By Andy Schooler

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Mark Philippoussis was out to write the final chapter in a remarkable story at Wimbledon when he walked on to Centre Court.

The big-serving Australian spent two months in a wheelchair following a third knee operation two years ago, but he stepped on to the famous turf knowing victory over Roger Federer would give him his first Grand Slam title.

But it was fourth-seed Federer who began as the bookies' favourite though after a sparkling semi-final victory over Andy Roddick.

Federer elected the serve and soon, as expected, closing in on the net.

He saw two vicious returns fly back past him but managed to hold to 30, clinching the opening game with an ace.

Philippoussis duly came up with two aces of his own in his opening delivery game.

Federer forced the first deuce in the fourth game but Philippoussis came up with some big serving - including one at 134mph - to move the score along to 2-2.

Philippoussis, the man nicknamed 'Scud' for his missile-like serves, came up with the first double fault of the match in his next service game, but Federer could do little in the rest of the game and it was soon three games apiece.

If it were possible, Federer was holding serve even easier and it was already looking as if a tie-break would be required in the first set.

Federer got a sniff of a breakthrough in the eighth game when he moved to 30-30. However, a 138mph serve followed by a crisp volley got Philippoussis out of trouble.

The match was progressing at a rapid rate and when Federer made it 6-5, just 31 minutes had gone.

The Swiss star had a real chance as Philippoussis served to stay in the set, a double fault and a brilliant crosscourt winner taking him to 0-30.

But the 6ft 4in Aussie stayed calm to force a tie-break.

The first two points both went against the server before the crowd was brought to its feet by a senastional 15-stroke rally as Federer kept his nose in front.

The key point came with Philippoussis serving at 4-5. He clearly got tight as he delivered a double fault to hand Federer two set points.

One was saved, but when Federer got the ball in his hand, he clinched the breaker 7-5 when his opponent blasted a forehand return well wide.

The first-set stats showed the victor had made just one unforced error - a scary proposition for Philippoussis.

The Aussie's first serve percentage was soaring at 80 per cent, but despite that remarkable figure he found himself a set down.

Federer was producing another memorable display and - just like he did against Roddick - he secured the first break of serve of the match in the opening game of the second set.

A crosscourt forehand pass brought up two break points and then he forced Philippoussis to net a volley to really gain a strangehold on the match.

Federer converted the break to go 2-0 up.

A brilliant drive volley from just inside the baseline helped Federer bring up two more break ponts in the next game, and when his opponent volleyed into the net again, Federer was in total command.

Philippoussis needed a miracle to get something out of the second set now, but Federer almost handed him a lifeline.

A sloppy start to the fourth game saw him go 0-30 for the first time, but he got himself out of bother to move 4-0 ahead.

Federer was soon serving for the second set at 5-2, and although he threw in his first double fault of the match while doing so, the 'Fed Express' successfully served out for a two-set lead.

It was hard to see how Philippoussis could turn things around. After all, he had yet to force even a break point, never mind a break of Federer's serve.

'Scud' slammed down a love service game to ensure the third set did not begin in the disastrous fashion that the second had done.

But he was back in trouble on his serve on his next delivery.

Philippoussis' volleying was not at his best and a poor shot at the net saw him fall 0-30 down. A Federer pass brought up break point and Philippoussis was a relieved man when a second-serve ace, which was initially called out, was overruled as good by umpire Gerry Armstrong.

Would that be the turning point for the Aussie?

It looked as if the answer could be 'yes' when Philippoussis pushed Federer to deuce in the fourth game, but the 21-year-old kept his cool to level at 2-2.

As the score ticked along to 4-4, another tie-break was looking likely.

Federer was struggling to make an impact on the Philippoussis serve during this spell of play and if he could force a tie-break, the Aussie's hopes could well stay alive.

The end was in sight for Federer when he moved to 15-40 on the Philippoussis serve in the 11th game, but he then missed a quite makeable forehand with the court wide open as his opponent clung on by his fingernails and the set went into a tie-break.

As in the first-set breaker, the opening two points were won by the returner, but when Philippoussis conceded two further points on his serve, the writing was on the wall.

Federer was soon up five championship points and although two were saved, the Swiss was crowned when Philippoussis hit a backhand return into the top of the net.

It completed a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 7-6 (7/3) win and made Federer the first Swiss male to win a Grand Slam title.