Ten years on, Nadal looks back on 'emotional' Wimbledon win over Federer

Ten years after out-duelling Roger Federer to win the greatest Wimbledon final, Rafael Nadal returns to the All England Club still basking in the warm glow of that epic encounter.

After losing to Federer in successive Wimbledon finals, Nadal finally got the better of the Swiss star in a thrilling 2008 clash many regard as the finest ever to grace the hallowed Centre Court.

Nadal's 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (8/10), 9-7 victory was a defining moment for the Spaniard as it gave him a first Grand Slam crown away from his favoured clay at the French Open.

The match marked the high point of a captivating rivalry between Nadal and Federer that played a huge role in tennis's resurgence as a multi-million-pound business.

For Nadal, the significance was far more personal.

Aware of how important it was to legitimise himself by beating Federer at Wimbledon, Nadal went on to win on hard courts at the Australian and US Opens and emerged as one of the sport's all-time greats.

Nadal, now with 17 major titles on his CV, has arrived for next week's Wimbledon with the anniversary of his finest moment sparking happy memories.

"Of course in that moment, that final has been a very important step forward for me in my career," he told a press conference at Wimbledon on Saturday.

"I always have been very clear that it probably is one of the most emotional matches that I played in my career.

"Yeah, everybody knows that for me to win here was one of my dreams. After losing two finals, that final created a big impact in my tennis career.

"The personal satisfaction that tournament give to me is difficult to compare with other things. But, yes, it has been great."
- 'I'm still here' -
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"Today I see that final like a long time ago. But the good thing is I still here. I am happy for that."