Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates with the trophy after beating Croatia's Marin Cilic in the Men's Singles final match on day thirteen at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London Sunday, July 16, 2017. (Daniel Leal-Olivas/Pool Photo via AP) </s> Roger Federer is one victory away from a ninth Wimbledon title. Four-time champion Novak Djokovic is standing in the way. Federer and Djokovic will meet in the men's final at the All England Club for the third time. Djokovic won both of those previous matchups, in 2014 and 2015. Federer did get the better of Djokovic at Wimbledon on Centre Court once, beating the Serb in the semifinals in 2012. Federer, who is 37, is going for his 21st major title, while Djokovic, 32, is eyeing his 16th. Djokovic leads their head-to-head series 25-22, including 9-6 at Grand Slam tournaments.

Switzerland's Roger Federer returns to Spain's Rafael Nadal in a Men's singles semifinal match on day eleven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 12, 2019. (Adrian Dennis/Pool Photo via AP)

3 - Unforced errors made by Simona Halep, the fewest on record in a Wimbledon final.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"The day I stop fighting for equality and for people that look like you and me will be the day I'm in my grave." - Serena Williams, responding to a reporter's question at her post-match news conference.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns to Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in a Men's singles semifinal match on day eleven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 12, 2019. (Andy Rain/Pool Photo via AP)

Romania's Simona Halep poses with the trophy after defeating United States' Serena Williams during the women's singles final match on day twelve of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

United States' Serena Williams reacts after losing a point to Romania's Simona Halep, background right, during the women's singles final match on day twelve of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland) </s> Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates defeating Rafael Nadal of Spain in the men's singles semifinal match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in London, Saturday July 14, 2018. (Andrew Couldridge, Pool via AP) </s> All eyes will be on Melbourne Sunday night as one of tennis’ great storybook rivalries writes another chapter.

In a return to the golden age of their careers, 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer faces 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in 2017 Australian Open Men’s Championship.

Late last year, Federer joined his long-time rival and friend in Mallorca, Spain, to officially open the Rafa Nadal Tennis Center. That day, only months ago, Federer was sidelined recovering from a knee injury. Nadal, too, had shut his season down due to a wrist injury.

Both players joked around that they would’ve loved to play an exhibition for the fans, yet they were unable.

Now, here we are, hours away from these two great champions facing off for the chance to lift another Grand Slam trophy.

Now No. 17 in the world, Roger Federer returned to Melbourne to play his first official tournament in over six months, and against all odds, the Swiss great has turned the clock back to his years of domination on the tour, coming all the way through his side of the draw to make his first Australian Open final since 2010.

It is only fitting that his opponent is his greatest rival. Federer and Nadal have played 34 times before, putting on some of the greatest shows in tennis history. Yet, despite all the history between these two greats, this 35th meeting is one of the most intriguing.

In their primes, seemingly every final was contested by these two great champions and ambassadors of the sport.

Since 2004, when the pair first met in Miami, Nadal owns a 23-11 head-to-head over the Swiss Maestro. The two have contested nine Grand Slam finals, where Nadal has won six of the eight. Federer’s only two victories in Grand Slam finals have come at Wimbledon.

As the men’s top seeds dropped out left and right throughout this unpredictable tournament, talk of this dream final began to surface, yet no one could have dreamed that a 35-year-old coming off knee surgery and a 30-year-old coming off a wrist injury would be the final matchup.

These two great champions have continued to defy all odds for two weeks, and the dream final is finally upon us. At 35, Federer becomes the second oldest man to reach a Grand Slam final since Ken Rosewell made the U.S. Open final in 1974 at 39.

Nadal is seeking to become the first man ever to repeat the career Grand Slam. A win in Melbourne would give the Spaniard each Grand Slam title at least twice.

These ambassadors of the sport have become friends over the years, and at this point in their careers, both Federer and Nadal recognize how special this match is.

“Is special (to) play with Roger again in a final of a Grand Slam,” Nadal said. “I cannot lie. Is great. Is exciting for me and for both of us that we still there and we still fighting for important events. That's very special.”

“I just think he's an incredible tennis player,” Federer said. “He's got shots that no other one has. When you have that, you are unique and special. Plus, he's got the grit. He's got the mental and physical ability to sustain a super high level of play for years and for hours and for weeks. He's proven that time and time again.”

“I think he's been tremendous for the game,” he continued. “I have a lot of respect for him on many levels.”

