LONDON: Roger Federer became the first Swiss man to win a grand slam singles title yesterday when he outclassed Australian Mark Philippoussis 7-6 6-2 7-6 in the Wimbledon final.

The 21-year-old fourth seed produced a display of cool artistry on Centre Court to confirm his status as a new dominant force in men's tennis with a comprehensive victory in one hour and 56 minutes.

"It's an absolute dream for me," a tearful Federer said after receiving the trophy and a standing ovation.

With both players appearing in their first Wimbledon final they could have been excused some early nerves. But if there were any, they were well disguised in a start to the match lit up by booming aces, flashing returns and rock-solid volleying.

The first 12 games all went with serve and did not feature a single break point, although Federer looked slightly more threatening and twice had the Australian at 30-30 on serve.

Philippoussis, who also lost in the 1998 US Open final, reacted to the danger in characteristic fashion by sending down unreturnable serves, one ace in the eighth game being clocked at 138 miles per hour (222.1 kph).

The 26-year-old dug himself out of a mini-crisis at 5-6, snuffing out the danger to take the first set into a tiebreak.

A 15-stroke baseline rally at 2-2 in the tiebreak had both players scampering from corner to corner before Federer cracked a forehand winner down the line.

The decisive moment came at 4-5 when an edgy looking Philippoussis served his third double fault to hand Federer two set points and the Swiss clinched the set on the second.

With Philippoussis visibly deflated, Federer stepped up a gear in the second set to establish a 3-0 lead in 11 brilliant minutes.

Two dipping forehand winners and a volley mistake from Philippoussis gave him his first break of the match. After holding easily for 2-0 he then broke again as Philippoussis's challenge began to crumble.

A slight lapse in Federer's concentration gave Philippoussis a glimmer of hope in the next game when he reached 0-30 on his opponent's serve. But the fourth seed stayed cool, moving into a 4-0 lead with a crosscourt forehand into an empty court.

Philippoussis stopped the rot to hold in the fifth game, but there was no respite as fourth-seed Federer maintained the pressure with a masterful display of all-court tennis to serve out the set with his 14th ace.

Philippoussis saved

An overrule from umpire Gerry Armstrong saved Philippoussis at 1-1 in the third set, when a second serve which landed bang on the line at 30-40 was initially called out.

Federer was briefly threatened in the next game when he was taken to deuce on serve for the first time in the match, but he responded with yet another forehand winner and an ace for 2-2.

There were signs that Philippoussis was warming to the task as he rediscovered his serving rhythm, but he still could not make an impression on his opponent's delivery.

The pressure told at 5-5 when he served a double fault to hand Federer two break points. But he breathed a sigh of relief when the Swiss hit a forehand centimetres long with the court at his mercy.

As the match moved into another tiebreak, a mishit forehand return that dropped agonisingly inside the baseline gave Federer a 3-1 lead and when Philippoussis missed a simple volley the writing was on the wall.

Federer missed a backhand on his first championship point at 6-1 and Philippoussis held off another with a powerful serve.

But the Swiss made no mistake at 6-3, dropping to his knees in triumph when Philippoussis failed to make a return.

Agencies via Xinhua

(China Daily 07/07/2003 page8)