Sunday 26 January 2014 14:45, UK
Stanislas Wawrinka was crowned Australian Open champion as a debilitated Rafa Nadal capitulated in Melbourne.
Wawrinka was battling himself more than his opponent, and two more break points went begging at the start of the fourth set, a set he desperately needed to win. But the Swiss was handling events much better, holding his own serve easily, and he finally broke Nadal to lead 4-2. Incredibly, he was then broken back to love, but Nadal's serve was still his big weakness and Wawrinka struck once more to move to within a game of victory. This time he held to love, raising his hands in delight and relief, although his muted celebrations reflected the strange circumstances of his maiden grand slam triumph. Wawrinka becomes only the second man after Juan Martin del Potro to break the big four's stranglehold on slam titles since Marat Safin won the Australian Open in 2005.