Roger Federer said letting slip two championship points in his Wimbledon final loss to Novak Djokovic was “such an incredible opportunity missed”.

The Swiss, 37, led Djokovic 8-7 40-15 on his serve in the final set but the Serb fought back to win 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 13-12 (7-3) in four hours and 57 minutes.

Victory for Federer would have given him a ninth Wimbledon singles title.

“I don’t know what I feel right now… I can’t believe it,” said Federer.

“You just always try to push yourself to see things on the better side. But it was definitely tough to have those chances.”

Federer also held two break points when Djokovic served at 11-11 in the deciding set but could not convert them.

It was the longest singles final in Wimbledon history and the first fifth-set tie-break to be played in a Wimbledon final.

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It is the second time Federer has been involved in the longest singles final at Wimbledon – and ended up losing too – after he was beaten by Rafael Nadal in 2008.

Federer has lost his past five meetings with Djokovic in Grand Slams, last beating the Serb at Wimbledon in 2012.

He still holds the all-time men’s Grand Slam record of 20 singles titles but Djokovic now has 16 with Nadal on 18.

“It used to be a really, really big deal, I guess when you were close,” Federer said of the overall record.

“I guess two behind, then eventually you tie, then eventually you break. That was big.

“It’s been different since, naturally because the chase is in a different place.

“I take motivation from different places. Not so much from trying to stay ahead because I broke the record, and if somebody else does, well, that’s great for them. You can’t protect everything anyway.”

Federer, who during Wimbledon set two new landmarks in winning his 100th match at the championships and his 350th match at a Grand Slam, said holding the record was not what motivated him as a player.

“I didn’t become a tennis player for that,” said Federer.

“It’s about trying to win Wimbledon, trying to have good runs here, playing in front of such an amazing crowd in this Centre Court against players like Novak and so forth.

“That’s what I play for.”

Federer said there were similarities with his loss to Nadal in 2008 but differences too.

“This one is more straightforward maybe in some ways because we didn’t have the rain delays, the night coming in and all that stuff,” he said.

“But sure, epic ending, so close, so many moments, sure there are similarities.

“I’m the loser both times, that’s the only similarity I see.”

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Analysis

Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker: “All the compliments in the world to Roger Federer, for the performances over the past two weeks, showing he’s still one of the top players in the world, and one point away from a record ninth Wimbledon title.

“He’s an ambassador for all men, not just sportsmen, he’s in great shape.

“We said before that the longer the match goes on, the better it would be for Djokovic. But Roger was as fit as a fiddle in the fifth set.”

Former British number one Tim Henman: “There’s no doubt Roger Federer will be massively disappointed.

“In terms of disappointments in his career this will be right up there. To have two match points and against one of his biggest rivals on his favourite court – it will hurt.

“I know he’s good at controlling his emotions, but this will sting for a long, long time.”

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Novak Djokovic says his epic Wimbledon final victory over Roger Federer was his most “mentally demanding” match – and he even had to tell himself the partisan crowd was cheering for him.

Djokovic, 32, retained his title with a 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 13-12 (7-3) win over the eight-time champion, 37.

Lasting four hours 57 minutes, it was the longest Wimbledon singles final.

“When the crowd is chanting ‘Roger’ I hear ‘Novak’,” said the Serb. “It sounds silly, but it is like that.”

Djokovic – now a five-time Wimbledon champion – added: “Mentally this was different level.

“It was probably the most demanding, mentally most demanding, match I was ever part of.

“It was a huge relief in the end. You work for, you live for these kind of matches.

“They give sense and they give value to every minute you spend on the court training and working to get yourself in this position and play the match with one of your greatest rivals of all time.”

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‘I always try to imagine myself as a winner’ – blocking out the noise

Djokovic saved two match points on his way to beating Federer in the first 12-12 final-set singles tie-break used at the All England Club.

He credited mental training and visualisation in helping him through the epic that unfolded on Centre Court, adding it was more difficult for him than the physical toll on his body.

“I always try to imagine myself as a winner. I think there is a power to that,” he said.

