Roger Federer sat in his changeover chair, protected from the night's chill by his custom-made cardigan.

Alone with his thoughts, alone with the knowledge that he had come so close to becoming the first man since the 1880s to win a sixth consecutive championship at the All England Club.

Two points from victory, the No.

1-ranked Federer couldn't pull it out, instead succumbing to No.

2 Nadal 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7 Sunday night in a 4-hour, 48-minute test of wills that was the longest men's final in Wimbledon history and quite possibly the greatest.

"I am very happy for me," Nadal said, "but sorry for him, because he deserved this title, too."

Through rain, wind and descending darkness, the two greatest players of their generation swapped spectacular shots until 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," Nadal said after accepting the golden trophy that has belonged to Federer since 2003.

The first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win Wimbledon and the French Open in the same year, Nadal stopped Federer's streaks of 40 victories in a row at the All England Club, and a record 65 in a row on grass, thereby stamping his supremacy in their rivalry, no matter what the rankings say.

"Probably my hardest loss, by far," Federer said.

"I mean, it's not much harder than this right now."

No man since 1927 had come back to win a Wimbledon final after losing the first two sets, and none had overcome a match point to seize victory since 1948.

If anyone could, it figured to be Federer, especially on this particular lawn.

He hadn't lost a match on grass since 2002, and he hadn't lost a set during this tournament before Sunday.

He also hadn't faced anyone nearly as talented as Nadal.

"Rafa's a deserving champion," Federer said.

"He just played fantastically."

Indeed he did, earning Spain its first Wimbledon men's title since Manolo Santana won in 1966.

Nadal managed to regroup after blowing a two-set lead, managed to recover after wasting two match points in the fourth-set tiebreaker, managed to hold steady when Federer needed only two points to end the match while ahead 5-4 in the fifth.

He earned his fifth Grand Slam title, but first away from the French Open, by showing fortitude on his serve, saving 12 of 13 break points.

He did it by breaking serve four times twice as many times as Federer lost serve in his previous six matches combined.

"He was rock-solid, the way we know him," said Federer, who hit 25 aces.

"He's definitely improved his game."

Borg and Santana watched from the front row of the Royal Box at Centre Court, which next year will have a retractable roof that will prevent rain delays.

Rain delayed Sunday's start by 35 minutes and showers again caused a delay of 1 hour, 21 minutes late in the third set, then another of 30 minutes at 2-2 in the fifth.

When action resumed at 8:23 p.m., the players traded service holds until 7-7.

That's where Nadal finally broke through the first break of serve by either man since the second set.

Nadal still had to serve out the match, though, and he still had to avoid the sort of nerves Federer noticed when his opponent led 5-2 in the fourth-set tiebreaker.

"I played terrible there," said Nadal, who double-faulted to 5-3.

Nampa-AP

Sport News Headlines Of The Last 48 Hours

•  Wacca still rugby mad
•  Garises to launch academy
•  Serena tops Venus in thrilling quarter
•  Cycletec host spring festival at Avis Dam
•  Notices Woestyn calls players
•  Sheikh's £500m City dream team
•  Harambee Stars ready for Warriors
•  Chepela joins SKW