Safin downs Federer to reach final

Russian Marat Safin beat world number one Roger Federer 5-7 6-4 5-7 7-6 9-7 yesterday, squandering six match points before finally toppling the defending champion.

Federer needed treatment for back problems during the four hour 28 minute match which he could have won in the fourth set tiebreak had he converted a match point on his serve.

Safin, who lost to Federer in last year's final, will play either second-seeded American Andy Roddick or third seed Lleyton Hewitt from Australia in Sunday's final.

After taking a two sets to one lead, Federer led 6-5 in the fourth-set tiebreak only for Safin to snatch it 8-6 before breaking in the sixth game of the decider on his way to a 5-2 lead.

Top seed Federer showed amazing mental strength to save six match points in the deciding set but Safin finally ended the Swiss run of 26 victories.

"It's a little difficult to explain what I am feeling right now," said Safin, who was celebrating his 25th birthday.

"On the match points, I couldn't believe it because I have Roger Federer on the other side of the court. He puts you under pressure, no matter how many match points you have, you have to be careful and work it out.

"In the moment you are a little bit choking. I lost to him seven times and he's just so good."

Federer pushed

For the first time in the tournament, Federer was pushed to the limit as Safin, runner-up at Melbourne Park in 2002 and 2004, matched him both on serve and from the baseline.

A packed Rod Laver Arena were treated to a real spectacle with both players crunching winners from every angle, but Federer snatched the opening set thanks to one break in the 12th game when Safin missed a backhand.

Federer had not dropped a set in his five matches to the semi-finals, but if he thought Safin would lie down, he was sorely mistaken. The Russian stepped up his game, breaking in the third game on his way to levelling the match.

Having been pegged back from 3-0 to 3-3 in the third, a missed forehand from Safin handed Federer the vital break in the 12th game and gave the Swiss the advantage once more, but the first three sets were just a prelude to an incredible finale.

As the tension mounted in the fourth set, Safin looked down and out when Federer moved to a 6-5 lead on his own serve in the fourth-set tiebreak only to play a wondrous lob over the Swiss's head before an audacious attempt at a between-the-legs shot found the net.

Safin won the next two points to level once more and then led 5-2 in the decider before Federer saved two match points at 3-5 and another at 4-5 to level.

The Swiss then saved three more but Safin finally clinched victory with a forehand winner.