BEIJING, July 7 -- Back and forth they went in the Wimbledon final, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the two greatest tennis players of their generation producing one of the greatest matches of any generation on the sport's grandest stage. For five sets, through rain, wind and descending darkness, the two men swapped spectacular shots, until, against a slate sky, Nadal earned the right to fling his racket aside and collapse on his back, champion of the All England Club at last.

"Is impossible to explain what I felt in that moment, no?" Nadal said after accepting the golden trophy that has belonged to Federer since 2003.

Rafael Nadal of Spain poses with his trophy after the men's singles final match against Roger Federer of Switzerland at the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London, capital of Britain, on July 6, 2008. Spain's Rafael Nadal won the match 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 and claimed the title.

The No. 2-ranked Nadal ended No. 1 Federer's five-title run at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament by the slimmest of margins, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7, last night. Nadal is the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win Wimbledon and the French Open in the same season.

"Probably my hardest loss, by far," said Federer, who was trying to become the first man to claim six consecutive Wimbledon championships since the 1880s.

Nadal stopped Federer's streaks of 40 victories in a row at Wimbledon, and a record 65 in a row on grass, thereby stamping his supremacy in their rivalry, no matter what the rankings say.

【体坛英语资讯：Nadal outlasts Federer in 5 sets to win 1st Wimbledon title】相关文章：

★ 体坛英语资讯：Capello greeted with cheers and jeers

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Celeb fashion craze hits teen market

★ 体坛英语资讯：11 ministries join hands to combat doping

★ 体坛英语资讯：Joness agent suspended by US governing body

★ 体坛资讯：Iran fights back to draw China 2-2

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Bitten to sell Project Runway dress

★ 体坛英语资讯：Chinese lead table tennis qualifiers for Beijing

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Javier Baderm to propose to Penelope Cruz

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Britney Spears, Justin reunion

★ 体坛英语资讯：Russia through, champions bow out without win at Euro 2008