The clock shows 9.16pm, as Centre Court is cloaked in semi-darkness. After an incredible four hours and 48 minutes of the most sublime tennis, Rafael Nadal makes his way to the net to shake hands with a defeated Roger Federer after what was surely the most compelling men's final at Wimbledon.

Commentators and spectators were fast running out of superlatives for the longest men's final, the latest to finish and perhaps the greatest of all. This was the sixth time that Roger Federer and Nadal had met in a grand-slam final - an Open-era record - with Federer aiming to beat the legendary Björn Borg's standard of five Wimbledon titles in a row and Nadal, the French Open winner who thrashed Federer in straight sets a few weeks earlier.

Instead of choosing a court-side seat with my colleagues, I have a favoured position on a tiny platform in the corner that holds about a dozen photographers. This offers a different perspective of the action as the player at the opposite end almost serves directly at you and when Nadal wallops one of his forehand smashes with top spin, it is time to duck.

Federer, on the other hand, is quite simply the most beautiful tennis player I have photographed. He plays with such a defined beauty - there is no hurry, no violence or anger, and each shot seems as if in slow motion.

Nadal is also a joy to photograph. He is also beautiful but in a brutish, sweaty, pumped-up way. But allied to his power is his finesse and he possesses the most delicate of touches and fleeting footwork.

And after nearly five hours, Centre Court erupted in ecstasy for the Spaniard, who brought an end to Federer's unbeaten run of 65 matches on grass, and arguably his reign as the king of tennis.

As Nadal clambered above me to the Royal Box to meet Spanish royalty, someone shouted: “The king is dead, long live the king.”

Federer, meanwhile, watched dejected from his chair as he came to terms with finishing runner-up for the first time at Wimbledon. It now may be some consolation to know that he played his part in one of the greatest finals played on this glorious stage.