On Sunday night, history will be made down under one way or another. No matter the outcome, the tennis world will rejoice in having one more opportunity to see these two amazing champions fight one more time.

There is no better way to close the book on an amazing 2017 Australian Open.

Before reaching this final, each player had to fend off two amazing players in five-set thrillers.

For Federer, he faced his friend and countryman Stan Wawrinka in the semifinals. Always an awkward match because of their history, both former Australian Open champions were hungry for another shot at the title.

Federer got off to a great start, claiming the first two sets. Just as he looked ready to finish the match in straight sets, the Swiss number one found another level, storming back to take the third and fourth sets.

For the second time in the tournament, Federer was forced to five sets. Just like the previous time, the 17-time Grand Slam champion broke early, gliding to victory.

Looking back, Federer’s start to the tournament was far from perfect. In the early days, a run to the final seemed unfathomable.

The 35-year-old was pushed to four sets in the opening round against Melzer, but he came through. He was tested by a 20-year-old American in the second round, but fought through.

It was in the third round that Federer found his old self, crushing Tomas Berdych in straight sets. World No. 5 Kei Nishikori pushed the Swiss great in the round-of-16 to five sets, but Federer came out on top.

The four-time Australian Open champion easily dispatched Andy Murray-conqueror Mischa Zverev in the quarterfinals to set his all-Swiss semi against his Davis Cup teammate.

After two incredible weeks, no one would’ve imagined that Federer would be only three sets away from his 18th major title. His passion, commitment and drive is like any other in the sport.

This will be Federer's first final in Melbourne since 2010, when Federer claimed his fourth Australian Open title, his most recent Grand Slam on a hard court.

As the great champion told the crowd on court after his semifinal win, “if I can’t walk for another 5 months, that’s okay. I’ll give it all I have.”

Nadal fends off challenge from Grigor Dimitrov to set up dream final

After Federer’s three hour victory the night before, all eyes were on Nadal to see if the 14-time Grand Slam champion could make the dream final a reality. Nadal faced world No. 15 Grigor Dimitrov, whose game has long been compared to Federer’s.

As if Federer’s epic semifinal wasn’t enough, the Spaniard and the Bulgarian battled for four hours and 56 minutes, just shy of five hours. The match was back-and-forth throughout. There were twists and turns, and both players were pushed to the brink.

Nadal had just enough in the end, breaking Dimitrov in the ninth game of the fifth set before serving the match out.

The world number nine had an easier start to the tournament than Federer, breezing through his first two matches. His greatest test came in the third round when he clashed with up-and-comer Alexandr Zverev.

Nadal found himself down two sets to one, but the 2009 Australian Open champion found enough left in the tank to get past the 19-year-old German.

Nadal faced quality opponents since that thriller, yet the 30-year-old has been too good. He battled past Gael Monfils in the round-of-16 and world No. 3 Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals before setting up his semifinal with Dimitrov.

This will be Nadal's third-ever Australian Open final, his first since 2014, where he lost to Wawrinka. His lone title down under came in 2009, when he beat Federer.

The 35th edition of Federer-Nadal, or as many have been calling it "Fedal," promises to be one of the most unique ever, considering how unexpected this matchup is.

The two champions last met in the Basel final in 2015, where Federer beat his longtime rival in his hometown tournament.

Having played 34 times before, Federer and Nadal know each other’s game like no one else does. In this unexpected final, one of the greatest hurdle for both players will be nerves early on.

After winning Wimbledon in 2012, Federer has been 0-3 in Grand Slam finals since, all losses to Novak Djokovic. In each match, Federer did not get off to a good start as his nerves got the best of him. He will need a better start should he claim title number 18 on Sunday.

The same applies to Nadal. The 14-time Grand Slam champion has not been to a Grand Slam final since 2014 when he won the French Open for a record ninth time, and nerves will undoubtedly play a role.

In terms of match strategy, look for Nadal to repeat what he did in the semifinal against Dimitrov. The Bulgarian’s game is very like Federer’s, so the logic says if Nadal beat someone similar to Federer, he will look to employ that same approach.

Nadal often looked to push Dimitrov to his backhand, so look for the Spaniard to repeat this strategy.

Federer will want to avoid getting into long rallies with Nadal, who is one of the best defensive players on tour. The 35-year-old should look to control the net from the start, which would allow him to keep Nadal on his toes and keep points short.

