Roger Federer won a record eighth Wimbledon crown by defeating the seventh seed Marin Cilic, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in a final that lasted just 1 hour 41 minutes. Cilic, hobbled by a foot injury and nerves, could not put up much resistance after squandering a break point early on in the first set.
Federer finished with 23 winners and just 8 unforced errors.
This is his record-extending 19th Grand Slam title and second of the year after clinching the Australian Open in January.
The final proved to be a walk in the park for the maestro, who endured a gritty semi-final against Tomas Berdych. Interestingly, it was Cilic, who had a break point in the fourth game of the first set before the former champion dashed all his hopes.
It all went downhill for the 2014 US Open champion since then as Federer pounced on the very next game. Taking the pace away, he forced the Croat to generate his own pace, thus eking out errors freely.
The set very quickly swung the Swiss’ way as he grabbed the vital break to cruise to a 4-2 lead.
The difference in body language between the two was obvious. Federer continued to ruthlessly attack the Cilic second serves and made his opponent pay dearly.
As the hapless and clueless Croat double faulted on set point, Federer pocketed the first set, 6-3.
Cilic looked in dire straits for all through the second set. His discomfiture was all the more apparent after he called the trainer and then buried his head into a towel as emotions got the better of him.
The cause of his ordeal was not ascertained although the Croat played on. The result was a serene and smooth sailing for the Swiss.
Federer secured two breaks out of his three break point opportunities to wrap up the heavily one-sided second set, 6-1.
The seventh seed required a medical time-out to tend to his left foot. With the crowd loudly cheering and urging the Croat to compete, Cilic did fight to some extent only to gift a decisive break mid-way through the third set.
With a second serve ace, the maestro finished in style to clinch a record eighth Wimbledon title and his first on the hallowed lawns of The All England Club since 2012.
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