WIMBLEDON, England, July 9 (UPI) -- Swiss Roger Federer took his fourth straight Wimbledon championship Sunday with a four-set victory over Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
In the hard-fought final, the top-seeded Federer posted a 6-0, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 victory, becoming only the third man in the Open Era to win as many as four straight Wimbledon singles titles.
He joined Bjorn Borg (1976-80) and Pete Sampras (1997-2000).
Federer, 24, also extended his grass-court winning streak to 48 matches and finally ended a long drought against Nadal.
The second-seeded Nadal has baffled Federer in the past, holding a 6-1 lifetime advantage, including five straight matches prior to Sunday. The 20-year-old Nadal had won all four match-ups this year, all finals. He beat Federer in the French Open final last month.
For his part, Nadal was trying to become the first man to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year since Borg in 1980, and the first Spaniard to win at the All England Club since Manuel Santana in 1966.
Nadal lost the two first sets, but he won the third in a tie break to hand Federer his first set loss of the tournament.
But the Swiss gained a break of serve for a 3-1 lead in the fourth set when Nadal missed an overhead. After holding serve, Federer again broke with a forehand volley for 5-1.
Nadal broke right immediately before holding serve, forcing Federer to serve out the match.