“Also there has to be, next to the willpower, strength that comes not just from your physical self, but from your mental and emotional self.

“For me, at least, it’s a constant battle within, more than what happens outside.

“It’s really not the situations that you experience that are affecting you, but how you internally experience those situations, how you accept them, how you live through them.”

Federer fever was rife throughout the grounds of SW19 and on Centre Court itself, with the majority of the 15,000 in the stands supporting the Swiss.

That is a situation Djokovic has faced on numerous occasions and something he has been known to react negatively to, cupping his ear in response to chants supporting opponent Roberto Bautista Agut in the semi-finals.

In the final, many of the 52 unforced errors and nine double faults Djokovic made were cheered, and he was booed when he questioned a Hawk-Eye decision that had ruled in Federer’s favour.

His celebrations after winning the title were somewhat muted.

Asked if he was aware of the favouritism towards Federer, Djokovic said: “It’s hard to not be aware.

“You have that kind of electric atmosphere, that kind of noise, especially in some decisive moments where we’re quite even. It’s one way or another. The crowd gets into it.

“If you have the majority of the crowd on your side, it helps. It gives you motivation, it gives you strength, it gives you energy. When you don’t, then you have to find it within.”

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‘I don’t have any obligation to play’

With 16 Grand Slam titles to his name, Djokovic closed the gap to Federer (20) and Rafael Nadal (18) on the all-time records list.

Djokovic is five years Federer’s junior and one year younger than Nadal, and he says they are “one of the biggest reasons” he continues to compete.

“The fact they made history motivates me. It inspires me to try to do what they have done, what they’ve achieved, and even more,” he said.

“Whether I’m going to be able to do it or not, I don’t know. I’m not really looking at age as a restriction of any kind for me at least.

Djokovic refuses to set himself the target of catching – or surpassing – their records, because he has bigger priorities in his life.

“It depends not only on myself, it depends on circumstances in life,” he said. “I’m not just a tennis player, I’m a father and a husband.

“I don’t have any obligation to play. I really don’t have any commitment to play tennis. I play it because I really love it and I have support of the closest people in my life.”

How the tennis world reacted

Six-time Wimbledon singles champion Billie Jean King: An epic men’s final. Congratulations to Novak Djokovic on his fifth singles title at Wimbledon. Roger Federer and Novak are two world-class players who left it all on the court.

Four-time Wimbledon singles champion Rod Laver: An incredible finale. Congratulations Novak Djokovic on your fifth Wimbledon title. You and Roger Federer reached the highest level. A thrilling match between two incomparable grasscourt champions. Thank you for the good fight, played fairly and ferociously.

Former Wimbledon champion Martina Hingis: STANDING OVATION for both players in this Wimbledon final! What a joy and privilege to watch.

2018 Wimbledon runner-up Kevin Anderson: I have such huge respect for both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. What a match… wouldn’t have minded to see it go on a little longer. Congrats Novak on another Wimbledon.

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Czech Barbora Strycova and Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Su-wei defeated Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and China’s Yifan Xu in straight sets to win the Wimbledon women’s doubles title on Centre Court.

Third seeds Strycova, a singles semi-finalist, and partner Hsieh triumphed 6-2 6-4 in one hour and six minutes.

Following a first Grand Slam title for the pair, Strycova, 33, moves to number one in the women’s doubles rankings.

Earlier, Ivan Dodig and Latisha Chan claimed the mixed doubles title.

Croat Dodig, 34, and Taiwanese Chan, 29, prevailed 6-2 6-3 against Sweden’s Robert Lindstedt and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in one hour and 10 minutes.

Crowned French Open champions in June, the eighth seeds dominated the first set and secured the decisive break in the eighth game of the second set.

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Novak Djokovic saved two championship points to retain his Wimbledon title with a thrilling final-set tie-break win over Roger Federer.

On a Centre Court, with an atmosphere that felt at times more akin to football than tennis, Djokovic won 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 13-12 (7-3).

It was the longest Wimbledon final, at four hours 57 minutes, with a Federer error handing Djokovic victory.

The Serbian world number one has now won 16 Grand Slam titles.

