FEDERER WINS A RECORD 18TH GRAND SLAM TITLE

Roger Federer legendary career continues after winning his 18th Grand Slam title and first for five years with a thrilling five-set victory over Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final.

The 35year-old Swiss maestro - who last won in Wimbledon 2012 - won 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to claim his fifth Melbourne title and extend his lead at the top of the all-time men's major winners list.

The 30year-old Spaniard, Nadal remains tied in second with Pete Sampras on 14 Grand Slams following his first final since 2014.

Federer also became the oldest Grand Slam champion since Ken Rosewall won the 1972 Australian Open aged 37, prevailing in a 3hrs and 37mins classic to secure his first Aussie crown since 2010 with all five titles coming against different opponents.

The achievement in ending his drought is all the more remarkable for Federer given this was his first tournament since Wimbledon last July, after which he took the second half of the season off to recover from a knee injury.

He becomes the first man in history to win five or more titles at three different Grand Slam events - 5 Australian Open, 5 US Open and 7 Wimbledon titles.

"Tennis is a tough sport," said Federer. "There are no draws. If there were I would have been happy to accept one and share it with Rafa.

"Everybody says they work very hard - I do the same - but I try not to shout about it. I'd like to thank my team. It's been a different last six months. I didn't think I'd make it but here I am."

Nadal was also on the way back from injuries that curtailed his 2016 season, but the Spaniard could not improve his winning record against Federer - the Swiss has now won 12 of their 35 matches and 3 of 9 in Grand Slam finals.

Federer also said after the game to the crowd:
"I've been coming here for almost 20 years now, I've always enjoyed it and now my family does too.

"Thanks again for everything, to everybody. I hope to see you next year. If not, this was a wonderful run here and I can't be more happy to win."

Next after this for the legend is how to add to his solitary title at Roland Garros when the French Open begins in May.

WILLIAMS SISTERS TO BATTLE IT OUT FOR THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE

Australian Open 2017 final will be between two sisters. Venus will face-off with younger sibling Serena in an all-American showdown at the Melbourne park.

The 13th-seed Venus, who came from a set down to defeat Coco Vandeweghe 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 will fancy her chances against Serena who ended the magical run of Croatian Mirjana Lucic-Baroni with a 6-2 6-1 win.

It will be the first time that the pair will have met in a Grand Slam final since Wimbledon in 2009 and will be Serena’s eighth final at Melbourne Park.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion Serena is the bookmakers favourite against her sister, who had only amassed seven Grand Slam win in her two decades plus professional career.

It would also be a seventh Australian Open victory for the younger Williams sister, while Venus hopes to win an eighth major title, first in Melbourne and first since Wimbledon in 2008.

Serena is edging even closer to a 23rd Grand Slam crown, which would be one shy of Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 if she is able to defeat her sister.

"It is unbelievable to watch Serena play tennis - the way she hits the ball and the competitor she is," Venus Williams said after her semi-final win.

"It would be a dream to see her on the opposite side of the net on Saturday."

Speaking after her win also, Serena said: "I am really proud of Venus - she is a total inspiration. I am really happy for her and to be in the final together is a dream for us.

"She is my toughest opponent, no-one has ever beaten me as much as Venus.
"I feel no matter what that we have both won after all we have been through. I know a Williams is going to win this tournament."

The world no-2, Serena will be the overwhelming favourite against her sister, with a 16-11 head-to-head record and also the winner of 6 of 8 Grand Slam finals between them.

ANDY MURRAY AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE DREAM WILL HAVE TO WAIT

World No-1 Andy Murray hopes of winning a first Australian Open title ended with a shock defeat to No-50 Germany's Mischa Zverev in the fourth round.

The 29-year-old German, a contemporary of Murray from junior days, was ranked outside the world's top 1,000 two years ago after a succession of injury problems.

Murray dropped serve eight times as Zverev won 7-5 5-7 6-2 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena. It is the Briton's earliest defeat in Melbourne since 2009, and the lowest-ranked player he has lost to at a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.

With Novak knocked out in the last round, most of the pundits have given Andy the edge to win his maiden Australian title of which he will have to wait another 12 months.

The last time the top two seeds failed to reach the quarter-finals of a slam was at Roland Garros in 2004.

Mischa - the elder brother to 19year-old sensation Alexander Zverev - took the first set 7-5, but Murray seemed to get back on track after taking the second by the same scoreline.

But Zverev was relentless in his approach and took the next two 6-2, 6-4 to produce the sporting shock of 2017 so far.

After the match, he said: “Honestly I don't know how I did it. I was in a little coma, I served and volleyed my way through. I don't know how I did it. Somehow I did it."

Zverev will face Roger Federer or Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals.

DJOKOVIC DUMPED OUT OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Novak Djokovic lost in the 2nd-round of the Australian Open to Uzbekistan's Dennis Istomin 7-6, 5-7, 2-6, 7-6, 6-4.

