TENNIS Live

Wimbledon - Final - Men

Nationality Player Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5
SpainR Nadal66669
SwitzerlandR Federer44777

Roger Federer

Nationality SUI
Date of Birth 08/08/1981
Height 1.85 m
Weight 80 kg
ATP Ranking 2
Player Info Right-handed

Rafael Nadal

Nationality ESP
Date of Birth 03/06/1986
Height 1.85 m
Weight 85 kg
ATP Ranking 1
Player Info Left-handed; Two-handed backhand
 

Live Comments

  1. 21:26 - Thank you so much for following our LIVE coverage of this amazing Wimbledon final, likely the greatest in decades. It was the longest men's singles final in history at four hours and 48 minutes and we appreciate all of you who followed it with us.

  2. 21:25 - AND THE NEW WIMBLEDON CHAMPION RAFAEL NADAL: "This is my favourite tournament, for me to win on this court is a dream.... I'm playing in the same time as the best player in history, Roger Federer.... He's still number one, he's still the best, he still has five titles here, and I just have one."

  3. 21:24 - A surprisingly stoic Roger Federer not letting any emotion out: "I tried everything, it went a little late and everything, but look Rafa is a deserving champion, he just played incredible todayÂ…. He's the worst opponent on the best court, but it's been a joy again to play here, I know I couldn't win it under the circumstances, but I'll be back next year."

  4. WIN!! - GAME, SET, AND MATCH RAFAEL NADAL!!! Roger Federer sends the forehand error into the bottom of the net in the end, and the Spanish world number two truly deserves to be called the greatest player on the planet after beating the world number one 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7!! Nadal in near tears, hugs his great rival and immediately runs up to his box to pick up a Spanish flag from his family!! He then hops over to the royal box to shake some hands of Spanish royalty! The King of Spain has some sweaty hands now.....

  5. 40-AD - Service winner for a FOURTH CHAMPIONSHIP POINT!!

  6. 40-40 - HE SAVES ANOTHER ONE!!!!!!!!!!! Federer reaching for the phenomenal backhand winner!! That's a third MATCH POINT the world number one has saved, and he fights his way back to DEUCE. The Swiss still needs to BREAK for only the second time today.

  7. 30-40 - Federer sends the backhand error well wide, and Rafael Nadal has a third MATCH POINT!!

  8. 30-30 - Nadal probably could have left Federer's backhand pass, but instead he volleys it long!

  9. 15-30 - Nadal moves within two points, setting up another overhead smash at the net.

  10. 15-15 - SERVE AND SMASH!! Nadal is three points away.... That was the first serve-and-volley he's played after four hours and 15 minutes.

  11. 15-0 - The umpire calls for new balls, and Nadal is long with the forehand after the baseline rally.

  12. 8-7 - AND RAFA NADAL HAS BROKEN HIM!!! The French Open champion will serve for his first Wimbledon title!! After all he's done today, can Federer come back from this?

  13. 40-AD - Nadal has a fourth BREAK POINT!!

  14. 40-40 - Federer saves again with a service winner out wide!!

  15. 40-AD - Nadal earns another BREAK POINT!!

  16. 40-40 - And the second by bullying Nadal off of the court with the first serve to set up the comfortable forehand. Back to DEUCE.

  17. 30-40 - Federer saves the first with a 25th ace.

  18. 15-40 - Nadal with the perfectly angled cross-court backhand winner books another DOUBLE BREAK POINT!!

  19. 15-30 - Federer takes one back with a drop winner.

  20. 0-30 - Federer sends the forehand error into the net to again go down 0-30!!

  21. 7-7 - Shrieks of shock all over Centre Court, as Federer somehow manages to return a ball smashed right on the baseline, and Rafa still wins the point with the genius forehand winner!! That could take something out of the Swiss as the Spaniard holds to 30.

  22. 15-40 - Federer sends the forehand into the net. I'm exhausted just watching this match, I don't know how these men continue to do it.

  23. 7-6 - Federer edges ahead again.... Nadal blows another real chance, or should we say a heroic Federer makes another great save.

  24. AD-40 - Great forehand into the corner by Federer, he is taking all of his chances with his favourite shot at the very least.

  25. 40-40 - Another error from Federer and back to DEUCE.

  26. AD-40 - Nadal mis-hits horribly and allows Federer to get his AD back.

  27. 40-40 - FEDERER MISSES THE VOLLEY!! He had earned an open court by bullying Nadal off of the court, and he could only volley into the net! Back to DEUCE....

  28. 40-30 - And he gets to GAME POINT with the service winner!!

  29. 30-30 - And the huge first serve sets up the forehand into the corner!!

  30. 15-30 - FEDERER HITS THE ACE!!

  31. 0-30 - Federer drops his first two points on serve!! Nadal back within two points....

  32. 6-6 - And wraps up the hold with a service winner. The number of challenges for both players is reset back to three. No tie-break in a fifth set at Wimbledon of course. Somebody has to break....

