Champions Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer at the Wimbledon ball at London’s Savoy Hotel on Sunday. (AP)

London: Roger Federer cemented his place as the world’s best player with his 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 Wimbledon victory over Andy Roddick and warned his struggling rivals that there is still room for improvement.

Sunday’s win was his second in succession at the All-England Club and his third Grand Slam in all having won the Australian Open in January.

On top of that, he’s already world number one and holds the Masters Cup, but the 22-year-old Swiss is still not content. “I feel like I can serve and volley more, that is something I can improve,” he said.

“It has always been my dream to play better at the net. I’m definitely not bad but I feel there is still room for improvement. But it’s hard to do so because I feel opponents are so incredibly tough on returns and second passing shots. That makes it hard for me.”

It was a change of tactics, which involved playing more points at the net which came to his aid Sunday.

Roddick, with his big serve, booming groundstrokes as well as a surprise decision to abandon his usual security blanket of the baseline, had Federer in all sorts of trouble in the first set when he threatened to steamroll his opponent.

However, Federer battled back to one set each and then made the most of a third set rain break when he was 2-4 down to reassess his gameplan in order to salvage his title dreams. “Andy was playing great tennis and putting me under pressure and I couldn’t really play the way I wanted. So I had to change things and come to the net more.

“That’s when the sun came out and I’m happy I had such a great reaction.

“During that rain break I decided to serve and volley to get some free points and not to have to go every time in a rally because that was what was killing me. From the baseline, on my serve, he was taking a lot of risks and that was very dangerous for me.”

Sunday’s win was Federer's 24th in a row on grass with his last defeat on the surface happening here in 2002 when he was a first round loser to Croatia’s Mario Ancic. He believes that the proud two-year record comes from developing a strong fighting spirit that puts his rivals at a disadvantage when it comes to the big matches.

His win here last year, as well as January’s Australian Open victory, has hardened that resolve which will only stand him in good stead as he continues his campaign to become one of the greatest players of all time.

“When I get to finals, I just don’t want to lose them,” he explained. “I had a bad record at the start of my career in finals. But now it seems I can get my act together at the right time and stay calm in finals.

“For me, winners stay and losers go. I don’t want to be one of them who goes.”

Now Federer has set his sights on winning Olympic gold. He said he hopes to make up for four years ago in Sydney when he lost to Germany’s Tommy Haas in the semi-final.

“I lost in the semi-finals and the bronze medal match (against Arnaud di Pasquale of France) and it was very hard for me. I remember crying a lot after that,” Federer told a television channel. “But at least I met my girlfriend there, so I hope that we can celebrate our fourth anniversary with me getting a medal this time.”

Federer returns to his homeland for a claycourt tournament in Gstaad this week where 12 months ago he was presented with a cow as a reward for beating Mark Philippoussis in the 2003 Wimbledon final.

The next big date on the 22-year-old’s calendar, however, is the Olympics.

(Agencies)