Federer takes Wimbledon title

WIMBLEDON, England -- The final day at Wimbledon was dry, until Roger Federer won the men's title.\nFederer sobbed in his courtside chair, then cried again while holding the trophy, overwhelmed by his achievement. He become the first Swiss man to earn a Grand Slam title Sunday, out-serving Mark Philippoussis to win 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (3).\nWhere did the tears come from?\n"They come from Switzerland," Federer said with a grin. "No, I don't know. I've cried a few times on big occasions. ... This tournament means so much to me."\nFederer totaled 21 aces and never faced a break point, while Philippoussis had 14 aces, 13 below his tournament average, and a costly double fault in the pivotal first tiebreaker.\nWhen Philippoussis hit a return into the net on match point, Federer sank to his knees, looked to the sky and smiled. He shook hands with Philippoussis, took a seat and wept, covering his eyes with his hands.\n"I was always joking around when I was a boy, 'I'm going to win this,'" a laughing Federer told the crowd during the trophy ceremony. "I never thought it possible to win a Grand Slam."\nAt the end of the ceremony, as the 21-year-old Federer thanked his Swiss supporters, he again began to cry. Then he lifted the trophy over his head as the Centre Court crowd roared.\n"He's a very emotional person, and that's nice for people to see," said his coach, Peter Lundgren.\nPerhaps the pressure of expectations played a part in his emotional display. Since ending Pete Sampras' 31-match Wimbledon winning streak in 2001, Federer has been praised for his elegant all-court game and touted as a future Grand Slam champion.\nHe fulfilled his potential Sunday.\nPhilippoussis, who hit 46 aces in a fourth-round win over Andre Agassi, cracked serves at up to 138 mph against Federer. But Federer often got them back, and he had the easier time holding serve, going to deuce only once.\nThe first tiebreaker turned when Philippoussis hit a double fault long to fall behind 6-4. Two points later he had a crack at a second serve from Federer and took a big swing, but it sailed eight feet wide to give Federer the set.\nA dispirited Philippoussis then lost his serve twice in a row and fell behind 4-0 in the second set.\n"I just pressed a little, and I guess pressed too much," he said. "That first set was big. It definitely gets the momentum going, and that's what happened."\nThe Australian held serve the rest of the way. But Federer took a 3-1 lead in the final tiebreaker with a lucky shot, a mishit forehand return that landed in the corner for a winner. Three subsequent errors by Philippoussis helped Federer close out the victory.\n"I didn't have one break point today, and he definitely returned a lot better than I did," Philippoussis said. "He took advantage of his chances, and it was too good."\nPhilippoussis was hoping to become just the third unseeded men's champion since Wimbledon began seeding players in 1927. His runner-up finish is the latest chapter in a comeback from a knee injury that required three operations and nearly ended his career.\n"There are a lot of positive things to take with me from the last two weeks," he said. "I'll definitely be back."\nThe No. 4-seeded Federer lost only one set in the tournament, the first man to do so since Richard Krajicek in 1996. He overcame a back injury that required treatment from a trainer during his fourth-round win.\n"I thought I had to throw in the white towel, but somehow I came through and my back got better and my game got better," Federer said. "It's just incredible. I don't know how I did it."\nWith his victory, seven men have won the past seven Grand Slam titles. That contrasts with the domination of the women's tour by Serena Williams, who beat sister Venus in Saturday's final and has won five of the past six major events.\nFederer improved to 12-0 this year on grass and has long excelled on the surface. He was the Wimbledon boys champion in 1998 and upset Sampras three years later at age 19.\nAnd against Philippoussis, he outplayed one of the hardest hitters in the sport.\nWith both players smacking big serves and following them to the net, the rallies were fast and furious, averaging less than 2 1/2 strokes. One of the few long exchanges came on the fifth point of the first tiebreaker, when both players stayed back and traded 15 shots, the last a forehand winner by Federer.\nCentre Court reverberated with cheers at the extended action.\nAfter 47 minutes, Federer earned the first break point and converted it when Philippoussis put a tough volley in the net. Another volley in the net gave Federer another break, and he held from there to close out the second set.\nTo reach the final, Philippoussis twice rallied from a set down, and once from two sets down. But against Federer there would be no comeback.\nThe 1-hour, 56-minute match might have been even shorter, but chair umpire Gerry Armstrong overruled a lineswoman's call with Philippoussis facing break point in the final set.\nPhilippoussis hit a second serve that the woman called out as Federer shanked his return. Armstrong immediately overruled the call and awarded the point to Philippoussis, rather than ordering it replayed.\nFederer frowned but did not argue. Philippoussis won the next two points for a 2-1 lead, and held serve from there. But he managed only one service winner and no aces in the final tiebreaker.\nFederer is the first former junior champion to win the men's title since Stefan Edberg, the winner in 1988 and 1990. He won $960,250.\nPhilippoussis received $480,125.