Roger Federer
Background Information
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Silver Medal ( 2012)
Gold Medal ( 2008)
Roger Federer (German pronunciation: [ˈfeːdərər]; born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss professional tennis player who, as of May 2013, is ranked World No. 5 by the ATP. Federer had been continuously ranked as one of the top 5 in the ATP rankings for 543 weeks as of July 8, 2013 (the most of any active player). Many commentators and former and current players regard Federer as the greatest tennis player of all time.
He holds several men's world records of the Open Era: holding the World No. 1 position for 302 weeks overall; a 237-consecutive-week stretch at the top from 2004 to 2008; winning 17 Grand Slam singles titles; reaching the finals of each Grand Slam tournament at least five times (an all-time record); and reaching the Wimbledon final eight times. He is one of seven men, and one of four in the Open Era, to capture the career Grand Slam, and one of three (with Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal) to do so separately on clay, grass, and hard courts. Federer also shares the Open Era record for most titles at the Australian Open with Agassi and Novak Djokovic (4), at Wimbledon with Pete Sampras (7) and at the US Open with Jimmy Connors and Sampras (5). Federer's ATP tournament records include winning six ATP World Tour Finals, playing in the finals at all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments (a record shared with Djokovic), and having won the most prize money of any other player in history, with over $75,000,000.
Federer has appeared in 24 men's Grand Slam finals, with ten in a row, both records, and appeared in 18 of 19 finals from the 2005 Wimbledon Championships through to the 2010 Australian Open. He is the only man to reach at least the semifinals of 23 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, from the 2004 Wimbledon Championships through the 2010 Australian Open. At the 2013 Australian Open, he reached a record 33rd Grand Slam semi-final, and at the 2013 French Open a record 36th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final. He has also won the most matches, 257, in men's Grand Slam tournaments. He also won the Olympic gold medal in doubles with his compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games and the Olympic silver medal in singles at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. He spent eight years (2003–2010) continuously in the top 2 in the year-end men's rankings and ten (2003–2012) in the top 3. His rivalries with Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray, making for a " Big Four", are considered some of the greatest of all time, in what is increasingly described as a "golden era" of men's tennis. Federer has won the ATPWorldTour.com Fans' Favorite Award a record ten times straight (2003–2012) and the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award (voted for by the players) a record eight times (2004–2009, 2011–2012), both being awards indicative of respect and popularity. He also won the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2006. In 2011, in a South African poll, he was voted the second most trusted and respected person in the world, next to Nelson Mandela. He was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for a record four consecutive years (2005–2008). Federer is at times referred to as the Federer Express, shortened to Fed Express or FedEx, and the Swiss Maestro, or just Maestro.
Personal life
Childhood and early life
Federer was born at the Basel Cantonal Hospital in Basel, Switzerland. His father, Robert Federer, is Swiss, from Berneck, near the borders between Switzerland, Austria and Germany, and his mother, Lynette Federer (born Durand), from Kempton Park, Gauteng, is a South African whose ancestors were Dutch and French Huguenots. He holds both Swiss and South African citizenship. He grew up in nearby Birsfelden, Riehen and then Münchenstein, close to the French and German borders and speaks (Swiss) German, French and English fluently, German being his native language. He was raised as a Roman Catholic and met Pope Benedict XVI while playing the 2006 Internazionali BNL d'Italia tournament in Rome. Like all male Swiss citizens, Federer was subject to compulsory military service in the Swiss Armed Forces. However, in 2003 he was deemed unfit because of a long-standing back problem and was subsequently not required to fulfill his military obligation. He grew up supporting F.C. Basel and the Swiss National Football Team. Federer also credits the range of sports he played as a child—he also played badminton and basketball—for his hand-eye coordination. Federer has stated in various interviews that he is an "avid cricket fan" having met Sachin Tendulkar twice. "I was always very much more interested if a ball was involved," he says. Most tennis prodigies, by contrast, play tennis to the exclusion of all other sports. In later life, Federer has been friends with the golfer Tiger Woods.
Family
Federer is married to former Women's Tennis Association player Mirka Vavrinec. He met her while both were competing for Switzerland in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Vavrinec retired from the tour in 2002 due to a foot injury. They were married at Wenkenhof Villa in Riehen near Basel on 11 April 2009, surrounded by a small group of close friends and family. On 23 July 2009, Mirka gave birth to identical twin girls, Myla Rose and Charlene Riva.
Management
Federer was signed by IMG as a junior player in 1998. He quit the agency in early 2003, before he had any major championships, and handed his business matters to Roger Federer Management conformed by an attorney, a financial adviser and his mother, Lynette. Also Miroslava Vavrinec, for a period of time was put in charge of media relations and travel.
