Roger Federer is the best tennis player to ever step on a court. Some of us know that, yet we still believe there are younger, usurpers of the throne. And, every time we try to rally an uprising, the Swiss star reminds us just how good he truly is and how good the rest of the tour players know he is. We should remember to listen to them.

It was hard to tell if it was the Federer mystique or the weight of an empire desperate for a Grand Slam Championship that bore obvious pressure on the most talented of the young pretenders in the finals of the 2010 Australian Open. But, whatever it was, it was heavy and very much in the air from point one to the conclusion.

The pressure of knowing victory was within the grasp of young Scot Andy Murray meant he had to execute flawlessly, dictate pace and serve consistently as he had for six straight matches. Unlike his previous six opponents, the man across the net leaves no margin for error. Murray played like a man who knew he had to play just a bit better than he had.

The result was a tentative, nervous performance that only served to further elevate Roger Federer’s game. Today Roger Federer can sit back, relax and figure where on the shelf he will place his 16th Grand Slam trophy. His 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (11) victory was thoroughly convincing and dominating.

The 28-year old veteran out-strategized and out-executed his 22-year old challenger in what boiled down to a clinic on how to win a Grand Slam title, something no Brit has accomplished in 74 years. Both players arrived at the finals about as rested as could be after two weeks of competition but it was the younger Murray who was limping and gasping for air while the ageless Federer kept delivering the goods and carrying the play.

What has become clear during the Federer reign and what sometimes gets overlooked is how well the champion serves under pressure. Remember last year’s performance against Roddick at Wimbledon. When Federer needs a point, he knows where to go. The crisp efficiency pressures the receiver. Murray, acknowledged as one of the game’s best returners, could only convert on 2 of 8 break points and failed to capitalize on five set points in the final frame. With each hold, Murray became more and more unsure of himself, more desperate. When the Scot floated a harmless volley set point wide in the third set, it was more than handwriting on the wall. It was evidence of the mental strain that Federer brings to his challengers.

A packed Rod Laver Arena saw a near flawless performance by Federer as he claimed his fourth Australian title. For Murray, the wait for the Grand Slam breakthrough continues.

From the outset, Murray seemed content to work the Federer backhand. However, his ground game lacked the authority he had demonstrated in earlier matches. Meanwhile his serve could only be described as jittery. Although he gained velocity and improved his serving efficiency in the third, this much-needed weapon deserted him in the first two sets.

After leveling the match at 2-2, Murray pressured in the fifth game only to be turned back by the unflappable champion. Federer converted the break point he needed with a dazzling backhand winner in the eighth game before serving out the set.

Murray’s defensive style was allowing Federer to control the tempo and as his backhand came together, the champion began to attack more often. For the match, Roger struck 46 outright winners compared to 29 for Murray. Federer did commit more unforced errors, 42-26, but Murray’s errors outweighed his winners.

Federer only converted one of seven break points in the second set, but that was all he needed. He served through to claim a more competitive 46 minute set, but Murray’s serve still lacked its usual pace.

Murray used his speed to surprise Federer and steal an apparent drop shot winner early in the third to gain momentum. When he followed with a powerful forehand winner, he finally seemed to relax. After breaking in the sixth game to go up 4-2, the crowd rallied behind the Scot. When he held to go up 5-2, it seemed Federer might wait for the fourth set.

That is not Roger Federer. He held the eighth game and was relentless in the ninth game to knot the set. In the tiebreaker, Murray gained the early edge but could not deliver a knockout blow. The Swiss overcame the five set points and finally converted on his third match point to sweep the match.

Murray will get there. He has had success against Federer in tour events, winning four times. But the Roger Federer that comes to the Grand Slam tournaments, the game’s biggest stages, is not the Federer in lesser events. His focus, his serve and his overall demeanor is that every title belongs to him. He is not about to give anything away. If challengers want one of Roger’s titles, they will have to take it away. This guy does not beat himself, point proven… again!

Serena Williams successively defended her 2009 Australian Open title and can now count the 2010 trophy as her 12th Grand Slam Championship. The win ties her with Billie Jean King for total singles titles.

Williams used her powerful serve to regain her confidence in the third set after a very game Justine Henin made a strong second set rally. Williams recorded her fifth Australian Open Championship in a seesaw 2 hour 7 minute 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 match that she closed with a flourish. Williams charged through the last four games with a combination of big serves and powerful forehands against the fleet Henin.

The tight first set began with Henin collecting six break point opportunities in Serena’s first three service games. Serena came back in both games to hold. Those holds may have spelled Henin’s fate, as Williams is 40-0 in title matches where she has won the first set. Williams now holds an 8-6 won-lost advantage against Henin, who was playing just her 11th match since returning to the professional circuit.

Like so many final matches, this one was also a tale of the serving tape. Henin committed six double faults and landed just 50% of her first serves compared to Williams’ 64%. Williams threw in 12 aces to turn away Henin’s bid for an eighth Grand Slam.

Unlike last year, when Williams had an embarrassingly easy time of disposing of Dinara Safina in the finals, Henin held up well under the Williams assault. She surrendered a break in the fourth game to trail 3-1, but pulled even with a tense break in game seven to get the match back on serve.

Williams then held to go ahead 5-4. The Champion pressured Henin to secure an easy break and take the first set in 51 minutes.

Henin earned the first break in the second set but Williams answered right back to take the lead at 3-2. When the Belgian held to square the set at 3-3, she mustered a run of he own, winning the final 10 points of the set. Henin used her pinpoint backhand accuracy to hit tape after tape while Serena had difficulty staying in longer points.