  33. 15-40 - Nadal gets his GAME POINTS....

  34. 15-30 - Federer creeps into the game....

  35. 0-15 - This is officially the longest men's singles final in 28 years. Nadal stays ahead on serve with some fancy forehands.

  36. 6-5 - NADAL IS INTO THE NET AND FEDERER HOLDS!! The world number one escapes from 40-15 down on serve to again force Nadal to serve to stay in the match!

  37. 40-40 - And the second with a pair of mighty forehands!! DEUCE.....

  38. 30-40 - Federer saves the first with an ACE!

  39. 15-40 - Nadal hits a stunning forehand to earn DOUBLE BREAK POINT!!

  40. 15-30 - Uh, oh.... Federer volleys into the net, and Rafa Nadal is two points away from earning the chance to serve for this Championship....

  41. 15-15 - Federer drops his first point, but wins the second.

  42. 5-5 - Nadal holds. All level again.... Competing chants of "ROGER! ROGER!" and "RAFA! RAFA!" rain down now.

  43. 30-40 - Nadal books GAME POINT with a powerful approach shot.

  44. 30-30 - Another brilliant forehand from the top seed moves him within two points of retaining his title for a sixth straight time.

  45. 15-15 - Another long baseline rally results in a forehand error long from Nadal, a gust of wind harming the world number two's chances.

  46. 5-4 - Roger Federer holds as Rafa Nadal shanks the backhand wide! The Mallorcan will serve to stay in these Championships, and the crowd has now started chanting "ROGER! ROGER! ROGER!"

  47. 40-30 - Federer hits ace number 22 to get two GAME POINTS, but he blows the first after misfiring the forehand approach long.

  48. 30-15 - Some stirling defence from Roger Federer is not enough, as the Spaniard beats him with a big forehand into the corner that forces the Swiss long. He reclaims the edge with a huge first-serve that sets up the forehand winner on the approach.

  49. 4-4 - Nadal holds with another stunning net-point, and his father, Sebastian Nadal, is going ballistic in the player's box, pumping his fist in glee. Still all even in this fifth set.

  50. 40-AD - Federer shanks the backhand wide.

  51. 40-40 - Nadal saves with the overhead smash set up by his own gorgeous forehand into the corner. DEUCE.

  52. 40-30 - WOW-WAH-WEE-WAH!! Federer has the chance to BREAK after the perfect forehand winner into the corner!!

  53. 30-30 - Federer forces the Spaniard into the net to move within two points of the break....

  54. 15-15 - Federer takes the first point but Nadal produces the service winner. What mental toughness from the Spaniard, no short of what we've come to expect over these past three years.

  55. 4-3 - A LOVE-Service game for Roger Federer means that he leads in total points 174-172 in this amazing match. A BREAK here would be perfect for the world number one.

  56. 3-3 - Rafa responds with his own comfortable hold to 15. These two men have now been playing for four hours.

  57. 3-2 - Roger Federer holds with successive aces. We have about an hour left before this final gets postponed to tomorrow.

  58. 40-40 - Play now resumes with the fifth set knotted at 2-2 and Roger Federer serving at DEUCE.

  59. 20:18 - The two legends back on Centre Court..... Play to resume shortly.

  60. 20:12 - Rain has stopped, the covers are off, and the players are coming back out!! Maybe we will finish this classic at some point tonight! It all depends on the light and these two giants of the game....

  61. 20:05 - All England Club chief executive Ian Ritchie on tonight's current plans: "The forecast is that this is going to last for only 15 minutes or so... The other night we played to 9:40 or so... The minute it stops we will be back out there." The tents are coming up though.

  62. 19:55 - The claim is that this storm will pass within 15-20 minutes, and will allows us to get a bit more play before it becomes to dark to continue. There is virtually no way that this match is going to finish tonight, as it will have to be concluded tomorrow in all likelihood.

  63. 40-40 - A cheeky lob by Federer is battered right back past him, and Nadal works his way to DEUCE at 2-2 in this fifth set. But the rain has returned!! We can hardly take any more excitement, and the weather is going to prevent us from getting any for the time being. They could very well call play for the night, but we'll let you know shortly....

  64. 2-2 - Rafa holds to 15 with a service winner. We have not seen a break of serve since 4-4 in the second set.

  65. 2-1 - Federer pulls through the hold to DEUCE and leads in the final set.

  66. 40-40 - Brilliant drop shot by Rafa, who works his way back to DEUCE.

  67. 40-40 - Federer double faults to let Nadal back to DEUCE. That was his second.

  68. 15-15 - Federer whiffs what should have been a comfortable forehand after the ball just dies right in front of him.

  69. 1-1 - Rafa holds to 30.

  70. 1-0 - Federer holds to 30. He is now the favourite.