By 2012 when Tony Godsick left IMG Worldwide Inc. he began to exclusively represent Federer. He travels with him around the tour most of the time.
Philanthropy and outreach
Federer supports a number of charities. In 2003 he and his mother Lynette established the Roger Federer Foundation to help disadvantaged people and to promote sports. In 2005, he auctioned his racquet from his US Open championship to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina. He was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF in 2006. At the 2005 Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, Federer arranged an exhibition involving several top players from the ATP tour and WTA tour called Rally for Relief. The proceeds from the event went to the victims of the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Since then, he has visited South Africa and Tamil Nadu, one of the areas in India most affected by the tsunami. He has also appeared in UNICEF public messages to raise public awareness of AIDS. In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Federer arranged a collaboration with fellow top tennis players Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters, Serena Williams, Lleyton Hewitt, and Sam Stosur to forgo their final day of preparation for the 2010 Australian Open to form a special charity event called Hit for Haiti, in which all proceeds went to Haiti earthquake victims. He was named a 2010 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in recognition of his leadership, accomplishments, and contributions to society.
Similar to the 2010 event, Hit for Haiti, Federer organized and participated in a charity match called Rally for Relief on 16 January 2011, to benefit those that were affected by the 2010–2011 Queensland floods.
Federer is currently no. 31 on Forbes top 100 celebrities as of May 2012.
Tennis career
Pre–1998: Junior years
Federer's main accomplishments as a junior player came at Wimbledon in 1998, where he won both the boys' singles final over Irakli Labadze, and in doubles teamed with Olivier Rochus, defeating the team of Michaël Llodra and Andy Ram. In addition, Federer lost the US Open Junior final in 1998 to David Nalbandian. He won four ITF junior singles tournaments in his career, including the prestigious Orange Bowl, where he defeated Guillermo Coria in the final. He ended 1998 with the no. 1 junior world ranking, and he entered his first tournament as a professional during 1998 in Gstaad, where he lost to Lucas Arnold Ker in the first round.
Junior Grand Slam Results:
Australian Open: SF ( 1998)
French Open: 1R ( 1998)
Wimbledon: W ( 1998)
US Open: F ( 1998)
1998–2002: Early career and breakthrough in the ATP
Federer's first final came at the Marseille Open in 2000, where he lost to fellow Swiss Marc Rosset. Federer won the 2001 Hopman Cup representing Switzerland, along with Martina Hingis. The duo defeated the American pair of Monica Seles and Jan-Michael Gambill in the finals. Federer's first singles win was at the 2001 Milan Indoor tournament, where he defeated Julien Boutter. Although he won his first ever title already in 1999 on the challenger tour, winning the doubles event in Segovia, Spain together with Dutchman Sander Groen, the finals was played on Federer's 18th birthday. In 2001, Federer made his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the French Open, and at Wimbledon that same year defeated four-time defending champion Pete Sampras to reach the quarterfinals. The most prestigious event final he reached during this period was the 2002 Miami Masters event, where he lost to Andre Agassi, on hard court. In addition, Federer won his first Master Series event at the 2002 Hamburg Masters on clay, over Marat Safin; the victory made him a top-10 player for the first time. Federer made 10 singles finals between 1998 and 2002, of which he won four and lost six. He also made six finals in doubles. Of note are Federer and partner Max Mirnyi's defeat in the final of the Indian Wells Masters in 2002, and their victory in the same year in the final of the Rotterdam 500 series event. Federer had won the latter a year earlier with partner Jonas Björkman. He finished 2001 with an ATP ranking of 13th, 2002 was the first year he finished within the top 10, finishing 6th.
2003–2007: Breakthrough and dominance
In 2003, Federer won his first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, beating Mark Philippoussis. Federer won his first and only doubles Masters Series 1000 event in Miami with Max Mirnyi, and made it to one singles Masters Series 1000 event in Rome on clay, which he lost. Federer made it to nine finals on the ATP Tour and won seven of them, including the 500 series events at Dubai and Vienna. Lastly, Federer won the year-end championships over Andre Agassi finishing the year as world number 2, narrowly behind Andy Roddick.
During 2004, Federer won three Grand Slam singles titles for the first time in his career and became the first person to do so since Mats Wilander in 1988. His first Grand Slam hard-court title came at the Australian Open over Marat Safin thereby becoming the world number 1 for the first time. He then won his second Wimbledon crown over Andy Roddick. Federer defeated the 2001 US Open champion, Lleyton Hewitt, at the US Open for his first title there. Federer won three ATP Masters Series 1000 events, one was on clay in Hamburg, and the other two were on hard surfaces at Indian Wells and Canada. Federer took the ATP 500 series event at Dubai and wrapped up the year by winning the year-end championships for the second time. He improved his year-end ranking to world number 1 for the first time.
