by TOM TEBBUTT, Special to The Globe and Mail , The Globe and Mail

He saw the longest Grand Slam final in history, 77 games, and also the longest fifth set in a Grand Slam final.

Later, Federer frequently used "crazy" to describe the match, especially the dizzying spiral of games in the 95-minute final set.

In a fly-on-the-wall moment, Federer spoke with Sampras right after the match in the All England Club foyer after he had posed for pictures with Sampras and two other living legends, Rod Laver, 70, and Bjorn Borg, 53.

Sampras, 37, could be heard suggesting to Federer that Roddick had tired at the end. Federer agreed and later spoke about the final game, when he broke Roddick after failing to do so on all 37 previous occasions when the American served during the match that went 4 hours 18 minutes.

"He [Roddick] had framed a few balls in that game," Federer said. "So I knew maybe he wasn't so confident, a little bit tired. Sometimes the eyes and the body do things that are a little bizarre.

"I had to hope he would make a mistake. That's why I was a bit patient, and it worked."

It worked when Roddick mishit a forehand on match point that flew long, and soon Federer was bounding in the air with the ecstasy of his sixth Wimbledon title, and his 15th Grand Slam victory.

While Federer had a personal record 50 aces (Roddick had 27), Roddick was 2-for-5 on break points while Federer was 1-for-7.

But Roddick missed the two break points that meant the most.

"The toughest situation was at 8-all, 15-40 in the final set," Federer said. "I made two good serves, and happily it worked."

The first, Roddick did not get in play. On the second, Federer followed in and hit a gutsy forehand swing-volley winner.

"The fifth set was great Tennis, an epic," Sampras said. "Roger's a friend, he's a great player. When it's all done, he's a stud.

"I feel bad for Andy, he was distraught."

Roddick, who also lost to Federer in the 2004 and 2005 finals, played aggressively against Federer, who was a little off his game, possibly intimidated by the magnitude of the occasion. He may have been put off by Sampras's entrance to the Royal Box, acknowledged by a roar from the crowd, in the first set. "He walked in and I saw him," Federer said.

He explained, smiling: "I said hello to him too, which is unusual. But I thought, 'I don't want to be rude.' "

An emboldened Roddick was remarkably solid in the longer rallies, winning his share.

His heroic effort was recognized shortly after the match ended. The crowd chanted "Roddick, Roddick," forcing him to step out from his courtside chair and acknowledge it.

"It was definitely a nice and appreciated gesture," Roddick said later, still crushed.

He also gave Federer props.

"He was having trouble picking up my serve today, for the first time," Roddick said. "[But] you didn't even get a sense he was getting really frustrated by it."

Having Sampras present was special for Federer.

"It's super he came," said Federer, who returns to No. 1 ahead of the injured Rafael Nadal in the new ATP rankings. "That's one of the reasons I played those exhibitions [in Asia in the fall of 2007] with him, to spend time with him.

"To try to break his record wasn't my main goal, as everyone thinks. I just gave my everything in every match and it worked out in the end. To spend time with great champions like him, and also others like [John] McEnroe and Borg, people may wonder why I want to do things like that. It's not only about forehands and backhands and playing tournaments, and trying to win everything. You also have to have some fun and it's something different for me to spend some time with them or to play doubles or to have a meal with them at night. Otherwise I'd never do those things.

"And with Sampras, of course, I've got this connection, we're exactly 10 years apart in age."

Reflecting on a 19-match unbeaten streak stretching back to before the French Open, Federer said: "These have been monstrous months for me in my career. And I think it will be difficult to have this again in the future. I'm very aware of that. There have been a lot of things - success, honours - and it's fantastic. But I'm also excited about what's ahead because I adore playing Tennis."

That would jive with the phrase on the front of the T-shirt he wore to his media conference - "There is no finish line." To which he added, "[I'm] not done yet."

******

THE 15

WIMBLEDON

2009 def. Andy Roddick

5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14.

2007 def. Rafael Nadal

7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2.

2006 def. Rafael Nadal

6-0, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (2), 6-3.

2005 def. Andy Roddick

6-2, 7-6 (2), 6-4.

2004 def. Andy Roddick

4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

2003 def. Mark Philippoussis 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (3)

U.S. OPEN

2008 def. Andy Murray

6-2, 7-5, 6-2.

2007 def. Novak Djokovic

7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4.

2006 def. Andy Roddick

6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

2005 def. Andre Agassi

6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-1.

2004 def. Lleyton Hewitt

6-0, 7-6 (3), 6-0

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

2007 def. Fernando

Gonzalez 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4.

2006 def. Marcos Baghdatis 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2.

2004 def. Marat Safin

7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2.

FRENCH OPEN

2009 def. Robin Soderling

6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-4.

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