Hewitt Wins Wimbledon

With a triumphant roar and a clenched fist, Australia's Lleyton Hewitt ushered in a new era at Wimbledon on Sunday, thrashing David Nalbandian 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 to win his first grasscourt grand slam crown.

The 21-year-old blew away his Argentine opponent with scorching groundstrokes and tireless running to record the most one-sided victory in a men's final in 18 years.

In a tournament where aging former champions Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi lost in the second round, Hewitt put on a ruthless performance and swept through without a hitch in less than two hours.

Hewitt became the youngest Wimbledon men's champion since Boris Becker won his second title in 1986 at age 18. His victory also was the most dominating final in terms of games lost since John McEnroe beat Jimmy Connors 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 in 1984

"It's a real ripper," he beamed after clinching victory. "I had to look up at the scoreboard to make sure it was for real.

"Something had been drawing me here. I couldn't wait for Wimbledon to begin."

More than the $797,700 he collected for his efforts, the victory gives Hewitt a second grand slam crown and rubberstamps his position at the top of the men's tennis tree.

"Winning the U.S. Open last year, then getting the number one ranking back home in Sydney at the end of the year, I thought it didn't get any better. But now this ... it's amazing," he said.

After eight different grand slam champions at the last eight majors, Hewitt has put a stop to that trend -- a tennis equivalent of unifying heavyweight boxing belts.

He did it in some style on a dark and damp Centre Court.

As rain clouds loomed -- twice bursting, causing delays in the match -- the Australian peppered the court with winners throughout and hurled heavy, unreturnable serves at his opponent.

Comfortable trading blows from the back or advancing menacingly to the net to crunch overheads past the Argentine, Hewitt was a picture of power for the entire 117-minute drubbing.

Nalbandian, like everybody else on a grass court this year, simply did not have the weapons to hurt Hewitt.

He gunned away at the Australian's forehand -- arguably Hewitt's weaker wing -- but could not find the consistency required to break him down.

Hewitt rattled through the opening set in just 33 minutes pummelling away from the baseline.

"I wish you were British, Lleyton," screamed a woman in the crowd as he took another step towards the title no Briton has won since 1936.

The second set was interrupted by rain and a male streaker, who danced and leaped over the net with security guards in pursuit. But Hewitt, calmly waiting to restart the match after the rain delay, did not, for a second, waver from his task.

Nalbandian broke back in the third game but Hewitt collected the last three games to stretch his lead to two sets to one, sending down a 110 miles per hour ace on set point before bellowing "C'mon" for the first time in the title match.

The pair exchanged breaks again early in the third set but Nalbandian's spirit as well as his serve was broken again and Hewitt reeled off the final four games to become the first Australian since Pat Cash in 1987 to win the Wimbledon crown.

Emulating Cash, Hewitt clambered up through the stands to the players' box to hug his coach Jason Stoltenberg, girlfriend Kim Clijsters and parents Glynn and Cherilyn.

He returned, draped himself in the Australian flag, and illuminated Centre Court with a sparkling smile as he hoisted the trophy above his head.

On Saturday Serena Williams beat older sister Venus in straight sets for the Wimbledon title in the best of their all-in-the-family Grand Slam finals so far.

In a match featuring ferocious hitting by both players, Serena outslugged Venus 7-6 (4), 6-3 for her first Wimbledon championship and third major title.

It was the third all-Williams Grand Slam final in 10 months, with Serena winning her second in a row.