In 2005, Federer failed to reach the finals of the first two Grand Slam tournaments, losing the Australian Open semifinal to eventual champion Safin and the French Open semifinal to eventual champion Rafael Nadal. However, Federer quickly reestablished his dominance on grass, winning the Wimbledon Championships over Andy Roddick. At the US Open, Federer defeated Andre Agassi in the latter's last Grand Slam final. Federer also took four ATP Masters Series 1000 wins: Indian Wells, Miami, and Cincinnati on hard court, and Hamburg on clay. Furthermore, Federer won two ATP 500 series events at Rotterdam and Dubai. Federer lost the year-end championships to David Nalbandian in the final but maintained his position as world number 1.
In 2006, Federer won three Grand Slam singles titles and reached the final of the other, with the only loss coming against Nadal in the French Open. He was the first man to reach all four finals in a calender year since Rod Laver in 1969. This was Federer and Nadal's first meeting in a Grand Slam final. Federer defeated Nadal in the Wimbledon Championships final. In the Australian Open, Federer defeated Marcos Baghdatis, and at the US Open, Federer defeated Roddick (2003 champion). In addition, Federer made it to six ATP Masters Series 1000 finals, winning four on hard surfaces and losing two on clay to Nadal. Federer won one ATP 500 series event in Tokyo and captured the year-end championships for the third time in his career, again finishing the year as world number 1.
In 2007, Federer reached all four Grand Slam singles finals, winning three of them again. He won the Australian Open over Fernando González and did so without dropping a set, Wimbledon over Rafael Nadal for the second time, and the US Open over Novak Djokovic. Federer lost the French Open to Nadal. Federer made five ATP Masters Series 1000 finals in 2007, winning the Hamburg and Cincinnati titles. Federer won one 500 series event in Dubai and won the year-end championships. He finished as the year-end world number 1 for the fourth year in a row, demonstrating his dominance, and in these four years he won 11 grand slams.
2008 to present: Dominance of the Big Four
In 2008, Federer won one Grand Slam singles title at the US Open over Briton Andy Murray. Federer was defeated by Nadal in two Grand Slam finals, at the French Open, and at Wimbledon, when he was going for six straight wins to break Björn Borg's record. At the Australian Open, Federer lost in the semifinals to eventual winner Djokovic, which ended his record of 10 consecutive finals. Later in the year it was found Federer had been suffering from mononucleosis at the start of the year, including during the Australian Open. He lost twice in Master Series 1000 finals on clay to Nadal, at Monte Carlo and Hamburg. However, Federer captured two titles in 250-level events at Estoril and Halle and one title in a 500 level event in Basel. At the Olympic Games, Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka won the gold medal in doubles, but Federer could only reach the quarter finals in the singles draw, knocked out by then world number 8 James Blake. He ended the year as world number 2.
In 2009, Federer won two Grand Slam singles titles, the French Open over Robin Söderling, and Wimbledon over Andy Roddick. Federer reached two other Grand Slam finals, losing to Nadal at the Australian Open, and to Juan Martín del Potro at the US Open, both in tight 5-set matches. Federer won two more events, the first at the Madrid Masters over Nadal in the final on clay. The second was in Cincinnati over Djokovic, although Federer lost to Djokovic in Basel, later in the year. Federer completed a career Grand Slam by winning his first French Open title and won a men's record fifteenth Grand Slam singles title by defeating Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in five sets, surpassing Pete Sampras's mark of fourteen.
