Roger Federer won a record eighth Wimbledon title and became the tournament’s oldest champion on Sunday with a straight-sets victory over injury-hit Marin Cilic who dramatically broke down in tears midway through the final.
Federer claimed his 19th Grand Slam title 6-3, 6-1, 6-4, and at 35 is Wimbledon’s oldest men’s winner of the modern era, succeeding Arthur Ashe, who was almost 32 when he won in 1976.
The incomparable Swiss turned his 11th Wimbledon final into a procession as tearful seventh seed Cilic, battling his nerves and a blister, suffered a torrid afternoon. In pain from the blister, his legs appearing tied together and his mind in turmoil, Cilic seemed on the verge of quitting as the tears flowed and the crowd murmured in embarrassment.
Roger Federer described Cilic’s predicament as “cruel” after ending his torment with an ace after one hour 41 minutes.
Cilic beat Federer in the U.S. Open semi-finals before going on to claim his sole major in 2014. A repeat of that sweet victory was not to be as the Swiss took advantage of the Croat’s injury.
“I couldn’t tell what it was,” Federer said. “But if I saw him limping around, or if I saw him pull up hurt, I would start to think, maybe I’ll throw in a dropshot to really check him out, then one more, because that’s what you do.You need to hurt him where it hurts already.”
Roger Federer surpasses Pete Sampras and William Renshaw, who won their seventh titles in 2000 and 1889 respectively, with only Martina Navratilova still ahead in terms of Wimbledon singles titles on nine. He has won two of the three Grand Slam titles so far this year, having returned from a six-month break to win the Australian Open in January this year.
With 19 major titles he extends his lead over Rafael Nadal in the men’s game to four, and now stands joint-fourth on the all-time list with Helen Wills Moody, five behind Margaret Court on 24.
In winning the tournament without the loss of a set, Federer matched the 1976 feat of Swede Bjorn Borg and his own run 10 years ago at the Australian Open.