put the pressure back on Johansson.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-5 Johansson

Johansson holds his nerve as the players approach the business end of the set, holding his serve to love.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 5-5 Johansson

Safin's revival continues with another solid service game.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 5-4 Johansson

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.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 4-4 Johansson

More composed serving from Safin enables him to hold his serve with relative ease.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 4-3 Johansson

Johansson steadies his nerve to hold his serve in comfortable fashion.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 3-3 Johansson

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.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 3-2 Johansson

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 6-3 4-6 4-6 2-2 Johansson

Safin is made to battle hard to hold serve but the Russian manages to do so.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 1-2 Johansson

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 6-3 4-6 4-6 0-2 Johansson

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.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 0-1 Johansson

Third 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.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-6 0-0 Johansson

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.
Safin 6-3 4-6 4-5 Johansson

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 6-3 4-6 3-5 Johansson

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 6-3 4-6 3-4 Johansson

Safin's footwork looks a little weary and a couple of errors allow Johansson to comfortably hold serve.
Safin 6-3 4-6 3-3 Johansson

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.
Safin 6-3 4-6 3-2 Johansson

Johansson serves a double fault but three aces help him secure the game in extra-quick time.
Safin 6-3 4-6 2-2 Johansson

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.
Safin 6-3 4-6 2-1 Johansson

Johansson is living a bit dangerously with some risky volleys but he manages to hold serve, much to Safin's frustration.
Safin 6-3 4-6 1-1 Johansson

Safin goes 40-0 up but is pulled back to deuce.

However the Russian manages to extricate himself from danger and holds.
Safin 6-3 4-6 1-0 Johansson

Second set

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 6-3 4-6 0-0 Johansson

Safin holds serve, sealing the game with his eighth ace.
Safin 6-3 4-5 Johansson

Johansson gets to 30-0 and then Safin completely misses the ball while attempting a showboating manoevre.

Johansson goes on to hold.
Safin 6-3 3-5 Johansson At 40-30, some terrific scrambling from Johansson pulls the score back to deuce.

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.
Safin 6-3 3-4 Johansson

Johansson has a much easier service game and holds with ease.
Safin 6-3 2-4 Johansson

Safin regroups and holds his serve to love.
Safin 6-3 2-3 Johansson

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.
Safin 6-3 1-3 Johansson

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.
Safin 6-3 1-2 Johansson

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 6-3 1-1 Johansson

Safin begins the second set in confident mode and holds his serve to 15.
Safin 6-3 1-0 Johansson

First set

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.
Safin 6-3 0-0 Johansson

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.
Safin 5-3 Johansson

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 4-3 Johansson

Safin looks more comfortable in this service game and clinches it with an ace.
Safin 4-2 Johansson

Johnasson delights his vociferous Swedish supporters with another solid service game.
Safin 3-2 Johansson

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.
Safin 3-1 Johansson

Johansson comes up with a much more convincing service game and wins it to love, sealing the game with a delightful drop volley.
Safin 2-1 Johansson

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.
Safin 2-0 Johansson

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.
Safin 1-0 Johansson