In 2010, Federer slowed down in his milestones and achievements. The year started with a win at the Australian Open, where he defeated Andy Murray in the final and extended his Grand Slam singles record to sixteen titles, matching Andre Agassi's record of four Australian Open titles. At the French Open, Federer won his 700th tour match and 150th tour match on clay. However, he failed to reach a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time since the 2004 French Open, losing to Söderling in the quarterfinals and relinquishing his no. 1 ranking, having been just one week away from equaling Pete Sampras's record of 286 weeks as World No. 1. In a huge upset at Wimbledon, Federer lost in the quarterfinal to Tomáš Berdych and fell to No. 3 in the rankings for the first time in 6 years and 8 months. At the 2010 US Open, Federer reached the semifinals, avenging his French Open loss to Söderling in the quarterfinals, but proceeded to lose a five-set match to third seed Novak Djokovic. Federer made it to four Masters 1000 finals, losing three of them (the Madrid Open, the Canadian Masters, and the Shanghai Masters), while winning the Cincinnati Masters against Mardy Fish. In 2010 Federer equaled Agassi for the number of Masters wins at 17 and tied Bjorn Borg's mark for number of total titles won, moving to just one behind Sampras. Towards the middle of July, Federer hired Pete Sampras' old coach Paul Annacone to put his tennis game and career on the right path on a trial basis. Federer won two lesser titles at the Stockholm Open and the Davidoff Swiss Indoors, which brought his tally to 65 career titles. Lastly, Federer won the year-end championships by beating rival Rafael Nadal, for his fifth title at the event. He showed much of his old form, beating all contenders except Nadal in straight sets. Since Wimbledon 2010, Federer had a win-loss record of 34–4 and had multiple match points in two of his losses: to Novak Djokovic in the semifinal of the US Open, and to Gaël Monfils in the semifinal of the Paris Masters. Federer did not play in the 2010 Davis Cup and finished the year as World No. 2.
The 2011 season, although great by most players' standards, was a lean year for Federer. He was defeated in straight sets in the semifinals of the 2011 Australian Open by eventual champion Novak Djokovic, marking the first time since July 2003 that he did not hold any of the four Major titles. In the French Open semifinal, Federer ended Djokovic's undefeated streak of 43 consecutive wins with a stunning four-set victory. However, Federer then lost in the final to Rafael Nadal. At Wimbledon, Federer advanced to his 29th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal, but lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. It marked the first time in his career that he had lost a Grand Slam match after winning the first two sets. At the US Open, Federer lost a much-anticipated semifinal match with Novak Djokovic, after squandering two match points in the fifth set which repeated his previous year's result against Djokovic and added a second loss from two sets up in Grand Slam play to his record. The loss at Flushing Meadows meant that Federer did not win any of the four Majors in 2011, the first time this has happened since 2002. In pulling out of the 2011 Shanghai Masters, Federer dropped out of the top 3 for the first time since June 2003, nearly 8 1/2 previously. However, he finished the season on a high note by winning his last three tournaments of the year. He ended a 10-month title drought (spanning since the Qatar Open in January) and won the Swiss Indoors for the fifth time, defeating youngster Kei Nishikori, who had defeated an ailing Djokovic in the semifinals. Federer followed this up with his first Paris Masters title, where he became the first player to reach all nine Masters 1000 finals. At the 2011 ATP World Tour Finals, Federer crushed Rafael Nadal in exactly one hour en route to the semifinals, where he defeated David Ferrer to reach the final at the year-end championships for the seventh time, his 100th tour-level final overall. As a result of this win, Federer also regained the World No. 3 ranking from Andy Murray. In the final, he defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for the third consecutive Sunday and, in doing so, claimed a record sixth ATP World Tour Finals title, finishing the year as World No. 3.
Federer began his 2012 season with the Qatar Open, where he withdrew in the semifinals. He then played in the 2012 Australian Open, where he reached the semifinals, setting up a 27th career meeting with Nadal, a match he lost in four tight sets. He participated in the Davis Cup representing Switzerland in the 2012 Davis Cup World Group, but Switzerland was eliminated in a home tie against the United States played on indoor clay in Fribourg. The loss included a four-set defeat for Federer at the hands of John Isner, as well as a tight four-set loss with Stanislas Wawrinka in the doubles rubber against Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan. He then played the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament for the first time since winning the title in 2005. He beat Juan Martin del Potro in the final to clinch his second title in Rotterdam. Federer played in the 2012 Dubai Tennis Championships, where he defeated Andy Murray in the final, improved his record against him to 7–8, and won the championship title for the fifth time in his career. Federer then moved on to the Indian Wells Masters, where he defeated Rafael Nadal in the semifinal, and John Isner in the final. Federer won the title for a record fourth time, and, in doing so, equalled Rafael Nadal's record of 19 ATP Masters 1000 titles. Federer then lost in the third round of the Miami Masters to Andy Roddick in three sets. Federer went on to compete at the Madrid Masters on the new blue clay surface, where he beat Milos Raonic, Richard Gasquet, David Ferrer, Janko Tipsarević, and Tomáš Berdych en route to regaining the World No. 2 ranking from Rafael Nadal. Federer then participated in the Italian Open tournament in Rome, where he won over Carlos Berlocq, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and Andreas Seppi, en route to the semifinal, where he was defeated in straight sets by the defending champion and 2012 runner-up Novak Djokovic. In the French Open, Federer won matches against Tobias Kamke, Adrian Ungur, Nicolas Mahut, David Goffin, and Juan Martín del Potro before he lost in the semifinal to Djokovic. At the Gerry Weber Open, Federer lost to an inspired Tommy Haas in the final.