“It’s quite unreal,” Djokovic said after winning his fifth Wimbledon title.

Federer, who at 37 was chasing a record-equalling ninth Wimbledon singles title, added: “It was a great match, it was long, it had everything. Novak, congratulations, man, that was crazy.”

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A meeting of the greats serves up a classic

A highly anticipated final between two of the sport’s greats always had the potential to go the distance – and this did that and more.

With fans unable to watch at times, while leaping to their feet and chanting at others, a nerve-jangling final set turned this into a classic.

When Federer had two championship points at 8-7, Djokovic held his nerve to save both and then break back, eventually taking it to the new tie-break at 12-12.

The Serb – who for extended periods of the match had been second best – had won the match’s previous two tie-breaks and he did so again, snatching victory when Federer scooped a return high.

The Swiss had been seeking to become the oldest Grand Slam champion of the Open era but instead found himself part of a different record as the match time surpassed the Wimbledon record of four hours 48 minutes play of the 2008 final he lost to Rafael Nadal.

Down in the stats – but up in the match

Anyone looking at the stats for this match would simply not fathom how Djokovic came out on top.

The Serb trailed the Swiss on first-serve points won, winners made, aces, break points converted, games won and total points won and led him on double faults.

But he won the key points – and none more so than in the final set.

A diving volley winner at 5-5 and 15-30 prevented Federer establishing two break points, while having let the Swiss take an 8-7 lead with an opportunity to serve for the match, he immediately broke back.

Ignoring the increasingly vocal “Roger, Roger” chants from the partisan crowd and the cheers for some of the top seed’s double faults, Djokovic surged 6-3 ahead in the tie-break.

There was more drama when the final point had to be replayed after a Hawk-Eye challenge, but Djokovic finally celebrated victory when Federer sent a forehand off the frame of his racquet.

The Serb became the first man to win a Wimbledon singles final after being down match point since 1948 when Bob Falkenburg saved three match points and came back to defeat John Bromwich.

An emotional Federer looked over towards his wife and children in his box during the trophy presentation, perhaps an acknowledgement that less than four weeks from his 38th birthday his opportunities for more Grand Slams may be limited.

While the match will be remembered by many for its thrills, Federer said: “I will try to forget. I had my chances, so did he. We played some great tennis.”

How the drama unfolded in fifth set

3hrs 25mins – A Djokovic backhand winner secures a break of serve for 4-2 lead

3hrs 31mins – Federer breaks straight back when Djokovic nets forehand

4hrs 7mins – Federer goes a break up at 8-7 with a forehand winner

4hrs 10mins – An ace brings up two championship points for Federer

4hrs 12mins – Djokovic saves both match points, then breaks back to level match

4hrs 39mins – Successful Federer Hawk-Eye challenge brings up break point, but Djokovic fends it off to lead 12-11

4hrs 47mins – Code violation for Djokovic for swinging his racquet towards umpire’s chair

4hrs 48mins – First 12-12 final-set tie-break in Wimbledon singles begins

4hrs 55mins – Djokovic forehand brings up three championship points

4hrs 56mins – More drama as Djokovic successfully challenges a ball called out and point is replayed

4hrs 57mins – Federer skies a return and Djokovic wins his fifth Wimbledon title

Analysis

BBC Sport tennis commentator Andrew Castle: “What a treat this has been. The top seed triumphs and it can surprise no one. Novak Djokovic has beaten Roger Federer in the longest final in Wimbledon history. And he’s beaten Roger Federer in all three Wimbledon finals that he has played him in. Roger Federer can look back with such pride on his effort.”

Former British number one Tim Henman on BBC TV: “I am still in a slight daze on Roger Federer’s behalf. Federer played all the tennis in the first four sets, he could have won all of them. And to then have two Championship points on his own serve, which is one of the most efficient. He tried to be bold on the second, but Novak Djokovic came up with the pass.”

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra: “It was a rollercoaster ride. It was amazing to see a tie-break in the end. There was nothing in that match in the end. You have to compliment both players. I was glad I got to witness this.”

More to follow.