Rafael Nadal insisted fighting spirit was the key to claiming his second Wimbledon title after he took just two hours and 12 minutes to overcome Tomas Berdych on Centre Court.
The irresistible Spaniard triumphed 6-3 7-5 6-4 and continued to make a mockery of the common convention the switch to grass from the clay-court season is the toughest transition of all.
Nadal said: "I expect to play my best on every point and fight for every point like it is the last one. I don't think if the match is going to be difficult. I just go on court and fight point by point."
He added: "If you want to play well on a surface and you are good player you find a way. To play well on grass at Wimbledon was always a dream for me and the most important thing is to have the belief that you can do it.
"It didn't happen since (Bjorn) Borg but now it has happened for the last three years. I know how important the grass court season is and that is why after winning at Roland Garros I go straight to practice at Queen's. Having the experience can help a lot."
Berdych had burst into the final on the back of wins over Roger Federer and incoming world number two Novak Djokovic but his honeymoon period lasted six games before Nadal pounced on a string of errors to take the first break. That effectively had the first set in the bag for Nadal although Berdych did show some fighting spirit in the opening game of the second set when he extended the Spaniard and just failed to take advantage of three break point opportunities.
Berdych said: "The biggest difference between us was when he got the chance he took it. He gave me chances in the second and third sets and I couldn't make the break. It just shows how strong he is."
Even at that early stage Berdych's failure to take advantage of a rare drop in Nadal's intensity cost him dear. Three successive errors later in the set handed Nadal his break and a two-set lead on a plate. Seemingly denied the classic final they craved, the fans rallied behind Berdych but Nadal kept his nerve and again rose to the occasion, taking advantage of his first match point on the Berdych serve at 5-4.
Nadal fell to the court then celebrated his triumph with a somersault and he admitted although his win was much more straightforward than his five-set epic over Federer two years ago, it was just as sweet.
Nadal added: " Every title is really special so it is difficult to say this title is more special than the other one. The other one was more dramatic and it is always special to win your first title. But it was not easy for me to come back and win here."
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