At Wimbledon, Federer won matches against Albert Ramos, Fabio Fognini, Julien Benneteau, Xavier Malisse, and Mikhail Youzhny on his way to reaching the semifinals. In his semifinal match-up against the World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Federer earned a record eighth Wimbledon final appearance after dispatching Djokovic in four sets. On 8 July 2012, Federer defeated Andy Murray in four sets in the 2012 Wimbledon Final, regaining the world number-one ranking in the process. "It's amazing. It equals me with Pete Sampras, who's my hero. It just feels amazing," Federer said of winning his seventh Wimbledon championship, tying Sampras' Open Era record. By defeating top-ranked Djokovic in the semifinals and winning in the finals, Federer returned to the top spot in the world rankings and in doing so, broke Sampras' record of 286 weeks atop the list.
Four weeks after the Wimbledon final, Federer again faced Murray on the Wimbledon centre court, this time for the final of the 2012 Summer Olympics. This came after an epic four-hour 26-minute semifinal against Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina that Federer won 19–17 in the third and final set. He lost to Murray in straight sets in the final, winning a silver medal for his country.
Federer did not play in the Rogers Cup, but he won in Cincinnati, beating Novak Djokovic soundly in the final. In the US Open, five-time champ Federer was defeated by Tomáš Berdych in the quarterfinals. In the Shanghai Rolex Masters, defeating Stanislas Wawrinka in the third round, Federer confirmed his 300th week at No.1. He went on to lose to defending champion Murray in the semifinals. Following his defeat against Juan Martin del Potro in the title match at the Swiss Indoors, Federer withdrew from the Paris Master, thus losing his chance to finish as year-end No. 1 for a sixth time. Federer made it to the finals of ATP World Tour Finals where he lost to Novak Djokovic in two tight sets.
Federer was beaten by Andy Murray in the semi-finals of the 2013 Australian Open. Murray won the fifth set thus defeating Federer for the first time in a Major. Roger Federer suffered a shock two set defeat to Julien Benneteau in ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam. He was defeated by Berdych in the semi-finals of the Dubai Open Tennis Championship, and at Indian Wells had a quarterfinal defeat to nemesis Nadal. As a result, the 2013 season is the first since 1999 in which Federer has failed to reach a final in the first four months of the year.
He skipped Miami Masters and Monte-Carlo Masters. He then returned to Madrid to defend his title, suffering a surprise defeat in the third round to Kei Nishikori in 3 sets. Federer rebounded to reach his first final of the year in Rome Masters, but was crushed there by the defending champion Rafael Nadal. Roland Garros was also a disappointment for Federer, losing to an inspired Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 3 easy sets in the quarterfinals.
Federer's first title of 2013 came at the Gerry Weber Open (def. Mikhail Youzhny), where he also played doubles with good friend Tommy Haas. With the victory in Halle, he tied John McEnroe for the third-most number of ATP titles won by a male player in the Open Era. Despite his disappointing results to start the season, he aimed to repeat the Halle/Wimbledon double he first achieved 10 years ago during the grass court swing. Federer, however, was unable to maintain his form into Wimbledon, suffering his worst Grand Slam defeat since 2004 in the second round against Sergiy Stakhovsky. Not only did the loss end Federer's record streak of 36 consecutive quarterfinals at major tournaments, it meant he would drop out of the top 4 for first time since July 2003, exactly 10 years after he won his first Wimbledon title.
Rivalries
Federer vs. Nadal
Federer and Nadal have been playing each other since 2004 and their rivalry is a significant part of both men's careers.
They held the top two rankings on the ATP Tour from July 2005 until 14 September 2009, when Nadal fell to World No. 3 (Andy Murray became the new No. 2). They are the only pair of men to have ever finished four consecutive calendar years at the top. Federer was ranked No. 1 for a record 237 consecutive weeks beginning in February 2004. Nadal, who is five years younger, ascended to No. 2 in July 2005 and held this spot for a record 160 consecutive weeks before surpassing Federer in August 2008.
