Lleyton Hewitt lifts his maiden Wimbledon trophy

Clare Lovell in London

World number one Lleyton Hewitt crushed Argentine debutant David Nalbandian 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 on Sunday to win his first Wimbledon title.

At the end of the most one-sided men's Wimbledon final since John McEnroe beat Jimmy Connors for the loss of just four games in 1984, Hewitt sank to his knees then shook his opponent's hand and raced into the guest box to kiss his parents and girlfriend Kim Clijsters.

"It's a real ripper," he said breathlessly afterwards.

The Australian top seed showed all his class, commitment and determination to earn his second grand slam crown in a match interrupted twice by drizzle and once by a dancing male streaker.

"I had to look up at the scoreboard to see if it was real," Hewitt added. "It's unbelievable."

Nalbandian, 20, who was playing his first men's tournament at Wimbledon, looked nervous and tight-limbed from the outset, producing nine unforced errors in the first three games.

The imperious Hewitt pounced on every loose ball, converting his first break point in the first game, winning his own serve comfortably then breaking the Argentine again on his fourth break point in the third game with a magnificent cross-court winner.

Looking every inch the top player in the world, Hewitt, 21, then won his own serve to love.

The Centre Court crowd, famed for supporting the underdog, cheered when the young Argentine finally won a game, producing his first two clear winners after saving two break points.

Nalbandian had come through the side of the draw rocked by the loss of the top players such as Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in the first week.

"It's a big day," he said afterwards. "It's my first grass tournament so it's unbelievable for me... I hope next year when I come back for the second time I'm going to win the final."

Nalbandian showed some of his earlier tournament sparkle when he put the US Open champion under pressure in the sixth game, earning two break points when Hewitt dumped two balls into the net.

But the 21-year-old Australian, who dropped only two sets on his way to the final, stuck to his task to go 5-1 up.

Nalbandian looked to the heavens in desperation in the seventh game as he crumpled to 40-0. He saved one set point with a diving volley in the manner of Boris Becker, but his next shot was a double fault to hand Hewitt the set in 33 minutes.

Fragile Moment

Hewitt had a couple of fragile moments in the first game of the second set and had to save two break points to hold serve. But he was helped by Nalbandian, who put a couple of forehands wide as a light drizzle began to fall.

Nalbandian appealed to the umpire to halt the match as the players changed ends and with rain still in the air, Mike Morrissey complied.

The players were off court for only 15 minutes for the weather but the resumption was held up by the arrival of a streaker, who leapt from the crowd naked, took off his shoes and did a little dance in front of the net.

Security officers chased the man round the court and captured him after he jumped the net to the obvious amusement of most of the crowd. He was led away covered in blanket.

The incident did not appear to unsettle Hewitt, however, and he won the next game, breaking Nalbandian's serve.

But the Argentine finally made a breakthrough in the third game of the second set after he kept his nerve in best rally of the match so far, breaking serve and winning the game with a fine lob volley.

His confidence restored, Nalbandian won his own serve, sending down his first ace and looking less overawed by the occasion.

He began to play the top seed at his own game, hitting big forehands and tight-angled two-fisted backhands from both sides of the court.

But at 3-3 and 30-30 in the second set with Nalbandian beginning to make a match of it, the drizzle started again and the players scampered for cover.

Hewitt came out of the 34-minute break intent on wrapping the match up quickly. He won his serve to love and then set about Nalbandian's breaking him to 15 to serve for the set.

He took the set in 43 minutes with an ace.

Relentless

Hewitt stepped up the pace on his groundstrokes in the third set, relentlessly pursuing every shot and breaking the Nalbandian serve again the third game set with a glorious backhand down the line.

Fired up for victory, he punched the air and yelled encouragement to himself and his supporters in the stand.

But Nalbandian answered bravely, going for his shots and breaking back immediately.

Hewitt then broke again in a game of close calls with the Argentine getting rattled. Nalbandian appealed to the referee throughout the break about a ball from Hewitt he felt had flown long, but Morrissey would not be moved.

Nalbandian had lost all self-belief. Hewitt won his serve then grabbed the next game as the Argentine produced two double faults and a failed drop shot.

The Australian won the match on his serve, showing just a hint of nerves with one double fault at 40-0 but winning on the next point when Nalbandian put his return long.