  71. 7-6 - That tie-break will go down in Wimbledon lore, Roger Federer saving two CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS and closing out the breaker 10-8 to send us to a fifth set! What drama.....

  72. TB9-8 - FEDERER HITS THE FOREHAND WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY TO SET UP THE PERFECT FOREHAND WINNER INTO THE OPPOSITE CORNER AND EARN A SET POINT ON HIS OWN SERVE!!

  73. TB8-8 - Nadal with a furious approach into the corner, but FEDERER EQUALS NADAL WITH AN AMAZING BACKHAND PASS UP THE LINE AND INTO THE FAR CORNER!!

  74. TB7-8 - Federer with an amazing forehand into the corner, BUT RAFA SOMEHOW REACHES IT AND SENDS THE FOREHAND WINNER RIGHT UP THE LINE!!! MATCH POINT ON HIS OWN SERVE NOW.....

  75. TB7-7 - SERVICE WINNER OUT WIDE..... Rafa's challenge is rejected by Hawk-Eye.

  76. TB6-7 - Federer sends the return just long, and Rafael Nadal has his CHAMPIONSHIP POINT.....

  77. TB6-6 - What a baseline rally, Federer returning everything with his backhand, but when he finally gets the chance at the forehand he whips it wide for the unforced error!! Even at the change of ends. Nadal has saved a SET POINT.

  78. TB6-5 - SERVICE WINNER DOWN THE T AND SET POINT ROGER FEDERER!!! WHAT AMAZING NERVE!!

  79. TB5-5 - BIG SERVE OUT WIDE AND FOREHAND WINNER!!

  80. TB4-5 - BACK ON SERVE!!! Federer hits a brilliant return of serve, and eventually forces the Mallorcan into the error!!

  81. TB3-5 - NADAL DOUBLE FAULTS!!! What a time to hit his third double... Still, two points away...

  82. TB2-5 - ANOTHER MINI-BREAK LOST!! Federer sends the backhand error wide, and Nadal just needs to hold these two serves to win the title....

  83. ----- - The chants of "RAFA, RAFA, RAFA!" are building to a crescendo.....

  84. TB2-4 - A great forehand winner gives Federer some home at the change of ends.

  85. TB1-4 - First-serve winner.... Nadal tightens the noose.

  86. TB1-3 - Service winner out wide.

  87. TB1-2 - Nadal claims a mini-break back, and then another as Federer sends the forehand wide!! All he has to do now is hold his serves and he will win Wimbledon!!

  88. TB1-0 - Federer wins an amazing rally, as Nadal gets the lunging backhand volley, and leaping overhead return of the lob, but is beaten with the subsequent pass. Brilliant stuff from both men.

  89. 6-6 - SECOND-SERVE WINNER AND WE HAVE OUR SECOND TIE-BREAK!!!!

  90. 40-30 - Serve-and-volley into the net....

  91. 40-15 - Serve-out-wide, forehand winner into opposite corner.

  92. 30-15 - Service winner....

  93. 15-15 - Another great baseline rally goes to Federer, but Nadal will challenge the call..... And the forehand was wide.

  94. 0-15 - Again Nadal gets the first point.

  95. 5-6 - The cool Swiss whips the forehand error just wide of the right tramline. He really should have had that shot. As it is, Nadal holds to 15 and Federer will again serve to stay in the Championships. We're now three hours and 15 minutes into this epic final.

  96. 5-5 - Federer fires an amazing forehand winner across court to hold to 30, and he saw that shot coming a mile away. Two points from losing the title, Federer has turned it around to put the pressure squarely on Rafael Nadal's shoulders.

  97. 40-30 - Nadal is long after the baseline rally, and Federer has won three straight to book a GAME POINT out of thin air!

  98. 30-30 - Great first serve, better forehand into the corner.

  99. 15-30 - Service winner from Federer.....

  100. 0-30 - Federer driving Nadal from side-to-side from the baseline, can't get anything past him and eventually goes to the drop shot, which Nadal easily reaches and sends back for his own winning drop. Federer tries to go to the net on the next point, and Rafa drills a gorgeous backhand pass to move within two points of the title.

  101. 4-5 - What a killer backhand pass from Rafa. The Spaniard then goes up 40-15 with a service winner, and holds to 15 after forcing the Swiss into the backhand error. Roger Federer will serve to stay in these Wimbledon Championships....

  102. 4-4 - Typically impressive from the world number one, he holds and seems to have completely regained the faith that this Wimbledon title belongs to him.

  103. 40-30 - Great serve out wide, better inside-out-forehand into the opposite corner. GAME POINT.....

  104. 30-30 - Again Federer serves and volleys into the net, and he's in a bit of a pickle....

  105. 15-15 - Federer hits a beautiful forehand right by the outstretched racket of the lunging Rafa for the clean winner. We are seeing some stupendous rallies now, as Nadal ultimately muscles Federer into the net with the bruising forehand into the DEUCE corner.

