Wimbledon 2017: Roger Federer beats Marin Cilic in straight sets to win record eighth title

Match report

Roger Federer trounced a tearful Marin Cilic to become the first man ever to win eight singles titles at Wimbledon.

It took the 35-year-old just an hour and 41 minutes to clinch by far his most one-sided Wimbledon final triumph and extend his overall record with a 19th grand slam singles title.

The 6-3 6-1 6-4 victory continues Federer's magnificent season in what should be his tennis dotage, but even the most ardent of the Swiss' fans - and there were many packed into Centre Court - did not want the final to play out like this.

Cilic started well but it became clear early in the second set that something was badly wrong with the Croatian.

At 3-0, he sobbed uncontrollably into his towel as he discussed the situation with the doctor and it looked like he might not be able to continue.

There has only ever been one retirement in a Wimbledon men's singles final, back in 1911, and Cilic at least had the support of the crowd as he opted to play through the pain.

He had what looked like blisters on his left foot taped at the start of the third set and willed himself to make it something of a contest.

Federer continued to do what he had to do and, after clinching victory with an ace, raised his fists in the air.

It was understandably a slightly muted celebration but the emotion came for Federer when he looked up to his wife Mirka and their four children in his player box.

It is the first time his three-year-old twin boys Leo and Lenny have seen him win Wimbledon, and Federer said: "They have no clue what's going on. They probably think it's a nice view and a nice playground. This is a wonderful moment for our family."

A month short of his 36th birthday, Federer is the oldest man in the Open era to win the Wimbledon singles title.

He is also only the second man after Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros to lift the trophy eight times at a single slam and is now one short of Martina Navratilova's all-time record.

With his 19th slam title, Federer restored his four-slam lead over Nadal, taking another step towards ensuring his legacy will be safe at least for this generation.

For the next generation, meanwhile, this was another kick in the teeth.

No player outside of Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray has won Wimbledon since 2002.

Djokovic and Murray's dip in 2017 looked to have opened the door only for Federer and Nadal to slam it shut, locking out the first three slams for the first time since 2010.

It has been a remarkable turnaround for Federer, who took six months off to recover fully from knee surgery after losing here to Milos Raonic in the semi-finals 12 months ago.

"I've got to take more time off," said Federer, who also chose not to play at all during the clay-court season.

"I'm not sure it's going to work out like this every time. Better than holding the trophy and winning today is just being healthy. It just means the world to me.

"The tournament that I played, not dropping a set, it's magical, I can't believe it yet. It's disbelief that I can achieve such heights.

"I wasn't sure if I would ever be back here in another final after last year but I always believed I could come back, and if you believe in your life you can go a long way. I kept on believing and dreaming and here I am today.

"I hope this wasn't my last match and I can come back next year and try to defend the title."

Federer's decision to miss the French Open has certainly paid off handsomely, and he came into the final having looked in prime form all fortnight.

He was wary of first-time finalist Cilic, though, having come within a whisker of losing to him in the quarter-finals 12 months ago.

On that occasion the Croatian had three match points, while Cilic could also draw on the memory of one of the most extraordinary performances of recent years, when he blew Federer away in the semi-finals of the US Open three years ago.

He went on to win his first grand slam title and has long been one of the players considered a real dangerman because of his huge power and excellent movement.

Both men began a little nervously but after holding serve in the opening game of the match, Cilic began to hustle Federer and had a break point in the third game.

But he netted a backhand and from there things went rapidly downhill.

Federer broke serve in the next game and then again to take the first set when Cilic double-faulted.

The Croatian roused himself to hold serve after his fit of sobbing and stood firm through the first six games of the third set.

But the writing had been on the wall for a considerable time and Federer pulled away to achieve another first in his glorious career - winning Wimbledon without dropping a set.

Cilic struggled to hold back the tears during his on-court interview, saying: "That's what I did through my career, I never gave up.

"That was my idea also today. I gave my best. I had an amazing journey here, played the best tennis of my life. I'm hoping definitely that I'm going to come back and try one more time."

What the players said

Quotes from the men's finalists' post-match press conferences.

Roger Federer

"I'm incredibly surprised how well this year is going, how well I'm feeling, how things are turning out to be on the courts, how I'm managing tougher situations, where my level of play is on a daily basis.

"I don't know how much longer it's going to last. But I've just got to always remind myself that health comes first at this point. If I do that, maybe things are actually possible I didn't think were.

"I totally see myself playing here this time next year. But because it's far away, because of what happened last year (he suffered a knee injury), I just like to take the opportunity to thank the people in the very moment, and make them understand, yes, I hope that I'm back. There's never a guarantee, especially not at 35, 36." 

Marin Cilic

"It was just a feeling that I knew that I cannot give my best on the court, especially at this stage of my career, in such a big match. It was very, very difficult to deal with it.

"But I'm really proud of myself for everything I did these two weeks. I played, I would say, probably the best tennis of my life. That's what I'm going to take home with me." 

Click here for the full story from the post-match press conferences

Match stats

Aces: Federer 8-5 Cilic
Double faults: Federer 2-3 Cilic
1st serves in (%): Federer 76-60 Cilic
Points won on 1st serve (%): Federer 81-65
Points won on 2nd serve (%): Federer 71-39 Cilic
Break points won: Federer 5/10, Cilic 0/1
Winners: Federer 23-16 Cilic
Unforced errors: Federer 8-23 Cilic
Total points won: Federer 96-64 Cilic

Facts & figures

Federer is the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win Wimbledon without losing a set

At 35 years 342 days, Federer becomes the oldest man in the Open era to win the Wimbledon men's singles title 

Federer is only the second man to win the same Grand Slam title eight times (Rafael Nadal has won 10 French Opens)

Forty-five of the last 50 Grand Slam titles have now been won by members of the Big Four (Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray)

Federer was playing his 102nd match at Wimbledon, matching a men's singles record set by American Jimmy Connors. Federer's 91st win improves his own men's singles record.

Most Grand Slam men's singles titles

19: Roger Federer (Swi)
15: Rafael Nadal (Spa)
14: Pete Sampras (USA)
12: Novak Djokovic (Ser), Roy Emerson (Aus)
11: Bjorn Borg (Swe), Rod Laver (Aus)

Most Wimbledon men's singles titles

8: Roger Federer (Swi)
7: William Renshaw (Gbr), Pete Sampras (USA)
5: Bjorn Borg (Swe), Laurence Doherty (Gbr)
4: Reggie Doherty (Gbr), Rod Laver (Aus), Anthony Wilding (Nzl)