Federer stops the rot to rout Nadal at Wimbledon

By Bill Scott Jul 9, 2006, 17:34 GMT

Roger Federer of Switzerland kisses the winner\'s trophy following his victory over Rafael Nadal of Spain in the men\'s final of the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Sunday 09 July 2006. EPA/GERRY PENNY

London - Relieved Roger Federer thwarted the growing threat of Rafael Nadal, lifting a fourth straight title at the Wimbledon Championship 6-0, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 over the Spanish danger- man on Sunday.

Federer clocked his 48th consecutive victory on grass as he joined Pete Sampras and Bjorn Borg among the seven players who now own four trophies at the All England club.

Victory in two hours, 50 minutes gave the 24-year-old Swiss some welcome breathing room after losing five times to world number 2 Nadal in the last 13 months.

Four of those defeats came in finals during 2006 - the lone blemishes on the Federer record this season of 56 wins.

'It's fantastic,' said Federer, who last lost at Wimbledon in the 2002 first round. 'I never thought it was possible to win four in a row.

'It's an incredible feeling. I was doubting myself early in the tournaments, with the draw and the expectations.

'But to be through and to play Rafa in the final is fantastic. I like this rivalry again,' he joked.

Nadal, the 20-year-old king of clay with two Roland Garros crowns, had not been expected to get this far on grass.

The youngster proved doubters wrong as he ploughed through the draw, handing Federer his first losing set along the way in their shootout.

'I want to congratulate Roger,' said the runner-up. 'He's unbelievable. This is a difficult surface for me, but I have played my best event of the year here.'

Federer quickly swept the first set in 24 minutes and won the second in a tie-breaker before Nadal got into the match by taking the third.

But the Swiss raised his level in the fourth, fighting off nerves after missing the chance to serve it out while leading 5-1.

Two games later, though, he triumphed on the first of three match points when Nadal sailed a backhand wide.

In the second set, Nadal finally registered on the scoreboard after 31 minutes as he broke, then held for 2-0 with a love game.

The Spaniard began to make an impression, maintaining his lead until an error which handed Federer two break points in the tenth game.

A further forehand mistake from Nadal left the score level at five apiece. The set moved into a tiebreaker as Nadal managed a winner to the corner after being forced to his knee by a Federer return.

In the decider, Federer won five points in a row after trailing 1- 3, reaching three set points, 6-3. Nadal chipped over a winner on the first and put across a service winner on the second.

Federer claimed a two-sets-to-love lead on his third chance when Nadal put a forehand into the net, his 17th unforced error.

The third set stayed on serve, with laying on a love game for 5- all as one of his matches went past the two-hour mark for only the second time during the fortnight.

Nadal won four straight points to reach 6-5; Federer brought on another tiebreak with the third love game in a row.

Nadal rescued a Federer volley and then produced a winner for a 2- 0 lead in the decider before Federer got untracked. Two loose backhand errors put Nadal into 4-2 command, with the Spaniard reaching 5-2 on a return winner.

Federer lost his first set of the fortnight as his return sailed long to give Nadal a chance, one set to two after two and a quarter hours of battle.