Williams, who won the doubles with her sister Venus, was playing her 12th match in Melbourne and with heavily bandaged legs, it seemed she was losing steam. She took a locker room break after the second set, yet returned only to lose the first five points of the set.

But, things changed quickly. Henin has no answer for Serena’s wide serves to the deuce court and middle serves o the add court. Williams found her way with her serve but iced the win with her overpowering forehand. Henin had five break point opportunities in the final set, but every time Williams had an answer.

Henin committed 32 unforced errors while Williams had 37. Williams converted 6 break points as Henin converted 5. There was a high level of intensity throughout the match as two proven winners renewed their rivalry. Once again The American has borne the role of tournament favorite to perfection. For the unranked, unseeded Henin, she has now reached the finals in her two tournaments since returning to play. Her downfall was clearly her inability to apply pressure with her serve, something Williams has mastered.

Today, the tournament’s two best players compete in the finals. Roger Federer (4/7) will be seeking his remarkable 16th Grand Slam title while young Scotsman Andy Murray (11/8) seeks his first and the first Grand Slam in 74 years for Great Britain. As proven as Federer is, we think Murray is up to the task today. It feels like a day for the Scot and if he wins his first Slam, watch out!

Today’s Women’s finals shapes up to be a battle of wills between two gifted competitors with different styles of play. Serena Williams, the four time Australian Open Champion with 11 Grand Slam titles and $28 million in career earnings, is being challenged by an unseeded Belgian who was retired a month ago. Granted the Belgian has one Australian Open of her own in her seven Grand Slam titles and almost $20 million in earnings but she is only 5’6” and 126 pounds. The 5’9” Williams tips in at a solid 159 pounds.

The bookmakers give the edge to Williams (4/5). The top seed has struggled in her last two matches and will benefit from a day in the Jacuzzi where she may get some much needed relief from thigh, calf and ankle injuries.

Henin (even) had an easy semifinal match but worked her way through the tournament’s most difficult bracket. The slight underdog has struggled with her serve throughout the event. In fact, she has had to overcome her serving deficiencies in three of her six matches.

That has not been the case with Serena. For the most part, Serena’s trademark blast has been there when she really needed it. In her semifinal win, she lost serve once. Against Azarenka in the quarters, she went through a spell where she struggled but when she turned it around, there was no stopping her.

Of course the media has been all over the two players. When questioned, Henin offered a little insight;

“I see it as an opportunity to play the number 1 player in the world in a Grand Slam final. It’s more than a dream for me. It’s a perfect challenge. And, I love that kid of challenge…. I think it’s gonna be really mental. I mean the one who wants it more will win probably.”

Henin folllowed with a suggestion that her strategy would be to come out aggressively. Attacking the Williams serve is no easy task. When Belgian Kim Clijsters upset Williams in the U.S. Open, she actually out-served Serena. Clijsters will have to rely on finesse and her deadly one-handed backhand to offset the Williams power game.

Williams needs to recover. Henin has shown an ability to move opponents around the court. If Serena is not fit to cover the court, she could be in for a tough day.

It seems important for Williams to get off the blocks early in this match. Falling behind to Henin could be a mistake. Unlike Azarenka or Li, Henin believes she can win.

It is never easy to bet against Serena Williams, but we think Henin has the right stuff and the mental toughness to hold the course. Time will tell.

As boxing enthusiasts say, “If it was a fight, they would have stopped it.” As often happens when Switzerland’s Roger Federer is on the court, the highly anticipated semifinal match between France’s Jo Wilfried Tsonga and the world’s top ranked player turned out to be a mismatch. Tsonga provided little resistance in the 91 minute 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 match that only served to showcase Federer’s abundant skills.

Tsonga’s unorthodox, go-for-broke, style was ineffective against the well-prepared 22-time Grand Slam finalist. What has become apparent in Federer’s remarkable tenure atop the world of Men’s tennis is that while other players compete to reach the next round, Federer has a two-week strategy that includes winning the event. At each level of competition, his play becomes more aggressive and more intense.

The 28-year old has certainly played opponents with less talent than the very athletic Tsonga, but he reduced Tsonga to seeming like “just another player.” The winner did so by unveiling devastating groundstrokes that revealed Tsonga’s most basic flaws and by eliminating Tsonga’s return with pinpoint serving.

Tsonga tried everything. Heroic net rushes, crushing forehands, deft drop shots and blistering serves only served to show how very skilled the game’s greatest player has become.

After the match, Federer delivered a subtle message to his final round opponent Andy Murray saying, “I think it’s easier with the top players if you get them in the first set.” In other words, Andy, you had better get me early or you won’t be catching up.

After being broken twice in the first set, Tsonga charged out of the second set gates. He negotiated a tough hold in his first service game, finishing off with back-to-back aces.

With Tsonga serving at 2-3, Federer broke through with a bullet-like backhand drive followed by a heart-stoppng drop shot that made it pretty clear that enough was enough and it was about time to move on to the next round.

Tsonga offered little resistance in the third as Roger gained breaks four and five en route to a 31 minute set. Federer struck 33 outright winners and recorded an unheard-of 13 unforced errors.

Of course, the Swiss star had no double faults and landed 64% of his first serves, winning 84% of those serves. It really does not get much better than that.

Tsonga may have been struggling from two five set matches reaching the semis. He was fortunate to get past Serbian former Australian Open Champion Novak Djokovic who was troubled by stomach cramps.

It will not be this easy for Federer in the finals. A very prepared and well-rested Scot awaits the contest.

Murray has the weapons, speed and mindset to hold off Federer’s 16th Grand Slam Championship. At least the number one will know he has been in a dogfight.