MELBOURNE, Australia -- Was there ever any doubt Roger Federer would defend his Australian Open title?
Well, maybe a little, and then perhaps a little more when Marin Cilic pocketed the fourth set of Sunday night's final to send the match into a decider. But somehow, amid the many momentum swings, the Swiss got the job done as he so often does.
Federer clinched his 20th career Grand Slam title, and a record-equaling sixth in Melbourne, after downing Cilic 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in a jam-packed Rod Laver Arena.
Here are some of the best stats to come out of the gripping final:
This was the 200th major tournament in the Open era. Federer's 20 titles mean he has won 10 percent of men's Grand Slam finals.
At 36 years, 137 days, Federer became the second-oldest male player to win a major and oldest since Ken Rosewall in 1972.
Federer's 2018 title at Melbourne Park comes 14 years after he won his first Down Under.
1965 was the last time both the men's and women's Aussie Open finals went to a deciding set.
As expected, social media reacted accordingly to Federer's stunning achievement:
Surrounded by greats, past and present - @rogerfederer Neale Fraser, Ashley Cooper and Roy Emerson. @AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/M72MOhG1Do
β Rod Laver (@rodlaver) January 28, 2018
Congratulations Roger- the GOAT!!! https://t.co/c2LE6zEdHU
β Martina Navratilova (@Martina) January 28, 2018
And that my friends is why Roger is my hero and a LEGEND!!! 100% the GOAT!!! No question about it!!! 20x grand slam titles 6x Ausi Opens! #lifeinspiration @rogerfederer ππππππππππππππππππππ
β lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) January 28, 2018
Undescribable RF#20 pic.twitter.com/xScha1jBiE
β Ivan Ljubicic (@theljubicic) January 28, 2018
Thank you RF, I guess we are just kind of playing for fun out here now. #GOAT #unbreakable #20
β Noah Rubin (@Noahrubin33) January 28, 2018
So amazing @rogerfederer!!! #20 π#THEGOAT
β Melanie Oudin (@melanie_oudin) January 28, 2018
ππΎππ»π¨ππ #RF20https://t.co/kDbLShdhYx
β Nicolas Kiefer (@Nicolas_Kiefer) January 28, 2018
Incredible!!! peRFect #RF20 #AusOpen https://t.co/BacKpwcr0d
β Leander Paes (@Leander) January 28, 2018
Congrats on number 20 @rogerfederer! π It's truly an honour to play the same sport as you. #legend
β Kevin Anderson (@KAndersonATP) January 28, 2018
His journey to history continues...@rogerfederer @AustralianOpen @Eurosport pic.twitter.com/0KuxRq1Tg6
β Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) January 28, 2018
El 1 @rogerfederer πππ#20 pic.twitter.com/AR2Mo92DCw
β Nicolas Massu (@massunico) January 28, 2018
Incroyable papy !!!!!! π₯2οΈβ£0οΈβ£ππ₯@rogerfederer !!!!! pic.twitter.com/irc4wTCaUT
β Stanislas Wawrinka (@stanwawrinka) January 28, 2018
Roger Federer wins the #AusOpen to earn his 20th major title, becoming the 4th male or female in tennis history to win at least 20 slams joining Margaret Court, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf. pic.twitter.com/QhbzeOGE4u
β ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 28, 2018
Stoked @rogerfederer π#AusOpen @Kia_Motors #KiaTennis pic.twitter.com/wWdSnmRL5m
β #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018
How many Grand Slam titles @rogerfederer now has:
β Pat Cash (@TheRealPatCash) January 28, 2018
ππππππππππ
ππππππππππ
Just an insane number. Amazing!
This speaks for itself.#AusOpen @RogerFederer pic.twitter.com/7sw5d3Mx58
β #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 28, 2018
Emerson. Djokovic. Federer. 6 x Australian Open crowns apiece. Astonishing then, incredible now.
β Rod Laver (@rodlaver) January 28, 2018
Legend. ππΌππΌππΌ
β Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) January 28, 2018
Congratulations @rogerfederer https://t.co/lO3egZbnPj
Congratulations to @rogerfederer, @AustralianOpen men's singles champion and GOAT! pic.twitter.com/uernEtmTiR
β Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) January 28, 2018
π20. β€οΈ pic.twitter.com/WqUiSo3fd5
β Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) January 28, 2018
Absolutely incredible!2οΈβ£0οΈβ£ Grand Slam Titles And 6οΈβ£ @AustralianOpen Simply The best!Congratulations @rogerfederer πππππππππππππππππππππππ #AusOpen Π ΠΎΠ΄ΠΆΠ΅Ρ,ΡΡ Π²Π΅Π»ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ»Π΅ΠΏΠ΅Π½! pic.twitter.com/DgY289W6bp
β Elena Vesnina (@EVesnina001) January 28, 2018
ππ»ππ»ππ»
β Caroline Garcia (@CaroGarcia) January 28, 2018
ππππππππππππππππππππ
#20#GOAT #NoWordsNeeded https://t.co/0nXwgnNaqR
What happened in the final?
