The grand slam tournament that has given Rafael Nadal more grief than any other dealt the Spanish great one more savage blow on Sunday.
A back injury suffered after Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka had made the unlikeliest of fast starts cruelled Nadal’s chances of drawing level with Pete Sampras on 14 majors, behind only pacesetter Roger Federer (17).
But the world No.1 didn’t go down without a heck of a fight.
For half an hour or so after taking a medical timeout to receive treatment on his back early in the second set, it seemed only a matter of time before the Spanish slugger would become the first man since Stefan Edberg in 1990 to withdraw midway through an Australian Open final.
But with the pain receding somewhat – and with Wawrinka now battling his own mental demons while within touching distance of his first major title – Nadal somehow found a way to push the match into a fourth set.
In the end, it wasn’t enough, with the Swiss baseliner recovering his composure to win 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3.
“I tried very, very hard,” Nadal told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena as he fought back tears.
“Last year was a very tough moment when I didn’t have the chance to play here.
“This year was one of the most emotional tournaments of my career.”
Nadal missed last year’s Open through illness as his great rival Novak Djokovic won a third straight Australian title.
He also skipped the 2006 Open with a foot injury, was forced to retire midway through his quarter-final in 2010 with a knee complaint and had his 2011 campaign curtailed by a hamstring strain.
His sole Australian Open title came in 2009, sitting alongside eight French Opens and two victories apiece at Wimbledon and the US Open.
As ever, Nadal was gracious in defeat on Sunday against Wawrinka, a man who had failed to take a single set off him in 12 previous attempts.
“Many thanks to Stan – you really deserve it and all your team,” said the 27-year-old Nadal.
“We have a great relationship and you really deserve it.”
Despite losing the final, Nadal will extend his lead atop the world rankings after a remarkably successful 2013, during which time he came back from a serious knee injury to win major titles numbers 12 and 13 at Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows.
