Roger Federer produced another master-class to trounce Andy Roddick in straight sets on Sunday and complete a rare hat-trick of Wimbledon wins. The 6-2, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 triumph put him up alongside Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras as the only players since World War II to win three-in-a-row at the All England Club.
It was a repeat of last year's final and once again Roddick's muscular might was no match for the sublime all-court skills of the world's top player. Twelve months ago it was all over in four sets; on Sunday it needed only three. The win was Federer's 36th in a row on grass, five short of Bjorn Borg's record of 41, and it left Roddick still seeking a second Grand Slam win to go with the 2003 US Open.
The 23-year-old Federer dropped just one set on the way to his third Wimbledon final and he peaked in the semi-finals where he saw off the challenge of old rival Lleyton Hewitt in straight sets.
Roddick, a year younger, had a far more eventful road to the title match enduring two tough five-setters, the worst of the rain delays, and a semi-final against Swede Thomas Johansson that robbed him of a day's rest.
Federer opened on serve with a love game and Roddick replied in kind setting the stage for a tense start to the final.
Roddick again held to love, but in the sixth game, Federer struck the first blow reaching advantage with a tremendous reflex forehand drive to a Roddick smash and then sealing the break with a great backhand. The Swiss star held to love to get to 5-2 and in the following game with his tennis skills in full flight, he broke again to lift the set in 22 minutes, a backhand return winner leaving Roddick for dead.
It was more of the same into the second set with Federer making it four out of five blank service games and Roddick struggling to cope with the majesty of the barrage coming from his opponent.
Three big services allowed him to level at 1-1 and he then enjoyed the first signs of fallibility from Federer in the next game getting to double break point and converting the second one when the top seed netted a low backhand volley.
Roddick moved to 3-1 up but on his next service game, Federer produced a series of stunning shots to negate the brief advantage the American had enjoyed in the set.
Minutes later Roddick saved two set points at 4-5 down with a pair of big first serves as he grimly hung on to Federer's coat-tails.
But there was nothing he could do in the ensuing tie-break as another spectacular burst of Federer winners gave him four set points and he converted on the first as Roddick was forced to hit wide.
Roddick was rocking but he was immediately given some breathing space to gather himself as light rain began to fall and the match was interrupted.
The players were off for 25 minutes and on the resumption some of the magic appeared to have gone out of Federer's game as Roddick held serve with an ease he had not enjoyed since the start of the final.
But at 3-3, the champion put his foot on the accelerator once more setting up two break points with a pair of tremendous passing shots and converting the second of those with another whipped backhand crosscourt drive.
Roddick was beaten and Federer finished him off by twice holding serve, sealing the title win in 1hr 41mins with a service winner.
RESULTS (x denotes seeded player):
WOMEN DOUBLES (Final): Cara Black/Liezel Huber (ZIM/RSA x2) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova/Amelie Mauresmo (RUS/FRA) 6-2, 6-.
MIXED DOUBLES (Semi-finals): Mahesh Bhupathi/Mary Pierce (IND/FRA) bt Jonas Bjorkman/Lisa Raymond (SWE/USA x3) 7-5, 6-1; Paul Hanley/Tatiana Perebiynis (AUS/UKR) bt Kevin Ullyett/Liezel Huber (ZIM/RSA x4) 6-3, 6-4.
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