WIMBLEDON, England -- Rafael Nadal ended Roger Federer's five-year reign at Wimbledon yesterday. In a riveting, five-set marathon, he claimed his first title at the All England Club and signaled a changing of the guard in men's tennis.

Nadal held off a stirring comeback by Federer from two sets down to prevail 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7. He became the first man to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year since Bjorn Borg in 1980.

Becoming the first Spaniard to win Wimbledon since Manolo Santana in 1966, Nadal avenged his losses to Federer in the last two finals here.

The rain-delayed match ended in near darkness after 4 hours, 48 minutes of play -- the longest men's final in Wimbledon history -- when Federer slapped a forehand into the net on Nadal's fourth match point and second of the game.

Nadal fell onto his back in exhilaration at the baseline. With his shirt caked with turf, he congratulated Federer and climbed into the players' box to embrace his entourage.

"It's impossible to explain what I felt in that moment," Nadal said after receiving the winner's trophy from the Duke of Kent. "Just very, very happy to win this title. For me, [it] is a dream to play in this tournament. But to win, I never imagined something like this."

Federer, who converted only one of 13 break points in the match, failed to surpass Bjorn Borg by winning a sixth consecutive title or equal Willie Renshaw's record of six in a row from 1881-86.

Nadal won his fifth Grand Slam title, adding to his four consecutive French Open championships. Federer, meanwhile, remains two shy of Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam wins.

The outcome doesn't change the top of the world rankings. Federer will retain the No. 1 spot, where he's been for 231 weeks, while Nadal will stay No. 2, a position he's held for 154 weeks.

As Nadal and Federer battled through the fifth set in fading light, they were like two heavyweights going toe-to-toe in the late rounds of a title fight. NBC's Mary Carillo called it "Ali vs. Frazier on grass."

The intensity and quality of the match recalled the 1980 final between Borg and John McEnroe, which the Swede won in the fifth set after losing an 18-16 tiebreaker.

Rain delayed the start of the match by 35 minutes, but once the finalists got on the court they delighted the audience with their dizzying display of power and grace. They opened the match with a 14-shot rally, which Nadal won with a spectacular backhand winner.

Nadal broke Federer's serve to lead 2-1 when the Swiss mishit a low backhand from the baseline. Consistently serving to Federer's backhand, the left-handed Nadal fended off a break point on his serve in the next game as Federer attacked his forehand.

In the second set, Federer got the early forehand winner to lead 2-0. Nadal forced a break to trail 4-3, held his serve to even it 4-4, then used heavy topspin ground strokes to break Federer to lead 5-4. Nadal converted his second set point as Federer put a backhand into the net.

In the third set, Nadal called for the trainer after slipping on the grass and hurting his right knee while trailing 2-1. In the next game, the Spaniard fended off two break points and held serve to even at 2-2 as Federer hit a backhand wide.

Federer was leading 5-4 when play was suspended because of rain at 4:52 p.m. local time.

Play resumed at 6:13 p.m. In the next three games, both players held serve to get to a tie-break at 6-6. Federer successfully attacked Nadal's second serve take a 4-2 lead. A forehand winner by Federer secured the next point for 5-2. A topspin forehand hit wide gave Nadal the next point. Federer got three set points at 6-3. He converted the third set point with an ace.

In the fourth set, the first 12 games went with serve to 6-6.

Nadal got his first match point with a ball hit on the baseline. Federer hit a service winner on the line. Serving at 7-7, Nadal passed Federer at the net to get to his second match point. Federer also saved that match point with a backhand passing shot to even the score at 8-8.

Federer got another set point at 9-8. Serving for the set, the Swiss screamed as he took the set after Nadal hit a ground stroke long.

Federer and Nadal were tied at two games apiece in the fifth set when the third rain shower of the day halted play at 7:54 p.m. local time.

The players returned to the court at 8:23 p.m. After four hours of play, Federer had won 174 points, and Nadal had won 172.

It was 9:16 p.m. local time when Federer netted a forehand on Nadal's fourth championship point, sealing the win for the Spaniard. It was the latest finish for a men's final.