THIS LIVE REPORT IS NOW CLOSING after Roger Federer secured his seventh Wimbledon title with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 win over Britain's Andy Murray.
Federer's victory was his 17th in Grand Slam finals, as he produced some sublime tennis to end Murray's dream of becoming the first British champion at the All England Club since 1936.
Federer hadn't won a major title since the 2010 Australian Open and last savoured the taste of Wimbledon success in 2009 - and this win saw him return to the world number one spot above Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Federer also joined Pete Sampras and William Renshaw as a seven-time champion at the grass-court tournament.
Murray claimed after the match that his hopes of defeating the 30-year-old took a knock when the Centre Court roof was shut at one set all and 1-1 in the third set, after torrential rain sent the players running for the changing rooms.
The Scot felt that was a crucial moment as Federer is most comfortable playing indoors, where no outside elements can affect his game.
"Of course it changed it a bit," Murray said afterwards. "The way the court plays is a bit different. I think he served very well when the roof closed.
"He served better. I don't think he's lost an indoor match since 2010, so he plays well under the roof."
Read on to find out how the Swiss clinched the title over four closely fought sets:
1745 GMT: The tears may have flowed at the end for Murray but he still shows he hadn't lost his sense of humour - and the irony wasn't lost on the Centre Court crowd.
"Firstly I'd like to congratulate Roger - I was getting asked (about him) the other day. Somebody told me 'It's your best chance - you know Roger's 30 now?" he said to ripples of laughter from the crowd.
But there was admiration from the Scot too: "He showed what fight he had left in him. Congratulations, you deserve it."
1730 GMT: "Hats off to Murray for a great fight. But we saw why Fed is the #GOAT," tweets Tiger Woods, after watching Federer win a record 17th Grand Slam title (they're good friends by all accounts... and that's "Greatest Of All Time" in case you were wondering!)
1725 GMT: "It feels great being back here as the winner," Federer tells the crowd.
"It's a magical moment for me."
Federer goes back to world number one above Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal with this win - and he picks up a winner's cheque for £1,150,000.
Federer receives the winner's silver gilt cup while Murray has to be content with the runner-up's silver plate.
1721 GMT: Murray is choked up with emotion and finding it hard to find any words as Sue Barker of the BBC passes him the microphone... bit hard to expect him to put it into words straight away Sue!
1714 GMT: ROGER FEDERER WINS WIMBLEDON FOR THE SEVENTH TIME!!
*Federer 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 Murray
Murray pushed Federer hard in that game but he just couldn't break through. The Scot saved two championship points but couldn't manage the third as he sends a forehand into the tramlines.
Federer drops to his knees and is the champion again for the first time since 2009. And it's thoroughly deserved.
1711 GMT: *Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 5-4 Murray
Murray holds - the 25-year-old showed some real grit to win that game after several deuces. He pulls out a ace before Federer wends a backhand wide.
Huge roar of appreciation from the crowd - but was it Murray's last stand?
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1703 GMT: Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 5-3 *Murray
Federer inches closes to the finish line, sealing the game with a delightful dropshot.
Murray is serving to stay in the match...
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1700 GMT: *Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 4-3 Murray
Murray hanging on by his fingernails here - he pulls out a second serve that Federer swings at and misses completely.
Federer taking his eye off the ball? The Scot holds.
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1655 GMT: Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 4-2 *Murray
Federer slamming his foot down on the pedal here as he senses Murray's self-belief waning away.
He motors through that service game and a seventh Wimbledon title for the Swiss looms ever closer.
1652 GMT: FEDERER BREAKS!
*Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 3-2 Murray
Huge moment in the match - Murray hangs on for dear life in a scintillating rally but Federer wins the point with a scorching cross-court backhand.
Is that the end of Murray's Wimbledon dream?
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1648 GMT: Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 2-2 *Murray
Federer holds to love - not a sniff for Murray there.
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1644 GMT: *Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 1-2 Murray
Important hold for Murray but he seems to be showing signs of struggling physically -- or it could just be the relentless brilliance of the tennis being produced by his opponent.
The Scot has to somehow win some cheap points to get his energy levels back up.
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1641 GMT: Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 1-1 *Murray
Big chance for Murray to break but he misses by inches as his forehand on break point is just wide.
Federer then steps up a gear and sees out the game with a forehand winner down the line.
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1636 GMT: *Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 0-1 Murray
Murray starts well and finishes the game with a solid forehand volley cross-court.
Generous applause from the Centre Court crowd who sense how important that game was.
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1631 GMT: GAME AND THIRD SET FEDERER!!
Federer 4-6 7-5 6-3 *Murray
Murray has a chance at 30-30 but his slapped cross-court forehand is just wide and Federer goes on to close it out.
Murray only got 49% of his first serves in in that set and Federer took full advantage.
The sixth game when Federer broke Murray's serve was the pivotal moment.
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1625 GMT: *Federer 4-6 7-5 5-3 Murray
Murray holds but Federer will serve for the third set.
