A true champion. That’s the only way I can describe Roger Federer. On his turf, the green grass of Wimbledon’s Centre Court which he has dominated since 2003, this was the greatest match he has ever played.

Just like last year’s final between Federer and Rafael Nadal, this encounter between the world No. 2 and sixth seed Andy Roddick, was equally impressive. The final scoreline, which read 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 16-14 after 257 minutes of play, had class written all over.

I think after this win — a record 15th Grand Slam titles — there won’t be any debate on who’s the greatest player of all time. When Pete Sampras won his 14th Grand Slam title, the world thought that would stand for ages. But then we never thought that someone from Basel, Switzerland, would come and bewitch us with his class and grace.

Congratulations to Roddick for playing the best match of his career. After bowing out of the Championships last year in the second round and reaching a Grand Slam final after 2006, he showed marvellous improvement.

It’s not easy playing against a player like Federer. With the 15 Grand Slams, he created many different records. He clinched his No. 1 position on top of the Association of Tennis Professionals chart by passing Nadal, he won six Wimbledon trophies, and became the third man in 40 years to win both the French Open and Wimbledon on the trot.

The man is a sheer genius. It took Pete (Sampras) 12 years to achieve his feat but Federer took exactly half the time.

I am honoured that I was there to witness history being created.

Though Federer did not begin this quest as easily one might have predicted, he finally came through. The first set was taken by Roddick the moment he got a break point leading 6-5, 30-40. In the second, when the American was up 6-2 in the tie break with four set points in hand, one in the stands thought that this was it. Federer was doomed as Roddick would just lift the trophy in a straight set victory. But he was unlucky. Losing the tie break and the second set, then again losing the third set in another tie-break, it seemed that Federer had some hope left in the match.

If one counts the number of games, one will see that Roddick won more. Under his new coach Larry Stefanski, the American has lost weight and is playing better than ever.

In their head to head meetings, Federer led Roddick 18-2 before this match. Federer had also won two of the precious grass court Grand Slams defeating this very opponent. However, the Swiss did say that every time he has played Roddick in their past 20 meetings, he brought something new to the court. It’s exactly what he did Sunday. Roddick mixed up his game to confuse Federer. He served aces on his service games and played on his opponent’s serves and tried to bring out the weaknesses.

The fourth set seemed to finish very fast as Roddick broke Federer to go up 3-1 at an extremely crucial juncture. From then on, winning the set 6-3 was as just as easy.

The class of tennis worthy of a Wimbledon final ultimately boiled down to the final heart stopping set. It seemed to go on forever. But it’s at these moments that true champions must prove themselves and Roger Federer did exactly that. It’s at these moments on can differentiate between a true great and the best there is.

Even though the set went on serve till 8-8 when Roddick managed to get two break points, Federer just lifted his game to that point where geniuses are created. The Swiss aced when required and during times of trouble, he showed his true class. That man hit 50 aces compared to Roddick’s 27. It seemed as if the tables had turned, after all, it’s Roddick who is known for his fierce serves.

Federer deserved this win. A true champion is someone who can play great tennis, win during moments of danger and lift his game to the level of greatness to win the last point.

His name should be etched in history books, as he is the greatest that ever graced this game. In our generation we had wooden racquets and a different style of play. The past greats — Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras — all were present to honour this man on Centre Court Sunday. The respect these former greats have for Federer is enormous as they came to witness history and show their support.

I don’t want to discredit any of the past Wimbledon winners, but I think Federer has managed to go beyond Rod Laver’s accomplishmets, whom our generation called the greatest player ever.

FOR THE RECORD Roger Federer

DoB: August 8, 1981 in Basel

Bursts on to the scene in 2001 when he ends Pete Sampras’s 31-match winning streak at Wimbledon in the fourth round before losing in the quarters.

In 2003, becomes the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam after beating Mark Philippoussis in the Wimbledon final.

Is the only man to win five consecutive titles at two different Grand Slams — Wimbledon and US Open.

Is the first man to win Wimbledon-US Open double four years in a row.

Is the only man in the professional era to win three consecutive majors twice in his career when he captured the 2007 Australian Open title.

Equalled Bjorn Borg’s record of five consecutive Wimbledon titles in 2007.

His 2009 French Open crown makes him only the sixth man — after Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Andre Agassi — to have won all four Grand Slam titles during their careers.

Breaks American Pete Sampras’s record of 14 Grand Slam titles.

In 2009, becomes the first man to reach seven successive Wimbledon finals since the abolition of the Challenge Round in 1922. It is also a record 20th Grand Slam final for Federer, beating Ivan Lendl’s 19.

THE 15 SLAMS

2003 Wimbledon — bt Mark Philippoussis for title
2004 Australian Open — bt Marat Safin for title
2004 Wimbledon — bt Andy Roddick for title
2004 US Open — bt Lleyton Hewitt for title
2005 Wimbledon — bt Roddick for title
2005 US Open — bt Agassi for title.
2006 Australian Open — bt Marcos Baghdatis for title.
2006 Wimbledon — bt Nadal for title.
2006 USOpen — bt Roddick for title.
2007 Australian Open — bt Fernando Gonzalez for title.
2007 Wimbledon — bt Nadal for title.
2007 US Open — beat Novak Djokovic for title.
2008 US Open — beat Andy Murray for title.
2009 French Open — beat Robin Soderling for title.
2009 Wimbledon — beat Andy Roddick for title.

Five-Set men’s finals at Big W

Open Era

2009 — Roger Federer bt Andy Roddick, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14
2008 — Rafael Nadal bt Roger Federer, 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7
2007 — Roger Federer bt Rafael Nadal, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2
2001 — Goran Ivanisevic bt Pat Rafter, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7
1998 — Pete Sampras bt Goran Ivanisevic, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (9), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
1992 — Andre Agassi bt Goran Ivanisevic, 6-7 (8), 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
1990 — Stefan Edberg bt Boris Becker, 6-2, 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4
1982 — Jimmy Connors bt John McEnroe, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-4
1980 — Bjorn Borg bt John McEnroe, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (16), 8-6
1979 — Bjorn Borg bt Roscoe Tanner, 6-7, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
1977 — Bjorn Borg bt Jimmy Connors, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4
1972 — Stan Smith bt Ilie Nastase, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5
1971 — John Newcombe bt Stan Smith, 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
1970 — John Newcombe bt Ken Rosewall, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1