Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash believes the rain break helped Roger Federer re-focus and go on to retain his singles title at the All England Club.

Federer recovered from losing the first set to record a 4-6 7-5 7-6 6-4 triumph in two hours and 30 minutes on Centre Court to claim a second Grand Slam title of the year.

The 22-year-old world number one was far from his imperious best in a final marred by two rain interruptions, but rallied superbly after the second delay when he hit back from 4-2 down in the third set.

"He improved after the break. He was in trouble and had not been playing well," said Cash, who won Wimbledon in 1987.

He added on BBC1: "Roger came out and all of a sudden he started to serve and volley. He changes his tactics and started attacking a bit more.

"He was the best player in the tournament, was the number one seed and deserved to win the tournament.

"There were not an awful lot of players who could win it. There were only two players who should have been in the final and they were.

"It was a bit of a scrappy match, but sometimes that happens."

As to whether Federer would now dominate Wimbledon for years to come, Cash reflected: "I was asked the same questions about Lleyton Hewitt..... A year is a long time. Who knows, with injuries - it is a tough circuit out there."

Three-times men's champion Boris Becker believes it is now up to others to work towards breaking Federer's dominance.

"Other players have to improve their games," said the German. "Andy Roddick has done that and is not far off."