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1622 GMT: Federer 4-6 7-5 5-2 *Murray
Federer consolidates the break by holding serve with relative ease.
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1618 GMT: *Federer 4-6 7-5 4-2 Murray
FEDERER BREAKS!!
The Swiss produces some sublime tennis and after a marathon game of almost 20 minutes and nine deuces Murray succumbs. That could prove pivotal at the end of the match.
The Scot slipped early on game as he stretched and fell on his righthand side. He grimaces but gets back to his feet. Luckily it he didn't seem to turn his ankle but was clearly a bit shaken up.
An ace in that game takes it to nine in the match for Murray - Federer has served 7 so far.
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1557 GMT: Federer 4-6 7-5 3-2 *Murray
Federer holds again, and in double-quick time..
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1555 GMT: *Federer 4-6 7-5 2-2 Murray
Murray holds to level things up.
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1550 GMT: PLAY RESTARTS ON CENTRE COURT
Federer 4-6 7-5 2-1 *Murray
The players are back on and we're under way again - and Federer wastes little time winning the extra point he needed to seal his service game.
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1545 GMT: Tiger Woods is keeping a close eye on this match it seems: 'Now we've got ourselves a tennis match #wimbledonfinal', the US golfing star tweets.
Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh is also getting involved: 'Fed express cool as cucumber!!', writes the all-rounder.
1535 GMT: The groundstaff have removed the covers again - the grass a weirdly different shade of green than it was just 15 minutes as we're now relying on indoor lights...
1530 GMT: An official on the PA says that, according to the Met Office, this shower should pass quickly -- but there's more rain on it's way which is why the roof is coming on.
Play should restart on Centre Court "in approximately 20 minutes," the announcer adds.
1520 GMT: It looks like we have a large pale green marquee suspended over Centre Court with the covers hanging from a central rope stretching down the middle.
And it's official - the retractable roof is being deployed so they could be back on soon.
A quick statistical update - 25 unforced errors from Federer so far in this match, just 10 from Murray...
1512 GMT: RAIN ON CENTRE COURT - THE PLAYERS ARE OFF AND COVERS ARE ON.
*Federer 4-6 7-5 1-1 40-0 Murray
The groundstaff rush on as the rain pours down - Murray almost gets swept off his feet! They had the covers up to the tramlines within ten seconds (my colleague Robin Milllard was counting...)
Federer is first into the dressing room as they go off.
We're two hours and two minutes into this match - Federer was 40-0 up when they were forced to go off.
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1509 GMT: *Federer 4-6 7-5 1-1 Murray
Murray holds.
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1507 GMT: Federer 4-6 7-5 1-0 *Murray
Federer starts with an ace and gos on to hold easily.
Bad news with the weather though I'm afraid - the brollies are going up on Henman Hill...
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1502 GMT: GAME AND SECOND SET FEDERER!
*Federer 4-6 7-5 Murray
Murray sends a forehand long making it 30-30. The Scot goes long with a lob following a magical Federer drop volley - it's set point to the Swiss and ater a lengthy rally he takes it with another superb drop volley!
Federer's wife Mirka is out of her seat after that.
Murray had four break points in that set but failed to convert any of them. At the other end Federer came to the net 25 times and won 19 of those points...
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1456 GMT: Federer 4-6 6-5 *Murray
Federer double faults to make it 30-30 but then serves an ace. Murray gets on lucky next when the ball clips the net but Federer eventually holds.
Worryingly some dark clouds are looming overhead...
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1449 GMT: *Federer 4-6 5-5 Murray
Murray holds.
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1449 GMT: Federer 4-6 5-4 *Murray
Chances for Murray in that game but Federer keeps him at bay.
The Scot sends a backhand long on his first break point. But he follows it with great volley at the net and Federer is forced to fight it off with a smash. He follows it with a forehand winner and holds when Murray hits wide into the tramlines.
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1440 GMT: *Federer 4-6 4-4 Murray
Federer can't get Murray under pressure on his serve and the Scot holds again.
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1436 GMT: Federer 4-6 4-3 *Murray
Federer holds again - they're racing through this set...
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1434 GMT: *Federer 4-6 3-3 Murray
Murray holds with a quick service game and draws the scores level.
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1431 GMT: Federer 4-6 3-2 *Murray
Crosscourt forehand volley at the net earns him two break points but Federer saves the first with a smash and the second when Murray's backhand flies wide.
There's then a fist pump from the Swiss after Murray forces him into three successive smashes to win a point. Great chasing from Murray but it's not enough and Federer holds.
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1426 GMT: *Federer 4-6 2-2 Murray
Murray holds and we're still on serve in this second set.
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1424 GMT: Federer 4-6 2-1 *Murray
Federer holds with a solid overhead which Murray chses down but sends long beyond the baseline.
The balls girls shade the players with brollies at the changeover as rays from that strange yellow thing in the sky beat down...
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1420 GMT: *Federer 4-6 1-1 Murray
Another big hold from Murray after three deuces.
