Four-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer admitted that Rafael Nadal would have dealt a major blow to his reputation as the world's best player if he had snatched his All England Club crown.
The world number one went into Sunday's final burdened by having lost four times to the 20-year-old Spaniard this year and six times in seven career meetings.
His mood was further darkened by the spotlight falling on his tough draw as well as talk of whether or not he would be able to break Bjorn Borg's grasscourt winning streak.
PHOTO: AFP
"I'm very well aware of how important this match was for me," said Federer after his 6-0, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (2/7), 6-3 win had extended his grasscourt streak to 48 wins, stretching back four years.
"If I lose, obviously it's a hard blow for me. He wins the French Open, Wimbledon, back-to-back where I was twice in the finals. That hurt," Federer said.
"It was important for me to win a final against him for a change and beat him for a change. At Wimbledon I knew it was going be the place for me to do it the easiest way," he said. "It turned out to be tough and it shows how much he's improved over the last year."
PHOTO: AFP
Nadal had seen off Federer in finals this year on hard court in Dubai and on clay in Monte Carlo, Rome and at the French Open.
But no-one expected Nadal to reach the final here after never getting beyond the third round in previous visits.
Many predicted a stroll for Federer. Not him.
"I came from the loss in Paris and then struggled all the way through in Halle even though I thought I played pretty good, then I looked at the draw here," said Federer after his eighth career Grand Slam victory and 39th title in all.
"I thought this draw looks like this streak might come to an end very soon not because I might play bad, but because I have really dangerous players," Federer said.
"So these things go through your head. And I didn't think once that I would hold the trophy again. It only came once I beat Mario Ancic in the quarter-finals," he said.
Federer was in charge for most of Sunday's final as he joined Borg and Pete Sampras as a four-in-a-row winner of the title here, but the loss of the third set meant he failed to become the first man since Borg to win Wimbledon without losing a set.
Now the focus of the Federer-Nadal rivalry will switch to the US and the build-up to the US Open, where the world number one is the defending champion.
"I think when we play so often in finals, it adds something to the game. It's great. He's up and coming. I used to be the youngster. Now I'm getting older," Federer said.
"But he's so young that it's actually great rivalry I think we're having at the moment," he said.
Nadal believes time is on his side and that he will one day achieve his dream of following Manuel Santana, who won the title in 1966, as just the second Spanish men's champion at Wimbledon.
"I saw in the match today that when I was playing my best tennis, it was very close. There wasn't much difference," Nadal said. "The title was for him, but we will see. I want to improve. I'm only 20."
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