Swiss master marvels at achievement
Roger Federer admitted it was "staggering" to win a record 15th grand slam title in just 25 events after his epic win over Andy Roddick.
Federer won his first grand slam at Wimbledon in 2003 and landed number 15 at the All England Club by beating a gallant Roddick 5-7 7-6 7-6 3-6 16-14.
Watch highlights from the epic final
Watched by the man with whom he had shared the record - Pete Sampras flying in from California overnight to watch from the Royal Box - Federer saved four set points in the second-set tie-break before finally breaking Roddick's serve for the first time in the match in the final game.
The match featured the most games ever in a Wimbledon final, the total of 77 easily eclipsing the previous record of 62 set last year.
And the 30 games in the fifth set also surpassed the previous highest of 24 in a final, although Federer's total of 50 aces was just one short of the Wimbledon record held by Ivo Karlovic.
"It's staggering that I've been able to play so well for so many years and stay injury-free," said 27-year-old Federer.
"It's crazy that I've been able to win so many in such a short period of time.
"It was difficult because I thought Andy played great. It was so different to what I experienced the last few years with Rafa (Nadal), where it was a baseline game. Today it was a serve and return game.
"It was frustrating at times because I couldn't break Andy until the very very end so the satisfaction is maybe bigger this time around to come through, because I couldn't control the match at all.
"I thought the second set was obviously key to what came after. Being down two sets to love, the way Andy was serving, would have been a very difficult situation to be in."
Federer spared a thought for the unlucky Roddick, who he has now beaten three times in Wimbledon finals, and who had to hold his serve 10 times in succession during the epic final set to stay in the match.
"Tennis is cruel sometimes," added Federer, who finally made the breakthrough at the 11th time of asking by forcing Roddick to mis-hit two forehands.
"I went to some five-setters too in grand slam finals and ended up losing. But I think he did great. I think he's not gonna let his head hang down, I think he's going to come back strong and play great in the States.
"I had to play my very very best to come through."
Federer also revealed he had said hello to Sampras when the seven-time Wimbledon champion took up his seat after the third game of the opening set.
"Today with Pete it was a bit special," added Federer, who will regain the world number one spot tomorrow. "When he walked in and I saw him for the first time I did get more nervous.
"I said hello to him too, which is unusual, but I didn't want to be rude. I only got confirmation (he was coming) yesterday, but he promised me a long time ago he would.
"He hoped it was maybe going to be in New York so it's closest to him. He said maybe not Australia if possible. But I always knew he would keep his word."
Roddick admitted the second set tie-break, which he led 6-2, would live long in the memory and was difficult to recover from during the match.
"There's no way it doesn't cross your mind," he said. "We're human, we're not cyborgs. At that point, like everything else, there's two options; you lay down or you keep going. The second option sounded better to me."
The 26-year-old has now reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and Wimbledon final since starting to work with coach Larry Stefanki at the end of last year, and explained: "It was to give myself an opportunity to win tournaments like this.
"I feel like I did give myself that opportunity today. It didn't work out but I definitely gave myself a look.
"He just makes it real tough. He was having trouble picking up my serve today for the first time ever. He just stayed the course. You didn't even get a sense that he was even really frustrated by it. He just toughed it out.
"He served great. He did what he had to. If he hadn't have served as well, I'd probably be sitting here in a better mood."
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