Ruthless Roger Federer thrashed suffering Croat Marin Cilic 6-3 6-1 6-4 to become the first man to win eight Wimbledon singles crowns on Sunday, five years after landing his seventh.
The Swiss maestro, appearing in his 11th Wimbledon final, was challenged early on but once he broke a nervous Cilic in the fifth game of the opening set the match became a no-contest.
Cilic was overwhelmed, physically and mentally, and Federer claimed victory in less than two hours to become the oldest man to claim the title in the professional era.
List of men’s singles champions at Wimbledon:
2017 Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Marin Cilic (Croatia) 6-3 6-1 6-4
2016 Andy Murray (Britain) beat Milos Raonic (Canada) 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(2)
2015 Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Federer (Switzerland) 7-6(1) 6-7(10) 6-4 6-3
2014 Djokovic (Serbia) beat Federer (Switzerland) 6-7(7) 6-4 7-6(4) 5-7 6-4
2013 Murray (Britain) beat Djokovic (Serbia) 6-4 7-5 6-4
2012 Federer (Switzerland) beat Murray (Britain) 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4
2011 Djokovic (Serbia) beat Rafael Nadal (Spain) 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3
2010 Nadal (Spain) beat Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 6-3 7-5 6-4
2009 Federer (Switzerland) beat Andy Roddick (U.S.) 5-7 7-6(6) 7-6(5) 3-6 16-14
2008 Nadal (Spain) beat Federer (Switzerland) 6-4 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(8) 9-7
2007 Federer (Switzerland) beat Nadal (Spain) 7-6(7) 4-6 7-6(3) 2-6 6-2
2006 Federer (Switzerland) beat Nadal (Spain) 6-0 7-6(5) 6-7(2) 6-3
2005 Federer (Switzerland) beat Roddick (U.S.) 6-2 7-6(2) 6-4
2004 Federer (Switzerland) beat Roddick (U.S.) 4-6 7-5 7-6(3) 6-4
2003 Federer (Switzerland) beat Mark Philippoussis (Australia) 7-6(5) 6-2 7-6(3)
2002 Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat David Nalbandian(Argentina) 6-1 6-3 6-2
2001 Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia) beat Pat Rafter (Australia) 6-3 3-6 6-3 2-6 9-7
2000 Pete Sampras (U.S.) beat Rafter (Australia) 6-7(10) 7-6(5) 6-4 6-2
1999 Sampras (U.S.) beat Andre Agassi (U.S.) 6-3 6-4 7-5
1998 Sampras (U.S.) beat Ivanisevic (Croatia) 6-7(2) 7-6(9) 6-4 3-6 6-2
1997 Sampras (U.S.) beat Cedric Pioline (France) 6-4 6-2 6-4
1996 Richard Krajicek (Netherlands) beat Mal Washington (U.S.) 6-3 6-4 6-3
1995 Sampras (U.S.) beat Boris Becker (Germany) 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 6-2
1994 Sampras (U.S.) beat Ivanisevic (Croatia) 7-6(2) 7-6(5) 6-0
1993 Sampras (U.S.) beat Jim Courier (U.S.) 7-6(3) 7-6(6) 3-6 6-3
1992 Agassi (U.S.) beat Ivanisevic (Croatia) 6-7(8) 6-4 6-4 1-6 6-4
1991 Michael Stich (Germany) beat Becker (Germany) 6-4 7-6(4) 6-4
1990 Stefan Edberg (Sweden) beat Becker (Germany) 6-2 6-2 3-6 3-6 6-4
1989 Becker (Germany) beat Edberg (Sweden) 6-0 7-6(1) 6-4
1988 Edberg (Sweden) beat Becker (Germany) 4-6 7-6(2) 6-4 6-2
1987 Pat Cash (Australia) beat Ivan Lendl (Czechoslovakia) 7-6(5) 6-2 7-5
1986 Becker (Germany) beat Lendl (Czechoslovakia) 6-4 6-3 7-5
1985 Becker (Germany) beat Kevin Curren (U.S.) 6-3 6-7(4) 7-6(3) 6-4
1984 John McEnroe (U.S.) beat Jimmy Connors (U.S.) 6-1 6-1 6-2
1983 McEnroe (U.S.) beat Chris Lewis (New Zealand) 6-2 6-2 6-2
