Tomas Berdych dumps Federer out of Wimbledon

Wimbledon legend Roger Federer has been dumped out of the tournament in the quarter finals by the unfancied Czech Tomas Berdych in one of the biggest upsets at SW19 for years, if not decades.

The six times champion and number one seed had only lost one match at Wimbledon since 2002 - and that was the incredible final of 2008, won by Rafael Nadal. But he crumbled against Berdych, who is ranked 13 in the world, and ended up losing 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-4.

The result means that the men's final will not feature Federer for the first time in eight years and is proof that the Swiss master's reign at the top of the tennis rankings is coming to an end.

There had been signs that his crown was slipping before he arrived in London. He went out in the quarter finals of the French Open - the first time he had failed to make the semis of a Grand Slam in 23 attempts. As a result he slipped to number two in the rankings after 285 weeks at the summit. Then he lost only his second match on grass in seven years when  Australian Lleyton Hewitt beat him at a warm-up tournament in Germany. 

However, most observers felt that he would challenge for the Wimbledon title once again on his favourite surface, grass, and he was seeded number one.

He struggled in the first round against journeyman Alejandro Falla of Colombia but came through a five setter. But Berdych, who has beaten the Swiss before, was not so accommodating. The Czech won the first set only to see Federer storm back to take the second. But Berdych upped his game to win the next two sets and send Federer packing.

After serving to take the match Berdych said: "It's amazing to play in this stadium against such a great player and to leave as the winner is an amazing feeling. So far it was the toughest game in my career to serve to close out the match." ·