Nadal leads their head-to-head 20–10. Fifteen of their 30 matches have been on clay which is statistically Nadal's best surface. Federer has a winning record on grass (2–1) and indoor hard courts (4–0), while Nadal leads the outdoor hard courts (6–2) and clay (13–2). Because tournament seedings are based on rankings, 20 of their matches have been in tournament finals which have included an all-time record 8 Grand Slam finals. From 2006 to 2008 they played in every French Open and Wimbledon final. They then met in the 2009 Australian Open final and the 2011 French Open final. Nadal won six of the eight, losing the first two Wimbledon finals. Three of these finals were five set-matches (2007 and 2008 Wimbledon, 2009 Australian Open), with the 2008 Wimbledon final being lauded as the greatest match ever by many long-time tennis analysts. 10 of their 28 meetings have reached a deciding set. They have also played in a record 10 Masters Series finals (tied with Nadal-Djokovic finals), including their lone five-hour match at the 2006 Rome Masters which Nadal won in a fifth-set tie-break having saved two match points.
Federer vs. Djokovic
Federer and Djokovic have met 29 times with Federer leading 16–13. Federer leads 12–10 on hard-courts and 1–0 on grass. They are tied at 3–3 on clay. The Federer–Djokovic rivalry is the largest rivalry in Grand Slam history with a record 11 matches played against each other and Federer leading 6–5. Djokovic is the only player besides Nadal to defeat Federer in consecutive grand slam tournaments (2010 US Open and 2011 Australian Open), and the only player besides Nadal and Murray who has double-figure career wins over Federer. Djokovic is one of two players (the other again being Nadal) currently on tour to have defeated Federer in straight sets at a Grand Slam (2008 Australian Open, 2011 Australian Open, 2012 French Open) and the only player to do it three times. 11 of their 29 meetings have reached a deciding set.
Federer ended Djokovic's perfect 41–0 start to the 2011 season in the semifinals of the French Open, but Djokovic was able to avenge this loss at the 2011 US Open in five sets after saving two match points against Federer for the second straight year. In the semifinals of Wimbledon 2012, Federer beat defending champion and world number one Djokovic in four sets. Many experts have included the rivalry between Federer and Djokovic as one of the best rivalries in the Open Era.
Federer vs. Murray
Federer and Andy Murray have met 20 times with the series led 11–9 by Murray. Murray leads 10–8 on hard courts and they are tied 1–1 on grass. The two have met four times at Grand Slam level, the first three times in the finals, Federer winning all three of these matches; at the 2008 US Open and the 2010 Australian Open, both of which he won in straight sets, and at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships in which Murray took the opening set but went on to lose in four sets. However, Murray won their encounter at the semifinals of the 2013 Australian Open, defeating the Swiss for the first time at a Grand slam tournament in five sets. They met at the final of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, in which Murray defeated Federer in straight sets, denying the Swiss maestro a career Golden Slam. Murray also leads 6–1 in ATP 1000 tournaments, 2–0 in finals. They have also met four times at the ATP World Tour Finals with Murray winning in Shanghai in 2008, and Federer in London in 2009, 2010, and 2012. Apart from Rafael Nadal, Murray is the only other active player to have a positive head-to-head record against Federer, as well as being one of only three players to have recorded 10 or more victories over Federer (the other two being Nadal and Novak Djokovic).
Federer vs. Roddick
One of Federer's longstanding rivalries was with American Andy Roddick. Roddick lost his World number 1 ranking to Federer after Federer won his first Australian Open in 2004. Federer and Roddick have met on 24 occasions, including in four Grand Slam finals (three at Wimbledon and one at the US Open). Federer leads 21–3, making Roddick the ATP player with the most tournament losses to Federer.
In the 2009 Wimbledon final, Roddick lost to Federer in five sets. It included a fifth set made up of 30 games (a Grand Slam final record) and a match that was over 4 hours long. In the final game of the deciding set Roddick's serve was broken for the first, and therefore last, time during the whole match. With that victory, Federer broke Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles.
Federer vs. Safin
Marat Safin and Federer have played each other 12 times with Federer leading 10–2. Federer and Safin turned pro within one year of each other with Safin turning pro in 1997 and Federer turning pro in 1998. Federer leads 4–1 on hard courts, 3–0 on grass, and 3–0 on clay courts while Safin leads 1–0 on carpet. Notable meetings include Federer defeating Safin at the 2002 Hamburg Masters to win his first Masters 1000 title of his career, as well as Federer emerging victorious in the semifinals of the 2004 Tennis Masters Cup after winning a tiebreak 20–18 on his eighth match point. Federer would also defeat Safin in the finals of the 2004 Australian Open to capture his first Australian Open and second slam title. However, Safin would defeat Federer in the 2005 Australian Open semifinals, having saved one match point in the fourth set tiebreak to end a 26 match win streak by Federer. They have met each other 5 times in Grand Slams with Federer leading 4–1.