No matter the champion on Sunday night, the tennis world will be treated to an epic match down under. Perhaps the two most beloved players on the ATP World Tour, seeing either great champion win another Grand Slam trophy would be an incredible sight.

One extra interesting wrinkle in this match concerns Federer's extra days of rest. Thanks to the tournament’s scheduling and a hint of luck, the Swiss No. 2 played his semifinal the day before Nadal, giving him one extra day to prepare for the final. In addition, Federer also played almost two hours less in his semifinal win.

However, Federer should not expect a tired Spaniard. Nadal is one of the best players ever in terms of recovering after a tough match.

Just took to 2009 for the best example, where Nadal played an epic semifinal with Fernando Verdasco before recovering to beat Federer in the final.

Yet, now, after all the talk and predictions, all we can do is sit back, smile and enjoy this amazing men’s final. One of these two amazing champions will lift another title and one will fall short. But, we, the fans, are the real winners for getting the chance to witness this historic matchup another time. </s> Roger Federer tops Rafael Nadal in a five-set match to win the Australian Open for his first Grand Slam singles title since Wimbledon in 2012. (2:17)

MELBOURNE, Australia -- In what might have been the most important tennis match in history, Roger Federer made an emphatic case for the title of greatest male player ever.
• None Advantage Roger Federer in the chase for the GOAT title Roger Federer took the lead in the case for Best Ever with his win at the Australian Open, but make no mistake, the race isn't over, not if Rafael Nadal has anything to say about it.
• None Roger Federer defied his greatest rival and Father Time on the way to the Australian Open title. How does his accomplishment stack up with other great flourishes from aging athletes?
• None More tough luck for Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open Once again, the Australian Open dealt Rafael Nadal a losing hand, but he should be feeling a lot more optimistic than he did a year ago.

On Federer's second match point, he finished it with a forehand winner on the line that was challenged by Nadal and -- after an awkward but thrilling pause -- upheld by replay.

After missing six months of tennis from July to January, the 35-year-old Federer, who hadn't won a Grand Slam singles title since Wimbledon in 2012, improbably ran his major total to 18, four ahead of Nadal. Suddenly, the odds of Nadal catching Federer have diminished greatly.

"Against Rafa it's always epic," Federer said in a television interview. "This one means a lot to me because he's caused me problems over the years."

The oldest major finalist in 43 years, Federer lost control of his legendary forehand in the final two sets but rallied famously late in the fifth. He was flying around the court in the final games.

Federer accepted the silver trophy, appropriately, from the great Aussie champion Rod Laver, whose name is on the stadium.

"I'm out of words," Federer said in his on-court interview, addressing Nadal. "I don't think either one of us believed we'd be in the final here when we were at your academy five, six months ago. Here we stand in the finals.

"I'm happy for you. I would have been happy to lose to you. The comeback was perfect as it was. It's been a difficult last six months, let's be honest. I wasn't sure I was going to be here, but here I am. This was a wonderful run, and I can't be more happy to win tonight."

Federer noted that while there are no draws in tennis, he would happily share this titanic title with Nadal.

It was Nadal, 30, perhaps the most resilient and mentally tough tennis player of his or any generation, who blinked in the end.

When it was over, Nadal looked stricken.

"First of all, I can say congrats to Roger and all his team," Nadal said in his on-court interview. "Just amazing the way he's playing after such a long time without being on the tour. For sure, you have been working hard to get that one, so very happy for you.

"Today, I think was a great match. Probably Roger deserved it a little bit more than me."

Federer becomes the fourth-oldest Grand Slam winner ever; Ken Rosewall won majors at the ages of 35, 36 and 37. Federer is also the first man in tennis history to win three majors five or more times. His trophy collection includes five Australian Opens, one French Open, seven Wimbledons and five US Opens.

Nadal was the fourth top-10 player to fall to Federer in Melbourne, following No. 10 Tomas Berdych, No. 5 Kei Nishikori and No. 4 Stan Wawrinka.

And so, the match -- the Thunder Down Under -- actually lived up to its over-the-top billing, particularly in the final crucial stages.

This was a dramatic collision of the two most decorated players of their generation. The fact that they were well past their prime -- and hadn't met in a Grand Slam final in almost six years -- made it even more delicious.

