Wimbledon | Rafael Nadal prevails in epic match

WIMBLEDON, England — In near darkness, one of the greatest tennis matches ever played concluded with Roger Federer hitting a short forehand into the net and with Rafael Nadal flat on his back on the grass — as flashbulbs lit up his exhausted, elated face.

Nadal's 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7 victory signified the end of a record-tying title streak at Wimbledon and perhaps the end of an era, too.

No one had beaten Federer at Wimbledon or on any grass court since 2002; he had reeled off five consecutive singles titles here and 65 consecutive victories on grass. Nadal had come the closest, in last year's final. He pushed his friendly rival to five sets before ending up in tears in the locker room as Federer equaled Bjorn Borg's modern men's record with his fifth title in a row.

That emotional match immediately took its place among the best Wimbledon finals, but this five-set classic that lasted 4 hours, 48 minutes — played on a rainy, gusty Sunday — was more exciting and also the longest final in the history of a tournament first played in 1877.

"Probably my hardest loss, by far," Swiss superstar Federer said. "I mean, it's not much harder than this right now."

Federer, the No. 1 seed, saved two match points in the fourth set tiebreak and was two points away from victory with Nadal serving in the 10th game of the fifth set on Centre Court. But Nadal, like his opponent, has a powerful will as well as a powerful forehand.

And though the 22-year-old Spaniard had to keep serving to stay in the match down the stretch in fading light, he eventually wrested control of the fifth set from Federer, breaking his serve in the 15th game to go up 8-7. Nadal served for the title — and though Federer saved a third match point with a bold backhand return Nadal could not handle, he could not save the next one.

Nadal dropped to the grass, his racket flying out of his left hand, and among those standing and cheering in the front row of the royal box were Manuel Santana and Borg. Nadal joined them both Sunday, by becoming the first Spanish man to win here since Santana in 1966 and by becoming the first man to complete the French Open-Wimbledon double since Borg in 1980.

Nadal, as is his wont, did not strike a triumphant tone in victory. He has long been deeply respectful of Federer and his tennis in public, even as he has built a 12-6 career record against him and beaten him in the last three French Open finals.

"He's still the best," Nadal said of the 26-year-old Federer. "He's still five-time champion here. Right now, I have one. So for me, it's a very, very important day."

Federer will continue to be ranked No. 1 in the world this week, but this has clearly been Nadal's season. Nadal has victories in two of the first three major tournaments. In the other, Federer was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals.

Though Federer came into 2008 hoping to match American Pete Sampras' career record of 14 Grand Slam event titles, he is holding at 12, with his only tournament victories this year coming in relatively minor events in Estoril, Portugal, and Halle, Germany.

But Federer responded like a champion to Nadal's pressure Sunday.

Down by two sets to love, he worked his way back into contention, weathering an 81-minute rain delay late in the third set, and forcing a fifth set by saving two match points in the fourth-set tiebreak.

Federer saved the first at 6-7 with a service winner.

He saved the second match point at 7-8 with a pressure-proof backhand passing-shot winner down the line after Nadal had pulled Federer wide with a tightly angled forehand approach shot.

Two points later, Federer completed his escape by hitting a second serve to Nadal's two-handed backhand that Nadal returned long.

No man since Henri Cochet in 1927 has come back to win a Wimbledon final after losing the first two sets.

"Rafa keeps you thinking, and that's what the best players do to each other in the end," Federer said. "That's what we both do to each other."

Federer made clear afterward he was not pleased that play continued despite the low visibility near the end.

"It's rough on me now, obviously, you know, to lose the biggest tournament in the world over maybe a bit of light," he said.

Nadal said, "In the last game, I didn't see nothing."

Was it the best match ever?

"I don't know if it's the best," Nadal said.

A moment later, he added, "Probably. Probably the best, yes."