Federer - simply superb.

Roger Federer described his demolition of Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon final as "the best match I've ever played".

The Swiss star's 6-2 7-6 6-4 victory made it three Wimbledon crowns in a row to join an elite club which includes just Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras in the modern era.

"Today it seemed I was playing flawless, everything was working," said Federer. "I played a fantastic match, one of the best in my life. The most important tournament, even more than the US Open, so this is the best match I've ever played."

Federer also admitted he was hungry to try to chase the records of five-times Wimbledon champion Borg and Sampras, who won the tournament seven times.

"I feel like I have put myself into position," said Federer, who lost serve just once in a match which was delayed for a 20-minute rain break at the end of the second set.

"This was a very big match and tournament for me to get my fifth Grand Slam and third Wimbledon. I was pretty tense but after the first set I started to feel so good and so confident. Obviously for the next few years I will be a huge favourite for this tournament."

The world number one also revealed that he had experienced something akin to an out-of-body experience in winning the trophy.

"During the match and during the rain delay I never felt I was actually playing," said Federer. "It was like I'm not living this correctly. It was a very strange feeling. It's going to take me days, weeks, months years, I don't know, to realise this one."

If Federer felt out of this world, then Roddick certainly believes the 23-year-old Swiss is the superman of tennis.

"He's as close as there has been to unbeatable," admitted Roddick, who also lost to Federer in last year's final and in the semi-final in 2003. "I felt I played decent and got straight-setted.

"He played head and shoulders above how he played last year. He hit 49 winners and 12 errors. You just have to sit back and say 'too good' sometimes. I hope he gets bored or something.

"I've loads of respect for him. I've told him 'I'd love to hate you, but you're really nice'."

Roddick, the fastest server in world tennis, also gave an insight into why Federer currently is so dominant.

"The thing that separates him is that he is the most physically gifted player and he has become so solid mentally," said Roddick.

"He's become a mental force. Put those two together and it's a tough combination.

"If he keeps up this level I don't see too many people in history who would beat him. He's beaten the best players in finals 21 times. No-one's ever done that."

Roddick, the number two seed who has beaten Federer only once in their 10 tour matches, also admitted that he was proud to be playing in the same era as Federer and insisted he would strive to improve to build on his one US Open Grand Slam.

"I'm not going to beat myself up about getting to the final and doing better than 126 other guys and losing to a guy that everybody is debating whether he's the best of all-time or not," said Roddick. "I'm not going to ruin what I've accomplished just because he was better than me.

"I want another crack at him until my record is 1-31. I still want to go against him again. You want to compete against the best. He's the measuring stick, so you kind of know where you are and where you go. I'd love to keep playing him."

He's likely to get that chance against a Federer who admits he has been as astonished as anyone by his dominance of tennis.

"Maybe I lost too many matches I should have won when I was younger," he said. "Now it's turned around for me. Now I'm winning matches I should lose sometimes. I amaze myself how incredibly I use my talent to win.

"Those who followed me since I was a youngster knew I had the potential but I don't think anyone would ever have thought it would be this extreme, basically dominating the game, winning three Wimbledons.

"One, you think, that's fantastic. When you end up winning three, you're really starting to wonder 'what have I done right in my career that this has happened to me?' I'm very, very proud."