Playing style
Federer's versatility has been summarised by Jimmy Connors: "In an era of specialists, you're either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialist...or you're Roger Federer."
Federer is an all-court, all-round player known for his speed, fluid style of play, and exceptional shot making. Federer mainly plays from the baseline but is also comfortable at the net, being one of the best volleyers in the game today. He has a powerful, accurate smash and very effectively performs rare elements in today's tennis, such as backhand smash, half-volley and jump smash (slam dunk). David Foster Wallace compared the brute force of Federer's forehand motion with that of "a great liquid whip", while John McEnroe has referred to Federer's forehand as "the greatest shot in our sport." Federer is also known for his efficient movement around the court and excellent footwork, which enables him to run around shots directed to his backhand and instead hit a powerful inside-out or inside-in forehand, one of his best shots.
Federer plays with a single-handed backhand, which gives him great variety. He employs the slice, occasionally using it to lure his opponent to the net and deliver a passing shot. Federer can also fire topspin winners and possesses a 'flick' backhand with which he can generate pace with his wrist; this is usually used to pass the opponent at the net. His serve is difficult to read because he always uses a similar ball toss, regardless of what type of serve he is going to hit and where he aims to hit it, and turns his back to his opponents during his motion. He is often able to produce big serves on key points during a match. His first serve is typically around 200 km/h (125 mph); however, he is capable of serving at 220 km/h (137 mph). Federer is also accomplished at serve and volleying, and employed this tactic frequently in his early career.
Later in his career Federer added the drop shot to his arsenal and can perform a well-disguised one off both wings. He sometimes uses a between-the-legs shot, which is colloquially referred to as a "tweener." His most notable use of the tweener was in the semifinals of the 2009 US Open against Novak Djokovic, bringing him triple match point, on which he capitalised for a straight-set victory over the Serb.
Equipment and apparel
Equipment
Federer currently plays with a customised Wilson Pro Staff 6.1 90 BLX tennis racquet, which is characterised by its smaller hitting area of 90 square inches, heavy strung weight of 364 grams, and thin beam of 17.5 millimeters. His grip size is 4 3/8 inches (sometimes referred to as L3). Federer strings his racquets at 21.5 kg mains/20 kg crosses pre stretched 20%, utilizing Wilson Natural Gut 16 gauge for his main strings and Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Rough 16L gauge ( polyester) for his cross strings. When asked about string tensions, Federer stated "this depends on how warm the days are and with what kind of balls I play and against who I play. So you can see – it depends on several factors and not just the surface; the feeling I have is most important."
Apparel
Federer has a contract with Nike footwear and apparel. For the 2006 championships at Wimbledon, Nike designed a jacket emblazoned with a crest of three tennis racquets, symbolising the three Wimbledon Championships he had previously won, and which was updated the next year with four racquets after he won the Championship in 2006. In Wimbledon 2008 and again in 2009, Nike continued this trend by making him a personalised cardigan. He also has his own logo, an R and F joined together.
Endorsements
Federer is one of the highest-earning athletes in the world. He is listed at number two on Forbes World's Highest Paid Athletes list. As of 2013 he remains the top earner in tennis with ten endorsement deals. He makes 40 to 50 million euros a year from prize money and endorsements from Nike and the Swiss companies Credit Suisse, Rolex, Lindt and Jura Elektroapparate. In 2010 his endorsement by Mercedes-Benz China was extended into a global partnership deal. His other sponsors include Nationale Suisse, Gillette, Wilson and Moët & Chandon.
Previously, he was an ambassador for NetJets and Maurice Lacroix.
Career statistics
Grand Slam tournament performance timeline
Information in these tables is updated only once the player's participation in the tournament has concluded.