  106. 3-4 - Nadal holds to LOVE as Federer sends the backhand error into the net.

  107. 3-3 - A great forehand into the corner from the swashbuckling Swiss forces Nadal into the net with his backhand, and Federer confirms the hold to DEUCE with a service winner out wide.

  108. 40-40 - What was that!? Federer dumps the forehand error into the bottom of the net to let his great rival back to DEUCE.

  109. 2-3 - Federer sends his backhand approach right back at Nadal, and the Spaniard spots it perfectly to drill the backhand pass for the winner. He holds to 15.

  110. 2-2 - Federer goes ahead 40-0 on serve, Nadal hits an easy forehand pass for the winner, but the Swiss holds to 15 after running Nadal ragged in a lengthy baseline rally. Not often you hear that.

  111. 1-2 - Nadal pulls through the hold to 30 in the end.

  112. 30-30 - Federer wins a 14-stroke rally to go up 30-15 on Nadal's serve, and he's just going for every shot now. The Swiss makes a foolish move to the net, though, and Nadal blasts an easy backhand pass for the winner.

  113. 1-1 - Federer is looking so confident on serve now. He hits his 15th ace, followed by a service winner and a great inside-out forehand winner. At 40-0, though, he shanks an easy serve-and-volley effort. But another brilliant inside-out forehand winner allows him to hold to 15. I don't want to jinx anyone, but we could be in for a truly legendary comeback.

  114. 0-1 - Nadal opens up the third set with a comfortable hold to 15, wrapped up with the service winner.

  115. 7-6 - WE HAVE A FINAL ON OUR HANDS!! Federer wins the tie-break 7-5 with the huge first-serve out wide for his 14th ace!

  116. TB6-5 - Nadal saves the second with a service winner out wide.

  117. TB6-4 - Great forehand into the corner by Nadal sets up the easy overhead smash. First SET POINT saved.

  118. TB6-3 - Nadal bossing a baseline rally and forcing Federer out, as confirmed by Hawk-Eye. The Spaniard takes one mini-break back.... But Federer confirms the lead with a service winner out wide, he has a TRIPLE SET POINT.

  119. TB5-2 - Federer showing why he has been a king of this surface for so very long, drills another gorgeous forehand into the corner for the clean winner this time. He will have two serves to take the set.

  120. TB4-2 - SHOT!! What a return from Federer after the short second-serve from Nadal!! The defending champion takes the opening mini-break.

  121. TB3-2 - Back-to-back aces for the world number one. First down the T, second out wide. He now has 13.

  122. TB1-2 - Federer hits a huge first-serve, and has a chance for a great forehand approach, which Hawk-Eye confirms was in over-ruling the umpire. Replay a point that would have been a winner for Federer.

  123. TB1-2 - Nadal holds both of his serves, as Federer misses a couple of chances with the backhand

  124. TB1-0 - Federer opens up the breaker with his own gorgeous ace down the T.

  125. 6-6 - Nadal again rushes ahead 40-0 with some potent groundstrokes this time. And this time he holds with a brilliant ace down the T! Federer has won all three of his breakers in these Championships, while Nadal has won all four of his.

  126. 6-5 - Federer is offered a reprieve after his Hawk-Eye challenge overturns a double fault, and he takes advantage with a fine net point to get to 40-15 with a smash before wrapping up the hold to 15 with an ACE down the T! Nadal will serve to send us to an agonisingly dramatic tie-break.

  127. 5-5 - Rafa drives the Swiss off of the court with a huge serve out wide, and an even bigger forehand. Federer is forced to send the backhand into the net and the Spaniard comes through the nervy opening hold after the rain delay.

  128. 40-40 - Nadal unable to confirm a GAME POINT now....

  129. 40-40 - Nadal opens up with a service winner at 121mph, his fastest of the match. He then hits another monster ace down the T. This is not what Federer wanted to see. The Spaniard hits another service winner to go up 40-0. Federer takes back a couple of points with some very fine returns as Rafa falters on a couple of first serves, and the Swiss works his way back to DEUCE after Nadal hits a double fault!

  130. 5-4 - GAME ON!! Rafa will serve to stay in the third set.

  131. 18:00 - The sky is looking bright, the covers are off, and the players are already back on their way to Centre Court! This final about to continue, with Rafa Nadal leading Roger Federer 6-4 6-4 4-5. The Spaniard will serve to stay in the third set once we begin again in a matter of moments.

  132. 17:45 - It is brighter and the rain is lighter, but some showers are still falling and the covers are still up. Word is that play could start in 15 minutes, but we're not holding our breath.

  133. 17:40 - The rain is slowing down. Hopefully we'll get to see some play soon now....

  134. 17:20 - Still raining, as the waiting game continues. A dry period is reportedly coming soon, but we will let you know. The umbrellas are up on Henman Hill, and the crowds are all watching stock footage of Bjorn Borg on the big screen. We wish we were only so lucky.

