FEDERER WINS RECORD EIGHTH WIMBLEDON TITLE
Roger Federer wins record eighth Wimbledon title as Marin Cilic bid ends in tears
London, UK - Roger Federer won a record eighth Wimbledon title and became the tournament's oldest champion on Sunday with a straight-set victory over injury-hit Marin Cilic who dramatically broke down in tears midway through the final.
Federer claimed his 19th Grand Slam title 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 and at 35 is Wimbledon's oldest men's winner of the modern era, succeeding Arthur
Ashe, who was almost 32 when he won in 1976.
However, the
Swiss superstar's
11th Wimbledon final, and 29th at the majors, will also be remembered for the moving sight of the popular Cilic breaking down in tears after slipping 3-0 behind in the second set.
The seventh seeded Croatian, the 2014 US Open champion, sobbed inconsolably and buried his head in his towel as his title dream slipped away.
He had his left foot taped at the end of the second set but it was in vain as Federer became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win Wimbledon without dropping a set in the entire tournament.
"He's a hero," Federer said of his opponent as he received the trophy.
Twelve months ago, Federer was defeated in five sets in the semifinals by Milos Raonic and promptly shut down his season to rest a knee injury.
"It's disbelief I can achieve such heights. I wasn't sure I would ever be here in another final after last year," said Federer who turns 36 in three weeks' time.
"I had some tough ones in the finals, losing two against Novak (Djokovic).
“But I always believed. I kept on believing and dreaming I could get back.
"Here am I today with the eighth. It's fantastic, if you keep believing you can go far in your life."
Cilic, who had spent four and a half hours more than Federer getting to the final, said retiring with his injury was never an option.
"I never give up in a match. I gave it my best - it's all I can do," said Cilic who was still emotional at the trophy presentation.
"I had an amazing journey here. I played the best tennis of my life. I really want to thank my team - they gave so much strength to me."
Beneath a star-studded Royal Box where Prince William and wife Kate rubbed shoulders with actors Hugh Grant and Bradley Cooper, Cilic had his first break point in the fourth game.
It was saved by Federer and it was to be Cilic's only glimmer of hope.
Federer broke in the next game when his opponent suffered a nasty fall on the worn surface which was to ultimately undermine his challenge.
Federer then served up two love service games before claiming the opener 6-3 off a Cilic double fault, the Croatian's second of the final.
The Swiss superstar swept into a 3-0 lead in the second set and at the changeover, Cilic slumped in his courtside chair in tears and in obvious pain.
The trainer and doctor were summoned before Cilic hid his head in his towel in a desperate attempt to compose himself.
The 28 year old held serve on the resumption but the lethal barrage continued, Federer stretching his lead over his friend to 4-1.
Cilic dropped the set 6-1 and called a medical timeout to have his left foot bandaged and take a painkiller.
His discomfort was reflected in his statistics.
By the end of the second set, he had served just two aces compared to the 130 he had fired past bamboozled opponents in his previous six rounds.
Federer pounced again with a break for 4-3 and wrapped up the one-sided final with a second serve ace to complete his coronation after just one hour 41 minutes. Fittingly, he too wept at the end.
Federer title moved him past Pete Sampras and William Renshaw into sole possession of first place on the list of men Wimbledon champions.
Even by Federer's sky-high standards, his record triumph was an especially golden moment and the Swiss star was in tears as he waved at his wife Mirka and four children before the Centre Court trophy presentation.
"Holding the trophy now, after not dropping a set in the tournament, it's magical really. I can't believe it yet. It's too much," Federer said.
Having won the Australian Open in January, Federer took the claycourt season off to rest his body ahead of Wimbledon and his decision has paid rich dividends.
"I’ve got to take more time off! I'll be gone again for the next six months! I don't know if it will work as well again," Federer said with a grin.
Kubot and Melo win men’s doubles final
Fourth seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo clinched the Wimbledon men's doubles title on Saturday with a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6, 3-6, 13-11 win over Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic.
The final lasted a marathon four hours 41 minutes and was only the fourth Wimbledon men's doubles final to go to five sets in the last 20 years.
Later on Saturday, Olympic champions Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia won their first Wimbledon women's doubles title with a 6-0, 6-0 rout of Hao-Ching Chan and Monica Niculescu in a 55-minute final.