Challenge brings Open to awkward end

It was a most awkward way to win.

Not that Roger Federer is complaining.

The Swiss ace, more naturally associated with on-court elegance, stuttered to the line in Sunday night's Australian Open final because of tennis' challenge system.

On his second championship point, the 35-year-old struck a cross-court forehand winner - his 73rd of an epic five-set struggle - that bounced so close to the line, the naked eye didn't stand a chance to call it in or out without some doubt.

When no 'out' call was forthcoming, opponent Rafael Nadal challenged the call and the wait began.

The Spaniard cheekily shrugged to his box as if to say 'why not?', suggesting his challenge was hopeful rather than anything else.

Federer took deep breaths and waited.

So did the crowd.

When the replay showed the ball grabbed a slither of the line on its way past the 30-year-old, Federer exploded.

Shaking and flexing his arms, Federer bounced up and down almost involuntarily - just as fellow drought-breaker Venus Williams did earlier this week when she qualified for her first grand slam final in eight years.

He explained the feeling afterwards in a post-match interview with Channel Seven.

"It is awkward with the challenge, but that's why we have it. So you don't end up maybe losing a match because of it," he said.

"When I hit the ball and Rafa challenged, I knew it was in.

"Then the motions just come out and you're like, 'It's all over, it's done'.

"This is when it sinks in right here. This is like, 'Oh my god'."

Adding to the confusion, Federer also brought the challenge system into play on his first championship point, correctly reviewing a second serve which was deemed out but overturned after the replay.

"I thought the second serve was out when I had the double fault," he said,

"I was just praying, 'just please be in, please'. It worked well."

He was unable to close out the match but did so after serving an ace to set up his second match point.