  135. 17:02 - Latest update is that it's going to take between twenty minutes and one hour for this final to start up again. We'll let you know....

  136. 16:51 - OH NO AGAIN!! The rain has started to fall again, and the cover is coming up over Centre Court! The two men walk off of the Centre Court and head for the locker rooms as this final will face a further delay. This could be hugely advantageous for Roger Federer. Stay tuned right here, as we will keep you updated on the weather in this dramatic final.

  137. 5-4 - Federer holds another nervy service game to 30. Again his first-serve bailed him out. Nadal will serve to stay in the third set.

  138. 4-4 - Nadal plays a solid service game, Federer shanks a forehand error and the Spaniard holds to 15 with ease.

  139. ----- - The clouds starting to move in overhead....

  140. 4-3 - Two more service winners and Federer holds! Could this be the start of one of the great Wimbledon fightbacks?

  141. 40-40 - And Rafa hits a return of serve error on the third!! Federer has saved three crucial BREAK POINTS of his own!! Remember, he needed two tie-breaks to beat Rafa in five sets last year.

  142. 30-40 - Federer hits a service winner on the second....

  143. 15-40 - Nadal into the net on the first.....

  144. 0-40 - TRIPLE BREAK POINT!!

  145. 0-30 - Nadal quickly goes up on Federer's serve with a stupendously chipped backhand winner!

  146. 3-3 - An attacking point by Rafael Nadal ends in a massive leaping overhead smash. And the 22-year-old Mallorcan holds serve after frustrating Federer even further. The Swiss has converted just 1-of-12 BREAK POINTS. This is reminding us of last year's Roland Garros final, in which Federer finished the match 1-of-17 on BREAK POINTS.

  147. 40-40 - Another brilliant forehand winner from the top seed allows him to earn yet another BREAK POINT, and again Nadal saves with a deep backhand return that forces Federer into the error. The world number one's Hawk-Eye challenge is summarily rejected by the replay technology. DEUCE again.

  148. 40-40 - The Swiss books an 11th BREAK POINT chance, but again Nadal saves as Federer hits the volley error into the net.

  149. 40-40 - And another limp backhand return of serve into the net allows Nadal back to DEUCE. No emotion from the world number one. Has he lost belief?

  150. 40-30 - Backhand error on the return as Nadal saves another....

  151. 40-15 - Nadal shouts "COME ON!" at himself, waving his racket in horror as he hits the backhand error wide. Federer, who is one-for-eight on BREAK chances today, earns yet another DOUBLE BREAK POINT.....

  152. 3-2 - Federer rushes through the LOVE-Service game....

  153. 2-2 - Nadal holds.......

  154. 40-40 - Nadal sees that the ball is out by about three millimetres, calls on one of his Hawk-Eye challenges, and gets it right. So he saves the BREAK POINT! DEUCE.

  155. 40-30 - Rafa saves the first with a cross-court forehand winner.

  156. 40-15 - Federer bosses two more rallies and wins a couple more points at the net, finishing off that last point with a 90mph forehand volley winner. The Swiss earns himself a DOUBLE BREAK POINT....

  157. 0-15 - Rafa bouncing around the court with typical ease, showing no signs of injury, wins the point on a long baseline rally though Federer's final shot was actually in when it was called out.

  158. ----- - Good sign. In the end there will be no injury time-out.

  159. 2-1 - Federer holds to 15 with a service winner, and Nadal discusses what is hopefully not a serious injury in Spanish with the trainer. The trainer going feel the knee and assess the injury, before the proper injury time-out when he will actually treat it.

  160. 30-0 - OH NO!! Rafael Nadal slips at the baseline falling to his right knee, and is slow to get up, he hobbles towards his equipment, but is going to continue to play this game without seeing the trainer.

  161. 1-1 - Federer sends the unforced error wide and Nadal earns the hold to 30.....

  162. 1-0 - Federer opens the third set with a hold to LOVE. The top seed has an amazing mountain to climb now though.

  163. 4-6 - Federer sends the backhand error into the net, and Rafael Nadal leads two sets to LOVE. The five-time defending champion on the brink of losing his Wimbledon title, and Rafael Nadal on the edge of winning his first!

  164. 40-AD - SET POINT.....

  165. 40-40 - Despite a mighty impressive forehand into the corner from Federer, Nadal somehow manages to keep the point alive and the Swiss ultimately sends the error into the net!! The wind starting to wreak havoc and we're back to DEUCE.

  166. AD-40 - NADAL SHANKS A SQUASH DROP SHOT!! Federer has a BREAK POINT....

  167. 40-40 - Nadal hits an amazing backhand pass from the far DEUCE corner to book his SET POINT, but Federer saves by attacking the Spaniard's forehand!! Back to DEUCE.... What tension.

  168. 30-30 - Nadal is two points away from the set..... He gets a code violation for taking too long to serve.

