The king is dead..

Talk about ripping up the script.

After 5 years of Roger Federer dominating Wimbledon, and after 3 years of personal hurt, Rafael Nadal has finally won Wimbledon, the one title that clay-court specialists seemingly never win. The one title that Federer has ruled with an iron fist for 5 years now. And it couldnt have been more dramatic.

The match began with Nadal coming out of the blocks quickly, and breaking Federer to lead 2-1. Nadal then held his nerve, and serve, to go 3-1 ahead. The rest of the set went according to plan for the Spainard, as Nadal eventually served for the set at 5-4, and did so successfully.

The second set was different, however. Federer quickly raced into a 3-0 lead, breaking Nadal early, and was more aggressive with his serve and around the net. The second set looked like a formality, but Nadal seemed to turn his game up a notch. Nadal held, and broke Federer twice. He then held again to take the set, and really take the iniative in this final. The formbook was truly being ignored.

Onto the third set, and a Nadal straight sets win was looking like a formality. At 3-3 and 0-40, Federer looked down and out, but 5 big serves brought him back from the brink of defeat. It was 5-4 to Federer when rain inevitabily hit Centre Court, and brought out a new improved Roger Federer.

Federer took the tie-break in the third set, and suddenly the crowd was behind the Champion. They wanted more tennis, and they got it. A classic was now in the making.

In the 4th set, the standard of play improved, and then some. Federer was more aggressive, more assertive. His serve was powerful, and his forehand was precise. Federer was back.

Neither player broke serve, which was testament to just how well they were playing. From Nadal's pass 10 feet from behind the baseline, to Federer's backhand winner which saved match point, this wasnt just tennis at its finest, this was sport at its very best. And centre court was hooked.

The fourth set tiebreak was something to behold. At 5-2 in the tiebreak, Nadal was serving for the title. He had the championship in his grasp. Nadal double faulted however, and seemingly the pressure had got to him. A poor point followed, and some big serving from Federer brought him back into the match. Eventually Federer won the tiebreak, 10-8, and this match had went the whole way. And no-one was complaining.

Set five, and anyone expecting a decline in the standard of play was to be mistaken. However, at 2-2 and deuce, rain fell again. The plot had thickened. Some were wondering if the final would be pushed to Monday, but luckily it passed fairly quickly, and the players came back to finish this epic, once and for all.

Back on court, and the tennis got even better, with both players thriving on the pressure, thriving on the atmosphere. At 3-4 with Nadal serving, Federer pushed for break point, but somehow Nadal held, showing nerves of steel.

Into the night it went, and at 8-7, Nadal had match point. He served to Federer's backhand, which was hit cleanly down the court to level things at 8-8. Something had to give.

Eventually though, it was Nadal who won it. At 8-7, Federer hit a forehand into the net, and Nadal was the winner. But for me, the real winner was tennis itself. A match that had everything, and a terrific advert for the sport. The best ever? In my lifetime, quite possibly.

As for Federer - he will be back, make no mistake. It took the heart of a champion to come back from 2 sets down like he did. He will come back stronger from this, true champions conquer adversity. Federer is no different.

Nadal? To do what he did was nothing short of remarkable. To win the French Open then Wimbledon takes some doing, taking into account the changes in playing style, and not to mention fatigue. There isnt a better player than him at the moment - he has set the standard, its up to others to match it. A difficult hard court season to follow for Rafa however, he needs to assert himself.

Not much else to say about the match itself - it was extrodinary, I felt mentally drained watching it. It was moments like yesterday that remind me why I love sport, and I felt privalleged to have watched it.