Roger Federer overcame Andy Roddick’s brute power game on Sunday to win his second straight Wimbledon title and cement his status as the game’s number-one player.
The top-seeded Swiss star withstood Roddick’s huge serves and forehand winners, winning 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-4 for his third Grand Slam title and 24th consecutive victory on grass.
After a rain delay, Federer came from a break down at 2-4 in the third set and took charge by playing a brilliant third-set tiebreaker. He saved six break points in the fourth set, broke Roddick at love in the seventh game and finished the match with his 12th ace.
When his final 200kph serve flew past Roddick, Federer dropped to his knees at the baseline and arched all the way on to his back. He got up and smacked a ball into the crowd. Roddick came around the net and the players hugged. Federer appeared to be in tears as he sat on his courtside chair.
After receiving the trophy from the Duke of Kent, Federer kissed it and raised it over his head to a huge ovation from the centre-court crowd.
”Somehow I feel even more joy this year because I had so much pressure going into this tournament,” he said. ”Now to see my name on the board enjoyment I kind of get more joy out of this.”
It was Federer’s third win in three Grand Slam finals. He won the Australian Open in February.
”I kind of like it — the 100% record in Grand Slams,” he said. ”These are the ones that really, really count. Grand Slam tournaments put you just a set higher. To have won my favourite tournament already twice in my career is incredible.”
Roddick, the US Open champion, gave Federer full credit.
”Roger just played too good today,” he said. ”I threw the kitchen sink at him, but he went to the bathroom and got a tub.”
Federer, who beat Roddick in the Wimbledon semifinals last year, is now 6-1 against his top rival.
”I’m going to have to start winning some of them to call it a rivalry,” Roddick said.
Federer (22) is the first player to retain the men’s title since Pete Sampras won his seventh and final championship in 2000. His 24-match grass-court winning streak puts him in second place on the all-time list behind five-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg (41 straight).
”He definitely has an aura about him, there’s no doubt,” Roddick said. ”He’s an unbelievable tennis player. People know that.”
It was the first Wimbledon men’s final in 22 years between the first- and second-seeded players, and it featured a contrast in styles between the cool, versatile Federer and the brash, power-hitting American.
”I proved that Roger is not quite invincible,” Roddick said.
”He’s pretty close, but I proved a lot to myself today. I thought I took it to him. I played the game the way I wanted to play it. I just came up short. It was a couple of points here and there.”
The match was twice suspended by rain, the first time for 36 minutes with Federer leading 3-2 on serve in the first set. The second, 40-minute stoppage — with Roddick up a break at 4-2 in the third — changed the momentum for good in Federer’s favour.
After the break, the sun came out for the first time and Federer — who had been broken four times until then — won 24 of 28 points on his serve to go into the fourth set.
”I had to change some things,” Federer said. ”I came to the net more, and this is when the sunshine came at the same time, so I’m happy I had just a great reaction.”
The match swung Federer’s way when he broke back for 4-4 in the third set, returning a 220kph serve on break point and forcing Roddick to miss a forehand. Federer played at his best in the tiebreaker, getting two aces, a forehand crosscourt winner, a forehand volley and a backhand down-the-line passing shot. Roddick walked to the changeover with his head down.
Federer got into trouble on his serve in the fourth game of the fourth set, going down 0-40, but managed to save four break points to hold. He saved two more break points in the sixth game, with Roddick going for forehand winners but missing on both. Federer then went ahead for good, breaking Roddick at love for 4-3.
Roddick came out firing in the first set and looked like he was trying to blow Federer off the court. In his first service game, he delivered a 206kph winner, a 204kph ace, another 204kph ace, a double fault and a 233kph ace.
Throwing his entire body into every forehand, Roddick broke in the next game, teeing off on a second serve and hitting an inside-out winner. That was enough to decide the first set.
”I wanted to take it to him,” Roddick said. ”I didn’t want him to control anything out there. I wanted to play the match on my terms.”
The momentum swung back and fourth in the second set, with Federer winning the first four games and Roddick the next four.
Federer broke for the set in the 12th game, taking advantage of a net cord return off a 217kph serve that fell over for a winner and gave him set point. He then smacked a forehand pass down the line and shouted, ”Yeah!”
There were several other net cords during the match. In the fourth game of the fourth set, after losing a point during which one of Federer’s shots clipped the net, Roddick walked up to the net, grabbed it with both hands and gave it a vigorous shake.
”It wasn’t working for me,” Roddick said. ”If you were helping him get points, I’d shake you, too.”
Federer’s victory was worth £602 500. Roddick got £301 250. — Sapa-AP