This first Grand Slam final of the year sent the tennis universe into a frenzy, and record television ratings were expected. At Melbourne Park, some courtside seats were reportedly going for $26,000. For the first time, organizers opened the second-biggest show court, Margaret Court Arena, and showed the match on the video screens. Nearly 25,000 attended the session.

As recently as three months ago, this matchup didn't seem remotely possible. When the two men got together at the opening of Nadal's new tennis academy in Mallorca, Spain, Federer was still troubled by a balky knee and Nadal a wrist injury. Instead of playing an exhibition, they hit a few balls with the juniors and posed for photos.

Nadal had said neither player could have imagined making the final of the year's first Grand Slam after coming back from their respective injuries.

Even when they arrived in Australia, they were afterthoughts, with Nadal seeded No. 9 and Federer No. 17. But when No. 1 Andy Murray and No. 2 Novak Djokovic crashed out early, they began to attract attention.

There were, however, some mitigating circumstances that allowed Federer fans to dream.

Federer, who beat Wawrinka in a five-set semifinal Thursday, had an extra 24 hours to recover for this final. Nadal needed a bruising 4 hours, 56 minutes to defeat Grigor Dimitrov one night later.

At one time, Nadal seemed physically indestructible. In 2009, he defeated Fernando Verdasco in an Aussie Open semifinal match that ran 5 hours, 14 minutes then recovered quickly to beat Federer in a five-set final. But that was eight years ago.

And then there were the speedy conditions -- according to the players, faster courts and balls -- that helped Federer's fluid game. Serving and coming to the net would prove critical for Federer, no more so than in the first set.

Federer won 14 of the 15 points when he landed his first serve in during the opening set. He finished the set with an ace, which was encouraging. Federer hadn't beaten Nadal in any match in which he lost the first set in more than a decade.

Predictably, Nadal came racing back, winning the first four games of the following frame. Federer's forehand became unstrung, and Nadal, also attacking the backhand with high-hoppers, leveled the match.

Federer raced out to a 40-love lead in the first game of the third set then weathered three break points to hold. Federer broke Nadal immediately and won six of seven games.

Nadal, who wasn't moving with his usual abandon, broke Federer in the fourth set's fourth game. A marginal favorite in this battle for the ages, Nadal rolled in the fourth set, never facing a break point, to send the match to a fifth and final set.

The match, played at a relatively brisk pace, cooled considerably when Federer left the court for treatment. After a seven-minute break, it felt like a new match.

The fifth set, unlike the three that preceded it, was spectacular.

After whiffing on five break points in the set, Federer converted in the sixth game and, 3 hours and 19 minutes in, the match was level.

After going 1-for-10 on break points, Federer converted with Nadal serving at 3-4. He held that margin to the end, winning on that dramatic replay call.

It was the fourth time a Federer-Nadal Grand Slam final went to five sets, the most between any two players in the Open era, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Federer became the first No. 17 seed to win a Grand Slam title since Pete Sampras won the 2002 US Open in his final major appearance.

Nadal said he was pleased with his play in Australia, saying he's "back at a very high level."

"I'm going to keep fighting during the whole season and for sure, to come back here for many years and keep trying to have this trophy," Nadal said. "That is the third time that I have [the runner-up trophy]. This is beautiful but still much better the trophy."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> Marin Cilic is confident he can build on last year’s heartbreak and prevent Roger Federer from winning a record eighth Wimbledon men’s singles crown when the pair meet in Sunday’s title showdown on Centre Court.

In seven meetings against the tall Croatian, Federer has lost just once, a 2014 U.S. Open semi-final defeat as Cilic went on to claim his maiden grand slam title.

In last year’s quarter-finals at the All England Club, Federer saved three match points before edging out Cilic in five sets and the closeness of that match is comforting for the Croat.

“I was one point away from winning a match over here against him. Definitely, I believe in my own abilities to get through and to win it,” the 28-year-old said.

“But I still know that it’s a big mountain to climb. Roger is playing maybe some of the best tennis of his career at the moment, having a great season. So I know it’s going to be a huge challenge. But I believe I’m ready,” he added.

However, the Swiss, level with Britain’s William Renshaw and American Pete Sampras on a joint record seven Wimbledon titles, enters the final as the clear favourite, having not dropped a set in entire the tournament.

Should he triumph, Federer, who turns 36 next month, will become the oldest winner of the Challenge Cup since tennis turned professional in 1968.

