It was one of the sweetest victories, if not the sweetest one in the career of Roger Federer who beat Robin Soderling in straight sets to win his first French Open and equal Pete Sampras's record of 14 Grand Slam titles.

The current ranking world number two Federer is now the sixth male to have won each of the four Grand Slam tournaments.

"This was my greatest victory," said Federer, as quoted by the BBC

"I can now go the rest of my career without worrying that I would never win the French Open." Guardian

Rafale Nadal, who has been the ultimate leader and favourite to win the French Open, was tipped strongly once again this year to triumph with the silverware. Even before the tournament started, pundits were banking on the Spaniard to claim his fifth consecutive title here, especially since his record and performance in this tournament had been so devastating in the past – he had never registered a lost match here. Thus Federer was expected once again to bow out either on the semi final or the final, whenever the clash came with his nemesis, Rafa, thus depriving him of this one trophy that he so much sought after. 

Then, the shock that shook the tennis world came when Robin Soderling from Sweden dispatched the ultimate favourite,
on the second Sunday of Roland Garros, in a four-set fourth-round victory which sent Nadal crashing out of his beloved tournament. Suddenly, the French Open received a completely new dimension to it, and for the first time in a few seasons, a sense of drama an unexpectedness was reinstalled -  the fans were biting their nails, once again.

Come the coveted final, the 27-year-old Swiss produced a scintillating display in testing conditions to dominate Soderling, a shock finalist, from start to finish.

Federer secured a 6-1 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 victory in one hour and 55 minutes.

With his historic feat the Swiss has now entered the elite club of Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Andre Agassi as the only men to have won all four Grand Slam titles and was presented the Coupe des Mousquetaires by Agassi.

"I did it and it's phenomenal. It was great to be on the podium as a winner for a change.

"Andre said it was my destiny to win this and that I deserved it." he said, as quoted by the Guardian.

Federer still needs one more major title to surpass Pete Sampras's standing record of 14 – which could perhaps be secured in England, at Wimbledon. For the die hard tennis fans, and the experts, the question as to who is the greatest tennis player in modern era, Pete Sampras or Federer, has taken a completely new spin...