Roger Federer Defeats Rafael Nadal for His 5th Australian Open Title

MELBOURNE, Australia — It was Roger Federer’s unlikeliest Grand Slam title, which is quite a statement for a 35-year-old champion who has now won 18 of them.

But where else should one rank this Australian Open, where Federer was rightfully a true outsider? Where he arrived seeded just 17th, having not played an official tournament for more than six months because of a knee injury that spoiled his 2016 season?

Even his own expectations were tempered.

“I would have said a great event would be quarters,” Federer said. “Fourth round would be nice.”

He would get a great deal more than that in Melbourne, a city where he has had plenty of heartaches to go with his successes through the years and the…