One of the things which really endeared the six-time Wimbledon champion to British fans, aside from his immaculate tennis-playing skills, was his humility. It is fair to say, following yesterday’s final and last year’s defeat, that Federer isn’t the unbeatable player of a few years ago, but this won’t be the factor which causes him to lose some popularity from the fans of the All England Club. Unfortunately, whereas he has lost a smidgen of the tennis-ing quality he previously possessed, he has shed a whole chunk of humility.

Admittedly, it is perhaps difficult to remain humble when you are dominating the sport which you play for a living, but egomania didn’t trouble the Swiss a little while ago. This year, we saw several displays of an enhanced ego which brought an unwelcome aspect to Federer’s successful title campaign. The bad omens were there from the beginning; not for the first year, Federer has been wearing pretentious customised clobber, but this year it was plastered with more blingy gold than ever before. By the conclusion of the final though, a couple of nails in the coffin of Federer’s groundedness had been firmly hammered in.

Shortly after the final shot of the game, a misshit from Mr. Roddick, Federer reached into his kitbag to pull out a jacket, which presumptuously had ‘15′ emblazoned on the back – this being the number of grand slams Federer had won after beating Roddick in that very game. The blighter had the jacket made already! Methinks thou liketh thyself a tad too much Fedsy-boy. To wrap it off, an unflattering interview in which he showed minimal sympathy for Nadal’s injury and Roddick’s efforts.

I’d be surprised if Federer gets the same level of support next year. I think I am one of many who were slightly repelled by yesterday’s antics.