  169. 4-5 - Rafa just bosses the long baseline rally before hitting the massive forehand winner to BREAK AGAIN!! He will serve for a two sets to LOVE lead!! Federer shouting in frustration, and looking at the crowd over what he thinks is excessive noise!! A very irritated Roger Federer in a very tough spot....

  170. 15-40 - Federer saves the first with a big serve out wide and a bigger forehand winner.

  171. 0-40 - NADAL ON THE BRINK!! He has earned himself a TRIPLE BREAK POINT.

  172. 4-4 - Federer hits a horrid unforced forehand error, and Rafa closes out the hold with a service winner.

  173. 40-40 - Another unforced forehand error by Nadal earns Federer another BREAK POINT, but Rafa saves with the service winner.

  174. 40-40 - An atypical forehand error from Rafa allows Federer back to DEUCE.

  175. 30-30 - Some astonishing defensive backhands from both players, as each drives the other off of the court, but each is able to somehow return to the rally! Federer ultimately wins the point by pushing Nadal completely off of the court. He does similarly in the next point and battles to 30-30 on Nadal's serve.

  176. 4-3 - Uh, oh! Nadal has broken back to 30 with a commanding display, drilling a forehand that forces Federer into the error at the net! This set is suddenly back in play!!

  177. 4-2 - Federer sends a limp backhand error into the net and Nadal holds to 30.

  178. 4-1 - Federer just ripping through his service game now, firing service winner after service winner after ace. The top seed has seven aces now. He holds to LOVE again after Nadal sends the backhand error into the net. The Swiss in complete command of this second set.

  179. 3-1 - Nadal gets on the scoreboard in this second set with a service winner for the hold to 15.

  180. 3-0 - Federer regaining that legendary cool and confidence. He sends another forehand winner down the line and blasts another into the AD corner to force the lefty into the backhand error. At 40-15, though, Nadal hits a stupendous return of serve for the pass winner off of Federer's serve-and-volley effort. Still, the Swiss confirms the BREAK with a hold to 30 off of the service winner. That's what we're used to seeing from the world number one.

  181. 2-0 - Great returning from Federer that time, he's taking Nadal's second serves to the backhand with his forehand in the DEUCE court, and it's starting to pay off as he's earned a BREAK POINT.... And Federer confirms this time!! The Swiss with a great defensive return of serve, fights his way into the point and drills a great forehand pass for the winner and the early BREAK advantage!

  182. 30-30 - Another huge point, and another uncharacteristic error! Federer slaps the return of second serve into the net with his forehand..... And he can't do enough with the drop-volley on the next point as Nadal easily takes the backhand pass down the line.

  183. 30-0 - Federer with a great drop sets up an easy volley winner to go ahead 15-0. Federer than plays some spectacular defence with his backhand, before pulling the old switch-eroo on Nadal and blasting the forehand winner down the line at 93mph! Good stuff.

  184. 1-0 - Federer hits his fourth ace to rush ahead 40-0. He holds to LOVE with the unreturnable serve. If he could only start to play the big points like he used to play them, Federer could very well get back into this final.

  185. ----- - London mayor Boris Johnson in the crowd today as we do some more star spotting.

  186. 4-6 - Nadal earns a third SET POINT, and this time he confirms after the baseline rally, going to Federer's backhand just one too many times as the Swiss eventually hits the error into the net from his weaker side. Roger Federer will have to come back from a SET down to win this title.

  187. 40-40 - And this time he dumps the meek backhand return of a completely returnable second serve into the net! Terrible mistake, and possibly incredibly costly. Back to DEUCE.

  188. AD-40 - Federer, attacking Nadal's forehand regularly now, earns a second BREAK BACK POINT!

  189. 40-40 - Nadal earns a second SET POINT with a service winner, but Federer saves with a great backhand return of a second serve to set up the winning forehand into the corner. Back to DEUCE. A game worthy of these two men being played now.....

  190. 40-40 - Nadal saves with a great forehand into the body with Federer sending the volley return just long. DEUCE.

  191. AD-40 - Federer goes to the net and anticipates perfectly, drilling Nadal's forehand for the lunging volley winner!! He has a BREAK BACK POINT....

  192. 40-40 - Nadal gets to SET POINT with a brutal 96mph forehand winner down the line, but Federer saves with a gorgeous backhand winner up the line after the lucky let cord from Rafa! DEUCE.

  193. 30-30 - Federer goes up 30-15 on Rafa's serve with a fine volley winner, but shanks a backhand well long. Hawk-Eye confirms the error and Federer loses one of his three challenges for this opening set. Might as well use them now.

  194. ----- - Just for the record, Nadal's record this year is astonishing: He reached the final in Chennai, the semis in Melbourne, the last 16 in Rotterdam, the quarter-finals in Dubai, the semis in Indian Wells, the final in Miami, won the title in Monte Carlo, another in Barcelona, another in Hamburg after withdrawing from Rome injured, ANOTHER at Roland Garros, AND YET ANOTHER AT QUEEN'S CLUB! The man is a winner, pure and simple and he has been the best player on Tour this year.

