2009 Australian Open From there, they looked comfortable, steamrolling past the decider 6–0 to regain the title they last won in 2007, and dash Bhupathi's hope of winning two titles (he made it to the finals of the mixed doubles as well). Nadal and Federer's first encounter for the year resulted in a five-set epic—lasting 4 hours and 23 minutes—with Nadal prevailing, 7–5, 3–6, 7–6(3), 3–6, 6–2 for his sixth Grand Slam title and his first on hard courts. Nadal is the first Spaniard in history to win the Australian Open and the fourth male tennis player — after Jimmy Connors, Mats Wilander
2009 LA Tennis Open Open Series. In addition to the singles and doubles events, a Legends Invitational Singles competition was held, featuring Michael Chang, Stefan Edberg and Jim Courier, winner of the competition at the 2008 Countrywide Classic. The LA Tennis Open kicked off with the "Millennium Challenge" featuring Pete Sampras returning to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to play Marat Safin in a rematch of their 2000 US Open final, won by the Russian 6–4, 6–3, 6–3. Fourteen-time Grand Slam champion Sampras, who held the World No. 1 ranking for a record 286 weeks, was recognized as the 2009 LA Tennis