Here, a highlight of ten of the most remembered matches in which the ‘Maestro’ was the protagonist:
– Wimbledon 2001, Round of 16:
Federer wins his only match played against Pete Sampras. The American had not lost at Wimbledon since 1996 (31 consecutive victories), and at the age of 29, he is ranked 6th in the world – although he is seeded No. 1 due to the tournament’s seeding system.
The Swiss is 19 and 15th in the world. He steps on the mythical Central of the All England Club for the first time and wins 7-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 and 7-5 in a match considered a changing of the guard in the ‘white sport’.
– Roland-Garros 2006, final:
Nadal prevents Federer from achieving the Grand Slam – winning the four ‘Majors’ – in 2006. The Swiss was crowned that season in Australia, Wimbledon and the US Open.
The king of clay is intractable in the Roland Garros final, despite losing the first set (1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6).
– Wimbledon 2008, final:
Federer played and lost what is considered by many to be the best match in tennis history against Nadal. The anthological duel was interrupted several times by rain and the Spanish closed it when night fell in London.
Score of 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7 and 9-7 in 4 hours and 48 minutes of combat. Before falling in the fifth, Federer saved two match points in the fourth-set tie-break, one of them with a dreamy backhand passing.
– Roland Garros 2009, final:
The party of the paid debt. Federer, always prevented from being crowned in Paris because of Nadal, had a great opportunity before the unexpected elimination of the Spaniard against the Swede Robin Soderling in the fourth round.
Precisely against the Nordic, ‘His Majesty’ triumphed in the decisive match 6-1, 7-6 and 6-4 and conquered the only major trophy that was missing, thus closing the Grand Slam of his career to sign his presence in Olympus of tennis.
– Wimbledon 2009, final:
Legendary. Beaten in his two previous finals on London grass (2004 and 2005), Andy Roddick came close to winning the third. But Federer plays at ‘home’ and is at the top of his art, winning 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6 and 16-14!, beating the record for 15 Majors. Grand Slam titles of Pete Sampras.
For the general opinion, the victory was conceived in the ‘tie-break’ of the second set, which the American won 6-2 and ended up losing so that the Swiss equalized the match.
In the fifth set, Federer saved two break points at 8-8 and the two players held serve until 15-14 for the Swiss. There he achieved the only break of the match, synonymous with the title, the sixth of his eight at Wimbledon.
– US Open 2009, final:
Federer falls to Juan Martin del Potro (3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2). Everything seemed launched for the Swiss, who was up 6-3 and 5-4 against a player who was making his debut in the definition of a major tournament.
But the Argentine chained extraordinary blows to take the match to the fifth round, where he prevailed, depriving the Swiss of his sixth consecutive title in New York.
– JJ. OO. London 2012 semi-final:
A ‘semi’ of 4 hours and 25 minutes for three sets on grass. Federer appears in the Central of the All England Club with the halo of his seventh title at Wimbledon achieved a few weeks earlier.
He is the favorite of the tournament, but Del Potro crosses him again, who only gives in after 36 games in the decisive set (3-6, 7-6, 19-17).
The Swiss would not achieve gold, one of the few titles he is missing, when he fell in the final against Andy Murray (6-2, 6-1, 6-4).
– Australian Open 2017, final:
The great comeback. Six months after ending his 2016 season to treat problems in his left knee and five years after his last great one, Federer achieved one of his most remembered titles at the age of 35.
Beat Nadal in the final 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. It was his fifth title in Australia, his 18th Grand Slam.
– Australian Open 2018, final:
His 20th and last major. Through tears Federer lifted his sixth trophy in Melbourne, after a very tense fight with Marin Cilic (6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1).
The Swiss does not lose a set until the final. He is 36 years old and his Grand Slam title count is closed, now surpassed by Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21).
– Wimbledon 2019, final:
Despite having two championship points on his serve, Federer loses the longest final in Wimbledon history to Djokovic (4 hours and 57 minutes), which falls to the Serbian side after an incredible last set (7-6, 1- 6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12), with the public overturned with Federer.