Federer had ina great chance to break in that game but he couldn't make the most of a short second serve from Murray.
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1411 GMT: Federer 4-6 1-0 *Murray
Federer races through the first game of the second set, holding it to love.
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Just heard Canadian 4th seed Filip Peliwo has won the Wimbledon boys' singles title, beating defending champion Luke Saville of Australia 7-5, 6-4.
1409 GMT: GAME AND FIRST SET MURRAY!
*Federer 4-6 Murray
Murray earns his first set point with a 132mph ace and follows up another thundering serve which Federer fails to return. Huge roar from the crowd as Murray wins his first ever set in a Grand Slam final.
Federer only won 27% of points on his own second serve in that first set.
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1403 GMT: Federer 4-5 *Murray
MURRAY BREAKS - Murray breaks as Federer nets with a forehand - the Centre Court crowd are on their feet!! (as is Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond in the Royal Box, enthusiastically slapping his programme!)
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1359 GMT: *Federer 4-4 Murray
Huge hold for Murray! That game lasted more than ten minutes after five deuces! Murray was 0-30 down but dragged himself back into the game when Federer misses and Murray hits a screaming forehand winner.
Murray saved a break point when Federer nets with a backhand slice but it's another break point when Murray nets.
An eagle-eyed TV cameraman spots Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson watching his fellow Scot from the crowd - he will have been impressed with the way Murray battled through that game.
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1344 GMT: Federer 4-3 *Murray
Federer holds with ease after some pinpoint serves touching 120mph.
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1342 GMT: *Federer 3-3 Murray
Murray goes 40-15 up but Federer fights back to deuce with a trademark ripped backhand crosscourt winner followed by a forehand error from Murray. A big serves from the Scot force the error from Federer as he nets with the return and Murray holds.
Blue skies now over Centre Court with a few fluffy white clouds but nothing too ominous.
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1337 GMT: Federer 3-2 *Murray
A few errors creeping into Murray's game now but Federer's radar is also slightly off, missing with a crosscourt backhand but then putting away a fine volley. Federer holds when Murray mishits a second-serve return into the net.
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1330 GMT: *Federer 2-2 Murray
FEDERER BREAKS - Murray going for all his shots here - but Federer also ups his game and breaks back when the Scot nets. They're back on level terms.
"Cliff Richard is here in a bizarre Union Jack jacket," my colleague Robin Millard tells me. Let's hope there's no need for any morale-boosting singalongs on Centre Court this afternoon...
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1322 GMT: Federer 1-2 *Murray
Federer holds but not without a struggle - they're getting into some lengthy rallies already. The Swiss gets his name on the board when Murray nets.
Five unforced errors already from Federer, intriguingly...
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1318 GMT: *Federer 0-2 Murray
Rasping forehand winner down the line from Murray and then Federer sends a forehand carelessly long. Another forehand from the Swiss into the tramlines and Murray consolidates his early break.
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1314 GMT: Federer 0-1 *Murray
MURRAY BREAKS - Murray earns a break point in this first game of the match - and he takes it as the world number three slaps a forehand drive volley long. Some early nerves from the Swiss?
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1311 GMT: Federer will serve first from the Royal Box end...
1310 GMT: Murray has an 8-7 overall winning record against Federer but they have never met on a grass court.
Federer won their last meeting in Dubai this year and Murray hasn't beaten the Swiss since 2010.
1300 GMT: And here come Roger and Andy to thunderous applause - the sun is shining down as they head for the coin toss.
Elijah Ortiz-Herrera, 11, from south London who is representing the the Make-A-Wish Foundation, throws the coin alongside the pair at the net...
1255 GMT: This much anticipated final has bought celebrities and royalty flocking to Centre Court - David Beckham's here (and is being interviewed on courtside), as are Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa.
And from the world of politics we have British Prime Minister David Cameron, his wife Samantha as well as London mayor Boris Johnson.
1245 GMT: Good news - the clouds have cleared and the sun is officially shining on Centre Court! The weather's been changeable all morning though so let's not count our chickens...
WELCOME TO AFP'S LIVE REPORT on the Wimbledon men's final which sees Andy Murray take on Roger Federer as he tries to become the first British champion at the All England Club since Fred Perry in 1936.
The match is due to start on Centre Court at 14:00 local time (1300 GMT).
Federer is bidding for his seventh Wimbledon title and 17th Grand Slam overall.
This is Murray's first appearance in a Wimbledon final and his fourth Grand Slam final. The 25-year-old has lost all the previous three, at the US Open in 2008 and at the Australian Open in 2010 and 2011.
The steady rain that fell over south-west London this morning petered out around 1130 GMT and intermittent sunshine took its place.
But with the official forecast for a 30% chance of rain until mid afternoon, rising to a 60% later on, Centre Court's retractable roof was initially deployed -- but it has now been withdrawn and the covers are on as the drizzle falls again!
Rain or shine, stay with us for all the action as it unfolds...