Roger Federer edged Rafael Nadal in an epic five-set thriller to clinch the 2017 Australian Open final at the Rod Laver arena on Sunday. The Swiss ace took the match 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to lift his 18th Grand Slam title.

The game ebbed and flowed with both players finding it within themselves to dominate the other to win two sets apiece.

Even in the fifth it looked like there was not separating the two as Federer and Nadal broke each other’s serve to make the the fifth set a contest of intrigue. The 17-time Grand Slam winner finally broke the Spaniard to take a 5-4 lead and serve for the match. The Spaniard protected a number of championship points, but could not hold Federer for long as he won the tie after a review and booked his first Grand Slam title since the 2012 Wimbledon.

Federer, 35, had the early advantage, edging Nadal to win the first set. Nadal though roared back in the second to even things up. The match soon tilted in the Swiss ace’s favour after he wrapped up the third easily. Nadal though was not going to give up so easily and levelled things up yet again to stretch the epic encounter into the fifth set.