WHAT a cracking day for televised sport on Sunday. Pity about the World Cup Final, writes Tony Lanigan.

Some of the planet's finest sportsmen were in spectacular action. How sad that one of their number should tarnish the greatest sporting show on earth.

Football desperately needed a sparkling game played in the right spirit to help us forget the previous month of mediocrity.

Sadly, the whole two and a half hours was predominantly mundane, distinguished only by ZZ's bull-like barbarity and the contrived excitement of the penalty shoot-out.

Thankfully, it was easy to cast aside that grave disappointment and relish uplifting moments of scintillating skill and endeavour from true heroes of sport.

There is no finer master of his art than Roger Federer and his sublime play throughout Wimbledon fortnight culminated on Sunday in a superb victory over young pretender Rafael Nadal.

It was the Swiss maestro's fourth successive All-England title to enhance his reputation as one of the all-time greats, but 20-year-old Spaniard Nadal proved again after a shaky start that he has genuine claims as a future World No 1.

The rivalry is intense, the rewards are huge, the pressure is stifling, but the sportsmanship shown by was exemplary.

Another boost for us all arrived at Old Trafford where Freddie Flintoff exploded back into action for Lancashire after a worrying injury spell with a damaged ankle.

The world's top all-rounder was instantly in menacing nick with the ball and helped the county overcome Nottinghamshire in the Twenty20 Cup, but his heroics with the bat were not enough to ensure progress in the competition when the old enemy Yorkshire triumphed.

It was also good to see the self-effacing and unheralded Welshman Stephen Dodd master the foul conditions in Ireland to win the European Open and later, while acclaiming the first PGA tour victory of amiable Trevor Immelman, to see Tiger Woods make a typical late charge with form that returns just in time for The Open at Hoylake next week.

Yet it was not Federer, Flintoff or Woods (and certainly not Zidane) who provided the highlight of the day for me.

That accolade fell to a round-shouldered, bulky old American guy who possesses the worst golf swing I've ever seen.

The 57-year-old Allen Doyle, who did not turn pro until he was 46, outplayed the great Tom Watson to lift his second Senior US Open in succession and capture his fourth major.

He gives genuine hope to us all.

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