1982 Connors (U.S.) beat McEnroe (U.S.) 3-6 6-3 6-7(2) 7-6(5) 6-4
1981 McEnroe (U.S.) beat Bjorn Borg (Sweden) 4-6 7-6(1) 7-6(4) 6-4
1980 Borg (Sweden) beat McEnroe (U.S.) 1-6 7-5 6-3 6-7(16) 8-6
1979 Borg (Sweden) beat Roscoe Tanner (U.S.) 6-7(4) 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4
1978 Borg (Sweden) beat Connors (U.S.) 6-2 6-2 6-3
1977 Borg (Sweden) beat Connors (U.S.) 3-6 6-2 6-1 5-7 6-4
1976 Borg (Sweden) beat Ilie Nastase (Romania) 6-4 6-2 9-7
1975 Arthur Ashe (U.S.) beat Connors (U.S.) 6-1 6-1 5-7 6-4
1974 Connors (U.S.) beat Ken Rosewall (Australia) 6-1 6-1 6-4
1973 Jan Kodes (Czechoslovakia) beat Alex Metreveli (Soviet Union) 6-1 9-8 (7-5) 6-3
1972 Stan Smith (U.S.) beat Nastase (Romania) 4-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 7-5
1971 John Newcombe (Australia) beat Smith (U.S.) 6-3 5-7 2-6 6-4 6-4
1970 Newcombe (Australia) beat Rosewall (Australia) 5-7 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1
1969 Rod Laver (Australia) beat Newcombe (Australia) 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4
1968 Laver (Australia) beat Tony Roche (Australia) 6-3 6-4 6-2
Pre-Open era:
1967 Newcombe (Australia) beat Wilhelm Bungert (Germany) 6-3 6-1 6-1
1966 Manuel Santana (Spain) beat Dennis Ralston (U.S.) 6-4 11-9 6-4
1965 Roy Emerson (Australia) beat Fred Stolle (Australia) 6-2 6-4 6-4
1964 Emerson (Australia) beat Stolle (Australia) 6-4 12-10 4-6 6-3
1963 Chuck McKinley (U.S.) beat Stolle (Australia) 9-7 6-1 6-4
1962 Laver (Australia) beat Marty Mulligan (Australia) 6-2 6-2 6-1
1961 Laver (Australia) beat McKinley (U.S.) 6-3 6-1 6-4
1960 Neale Fraser (Australia) beat Laver (Australia) 6-4 3-6 9-7 7-5
1959 Alex Olmedo (U.S.) beat Laver (Australia) 6-4 6-3 6-4
1958 Ashley Cooper (Australia) beat Fraser (Australia) 3-6 6-3 6-4 13-11
1957 Lew Hoad (Australia) beat Cooper (Australia) 6-2 6-1 6-2
1956 Hoad (Australia) beat Rosewall (Australia) 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-4
1955 Tony Trabert (U.S.) beat Kurt Nielsen (Denmark) 6-3 7-5 6-1
1954 Jaroslav Drobny (Egypt) beat Rosewall (Australia) 13-11 4-6 6-2 9-7
1953 Vic Seixas (U.S.) beat Nielsen (Denmark) 9-7 6-3 6-4
1952 Frank Sedgman (Australia) beat Drobny (Egypt) 4-6 6-2 6-3 6-2
1951 Dick Savitt (U.S.) beat Ken McGregor (Australia) 6-4 6-4 6-4
1950 Budge Patty (U.S.) beat Sedgman (Australia) 6-1 8-10 6-2 6-3
1949 Ted Schroeder (U.S.) beat Drobny (Egypt) 3-6 6-0 6-3 4-6 6-4
1948 Bob Falkenburg (U.S.) beat John Bromwich (Australia) 7-5 0-6 6-2 3-6 7-5
1947 Jack Kramer (U.S.) beat Tom Brown (U.S.) 6-1 6-3 6-2
1946 Yvon Petra (France) beat Geoff Brown (Australia) 6-2 6-4 7-9 5-7 6-4
1940-1945 No competition
1939 Bobby Riggs (U.S.) beat Elwood Cooke (U.S.) 2-6 8-6 3-6 6-3 6-2
1938 Donald Budge (U.S.) beat Bunny Austin (Britain) 6-1 6-0 6-3
1937 Budge (U.S.) beat Gottfried von Cramm (Germany) 6-3 6-4 6-2
1936 Fred Perry (Britain) beat von Cramm (Germany) 6-1 6-1 6-0
1935 Perry (Britain) beat von Cramm (Germany) 6-2 6-4 6-4
1934 Perry (Britain) beat Jack Crawford (Australia) 6-3 6-0 7-5
1933 Crawford (Australia) beat Ellsworth Vines (U.S.) 4-6 11-9 6-2 2-6 6-4
1932 Vines (U.S.) beat Austin (Britain) 6-2 6-2 6-0
1931 Sidney Wood (U.S.) beat Frank Shields (U.S.) walkover
1930 William Tilden (U.S.) beat Wilmer Allison (U.S.) 6-3 9-7 6-4
1929 Henri Cochet (France) beat Jean Borotra (France) 6-4 6-3 6-4
