Wimbledon 2017: Roger Federer wins eighth title

Roger Federer, just short of his 36th birthday, now stands alone after a record eighth title. Tears of joy for the Swiss followed mid-match tears of pain for beaten Marin Cilic.

Roger Federer savours victory in the final. Picture: Getty Images

On the Centre Court grass he has made his own, Roger Federer now stands alone.

A straight sets victory over Croatia’s Marin Cilic, showcasing all the grace and skill that has made him tennis’ ageless icon, vaulted the Swiss beyond Pete Sampras and William Renshaw to an eighth Wimbledon title and confirmed him indisputably as the finest men’s champion in the All England Club’s 140-year history.

With his elegant single handed backhand sweeps, Federer once again dominated the centre court on his favoured Wimbledon grass, defying his 35 years to trounce his sobbing Croatian opponent, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. He will now move up into number three in the world and looks likely to battle Rafael Nadal for the end-of-year top spot.

Federer sat in his chair wiping away tears of happiness and then thanked his family and support team as his wife Mirka, nine-year-old daughters Charlene and Myla and three-year-old sons Lenny and Leo looked on.

The pieces of eight.#Wimbledon @rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/T8DoPupIIl

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 16, 2017

Federer said it was magical that he had come through the tournament feeling so great and not dropping s set. He said it had been tough losing to Novak Djokovic in 2014 and 2015 but he always believed he could come back.

“I kept on believing and dreaming and it’s fantastic,’’ he said. “It is such a special court, so many legends have marked this court … I hope it’s not my last match and I hope I can come back next year and defend my title.’’

Cilic was rumoured to have come into the match with an injury, Australian star Pat Cash told the BBC, and Cilic broke down in tears as he took an injury break midway through the second set having lost the first set and down a break in the second.

2003 🏆
2004 🏆
2005 🏆
2006 🏆
2007 🏆
2009 🏆
2012 🏆
2017 🏆

The moment @rogerfederer won #Wimbledon title No.8 pic.twitter.com/rMzNNA6M0K

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 16, 2017

He swallowed some anti-inflammatories and received treatment on his left foot but couldn’t counter Federer’s power.

Federer’s decision to concentrate on the majors to preserve his tennis longevity has proven to be a masterstroke. This year’s superb successes: Wimbledon, on top of the Australian Open has resuscitated the most glorious of careers and rocketed him to the top in the men’s game and allowed his legion of fans an extended opportunity to savour his style.

Through the years: Fed’s great 8

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On last night’s performance who would have believed he had been without a grand slam title for five years between 2013 and 2017?

Federer in full flight. Picture: AFP

To the raptures of the centre court crowd, Federer looked as agile as he was in 2003 when he won his first Wimbledon crown, beating Australia’s hope Mark Philippoussis and as excited as when he first came to the world’s attention, beating Sampras in the 2001 Wimbledon fourth round clash in five thrilling sets.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge look on from the centre court royal box. Picture: Getty

Officials in his hometown of Basel, Switzerland first recognised his greatness, naming a street after him when he came fourth at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, vindicating his decision as a teenager to forego dreams of playing football for Basel FC to concentrate on his tennis. Now a father of two sets of twins, Federer’s trophy cabinet is laden with awards and silverware from his 19 grand slam victories and he has even won two cows, called Juliette and Desiree after victories at the Swiss Open.

Roger Federer celebrates victory with the trophy. Picture: Getty

Federer could play until 40

Federer said it was magical and disbelieving that he came through the tournament feeling so great and not dropping a set. He said it had been tough losing to Novak Djokovic in 2014 and 2015 but always believed he could come back.

”I kept on believing and dreaming and its fantastic. It is such a special court, so many legends marked this court. I hope its not my last match and hope I can come back next year and defend my title.”

Afterwards in a lengthy press conference, and wearing a Ro8er T-shirt, Federer described himself as only working “part-time” and has been surprised that a decision to focus on his fitness and rest from the tour, including the French open and clay court matches, had paid such rich dividends.

He admitted he was surprised to have won two grand slams this year.

“I love playing the big stages still. I don’t mind the practice. I don’t mind the travel. Because I’m playing a little less, I actually get more time in return. I feel like I’m working part-time these days almost, which is a great feeling,” he said.

When asked if he could play until 40, Federer said it would be feasible, if the mix of rest, recovery, practice and health was optimal.

“I mean, you would think so, if health permitting, and like you say, if everything is okay,’’ he said.

“You could take 300 days off beforehand, just prepare for Wimbledon, put yourself in a freeze box, then you come out and train a bit, you know you’re not going to be injured.

“Yeah, playing Wimbledon and winning Wimbledon are two separate things. Don’t forget that. The problem with not playing, you take a chance on your health, too, in some ways, because matches actually are the real — what do you call it — the measuring stick. Because you can practice as good as you want, you can feel as good as you want in practice, but when the pressure comes in the matches, the nerves, the stomach, how you feel it, everything that happens like today before the match, you can’t recreate that in a practice.

“You don’t know how your body is going to react to that kind of pressure when you’re moving, you’re not free, you’re tense. That’s why you always need to have the right balance between practice, matches and vacation.

“At some stage you have to play a minimum of matches, otherwise you’re just not going to be successful any more. That’s going to be the interesting thing moving forward, how I’m going to be able to manage that.’’

Croatia's Marin Cilic receives treatment during a change of ends break. Picture: AP

Cilic in tears

Cilic said he had been hampered throughout the match by a huge foot blister that developed during the semi-final against Sam Querrey. He said doctors anaesthetised the area before the game but it became worse especially at the latter stages of the first set. He admitted his emotional outburst was a combination of the pain and the reality that he couldn’t play his best on such a big occasion.

“It was very, very difficult to deal with it, you know, it didn’t hurt so much that it was putting me in tears. It was just that feeling that I wasn’t able to give the best,’’ Cilic said.

Cilic said he tried to change his match tactics to limit movement across the court.

“Obviously in the match I tried to change it up and tried to play serve and volley, not to put myself in a situation where I have to move laterally left and right, and try to just do something different.

“But still, you know, I was a break down and Roger was playing really well. Serve and volley is actually not something that I’m so used to.’’

Cilic said the match was “devastating” for him, but he would reflect on his grass improvement in the past fortnight, which has made him extremely happy.

“This will give me much more confidence, much more strength for the rest of the year,” he said.