Roger Federer put his French Open nightmare firmly behind him on Sunday by romping to his maiden ATP grass court title at the Gerry Weber Open.

The top-seeded Swiss needed just 68 minutes to demolish his unseeded German opponent Nicolas Kiefer 6-1 6-3 with a mixture of power and precision and claim the £63,000 first prize for a victory that is bound to shorten his odds to win Wimbledon, a tournament he once claimed at junior level.

Federer's only real problems came in his opening service game which went to three deuces but he then won 20 of the next 24 points to take a commanding 5-0 lead.

The breaks came in the second game, when Kiefer sent a backhand volley into the net, and in the fourth. Tied at 30-30, Kiefer again fired back-to-back forehands into the net.

Serving at 0-5, the local hero won four straight points to notch his first game of the match but Federer replied by winning his service game to love. He converted his first set point after just 25 minutes as he out-played Kiefer with a cross-court forehand.

Kiefer, visibly tired from an exhausting week, saved a break point in the first game of the second set but Federer kept dictating the pace and won the next three games, making it 3-1.

Fortune was on the side of Switzerland's Federer Express when he gained his third break on a net cord after a backhand slice.

Kiefer, coming off a 165-minute semi-final win over Arnaud Clement, then received treatment on his right thigh for several minutes.

However, Federer did not lose his rhythm and - not allowing a break point throughout - broke Kiefer for a fourth time, making it 6-3.

At 30-30, the unseeded Kiefer misfired another backhand volley and then found himself outplayed on Federer's first match point.

Kiefer - bothered by numerous unforced errors - at no time could not keep up with Federer's commanding play with the Swiss player combining brilliant baseline shots with good rushes to the net to sink the German in front of a disappointed patriotic crowd.

"It's like a dream coming true for me," Federer said after winning his fourth singles title of the season. "After my early exit at the French Open I fortunately, or unfortunately, had so many days off.

"It helped me to prepare for this tournament. Everything went my way today - it was a superb game. I'm very happy about my first title on grass."

Kiefer, who finished runner-up at the Gerry Weber last year to Yevgeny Kafelnikov, agreed.

"I've played so many minutes in the last weeks and I was a little tired. But this is not meant as an excuse," said the German. "He put on a smashing performance during the whole week - and certainly is a deserving winner."

Federer leads the ATP with 43 wins this season. He also made amends for last year's three-set semi-final loss at the hands of Kiefer.

The 25-year-old German entered the week with a dismal 2-6 match record this season but improved to 6-7. He is 18-7 overall in Halle, a tournament he won in 1999.

"It's the best tournament in the world. Thanks for a great week," Kiefer stated afterwards.