Wimbledon, England — Roger Federer was playing for history. Andy Roddick was playing the match of his life.

On and on they dueled, Federer trying for a record-breaking 15th major championship, Roddick striving for his second, in a Wimbledon final that required more games than any Grand Slam title match in the considerable annals of a sport dating to the 1800s.

“Ten games all, final set,” intoned the chair umpire. Then, “Twelve games all, final set.” And, still later, “Fourteen games all, final set.”

They were each other’s equal for four full sets and nearly the entire 30-game fifth set. Until Federer, far more experienced in such matters, finally edged ahead, breaking Roddick’s serve for the only time in the 77th and last game to close out a 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 victory Sunday.

The epic match — the fifth set alone lasted more than 11/2 hours — gave Federer his sixth Wimbledon title. Add that to five from the U.S. Open, three from the Australian Open and one from the French Open, and Federer’s Grand Slam total rises to 15, one more than Pete Sampras, who flew in from California on Sunday morning to be on hand.

“He’s a legend,” Sampras said. “Now he’s an icon.”

Indeed, Sampras already was among those labeling Federer the greatest tennis player ever, and there’s no doubt the 27-year-old from Switzerland keeps bolstering his case.

“It’s not really one of those goals you set as a little boy,” Federer said, “but, man, it’s been quite a career. And quite a month.”

Federer won the French Open four Sundays earlier to complete a career Grand Slam and tie Sampras with 14 major titles (Margaret Smith Court owns the women’s record of 24).

“Sorry, Pete,” Roddick said. “I tried to hold him off.”

He weathered Federer’s career-high 50 aces and his 107 total winners in the longest match and longest fifth set in major final history, topping marks set in 1927.

The tennis gods — as well as Sampras, Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg, all in front-row seats — must have enjoyed every moment of the 4-hour, 16-minute tussle. Federer, who can make it all look so easy, was forced to work darned hard to eclipse Sampras’ mark, and Roddick was left heartbreakingly close to winning Wimbledon finally.

Roddick dropped to 0-3 in finals at the All England Club, also beaten by Federer in 2004 and 2005.

Golf

Woods pulls through late

Bethesda, Md. — Even after 68 victories, Tiger Woods never had a finish quite like Sunday at the AT&T National.

Challenged by Hunter Mahan’s record-tying 62 at Congressional, Woods plotted his way along the back nine and delivered the decisive birdie with a 20-foot putt on the 16th green, closing with a 3-under 67 for a one-shot victory.

With three birdies in a five-hole stretch, Woods surged past Anthony Kim in a high-charged final pairing. Mahan’s 62 tied the course record at Congressional that Kim had set Thursday.

Yi escapes in playoff

Sylvania, Ohio — Eunjung Yi blew a six-stroke lead then hit a 10-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Morgan Pressel and capture her first LPGA victory Sunday in what might be the final Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

Kaymer wins French Open

Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, France — Martin Kaymer of Germany won the French Open Sunday, beating Lee Westwood of England in the first hole of a playoff.

Kaymer sank a putt from 18 feet on No. 18 to edge Ryder Cup star Westwood, who sent his approach shot into the water.

Cycling

Cavdendish wins 2nd stage

Brignoles, France — Britain’s Mark Cavendish won the second stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, with seven-time champion Lance Armstrong finishing safely in the trailing pack.

Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland kept the overall lead after capturing the opening time trial a day earlier. He leads Alberto Contador by 18 seconds. Armstrong is 10th, 40 seconds back.

Armstrong didn’t speak to reporters as he left the team bus before Sunday’s stage. But the Texan wrote on his Twitter account that he expected “the bunch will be antsy and aggressive” and predicted the stage would be won by Cavendish.

Auto racing

Wilson crushes field

Watkins Glen, N.Y. — Justin Wilson passed polesitter Ryan Briscoe early, then dominated the IndyCar Series race on Sunday at Watkins Glen International to give team owner Dale Coyne his first victory after 25 years of trying.

Penske and Target Chip Ganassi drivers had won the previous eight races this season, including 10 straight and 15 of 16 dating to last year. Coyne’s victory came in his 558th entry as an owner-driver.

“It took too long,” Coyne said smiling in his pit stall.

Football

QB’s death ruled a homicide

Nashville, Tenn. — Shot twice in the head and two more times in the chest, former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was the victim of a homicide, police declared Sunday. But authorities wouldn’t say it was a murder-suicide — even with his 20-year-old girlfriend dead at his feet from a single bullet.

McNair had been dating Sahel Kazemi for several months, and Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said Sunday that a semiautomatic pistol was found under her body. She was shot in the head.

McNair, who was married with four sons, had a permit to carry a handgun in Tennessee, and he was arrested once before with a 9mm weapon although charges in the case were dropped. Police said they had not yet determined who owned the gun found at the scene.

Investigators weren’t looking for a suspect but were questioning friends of the couple as well as Kazemi’s ex-boyfriend. They were also waiting for results of drug and other laboratory tests before deciding whether McNair was killed in a lovers’ quarrel.

NBA

Reports: Wallace to Boston

Two newspapers are reporting the Celtics have reached an agreement with free agent Rasheed Wallace.

Bill Strickland, Wallace’s agent, told the Boston Herald and the Boston Globe on Sunday night that the 34-year-old forward told him to call off meetings the agent was in the process of scheduling with Orlando, San Antonio and Dallas.

MLB

Wedge’s job secure

Cleveland — Eric Wedge’s job is safe for the rest of the season.

Cleveland general manager Mark Shapiro said Sunday that the manager and his coaching staff would remain in their jobs with the last-place Indians.

“As I’ve said all along, the responsibility for the disappointments of this season don’t rest on one person,” Shapiro said. “The responsibility is spread equally throughout the players, the front office, Eric and his staff.