The match began in unfamiliar circumstances with the roof closed for the first time in a men's Grand Slam final. It didn't sit well with everyone.
Roof closed????? #ausopen isn't this an outdoor tournament? Fed must of been rubbing his hands... https://t.co/yTY01QviHt
β Pat Cash (@TheRealPatCash) January 28, 2018
I can't believe they've closed the roof. #ausopen
β Jamie Murray (@jamie_murray) January 28, 2018
Absolutely ridiculous that the roof is closed for the Australian Open https://t.co/d3uJzYZhEl are outdoor events. Yes it's hot but the court is under shade and an evening match.
β Greg Rusedski (@GregRusedski1) January 28, 2018
So why exactly was the roof closed, when it was left open during the first week of the tournament when the mercury soared past 40C (104F)? Who can forget Gael Monfils almost melting during his loss to Novak Djokovic in the second round?
An emotional Roger Federer thanks the fans after winning the Australian Open.
In a statement from the Australian Open, after a reading of the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) at 7:32 p.m. local time, chair umpire Jake Garner said the 32.6 WBGT was slightly higher than the 32.5 threshold. As a result, the referee made the decision to keep the retractable roof closed. The statement also said that it was the first time during the tournament that the reading had exceeded 32.5.
Despite the controversy, fans quickly shifted their focus from the roof to the on-court action as Federer and Cilic were locked in an enthralling battle.
Federer took the opening set in just 24 minutes and a repeat of Cilic's loss against the same opponent in last year's Wimbledon final looked inevitable. However, the Croatian found a way to claw his way back into the match, claiming a second-set tiebreaker.
The next two sets were split to send the men's final into a decider for the second year in succession, and it was the now 36-year-old who held his nerve, winning the Australian for the second straight year.
For the 20th time in his illustrious career, Roger Federer hoists a Grand Slam trophy!
Cilic, who rose to No. 3 in the world after his run to the final, said he was proud of his performance, although he was somewhat perplexed by the decision to close the roof before the match.
"You know, throughout the tournament I played all my matches outdoors, also preparing a hot day, 38 degrees," Cilic said. "Then first match for the final to play with the roof closed, it's difficult. I think that it was just little bit difficult to adjust, especially the beginning of the match. With the roof closed, it was way, way cooler than I expected. That was very, very difficult, especially for the final to, you know, be in that kind of a situation."
Federer, who also said he was surprised by the decision to close the roof, said he entered the match more nervous than usual.
"You can't explain it sometimes. It is just a feeling you get ... I was not negative, but I just felt like I saw a loss was coming somehow," he said.
"I didn't fall asleep very well after the Chung match ... all of the next day I was already thinking about how should I play Marin, how cool would it be to win 20, but no, don't think of it, but how horrible would it be to lose it. I had it for over 36 hours, to be honest. It was a lot.
"I think I lost the second because of nerves, to be honest. It's all good. I like to care. It's good I can care about these matches."
Halep heads to hospital
As if losing the Aussie Open final in three long sets wasn't enough, Simona Halep was forced to spend the night in the hospital after suffering severe dehydration.
Halep, who lost 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4 to Caroline Wozniacki in Saturday's women's final, spent 2 hours, 49 minutes on court during the match to take her tournament tally past a whopping 14 hours.
"Just reported by @ESPN: Simona Halep went to the hospital overnight for four hours and was treated for dehydration. Was released Sunday morning". (@WTA_insider).
β Ilya Ryvlin (@ryvlin) January 28, 2018
And they showed this picture... pic.twitter.com/OQTByVVCpM
The Romanian was in the hospital for 4Β½ hours before being discharged.
So long, Melbourne Park
And with that, another Australian Open comes to an end. The past two weeks can only be judged as an absolute success, if the number of fans pouring through the gates at Melbourne Park is anything to go by.
This year's tournament attracted a record overall attendance of 743,667, bettering last year's mark of 728,763.
Until next year ...