Roger Federer wins Australian Open after five-set battle with Nadal

Roger Federer on Sunday defeated Rafael Nadal to win the 2017 Australian Open, which was his 18th grand slam title.

Federer won 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in an epic five-set duel against Nadal.

The 2017 Australian Open final is the 35th time Federer and Nadal competed against each other and the ninth in a grand slam final.

Federer, 35, has now become the first man to win three of the major titles five times.

He is the oldest man to reach a grand slam final since Ken Rosewall, a US Open finalist, who was the oldest at 39 years and 310 days in 1974.

Federer is also the second oldest man to win a grand slam title in the Open era.