Johansson stuns Safin to win Australian Open

Thomas Johansson blunted the might of Marat Safin on Sunday to win his first grand slam title 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 at the Australian Open.

The 16th-seeded Swede ruined Safin's 22nd birthday with some measured counter-punching at Melbourne Park.

Johansson is the first Swedish champion at the Australian Open since Safin's coach Mats Wilander lifted the trophy in 1988.

His victory was also revenge for Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov's victory over Johansson's Davis Cup team mate Thomas Enqvist in the 1999 final here.

After a nervous start, Johansson got down to work and ground out a polished victory to win the title and A$1 million.

Ninth seed Safin, the 2000 U.S. Open champion, stormed the first set 6-3 after breaking a nervous Johansson's serve twice but the Swede fought back to take the second set 6-4, gaining his first service break of the match in the third game of that set.

From the start of the second set, Johansson began drawing Safin into longer rallies, confident his rock solid groundstrokes and speedy court coverage were more than a match for Safin's strong serve.

The match began in overcast, humid conditions with the retractable roof over centre court partially closed but the sun later emerged and Johansson appeared more comfortable than Safin in the hot conditions.

In the third set the Swede grew in confidence as he began dictating the course of rallies against a rapidly-tiring Safin.

The big Russian's error count grew steadily in the third set and he handed Johansson a vital break of serve with a double fault on the final point of the seventh game.

DEVASTATING RETURNING

A buoyant Johansson then served out the set, taking a major step towards the title.

Johansson broke Safin again in the opening game of the fourth set with some devastating returning onto the Russian's toes.

Safin struggled to hold for 2-1 but then Johansson tightened. His groundstrokes lost their penetration as he nervously pushed them back over the net.

He attempted too many drop shots to end the points quickly but most of them ended up in the net and he was broken back.

The pair were neck and neck throughout the set, Johansson pegging Safin back until the tiebreak.

Johansson steamed into the lead, peppering the lines with passing shots and bullet-like returns to move 5-0 ahead.

Safin finally got a point when a passing shot hopped up off the net and over the advancing Johansson.

But the Russian then pushed a return long to hand Johansson five match points.

Safin saved the first then, enraged by a heckler shouting 'happy birthday', smashed down an unreturnable serve for 6-3.

He broke for 6-4 when Johansson edgily prodded a backhand woefully wide.

Safin then hit a delicate drop shot which Johansson scampered to pick up then lofted a lob over his head.

The shot appeared to land smack on the line, but was eventually called out to hand Johansson the title and his maiden grand slam.