<p>Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka upset injury-troubled world number one Rafael Nadal to win his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The eighth seed roared through the first two sets and overcame the distraction of a back injury to Nadal, and then the loss of the third set, to take it 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.<br /><br />The top-seeded Spaniard seemed to strain his back early in the second set and left the court for a medical time-out but after surrendering the set, he returned to the court swinging to stun Wawrinka with an early break.<br /><br />With his shot-making showing signs of a revival, Nadal saved two break points before holding serve with a barrage of sweetly-struck forehands.<br /><br />A searing forehand winner down the line gave Nadal two break points and astonishingly, the Spaniard broke a flat-footed Wawrinka when the Swiss bunted a bloodless forehand into the net.<br /><br />As Nadal rallied, his eighth-seeded opponent sunk, spraying shots all over the court with his concentration clearly affected by the sudden momentum switch.<br /><br />Still restricted in his movements, Nadal began gunning for the lines and his stand-and-deliver approach saw him march to a 5-2 lead.<br /><br />With Nadal serving for the set at 5-3, Wawrinka had a chance to break back but was unable to flush the tension out and conceded the set when he smashed a forehand into the net.<br /><br />The Swiss won the first set, broke Nadal in the opening game of the second and held serve to take a 2-0 lead before Nadal grimaced in pain and clutched at his back after playing a shot from the baseline midway through the next game.<br /><br />Nadal successfully held serve to trail 2-1 but quickly left the court for a medical time-out, leaving Wawrinka to argue with the chair umpire about the lack of disclosure over the injury.<br /><br />CROWD JEERS<br /><br />Nadal re-emerged after six minutes amid some jeers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd but his movement was clearly restricted and he was unable to generate any pace on his serve.<br /><br />Wawrinka simply went about his business, marching to a 4-1 lead as Nadal double-faulted repeatedly and struggled to reach wide balls.<br /><br />Nadal had more treatment on his back from a physio at the change of ends, then underlined his fighting spirit by holding serve to trail 5-2, but Wawrinka went on to serve out the set with an ace.<br /><br />In the first set, Wawrinka captured an early break to surge 3-1 clear and saved three break points before serving out the set, the first time he had taken one off Nadal in 13 matches.<br /><br />With both players serving strongly in a smouldering start, the match suddenly came alight in the fourth game when Nadal made his first double-fault and Wawrinka crunched a passing shot to bring up two break points.<br /><br />In a tense rally, the Swiss ratcheted up the pressure, with a big crosscourt forehand that Nadal was only able to parry into the net.<br /><br />Without a hint of nerves, Wawinka blasted two aces before holding to lead 4-1, leaving the Rod Laver Arena crowd stunned.<br /><br />The nuggety 28-year-old then tested the Spaniard again, punching a commanding backhand volley to raise another break point, but the Spaniard saved it.<br /><br />Serving for the set at 5-3, Wawrinka stumbled, unable to land a first serve for five consecutive points, to concede three break points.<br /><br />He saved them all as Nadal's returning went awry and he took the set with a cross-court ace.</p>
<p>Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka upset injury-troubled world number one Rafael Nadal to win his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Sunday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The eighth seed roared through the first two sets and overcame the distraction of a back injury to Nadal, and then the loss of the third set, to take it 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.<br /><br />The top-seeded Spaniard seemed to strain his back early in the second set and left the court for a medical time-out but after surrendering the set, he returned to the court swinging to stun Wawrinka with an early break.<br /><br />With his shot-making showing signs of a revival, Nadal saved two break points before holding serve with a barrage of sweetly-struck forehands.<br /><br />A searing forehand winner down the line gave Nadal two break points and astonishingly, the Spaniard broke a flat-footed Wawrinka when the Swiss bunted a bloodless forehand into the net.<br /><br />As Nadal rallied, his eighth-seeded opponent sunk, spraying shots all over the court with his concentration clearly affected by the sudden momentum switch.<br /><br />Still restricted in his movements, Nadal began gunning for the lines and his stand-and-deliver approach saw him march to a 5-2 lead.<br /><br />With Nadal serving for the set at 5-3, Wawrinka had a chance to break back but was unable to flush the tension out and conceded the set when he smashed a forehand into the net.<br /><br />The Swiss won the first set, broke Nadal in the opening game of the second and held serve to take a 2-0 lead before Nadal grimaced in pain and clutched at his back after playing a shot from the baseline midway through the next game.<br /><br />Nadal successfully held serve to trail 2-1 but quickly left the court for a medical time-out, leaving Wawrinka to argue with the chair umpire about the lack of disclosure over the injury.<br /><br />CROWD JEERS<br /><br />Nadal re-emerged after six minutes amid some jeers from the Rod Laver Arena crowd but his movement was clearly restricted and he was unable to generate any pace on his serve.<br /><br />Wawrinka simply went about his business, marching to a 4-1 lead as Nadal double-faulted repeatedly and struggled to reach wide balls.<br /><br />Nadal had more treatment on his back from a physio at the change of ends, then underlined his fighting spirit by holding serve to trail 5-2, but Wawrinka went on to serve out the set with an ace.<br /><br />In the first set, Wawrinka captured an early break to surge 3-1 clear and saved three break points before serving out the set, the first time he had taken one off Nadal in 13 matches.<br /><br />With both players serving strongly in a smouldering start, the match suddenly came alight in the fourth game when Nadal made his first double-fault and Wawrinka crunched a passing shot to bring up two break points.<br /><br />In a tense rally, the Swiss ratcheted up the pressure, with a big crosscourt forehand that Nadal was only able to parry into the net.<br /><br />Without a hint of nerves, Wawinka blasted two aces before holding to lead 4-1, leaving the Rod Laver Arena crowd stunned.<br /><br />The nuggety 28-year-old then tested the Spaniard again, punching a commanding backhand volley to raise another break point, but the Spaniard saved it.<br /><br />Serving for the set at 5-3, Wawrinka stumbled, unable to land a first serve for five consecutive points, to concede three break points.<br /><br />He saved them all as Nadal's returning went awry and he took the set with a cross-court ace.</p>