Four, and counting

Nobody can stop Roger Federer on grass. No. 1 got even against No. 2 as Federer ended a five-match losing streak to Rafael Nadal on Sunday...

Nobody can stop Roger Federer on grass. No. 1 got even against No. 2 as Federer ended a five-match losing streak to Rafael Nadal on Sunday, winning 6-0, 7-6 5, 6-7 2, 6-3 to earn his fourth straight Wimbledon title and eighth Grand Slam championship.

Nadal had beaten Federer in four finals this year, including at the French Open last month, but couldn8217;t match him on the Swiss star8217;s favourite surface.

After dropping the third set, the only set he lost all tournament, Federer lifted his game in the fourth to show who8217;s boss.

8220;If I lose, it8217;s a hard blow for me. It8217;s important for me to win a final against him for a change, and beat him for a change. Wimbledon I knew was going to be the place for me to do it the easiest way, and turned out to be tough,8221; he said.

The milestones keep piling up for the 24-year-old Federer, who strengthens the case for consideration as being among the greatest players of all time. In winning his 48th consecutive match on grass, he became the third player in the Open era to capture four successive Wimbledon championships, joining Bjorn Borg five straight from 1976-80 and Pete Sampras 1997-00.

8220;They8217;re heroes of the game,8221; Federer said. 8220;This is the most important tournament, and to win four is out of this world. I8217;ll come back and try for a fifth.8221;

Asked about his rivalry with Nadal, he said, 8220;Now I like it again.8221; Federer is the eighth man in history to win four or more Wimbledon titles. William Renshaw and Sampras lead the list with seven championships.

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Nadal came into Sunday8217;s match with a 6-1 record against Federer. Federer8217;s only losses this year have been to Nadal.

8220;I8217;m relieved now that I finally beat him, especially in a final,8221; Federer said. 8220;He8217;s No. 2 and I8217;m trying to stay at No. 1 I8217;m back on the right path.8221;

Nadal took away the positives of pushing Federer hard after the first set.

8220;It8217;s important for me to play good in this final,8221; he said. 8220;It8217;s important for me for the future belief that I can win here. It was an unbelievable tournament for me.8221; Federer proved he8217;s on another level on grass with his big serves, smooth strokes and quick hands.

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Nadal looked lost in the first set, as Federer reeled off six straight games in 25 minutes, breaking Nadal three times. He bounced back quickly, breaking Federer in the opening game of the second set. He served for the set at 5-4, but was broken as Federer won 12 of 13 points at one stretch to force a tiebreaker. Nadal had his chances again, going up 3-1 in the tiebreaker but handed back the advantage back with two errors. Federer went up 6-3, and, after missing two set-point chances, converted on the third.

There were no breaks in the third set. Federer played some loose points in the tiebreaker and, from 2-2, Nadal won five straight to win the set.

Federer dominated most of the fourth set, going up two breaks at 5-1. Uncharacteristically, he was broken serving for the match. But Federer got another chance two games later, and served out the match.

Indian challenge ends

8226; Indian challenge came to a disappointing end with Rupesh Roy and Hsin Han Lee of Chinese Taipei faltering in the semi-finals of the boys8217; doubles event at Wimbledon grand slam tennis championships.

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Rupesh and Hsin stretched their second seeded Slovakian opponents Martin Klizan and Andrei Martin to a three setter after winning the second set via tie-breaker before throwing in the towel 3-6, 7-6 4, 3-6.

Klizan and Martin will have a final face off against Americans Kellen Damico and Nathaniel Schnugg, who beat Nikola Mektic and Vedran Siljegovic of Croatia 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 in the other semi-final. PTI

STEPHEN WILSON