Australian Open extravaganza

RECENTLY crowned world number one Roger Federer comprehensively outplayed Marat Safin to win the Australian Open -- the commencing grand slam of the calendar year. Federer displayed the kind of breathtaking form which took him to the Wimbledon title last July in a commanding 7-6 6-4 6-2 win over Safin.

Safin defeated Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick on his way to the final, but he had no answer to the power and precision of his opponent. Federer sealed his second Grand Slam title with a fierce first serve.

"What a great start to the year," said Federer, who became world number one with his semi-final win over Juan Carlos Ferrero. "To win the Australian Open and become number one in the world is a dream come true."

Safin admitted he was affected by fatigue against Federer after spending over 17 hours on court just getting to the final.

"I'm glad to be in the finals again and to have played my best tennis after last year's injuries," he said. "I just ran out of gas today."

Many had expected the encounter between Safin and Federer, two of the most talented players in the game, to be a classic. But once Federer won a see-saw first set on a tiebreak, Safin's game fell away, with his first serve deserting him.

The Swiss second seed broke Safin in the fifth game of the second set and closed out the set with a big serve down the middle to take a stranglehold on the match.

The 22-year-old seized a double break in the third set with a whipped forehand pass to take a 4-1 lead and put an exasperated Safin out of his misery on his first match point after two hours and 15 minutes.

On the other hand, Justine Henin-Hardenne took her first Australian Open title with a dramatic 6-3 4-6 6-3 win over Kim Clijsters. The world number one had looked set for a comfortable victory over her fellow Belgian when she took the first set and established a 4-2 lead in the second. But Clijsters fought back brilliantly to level the match and then again in the decider after falling 0-4 down.

Henin-Hardenne found her form at the right time, however, to deny Clijsters a first major title for the third time.

"It was very emotional. I thought I could not close the match in the second set, in the third set I felt the crowd give support to Kim," Henin- Hardenne said. "Both of us were really nervous. On the important points I could win and I was feeling just unbelievable. I have three Grand Slams now and I have not realised it yet."

In a match which ebbed and flowed, the turning point for Clijsters came at 3-4 in the deciding set. The 20-year-old twice had game point, but each time delivered a nervy double fault. Henin- Hardenne forced a break point which Clijsters looked to have saved with a powerful drive volley on to the baseline. However, as Clijsters and the crowd celebrated, the umpire called the ball out and Clijsters could not recover.

Serving for the match, Henin-Hardenne held her nerve and after clinching the win, dropped to her knees to celebrate.

In the doubles, Martina Navratilova's last match at the Australian Open ended in defeat in the mixed doubles final. Defending champions Navratilova and Leander Paes were beaten 6-1 7-6 by Elena Bovina and Nenad Zimonjic.

The 47-year-old multiple Grand Slam champion announced afterwards that she would not be playing at the Australian Open again. However, she and Paes will compete in the remaining three Grand Slam events this year. Navratilova has won 167 singles titles and 173 in doubles, including a total of 58 Grand Slam titles.

"I really wanted to go on a winning note," said Navratilova. "Losing in a final really stinks. It's almost better to lose earlier. But at the same time, it's nice to be on that stage and able to say goodbye properly. You just want to do it on a winning note."

Navratilova and Paes, who has just returned from a five-month lay-off with a serious illness, were overwhelmed in the first set. However, they fought back from a break down in the second and looked like forcing a decider with some inspired play. But Bovina and Zimonjic stepped up their play in the tiebreak and won their first title together. Bovina, a mixed doubles finalist at the French Open in 2002, was thrilled with her maiden Grand Slam triumph.

"When I was a junior my coach made us bury all the trophies for second and third place," the 20-year-old said. "I really wanted to keep this one today, so I really tried. It's just great to get a trophy. Doesn't matter if its singles, doubles, mixed doubles. It's first place, it's fantastic for me."