Roger Federer said it would have been a big blow if he had lost his Wimbledon title to his Spanish nemesis Rafael Nadal on Sunday.
LONDON: Roger Federer said it would have been a big blow if he had lost his Wimbledon title to his Spanish nemesis Rafael Nadal on Sunday.
The Swiss world number one, widely regarded as one of the best players in history, lost in the French Open final to Nadal last month, his fifth successive defeat by the 20-year-old.
His 6-0, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 victory to clinch a fourth straight Wimbledon crown partly redressed the balance and Federer was clearly a relieved man afterwards.
"I'm very well aware of how important this match was for me," he said. "If I lose, obviously it's a hard blow for me and means he has won French, Wimbledon, back-to-back. I was twice in the finals. The French hurt alone. It's 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 to be the place for me to do it the easiest way. It turned out to be tough and it shows how much he's improved over maybe an entire year."
Federer said Sunday's final was a role reversal from their clash at Roland Garros where Nadal was on a 59-match unbeaten streak on clay and was seen as favourite.
"Maybe I had the pressure here that he had at the French Open," the 24-year-old said. "I was trying to break his clay court streak there and he tried to break my grass court streak here. It was kind of tough to play each other again."
Federer is relishing the evolving rivalry with the Mallorcan baseliner, who still leads their head to heads 6-2.
"I think when we play so often in finals it adds something to the game," said Federer. "I think now it's great. He's up and coming. I used to be the youngster. Now I'm getting older."
Federer raced through the first set in 24 minutes on a breezy Centre Court and looked on course to equal Bjorn Borg's 1976 feat of winning the title without dropping a set.
Nadal came back fighting, however, and Federer was given some anxious moments before sealing victory.
"The start was absolutely perfect. I played fantastic, didn't miss any shots," he said. "It was over in a hurry and I had momentum on my side. After that his nerves loosened up and he started to play better and also started to serve better. I'm not too disappointed to lose a set today, as long as it wasn't three. I could have maybe won in three but I also could have been down two sets to one at the same time."
After finally getting to grips with the tenacious Spaniard, Federer's next pressing concern was looking good at the evening's winner's ball and whether to wear his immaculate cream blazer that was a feature of the tournament.
"For tonight, I've got to be chic, so I guess I have no choice," he said.
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