Watch Hewitt lift the trophy

Lleyton Hewitt thrashed David Nalbandian to claim his first Wimbledon title and emphatically underscore his status as the new dominant force in men's tennis.

The top seed swept aside the unheralded Argentine in one of the most one-sided finals in Wimbledon history.

Victory gave Hewitt his second Grand Slam title, following last September's win at the US Open.

Pete Sampras was the man Hewitt took apart on that day, and the 21-year-old Australian seems set to dominate the world game just like Sampras did in the 1990s.

Nalbandian found the pace difficult to cope with

Hewitt's victory however was not accomplished with the grasscourt style of Sampras.

It came instead with the fast feet and baseline power more reminiscent of Andre Agassi, the last man to win Wimbledon from the back of the court 10 years ago.

Nalbandian, the first Wimbledon debutant in the Open era to get through to the final, had never even played on Centre Court before.

Because of that he was allowed to practice in the famous arena before the match but that was not enough to prevent a double fault on his very first point.

Hewitt went on to break his opponent in that opening encounter and that set the tone as the Australian took the first set 6-1.

The top seed had dropped just two sets in the whole of the tournament and so, having lost the first, Nalbandian knew he was facing a near impossible task.

Even a streaker could not put Hewitt off his game

Early in the second set the match saw its first rain delay which was only around 12 minutes - although that was enough time for a male streaker to expose Wimbledon's security once again by dancing around Centre Court.

Once he was removed attention switched back to the naked ambition of Hewitt to become the first Australian to win Wimbledon since Pat Cash in 1987.

The world number one broke Nalbandian straight away to lead 2-0 - and although his opponent immediately broke back a second rain delay interrupted the Argentine's momentum.

When the players returned there was another break by Hewitt, which gave him the chance to serve out for the second set.

I lost in the last 16 of the French Open then came to the grasscourts of London and hit top form straight away Lleyton Hewitt

The players swapped breaks early in the third set but then a third break went Hewitt's way - thanks in part to an overrule which Nalbandian disputed heavily even though replays showed the umpire was correct.

That gave the Australian a 3-2 lead and when he held for 4-2 the crown was within touching distance.

Another break left Hewitt serving for the title and, after a nervous double fault at championship point, he held to 15.

As he fell to his knees on the famous grass of Centre Court a new era in men's tennis had truly begun.