For all the latest Sports News, download Indian Express App </s> One magical run for possibly a final Grand Slam win will be completed Sunday, while another will come to an unfortunate end, as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal square-off in the 2017 Australian Open men's final.

Both legends defied time and a competitive field to reach this point, setting up what could be the last time Federer and Nadal play for a Grand Slam title. This will certainly be match to savor, so expect plenty of passion to emanate in Melbourne, Australia.

Here is a look at the schedule for this final, as well as preview of its context and what to watch for.

With Federer holding the record for most men's Grand Slam titles with 17, and Nadal having 14 such championships of his own, it is no wonder these two combined to form the sport's top rivalry of the past decade. As a result, both players possess tremendous respect for the other.

"Rafa's definitely presented the biggest challenge," Federer said after his semifinal win over Stan Wawrinka, per ESPN's Matt Wilansky. "I played him too many times on clay early in my career, and it affected how I played him on other surfaces. This court allows me to play offense.

"I'm probably his No. 1 fan. His game is tremendous. I'm happy we've had some epic battles over the years."

Nadal is also sure to enjoy the nostalgia of the meeting, which he acknowledged after he downed Grigor Dimitrov in five-set thriller in the semifinals, per Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times.

"It's special to play with Roger again in a final of a Grand Slam," Nadal said. "I cannot lie. It's great. It's exciting for me, and for both of us, that we're still there and we're still fighting for important events."

Given Federer's age and the injury history of both players, these two may never meet again on such an important stage. The Swiss is actually going for a historic mark on Sunday, per the ATP:

That will certainly be tough for Federer, as Nadal has been strong when these two meet. The 30-year-old Spaniard is 23-11 against Federer in his professional career, including 9-2 in Grand Slams.

Nadal is known for his mastery of clay courts, so Federer's chances could improve on the hard surface in Melbourne. However, Nadal owns an 8-6 advantage in hard-court matches in addition to a 3-0 mark at the Australian Open.

This past success obviously bodes well for Nadal, which could help out his legacy in the eyes of some tennis observers. There is often a debate about whether one of these two is the greatest player ever, and former tennis star Andy Roddick believes this match could go a long way in that discussion.

"The historical context of that match, whether it becomes 17-15 with the French Open next, or 18-14, that's such a big difference in the historical march for both those guys," Roddick said, per the Associated Press' Justin Bergman.

"That might be, as far as history goes, the biggest match ever in Australian Open history and maybe Grand Slam history. What's at stake there is beyond what pretty much any player can comprehend."

So far in this tournament, each have posted impressive numbers while having to go five sets twice apiece. Yet Federer has been slightly more efficient. He won at least 75 percent of his first-serve points in five of his six matches, and he is averaging 34 unforced errors per outing.

Conversely, Nadal has been less effective when serving, winning at least 75 percent twice on first serve. However, Nadal is averaging just under 31 unforced errors a match, but Federer's 31 return-game victories edges Nadal's 27.

Winning the first set will also be crucial, as each player excels when doing so. Federer goes on to win 93 percent of the time he wins the first set, while winning just 40 percent when losing it. Comparably, Nadal wins 94 percent of the time with a win in the first and 43 percent with a loss.

Nadal has dropped the first set just once in this tournament, against Alexander Zverev in the third round, while Federer spectacularly came back after losing the first against No. 5 seed Kei Nishikori in the fourth round.

Nadal is the favorite to win based on his knack for solving Federer, but the latter arguably looks sharper at the moment. His sense of urgency may be larger as well considering the age discrepancy, and his momentum could not be greater during this sensational run.

This one will undoubtedly be tight, and no matter the outcome, expect an instant classic on Sunday.

All career statistics are courtesy of ATPWorldTour.com, and all tournament statistics are courtesy of AUSOpen.com unless otherwise noted. </s> (AP Photo/Alastair Grant). Croatia's Marin Cilic returns to Sam Querrey of the United States during their Men's Singles semifinal match on day eleven at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London Friday, July 14, 2017.

(AP Photo/Alastair Grant). Switzerland's Roger Federer pats the ball back to a ballboy after holding serve as he plays his Men's Singles semifinal match against Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych on day eleven at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in Londo...

LONDON (AP) - After Roger Federer closed out a Wimbledon final that was more of a coronation than a contest with an ace, he sat in his changeover chair and wiped away tears.

