IF only someone would invent some new superlatives, they could be used immediately to describe Roger Federer.

While he is undoubtedly peerless, the word still doesn’t seem to do his achievements justice.

Few privileged to be here on Centre Court will ever forget seeing history in the making.

They will talk about this day into their dotage and they won’t need rose-tinted spectacles to recall just how good it really was.

United as one, greats of the game – watching from the Royal Box – rose to hail a player now all on his own in the pantheon of legends.

Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver heartily led the collective applause, which reverberated appreciatively around the spiritual home of their sport.

For the record Federer’s 15th Grand Slam title – which moved him one ahead of Sampras – was secured 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14, the most games ever played in an All England Club final.

It was a classic encounter from Wimbledon’s finest vintage and more than worthy of its historic c o n c l u - sion.

In fut u r e y e a r s A n d y Roddick will be just a footnote to the l e g e n d but the Americ a n d e - serves much better than that.

In the semi-final he beat a player with the weight of a national expectation on his shoulders.

In the final he was edged out by a man burdened by the equally crushing weight of history.

“Winning 15 Grand Slams is not a goal you set as a little boy but it’s been quite a career,”

said Federer. “It’s staggering that I’ve been able to play so well for so many years and stay injury-free.

“I’m happy that I broke the record at this tournament because my heroes and idols all did so well at these championships.

“It’s one of the greatest records to have but I’m not stopping playing tenn i s yet, I want to come back here for many more years.”

F e d e r - er’s defeat to R a f a e l Nadal last year came in a t h r i l l i n g final that red e f i n e d epic.

This victory simply rewrote forever the story of his sport.

A l - t h o u g h Federer admitted he got a little nervous when he saw Sampras watching in the Royal Box.

“It was very special having Pete here,” he added.

“He promised me a long time ago that he could come and he kept his word. “ But spare a thought for Roddick, who has revitalised his game this year and turned around a career that had been in major need of resuscitation.

He has now contested three All England Club finals against Federer and lost them all. He will take little solace from the fact that this was by far his best effort.

He served to stay in the match ten times in a final set of unbearable tension but at the 11th time of asking, Federer broke him for the first and only time.

“I think being so close, makes losing this match a lot worse than the other ones,”

said Roddick, who has now won only twice in 21 meetings with Federer.

“He makes it really tough, he was having trouble ready my serve for the first time ever but he just managed to stay the course.

“I was really happy with the way that I played, I just came up a little bit short.”

Last year Roddick was beaten in Wimbledon’s second round and flew back to the United States to consider his future in the sport.

However, he has been revived with a new determination, happy in his home life with new wife Brooklyn Decker and inspired on-court by new coach Larry Stefanki.

“At the moment it is still very tough to digest and I don’t have a lot of insight. I’m just going to keep going. I don’t have a lot of other options,”

he added.

“At the start of the year I wanted to give myself the opportunity to win tournaments like this.

“I did that here but it didn’t work out, but, you know, I gave myself a look.

“Roger is a true champion but I still hope one day that my name will be up there as a winner of this tournament.”

There were many turning points in this game but Roddick will look to the second set tie break – a thrilling minidrama worthy on its own of the entry price.

Federer and Roddick both boast enviable records in set deciders, the Swiss has only lost three times in the 19 tiebreakers he has played in Grand Slam finals.

But Roddick opened up with the best expression of intent – a fizzing 143mph that left Federer anchored on the spot.

The world number six raced into the lead and held four set points but Federer responded like only he can, winning the next six points on the spin to restore parity.

Roddick trudged to his chair, shell-shocked about chance he had so carelessly squandered.

In a few points that tiebreak summed up this entire game and it was destined to be the decisive turning point in a match of twists and turns.