1928 Rene Lacoste (France) beat Cochet (France) 6-1 4-6 6-4 6-2
1927 Cochet (France) beat Borotra (France) 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-5
1926 Borotra (France) beat Howard Kinsey (U.S.) 8-6 6-1 6-3
1925 Lacoste (France) beat Borotra (France) 6-3 6-3 4-6 8-6
1924 Borotra (France) beat Lacoste (France) 6-1 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-4
1923 Bill Johnston (U.S.) beat Frank Hunter (U.S.) 6-0 6-3 6-1
1922 Gerald Patterson (Australia) beat Randolph Lycett (Australia) 6-3 6-4 6-2
From 1877 to 1921 the men’s singles was decided on a challenge-round system with the previous year’s winner automatically qualifying for the final (British unless stated):
1921 Tilden (U.S.) beat Brian Norton (South Africa) 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-0 7-5
1920 Tilden (U.S.) beat Patterson (Australia) 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-4
1919 Patterson (Australia) beat Norman Brookes (Australia) 6-3 7-5 6-2
1915-18 No tournament held
1914 Brookes (Australia) beat Anthony Wilding (New Zealand) 6-4 6-4 7-5
1913 Wilding (New Zealand) beat Maurice McLoughlin (U.S.) 8-6 6-3 10-8
1912 Wilding (New Zealand) beat Arthur Gore 6-4 6-4 4-6 6-4
1911 Wilding (New Zealand) beat Herbert Barrett 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-2 retired
1910 Wilding (New Zealand) beat Gore 6-4 7-5 4-6 6-2
1909 Gore beat Major Ritchie 6-8 1-6 6-2 6-2 6-2
1908* Gore beat Barrett 6-3 6-2 4-6 3-6 6-4
1907* Brookes (Australia) beat Gore 6-4 6-2 6-2
1906 Laurence Doherty beat Frank Riseley 6-4 4-6 6-2 6-3
1905 Doherty beat Brookes (Australia) 8-6 6-2 6-4
1904 Doherty beat Riseley 6-1 7-5 8-6
1903 Doherty beat Riseley 7-5 6-3 6-0
1902 Doherty beat Gore 6-4 6-3 3-6 6-0
1901 Gore beat Reginald Doherty 4-6 7-5 6-4 6-4
1900 Reginald Doherty beat Sydney Smith 6-8 6-3 6-1 6-2
1899 Reginald Doherty beat Gore 1-6 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-3
1898 Reginald Doherty beat Laurence Doherty 6-3 6-3 2-6 5-7 6-1
1897 Reginald Doherty beat Harold Mahony 6-4 6-4 6-3
1896 Mahony beat Wilfred Baddeley 6-2 6-8 5-7 8-6 6-3
1895* Baddeley beat Wilberforce Eaves 4-6 2-6 8-6 6-2 6-3
1894 Joshua Pim beat Baddeley 10-8 6-2 8-6
1893 Pim beat Baddeley 3-6 6-1 6-3 6-2
1892 Baddeley beat Pim 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-2
1891* Baddeley beat Pim 6-4 1-6 7-5 6-0
1890 Willoughby Hamilton beat William Renshaw 6-8 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-1
1889 William Renshaw beat Ernest Renshaw 6-4 6-1 3-6 6-0
1888 Ernest Renshaw beat Herbert Lawford 6-3 7-5 6-0
1887* Lawford beat Ernest Renshaw 1-6 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-4
1886 William Renshaw beat Lawford 6-0 5-7 6-3 6-4
1885 William Renshaw beat Lawford 7-5 6-2 4-6 7-5
1884 William Renshaw beat Lawford 6-0 6-4 9-7
1883 William Renshaw beat Ernest Renshaw 2-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-3
1882 William Renshaw beat Ernest Renshaw 6-1 2-6 4-6 6-2 6-2
1881 William Renshaw beat John Hartley 6-0 6-1 6-1
1880 Hartley beat Lawford 6-3 6-2 2-6 6-3
1879* Hartley beat Vere St Leger Goold 6-2 6-4 6-2
1878 Frank Hadow beat Spencer Gore 7-5 6-1 9-7
1877 Spencer Gore beat William Marshall 6-1 6-2 6-4
* Denotes no challenge round. Winner of all-comers’ final declared champion.