Federer faces Roddick, history Sunday

LONDON, July 4 (UPI) -- Roger Federer plays Andy Roddick Sunday with the Wimbledon Championships title and one of the biggest records in tennis within reach.

Federer, seeded No. 2, and Roddick, ranked sixth in the world, square off for the third time in the Wimbledon finals. Federer won the previous two such meetings and is 18-2 overall versus the American.

Federer is 14-5 in Grand Slam finals, with all five losses to No. 1-ranked Rafael Nadal. That includes last year's classic five-set Wimbledon championship match that Nadal took in five sets.

That loss is the only blemish on Federer's record on grass courts since 2003 when he won the first of five consecutive Wimbledon titles. Over the last six years, he is 46-1 at Wimbledon and 71-1 on grass court overall.

The 14 men's major tournament championships total is tied with Pete Sampras for the most in tennis. Federer became the sixth man to complete the career Grand Slam when he won the French Open last month. He has won the last five U.S. Open titles and three Australian Open championships.

A victory Sunday would also return Federer to the No. 1 world ranking.

Roddick is looking for his second major tournament title. He won the U.S. Open in 2003 but is 0-3 in Grand Slam finals since then and hasn't made a major final since 2006, when he lost in the U.S. Open to Federer.