That is when it hit him: His wait for record-breaking No. 8 was over. Until then, Federer wasn't focused on the notion of winning the grass-court tournament more often than any other man in the history of an event first held in 1877. All he'd been concerned with, consumed with, was being healthy enough to compete at a high level and, he hoped, to win a title, regardless of what the total count would be.

Capping a marvelous fortnight in which he never dropped a set, Federer won his eighth Wimbledon trophy and 19th Grand Slam championship overall by overwhelming Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in merely 1 hour, 41 minutes Sunday.

"Wimbledon was always my favorite tournament. Will always be my favorite tournament. My heroes walked the grounds here and walked the courts here. Because of them, I think I became a better player, too," said Federer, who will turn 36 next month and is the oldest male champion at the All England Club in the Open era, which began in 1968.

"To mark history here at Wimbledon really means a lot to me just because of all of that, really," he said. "It's that simple."

His first major title came at Wimbledon in 2003, and was followed by others in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He won again in 2009 and 2012. But then he lost finals in 2014 and 2015 to Novak Djokovic.

He couldn't be sure another final, let alone title, was possible a year ago, when he lost in the semifinals, then took the rest of 2016 off to let his surgically repaired left knee heal.

"It's been a long road," he said.

Sunday's outcome was only in doubt for about 20 minutes, the amount of time it took Federer to grab his first lead.

Cilic said afterward he developed a painful blister on his left foot during his semifinal Friday, and that affected his ability to move properly or summon the intimidating serves that carried him to his lone Grand Slam title at the 2014 U.S. Open, where he surprisingly beat Federer in the semifinals.

This one was all Federer, who had been tied at seven championships with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw in what's still officially called Gentlemen's Singles. Sampras won all but one of his in the 1990s; Renshaw won each of his in the 1880s, when the previous year's winner advanced automatically to the final.

With clouds overhead and a bit of chill in the air Sunday, Federer's early play was symptomatic of jitters. For everything he's accomplished, for all of the bright lights and big settings to which he's become accustomed, the guy many have labeled the "GOAT" - Greatest of All Time - admits to feeling heavy legs and jumbled thoughts to this day.

It was Federer, not Cilic, who double-faulted in his first two service games. And it was Federer, not Cilic, who faced the initial break point, in the fourth game. But Cilic netted a return, beginning a run of 17 points in a row won by Federer on his serve. He would never be confronted with another break point.

"I gave it my best," Cilic said. "That's all I could do."

In the next game, Federer broke to lead 3-2. He broke again to take that set when Cilic double-faulted, walked to the changeover and slammed his racket. Cilic sat and covered his head with a white towel.

With Federer up 3-0 in the second set, Cilic cried while he was visited by a doctor and trainer. He said that was not so much a result of his foot's pain as the idea that he could not play well enough to present a challenge.

"Very tough emotionally," said Cilic, whose foot was re-taped by a trainer after the second set. "I knew that I cannot give my best on the court."

It might not have mattered. Federer was, as he'd been all tournament, flawless, the first man in 41 years to win Wimbledon without ceding a set. Against Cilic, he had 23 winners, only eight unforced errors.

This caps a remarkable reboot for Federer, who departed Wimbledon a year ago with a lot of doubts: His body was letting him down for the first time in his career. He skipped the Rio Olympics, the U.S. Open and everything else in an attempt to try to get healthy.

It worked. And how.

Feeling refreshed and fully fit, Federer returned to the tour in January and was suddenly playing like the guy of old, rather than like an old guy.

In a turn-back-the-clock moment, he faced rival Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final and, with a fifth-set comeback, won. It was Federer's 18th Grand Slam title, adding to his own record, and first in 4½ years. Those who had written Federer off needed to grab their erasers.

The formula made sense, clearly, so why not try it again? Federer skipped this year's clay-court circuit to be in top shape for the grass courts he loves so dearly. Sunday's victory made Federer 31-2 in 2017, with a tour-leading five titles.

"On one side, yes, it surprises me. On the other side, I know he's able to do so many things. So it's not surprising," coach Severin Luthi said. "But when it happens, it's amazing."

Yes, Federer is back to being supreme in tennis, lording over the sport the way no man has.

He's not, of course, the same 21-year-old kid who had a ponytail and scruff when he beat Mark Philippoussis in the 2003 Wimbledon final. Or the teen who, two years earlier, beat Sampras himself at Centre Court in the fourth round, their only tour-level meeting.

