Roger Federer became the first man to lift eight titles at the lawns of the All England Club after thrashing Marin Cilic in straight sets.Playing in the 11th Wimbledon final of his career, the Swiss maestro produced a masterclass to beat his Croat rival 6-3 6-1 6-4 in a match that was one-sided.Federer’s latest exploits bring his tally to 19 major titles, an open era record. Second on the list is none other than his long time rival, Rafael Nadal at 15.Prior to Wimbledon, both men won a Grand Slam each this year as Federer beat Nadal in a classic Australian Open Final followed by Nadal cementing his legacy at the French Open by beating another Swiss ace, Stan Wawrinka, at the final hurdle.Both players were widely expected to reach yet another Wimbledon final as fans hoped for a repeat of the 2008 classic final widely considered to be the greatest match of all time.However Nadal fell in the fourth round to Gilles Muller in a five set thriller that ended 15-13 in the last set in Muller’s favour.Croatian Marin Cilic seized his chance and reached his first Wimbledon final after beating Muller in quarters and American Sam Querrey in the semis.Cilic has consistently played well on grass and has now reached at least the quarter-finals in four successive years at Wimbledon.Last year he fell to Federer in a high-quality quarter final in which he was two sets up and held a few match points before finally succumbing in five sets. He also finished runner up in the Queen’s tournament before this year’s Wimbledon.Cilic had beaten Federer in 2014 US Open semifinals in straight sets and would’ve liked his chances, but it was always going to be a tall order in a Wimbledon final against the most successful player in the championship’s history.An injury sustained in the first set made matters worse for Cilic as he went down in straight sets.

Wawrinka's tweet to Federer

Tributes have poured in on Twitter marking Federer’s historic triumph. Many sportsmen and women, including tennis professionals, expressed their amazement and awe at the Swiss’s incredible career, with many labelling him as the ‘GOAT’ of tennis – Greatest of All Time.

Leading the tributes is none other than Stan Wawrinka, Federer’s Davis Cup teammate and the number four player in the world as of Sunday’s Final.

Stan has always held his compatriot in the highest regard and has commented often on the positive influence that Federer has had on him and the tennis world in general.

It is noteworthy that at the end of last year, Wawrinka had said that his ‘only wish’ for 2017 was to see Federer back at his best.

"For tennis in general, that Roger will be back at the top with no injury. I think it's always good for everybody when he's playing," Wawrinka said when asked what his wish was for 2017.

Federer has since enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, winning two grand slams and another two masters trophies. Lucky Charm anyone?

Is Federer the GOAT? Have your say below!