FEDERER IS BETTERER

Gonzalez, seeded 10th and in his first Grand Slam final, kept Federer under pressure with his big forehand, but could not quite match the all-court game of the player who has been ranked No. 1 for 156 consecutive weeks.

He broke Federer in the ninth game, the first break point chance of the match, and had two set points in the next game but failed to convert.

Federer broke back to level at 5-all, then had four set points in the next game before Gonzalez held in a game that went to deuce seven times and forced a tiebreaker.

Federer dominated the tiebreaker, jumping out to a 5-0 lead after winning a challenge against an incorrect baseline call to have the first point replayed.

Gonzalez, the Olympic doubles champion, had conceded only two points on serve in the second set until Federer broke to lead 4-3.

Federer fired an ace to close the second set and broke Gonzalez in the seventh game of the third. He set up triple championship point with a forehand winner and closed it with a backhand down the line.

He fell to his back, rolled over and then got up, hit a ball into the stands and took a bow. He held both arms high before throwing his wristband into the crowd