Federer's hair is cropped, his face clean shaven. He's a father of four, and both sets of twins - boys, 3, in their light blue blazers; girls, 7, in their dresses - were in the guest box for Sunday's trophy ceremony.

One son stuck a couple of fingers in his mouth until a sister grabbed his hand.

"They have no clue what's going on. They think it's probably a nice view and a nice playground. But it's not quite like that here, so one day, hopefully, they'll understand," Federer said about his boys.

As for the girls, he said: "They enjoy to watch a little bit. They come for the finals, I guess."

When Dad is Roger Federer, you can wait until the last Sunday to show up.

And you just might get to see him cradle that gold trophy.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> (Reuters) - Factbox on Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, who beat Switzerland’s Roger Federer 7-6(5) 1-6 7-6(4) 4-6 13-12(3) to win his 16th Grand Slam title on Sunday:

** His father was a professional skier and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps or play professional soccer but changed his mind when Djokovic excelled at tennis from an early age.

** First full year on tour in 2005. Made Grand Slam debut as a qualifier at the Australian Open, losing to Russian Marat Safin in the first round. Finished as the youngest player (18 years, five months) inside the top 100.

** In 2006, he won his first ATP tour title at Amersfoort.

** Retired in the 2006 French Open quarter-finals against Nadal when trailing by two sets, and again a year later due to blisters in the Wimbledon semi-final against the same opponent.

** Won five titles in 2007 (Adelaide, Miami, Estoril, Montreal and Vienna) and reached his first Grand Slam final at the U.S. Open, losing to Roger Federer.

** Beat Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to win his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2008 Australian Open — becoming the first Serbian man to win one of the four majors.

** Failed to defend his title in Melbourne the following year after pulling out of his quarter-final against American Andy Roddick citing heat exhaustion.

** Led Serbia to their first Davis Cup title with victory over France in Belgrade in December 2010.

** Began 2011 by winning the Australian Open, beating Briton Andy Murray in the final, to end his three-year wait for a second Grand Slam title.

** Won his next six tournaments in Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Belgrade, Madrid and Rome. Did not lose again until June 3 when Federer ended his 41-match winning streak in the French Open semi-finals.

** Secured the number one spot on July 4, 2011 by beating Tsonga in the Wimbledon semi-finals, then beat Nadal to clinch his first Wimbledon crown, his first title on grass.

** Saved two match points to beat Federer in the semi-finals of the U.S. Open then defeated Nadal in the final to become the seventh man to win three Grand Slam titles in a year since tennis turned professional in 1968.

** Won his third Australian Open title in 2012 by beating Nadal in five hours and 53 minutes.

** Began 2013 by beating Murray to become the first man in the professional era to win three successive Australian Open titles.

** Reached all four Grand Slam finals in 2015. Began the year by capturing a fifth Australian Open title, then missed out on the French Open again — his third loss in the title match —after falling to Stan Wawrinka in the final.

** Five weeks later drew level with his coach Boris Becker’s Wimbledon haul of three titles by defeating Federer in the All England Club final. Beat Federer in U.S. Open final, giving him three Grand Slam titles in a year for a second time.

** Beat Murray in the 2016 Australian Open final to win his 11th Grand Slam trophy.

** Beat Murray again in the French Open final that year to finally win the claycourt major at his 12th attempt. The win not only completed his Grand Slam collection but he also became only the third man — after Don Budge and Rod Laver — to hold all four majors at the same time.

** Advanced to his 21st Grand Slam final overall at the 2016 U.S. Open but was beaten by Stan Wawrinka.

** Retired in the 2017 Wimbledon quarter-finals against Tomas Berdych and ended his season on July 26 with a right elbow injury.

** Returned from a six-month injury absence at the Australian Open last year. Had elbow surgery following a last-16 exit to South Korean youngster Chung Hyeon.

** Beat Kevin Anderson in the 2018 Wimbledon final to seal his 13th Grand Slam.

** Capped off the year in style by beating Juan Martin del Potro to win the U.S. Open crown for a third time.

** Defeated Nadal in their 53rd career meeting to claim his 15th major and seventh Australian Open title.

** Djokovic’s 26-match winning streak in Grand Slams ended with a loss to Dominic Thiem in the French Open semi-final.

** Defeated Federer to claim his fifth Wimbledon title.
In tennis, Roger Federer of Switzerland defeats Rafael Nadal of Spain in the final of the men's singles.