  195. 4-5 - Federer rushes ahead 40-0 with his third ace. He wraps up the LOVE-Service game with the service winner out wide and Nadal will now serve for the opening set.

  196. 3-5 - Federer battering the backhand into the corner than charging for the net, but he is not as quick as he could be and dumps the running forehand volley into the net. Nadal rushes ahead 40-0 with the service winner. Federer takes one point back with a drop shot and lob, which Nadal somehow reaches but sends well wide with the through the legs effort. Federer sends the forehand error long and Nadal holds to 15. The Swiss will serve to stay in the first set.

  197. 3-4 - When it's good, it's really good, Federer demonstrates with his backhand, sending a perfectly angled shot across court at 102mph with amazing elegance. Federer then goes to the serve-and-volley for the first time after Tim Henman notes that he has yet to do so, hitting a lovely shoe-string drop-volley winner. He holds to 30 when Nadal shanks a backhand wide after another baseline rally. The Swiss still in striking distance. This is where Venus Williams turned the tables on her sister Serena in yesterday's women's final, but the mood feels different today.

  198. 2-4 - Roger sends a meek backhand approach into the net and Rafael goes up 30-15. The sun is shining over Centre Court for the moment. Rafa refuses to let Federer get to the net, drilling a beautiful forehand pass for the winner. He holds to 15 after Federer hits another unforced backhand error wide.

  199. 2-3 - Federer breezes through the LOVE-Service game, wrapping it up with an ace out wide. A bit of blue skies overhead, so that could be a good sign. So far the final is living up to it's billing in the drama department.

  200. 1-3 - Federer sends the backhand return of serve into the net and Nadal holds. No Doubt frontwoman Gwen Stefani and her husband and Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale spotted in the Federer box today.

  201. 40-40 - After 14 straight to the backhand, Nadal sends a serve to Fed's forehand and he turns it around very quickly to save a GAME POINT. There is some logic behind Rafa's strategy obviously. DEUCE.

  202. 40-40 - Federer comes from 0-40 down to earn his chance to BREAK BACK.... But Nadal saves as Federer goes long with the forehand error after the deep return from the Spaniard. Back to DEUCE.

  203. 40-40 - As he did for almost the entire French Open final, Nadal has yet to serve to Federer's forehand. It was a strategy that let Federer take just three games off of him at Roland Garros. Federer knows it's coming on the second serve this time, however, and takes it with his forehand despite the serve down the T, eventually setting up a great backhand winner after taking control of the point. The Swiss then battles back to DEUCE with a fine net point.

  204. 0-40 - Nadal completely dominating that first point on serve with some stunning angles, bullying the world number one along the baseline before finishing him off with a forehand winner into the corner on the approach. An inside-out forehand winner puts Nadal up 30-0. And another phenomenal forehand angle gets him ahead 40-0.

  205. 1-2 - Federer being pressed a bit on serve already. He has only dropped serve twice in these Championships, but gifts Nadal an early BREAK POINT with a backhand error into the net. And the Spaniard strikes first!! A deep return of serve causes Federer to miss awkwardly with his backhand and Rafa leads!

  206. 1-1 - The crowd is loving this as Federer hits a phenomenal volley that lands right on the left tramline, angled perfectly for the winner. Federer shanks a backhand and Nadal goes ahead 40-15. Rafa then hits a rare double fault, but still holds to 30 after Federer fires a rare forehand error. Even the greats can have a bit of nerves. An ominous dark cloud is in the distance and we won't likely get a full, uninterrupted match today. Level in the first set.

  207. 1-0 - Based on the first point alone, we appear in for a stormer. A lengthy baseline rally is concluded with a brilliant forehand winner from the second seed who takes the opening point. Federer wins the next couple of points by forcing the Spaniard into errors, and hits a couple of gorgeous forehands to go up 40-15 before holding serve with his first ace of the match, a lovely effort right down the T.

  208. 0-0 - The 2008 Wimbledon final is underway and Roger Federer serves first!!

  209. 14:30 - Both men still looking very comfortable as we're set to start.

  210. 14:26 - The young boy "Blair" who does the coin toss is a bit premature, and has to redo it, this time waiting until after it's been called. Federer ultimately wins the second toss and opts to serve. Nadal already into his pre-match run around his court and the warm-ups have begun. We're just moments away now......

  211. 14:24 - The two men are both on court, both wearing jackets, and ready for the coin toss.

  212. ----- - Federer reveals a slight discomfort with the pomp of entering the court for a Wimbledon final, where players don't even carry their own rackets: "You feel a little bit awkward because you're not carrying your own bags, so you feel a little bit empty."

