Nadal looks to become the world No 1, but how will Federer react to losing at SW19?

Just champion: Rafael Nadal celebrates his first Wimbledon crown

Once there, All England Club chairman Tim Phillips relayed the message that Bjorn Borg agreed with John McEnroe’s broadcast opinion in saying that Nadal had just played in the greatest final ever.

Accompanied by a large group of family members, Nadal proved to be charming all the way through — a credit to himself, his sport and his country.

At 6am yesterday the adrenaline was still running through his veins as he headed to Stuttgart, where he was due to play in this week’s ATP Tour event. Understandably he was going there not to participate but to offer his apologies to the tournament and sponsors and explain that he was ever so slightly tired.

He is entitled to be, but in this Olympic year there is not much time for repose as he seeks official confirmation that he is now the world’s No 1 player.

In tennis the saying that the rankings do not lie generally holds true, although when it comes to the current relative positions of Nadal and Federer they are speaking with forked tongue. The Spaniard has won two of the three Grand Slams this year and Novak Djokovic the other, leaving the U.S. Open as the only one still held by the deposed Wimbledon champion.

When Nadal gets round to it, he will see from the new set of rankings issued yesterday that he is now well within range of usurping Federer and probably does not even need to win in Flushing Meadows to do so.

The Swiss now stands on 6,600 points with his rival only 545 behind. Up to and including the U.S. Open at the end of August, Federer has 1,850 to defend from last year while Nadal has just 630.

One bad result for the No 1 at the Olympics or the Masters series events in America that precede it — coupled with a strong performance from Nadal — could see the Spaniard finally reach the summit.

King dethroned: Roger Federer after losing to Rafael Nadal

That really would spell the end of an era as, staggeringly, Federer has held the position since February 2004. Yet, the forthcoming events on outdoor hard courts do not suit Nadal. His movement is undoubtedly better on clay and grass and it may be simply because he fears what the concrete is doing to his ankle and knees, which already need constant treatment.

Furthermore, in recent years the Spaniard has performed modestly in the post-Wimbledon period.

There can be little doubt why — he pours so much physical and emotional energy into the clay and grass court seasons that there is nothing left to give afterwards. Federer was dignified on the court and apparently desolate when he got off it and his longer-term reaction to the events of Sunday night will be fascinating to observe.

His march towards Pete Sampras’ tally of 14 Grand Slams has been halted this year and he remains three away from overtaking the American.

Calm analysis suggests that, at nearly 27, it will be a close run thing whether he will manage to set a new benchmark for winning Majors.

The quality of his play in the last fortnight shows that he is still easily capable of doing so and it may be that he needs the goal to keep driving himself on.

There does, though, appear to be a mental dimension to his losses against Nadal, who has now won their last four encounters. Federer’s poor shot selection on key points during Sunday’s battle suggested there was plenty of mindscramble going on.

It must also be said that there was an element of pride coming before a fall in the Swiss player’s demise. When you reign supreme, it is all very well sitting there in your special cardigan with gold buttons, wearing a cap with your goldbraided initials on and having special golden trim on your shoes.

When you have been royally stuffed by your rival in Paris and go three Majors without winning, it does not look quite so clever. Federer has also developed a taste for celebrity pals. Musical couple Gavin Rossdale and Gwen Stefani were in his box on Sunday, Anna Wintour put in an appearance during the fortnight and he has a mutual love-in with Tiger Woods.

Celebrity fans: Gavin Rosdale and Gwen Stefani

So he needs to watch his focus to restore his central place at Wimbledon, where the efforts of British duo Andy Murray and Chris Eaton seemed long forgotten on Sunday night.

The 21-year-old Scot went up to No 9 in the rankings yesterday, while unlikely hero Eaton made it to 406. British women’s No 1 Anne Keothavong is at a career-high 82.

The big challenge for the sport in Britain, one it is yet to come anywhere near to meeting, is how to properly build on the phenomenal levels of interest that exist during and in the weeks running up to Wimbledon.

When you see what has happened in the last fortnight, it is clear what wider potential exists.