Roger Federer said he could not believe he had let slip two match points which would have sealed his ninth Wimbledon title after losing to Novak Djokovic in the longest ever men’s final at the championships.

The 37-year-old Swiss legend rued the “missed opportunity” when he held the match points on his serve in the 16th game of the decider but ended up losing .

Incredibly it was the second time he had been involved in the longest final at Wimbledon and ended up the loser too going down to Rafael Nadal in 2008.

Federer, who looked very emotional when he stared up at his wife and children in the players box after the defeat, said he could not say whether if he had lost in straight sets the taste of defeat would have been less bitter.

“It’s hard to tell,” he said. “I don’t know if losing 2-2-2 feels better than this one.“I just feel like it’s such an incredible opportunity missed, I can’t believe it. It is what it is, you know.” Federer, who has lost his last five meetings with Djokovic in Grand Slams, last beating the Serbian at Wimbledon in 2012, said he had not felt the match had slipped from him when he failed to take the match points.