This is an article ‘A Closer Look At Federer’s Grand Slam Legacy’ by Marc Pulisci
Turning 41 in August, Roger Federer might be at a crossroads in his illustrious career. Hounded with knee injuries in recent years and failing to keep up with 2022’s grueling tour schedules, it’s easy to assume that the Swiss champion may already be content with his achievements in tennis.
Spanning four decades that have pitted him against some of the best the sport has ever seen, Federer seems to be looking forward to more matches on the court. Of course, this includes Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic – two of the biggest names in tennis today with whom he shared a tie of 20 career grand slams just last year.
With a spectacular run that started with his 2001 big break when he came face to face against American champion and then ATP number 1 Pete Sampras in Wimbledon, let’s look back at Federer’s many grand slam moments and impressive records.
Breaking out into the scene
Going back to a young Federer’s historic match against Sampras in Wimbledon 2001 might not be the best starting point for this tribute. After all, the Swiss prodigy had lost the ensuing quarterfinal match. However, it was the first time the tennis world noticed what a young Federer could do on the grass courts of Wimbledon. It was his baptism of fire and one that created a buzz for the ages regardless of what grand slam tournament is in question.
A then 20-year-old rookie, Federer worked harder after his Sampras match to make a return to the Wimbledon finals court two years later. This time, he faced an older, more aggressive opponent in Australian Mark Philippoussis. Nicknamed ‘scud’ after the missile for his quick yet consistent footwork, Philippoussis knew what the younger Swiss star could do on the court. The Australian’s confidence was high, being the crowd favorite going into the grass court, but Federer had other plans.
After three sets, Federer emerged victorious in three sets, 7–6, 6–2, 7–6, to claim the first grand slam of his career. Later, Philippoussis admitted that the loss was painful for him – his second grand slam defeat. The Aussie star said he had won against Federer in their recent matches but did not expect him to perform as well as he did on the grass court.
After his first major title, the then long-haired Swiss champion continued his winning streak by making it to the 2004 Australian Open finals, defeating Russia’s Marat Safin in three straight sets. He then faced Andy Roddick upon his return to the Wimbledon final in a nail-biting four-set match that almost went to the American.
In 2004, Federer turned his star from something that merely flickered to one that shined brightest. He defeated two-time grand slam title holder Lleyton Hewitt in New York’s US Open and captured another grand slam title for a total of three to cap off the year and four in his early career.
At the peak of his game
If 2004 was Federer’s year to shine, the rest of the millennium’s first decade proved to be his top form. Having won another two grand slam titles in 2005, Federer was poised and ready to come out of the ATP’s top spot.
Returning to the Wimbledon final that year, he faced Andy Roddick anew – this time without dropping a single set and convincing fans that he was a force to be reckoned with. Later that year, at the US Open, outgoing icon Andre Agassi played his swan song, losing at the hands of Federer’s impressive performance in four sets.
After the US Open had wrapped up, the 25-year-old Federer had already captured six grand slam titles to his name. More would be added in 2006, starting with a final win at the Australian Open against Marcos Baghdatis. But as any champion deserves a worthy adversary, the spectacular Rafael Nadal of Spain came to challenge Federer.
Meeting for the first time at the French Open that year, the young Spanish bull displayed his prowess on the clay court, issuing Federer his first grand slam defeat in years. Fans soon shifted the spotlight to the teenage Spaniard, but Federer had no plans of bowing out just yet. For the Swiss champion, this was only the first of many top-level matches that he would have against Nadal – the fiercest rival of his career. And soon enough, at Wimbledon, Federer found redemption against Rafa and closed the year with his third major title and a career total of eight grand slam trophies.
Still pushing forward in the noughties
From 2007 to 2010, Federer continued to show dominance over other players except against Nadal and another emerging young champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Nadal had faced Djokovic for the first time in a major match during the 2007 Australian Open, where the Swiss veteran disposed of the young Serb in three straight sets.
Today, after over 50 matches between them, Djokovic leads Federer 13 to 6 in finals matches and 11 to 6 in their grand slam face-offs.
Nonetheless, Federer continued to create his buzz as the potential greatest of all time in tennis by capturing 15 grand slam titles overall until 2010 with memorable grand slam matches against Fernando Gonzalez and Nadal in Melbourne; Nadal and Roddick in Wimbledon; Nadal and Robin Soderling in Paris; Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro, and Andy Murray at the US Open, among many others.
As the noughties proved to be Federer’s peak decade, Nadal and Djokovic stepped up their gas pedals, each winning their grand slam titles left and right. By 2010, Federer still performed at the championship level in his Melbourne grand slam win. However, the trophies hit a slump, allowing only two more to be added to the Swiss champion’s belt for a total of 17 by the end of 2010.
As Federer turned 30 that year, fans wondered if he still had it in him to win grand slam titles for the next decade. Many did not know then that there was more magic up Federer’s sleeves to challenge Nadal and Djokovic for the most impressive records in tennis history as a new decade began.
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