Federer wins his fourth in-a-row

Roger Federer on Sunday claimed his fourth straight Wimbledon title with a hard-fought four-set victory over Rafael Nadal.

Federer won 6-0 7-6 6-7 6-3 in two hours 50 minutes on Centre Court to join Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras as the only players to win four years in succession at the All England Club in the open era.

The 24-year-old Swiss star also recorded his 48th straight victory on grass to win his eighth Grand Slam title from nine final appearances.

But second seed Nadal emerged with enormous credit for taking the first set off Federer since the third round last year, and the 20-year-old can only improve on grass in the coming years.

Nadal had won six of the seven meetings between the pair, including all four this year and most recently at the French Open final last month, but it looked like being a totally one-sided contest as Federer stormed through the opening set in just 24 minutes

Nadal had only dropped his serve twice throughout the Championships before the start of play, but was broken three times in quick succession as Federer got off to a dream start.

The world number one produced a stunning forehand winner on the run to achieve the first break and also took advantage of some uncharacteristic unforced errors from a nervous Nadal.

The 20-year-old Spaniard saved two set points in the sixth game but had no answer to a brilliant backhand winner from Federer on the third.

Federer had won the first set of the French Open final 6-1 only to lose in four to Nadal, and there were signs of an unlikely repeat when he was broken in the opening game of the second set after missing an easy forehand.

Nadal then held serve to love and maintained his advantage by saving a break point in the fourth game for a 3-1 lead.

The defending champion had not lost a set since the third round last year however, and was not about to surrender that record without a fight.

From 15-0 down in the 10th game he won the next eight points in a row to turn a 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 lead, Nadal screaming his frustration at letting the Swiss star back into the set.

A stunning backhand winner edged Nadal 3-1 ahead in the tie-break but again Federer raised his game when it mattered, winning the next five points in a row and eventually taking it 7-5 for a two-set lead.

Federer had been on court for a total of just nine hours and 13 minutes to reach the final, while Nadal needed more than six hours longer.

That was certain to favour Federer if the match went the distance, but the world number one had the chance to seal victory in straight sets as the third set went to a tie-break.

Nadal again moved into an early lead and this time was not about to let it slip. A brilliant return winner put him 5-2 ahead and he took the next two points on serve to get back into the match at two sets to one.

Losing the tie-break meant Federer could not become the first player since Borg in 1976 to win the title without dropping a set, and the crowd were certainly hoping Nadal could win another to force a decider.

But Federer had the advantage of serving first in the fourth set and made the most of it, breaking Nadal from 30-0 down in the third game to race into a 4-1 lead.

Another break put Federer 5-1 ahead and serving for the title, but Nadal refused to give in and broke back to cling on to a slender chance of victory.

Federer still had another chance to serve it out however and this time made no mistake to seal victory.