  213. 14:22 - The players have given their pre-match interviews. Nadal is very stoic about his chances and about the weather: "The rain is for both, so no problems, I just accept the weather conditions, accept everything."

  214. ----- - Some more great stats: Federer has won a record 65 consecutive matches on grass. Nadal has spent a record 154 consecutive weeks as the world number two, while Federer has been the top player on the planet for a record 231 weeks.

  215. 14:15 - NADAL IS HUMBLE ABOUT THE RIVALRY: "I'm not one to say what level is the rivalry between Roger and me. We're going to play the sixth final in a Grand Slam, so that's a lot important matches. Some more Masters Series finals, some important the rest finals. So sure it is a nice rivalry because we are No. 1 and No. 2. That's the main rivalry, because if someone is No. 1 and the other one is No. 5 it doesn't matter. But for the last years we did well, and I hope continuing like this for a lot of years."

  216. 14:12 - GREAT NEWS!! The rain has abated, the covers are up and the "voice of Wimbledon" has announced that play will begin shortly. We could ultimately get a 14:30 start.

  217. ----- - FEDERER CONTINUED: "With his results that he hasn't been No. 1, it's also quite unbelievably tough for him, and hard for whoever has been behind Rafa as well, to never become No. 2, as well. I'm very happy with my run in Paris. He's probably very happy with his run here in Wimbledon. We want a piece of each world, but the other person hasn't given in yet. I think it's a great rivalry."

  218. 14:10 - ROGER FEDERER ON THIS GREAT RIVALRY: "I think it's quite incredible actually, that we played each other so many times on big occasions. Okay, you could think that that would happen because we're No. 1 and No. 2 in the world. But I've been No. 1 for 231 weeks, I think he's been No. 2 for over 150 weeks, all in a row. He's never lost his No. 2 position either."

  219. 14:00 - Back in 2006, Switzerland's world number one needed just four sets to beat the young French Open champion 6-0 7-6(5) 6-7(2) 6-3, while last year he needed five sets in an epic 7-6(7) 4-6 7-6(3) 2-6 6-2 clash that lasted three hours and 45 minutes on Centre Court. Federer needed 24 aces in order to see him through to victory, while both men hit 70 percent (71 percent) on first serve. We can only hope that today's match, when it starts, will provide equal entertainment.

  220. 13:55 - In the meantime we can look at some more statistics in this great rivalry. These two great champions have met 17 times with Nadal holding the lifetime edge 11-6 largely due to the fact that ten of their meetings came on clay (Rafa nine of them and claimed a pair of hardcourt victories in Miami and Dubai in 2004 and 2006). Nadal has beaten Federer for four straight years at the French Open, including the past three years in the final and also including a 6-1 6-3 6-0 thumping in this year's final. Federer has beaten Nadal to the Wimbledon title in the last two finals.

  221. 13:50 - This long awaited final has been officially delayed due to pouring rain all over southwest London. The final has been pushed back one hour to 3 pm for the time being. We'll keep you updated the second we have any further information.

  222. ----- - Rafa Nadal's road to the final: 1st round bt Andreas Beck 6-4 6-4 7-6, 2nd round bt Ernests Gulbis 5-7 6-2 7-6 6-3, 3rd round bt Nicolas Kiefer 7-6 6-2 6-3, 4th round bt Mikhail Youzhny 6-3 6-3 6-1, quater-finals bt Andy Murray 6-3 6-2 6-4, semi-finals bt Rainer Schuettler 6-1 7-6 6-4.

  223. ----- - As for the respective road to the final from these two, Roger Federer has not dropped a set on his way to the final and Nadal has lost only one. Federer's road: 1st round bt Dominik Hrbaty 6-3 6-2 6-2, 2nd round bt Robin Soderling 6-3 6-4 7-6, 3rd round bt Marc Gicquel 6-3 6-3 6-1, 4th round bt Lleyton Hewitt 7-6 6-2 6-4, quarter-finals bt Mario Ancic 6-1 7-5 6-4, semi-finals bt Marat Safin 6-3 7-6 6-4.

  224. ----- - No matter what the result today, history will be made. Roger Federer is hoping to become the first man in the Open Era to win six Wimbledon titles, and also the first since William Renshaw from 1881-86 to do so. Nadal is looking to become the first man to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year since Bjorn Borg in 1980.

  225. ----- - Welcome to LIVE text comments and scoring of the men's Wimbledon final, starting from 14:00 BST right here on eurosport.yahoo.com (provided the rain holds off).

ATP Race 2008

Points
1 Rafael Nadal 1175 stay
2 Novak Djokovic 785 stay
3 Roger Federer 721 stay
4 Nikolay Davydenko 387 stay
5 Andrew Murray 380 stay
6 David Ferrer 322 stay
7 James Blake 294 stay
8 Andy Roddick 279 stay
9 Stanislas Wawrinka 256 stay
10 Nicolas Almagro 238 stay

Full Table »