The last time the six-time Australian Open champion, Djokovic lost in the 2nd-round of a grand slam was at the 2008 Wimbledon and only the second time in seven years that he has lost to a player ranked outside the top 100 - his defeat by Juan Martin del Potro, ranked 145th, at the Rio Olympics in 2016 being the other occasion.

The world number 117, Istomin matched his best performance in the opening Grand Slam of the year with this shocking victory by advancing to the 3rd round.

"He deserved to win. No doubt, he was a better player in the clutch moments," Djokovic said.
"Many things came together for him today and he's a well-deserved winner. There's not much I could do."

Prior to his win over Djokovic, Istomin had won just one of 33 matches against a player ranked in the world's top 10.

'I surprised myself! It is the biggest win [of my career] for me and means so much, now I feel I can play with these guys and be with them on the same level," said Istomin.

Istomin will next face Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta, who beat Britain's Kyle Edmund on Thursday.

HOME-BOY NICK KYRGIOS KNOCKED OUT OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Nick Kyrgios was knocked out of his home Grand Slam as he blew a two-set lead and a match point in losing to Andreas Seppi at the Australian Open.

The 32year-old Italian, Seppi triumphed 1-6 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 6-2 10-8 against the typically unpredictable Australian.

Kyrgios was given two warnings, for swearing and racquet abuse, before the 89th-ranked Seppi clinched victory.
The 21-year-old Australian was in control before losing his temper as he complained of a knee injury midway through the third set.

Kyrgios won a five-set scrap with Seppi on the same court in 2015 to reach the quarter-finals, but the roles were reversed here.

Kyrgios, returning to tennis at the Australian Open after a ban for not trying at the Shanghai Masters ended his 2016 season, was given a warning for swearing and later docked a point for his second code violation after launching his racquet into the ground in frustration.

VENUS WILLIAMS DEFILING THE ODDS AS SHE REACHES THE THIRD ROUND IN AUSTRALIA

A straight-sets victory earned Venus Williams safe passage through to the Australian Open third round, as the former world number one quietly went about her business at Melbourne Park.

Williams is seeded 13 and she encountered little trouble in defeating Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele in an hour and 23 minutes, winning 6-3, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

Williams, who played at her first Australian Open in 1998, is the oldest woman in the singles draw at 36year-old and is competing at her 73rd majors.

"I have to talk about my age every interview!" the American said. "I've played some of the greats.
"It's an honour and privilege to start that young, and play this old."

Venus alongside her sister has pulled out of the doubles competition as a precaution to rest a sore elbow.

The 17th seed has never won the title, her best result finishing is being a runner-up to her sister Serena in 2003.

ANGELIQUE KERBER IS AIMING TO DEFEND HER AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE

World number one and defending champion Angelique Kerber survived an onslaught from fellow German Carina Witthoeft to advance to the 2017 Australian Open third round.

She is a top-seed at a Grand Slam for the first time, and did struggled with her serve in a second-set tie-break before prevailing 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 over the 21year-old Carina.

Also, she had started the year in less-than-convincing style, going out in the
last eight in Brisbane and the second round in Sydney just few days before the first grand slam of the year.

"To have this pressure is a privilege," she said. "It's completely new for me, but I'm doing well. I'm just trying to enjoy it."

Kerber who was 29 on Wednesday and had the crowd singing her "Happy Birthday" will be facing Czech Kristyna Pliskova next.

MERCEDES READY TO LAUNCH CAR FOR 2017 SEASON

Current champion Mercedes will launch the 2017 car they which to defend their Formula 1 titles at their home ground Silverstone on Thursday, February 23.

The triple champions will unveil the F1 W08 and take to the British GP track for its very first laps on the same day as a part of an initial pre-testing shakedown and filming day. This is happening just a day before rivals Ferrari  take the covers off their new car at their private Fiorano test circuit in Italy and complete initial shakedown laps before winter testing begins on February 27 in Barcelona.

The Silverstone event will also involve a fan meet-and-greet with Lewis Hamilton and his yet to be announced new team mate, with the Silver Arrows offering a few lucky supporters the chance to join them for the launch.

The unveiling of the new Mercedes W08 will invariably be one of the most eagerly-anticipated of 2017's 'launch season', particularly as it will be the first chance for rivals to catch a glimpse of the world champions' interpretation of the sport's new aero rules.

In a drive for faster and more aggressive-looking cars, 2017's challengers will feature wider front wings, shorter rear wings and overall increases in downforce.

It promises to be a whole lot of fun and excitement this season as Red Bull are expected to mount a more sustained challenge to Mercedes' recent dominance of F1 in 2017, while Ferrari are also eyeing significant strides after they failed to win a single race throughout the 2016 season.