Rafael Nadal won a classic Australian Open final against Roger Federer to secure his first hard-court Grand Slam title and stop the Swiss equalling the all-time Majors record on Sunday.

The world number one recovered from his five-hour semifinal with Fernando Verdasco to take the gripping five-setter 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-2 in four hours and 23 minutes.

Federer remains on 13 Grand Slams, one behind Pete Sampras, and with an enduring mental block against the Spaniard who has now beaten him in their last three Grand Slam finals.

Nadal, the first Spanish male winner of the tournament, moves to six Grand Slams, increasing his lead at the top of the rankings and earning a shot at sweeping the season's majors.

The two were meeting for the first time since last year's epic Wimbledon final, when Nadal ended Federer's five-year hold on the trophy before deposing him as world number one.

They have now contested seven Grand Slam finals with Nadal holding a 5-2 edge in the meetingsand 13-6overall. But he had his last hard-court win over Federer in 2006 and had never reached a Grand Slam final on the surface.