| Tournament | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | SR | W–L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | LQ | 3R | 3R | 4R | 4R | W | SF | W | W | SF | F | W | SF | SF | SF | 4 / 14 | 68–10 | 87.18 |
| French Open | A | 1R | 4R | QF | 1R | 1R | 3R | SF | F | F | F | W | QF | F | SF | QF | 1 / 15 | 58–14 | 80.56 |
| Wimbledon | A | 1R | 1R | QF | 1R | W | W | W | W | W | F | W | QF | QF | W | 2R | 7 / 15 | 67–8 | 89.33 |
| US Open | A | LQ | 3R | 4R | 4R | 4R | W | W | W | W | W | F | SF | SF | QF | 5 / 13 | 64–8 | 88.89 | |
| Win–Loss | 0–0 | 0–2 | 7–4 | 13–4 | 6–4 | 13–3 | 22–1 | 24–2 | 27–1 | 26–1 | 24–3 | 26–2 | 20–3 | 20–4 | 19–3 | 10–3 | 17 / 57 | 257–40 | 86.53 |
- Finals: 24 (17 titles, 7 runners-up)
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2003 | Wimbledon | Grass |  Mark Philippoussis |
7–6(7–5), 6–2, 7–6(7–3) |
| Winner | 2004 | Australian Open | Hard |  Marat Safin |
7–6(7–3), 6–4, 6–2 |
| Winner | 2004 | Wimbledon (2) | Grass |  Andy Roddick |
4–6, 7–5, 7–6(7–3), 6–4 |
| Winner | 2004 | US Open | Hard | Lleyton Hewitt |
6–0, 7–6(7–3), 6–0 |
| Winner | 2005 | Wimbledon (3) | Grass | Andy Roddick |
6–2, 7–6(7–2), 6–4 |
| Winner | 2005 | US Open (2) | Hard | Andre Agassi |
6–3, 2–6, 7–6(7–1), 6–1 |
| Winner | 2006 | Australian Open (2) | Hard |  Marcos Baghdatis |
5–7, 7–5, 6–0, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 2006 | French Open | Clay |  Rafael Nadal |
6–1, 1–6, 4–6, 6–7(4–7) |
| Winner | 2006 | Wimbledon (4) | Grass | Rafael Nadal |
6–0, 7–6(7–5), 6–7(2–7), 6–3 |
| Winner | 2006 | US Open (3) | Hard | Andy Roddick |
6–2, 4–6, 7–5, 6–1 |
| Winner | 2007 | Australian Open (3) | Hard |  Fernando González |
7–6(7–2), 6–4, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 2007 | French Open (2) | Clay | Rafael Nadal |
3–6, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 |
| Winner | 2007 | Wimbledon (5) | Grass | Rafael Nadal |
7–6(9–7), 4–6, 7–6(7–3), 2–6, 6–2 |
| Winner | 2007 | US Open (4) | Hard |  Novak Djokovic |
7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–2), 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 2008 | French Open (3) | Clay | Rafael Nadal |
1–6, 3–6, 0–6 |
| Runner-up | 2008 | Wimbledon | Grass | Rafael Nadal |
4–6, 4–6, 7–6(7–5), 7–6(10–8), 7–9 |
| Winner | 2008 | US Open (5) | Hard |  Andy Murray |
6–2, 7–5, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 2009 | Australian Open | Hard | Rafael Nadal |
5–7, 6–3, 6–7(3–7), 6–3, 2–6 |
| Winner | 2009 | French Open | Clay |  Robin Söderling |
6–1, 7–6(7–1), 6–4 |
| Winner | 2009 | Wimbledon (6) | Grass | Andy Roddick |
5–7, 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–5), 3–6, 16–14 |
| Runner-up | 2009 | US Open | Hard |  Juan Martín del Potro |
6–3, 6–7(5–7), 6–4, 6–7(4–7), 2–6 |
| Winner | 2010 | Australian Open (4) | Hard | Andy Murray |
6–3, 6–4, 7–6(13–11) |
| Runner-up | 2011 | French Open (4) | Clay | Rafael Nadal |
5–7, 6–7(3–7), 7–5, 1–6 |
| Winner | 2012 | Wimbledon (7) | Grass | Andy Murray |
4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–4 |
Year-end championship performance timeline
| Tournament | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | SR | W–L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YEC | NQ | NQ | NQ | NQ | SF | W | W | F | W | W | RR | SF | W | W | F | 6 / 11 | 42–9 | 82.35 | |
| Win–Loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 5–0 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 0–0 |
- Finals: 8 (6 titles, 2 runner-ups)
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2003 | Houston | Hard | Andre Agassi |
6–3, 6–0, 6–4 |
| Winner | 2004 | Houston | Hard | Lleyton Hewitt |
6–3, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 2005 | Shanghai | Carpet (i) | David Nalbandian |
7–6(7–4), 7–6(13–11), 2–6, 1–6, 6–7(3–7) |
| Winner | 2006 | Shanghai | Hard (i) | James Blake |
6–0, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Winner | 2007 | Shanghai | Hard (i) | David Ferrer |
6–2, 6–3, 6–2 |
| Winner | 2010 | London | Hard (i) | Rafael Nadal |
6–3, 3–6, 6–1 |
| Winner | 2011 | London | Hard (i) |  Jo-Wilfried Tsonga |
6–3, 6–7(6–8), 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 2012 | London | Hard (i) | Novak Djokovic |
6–7(6–8), 5–7 |
Olympic Games
- Finals: 2 (1 gold medal, 1 silver medal)
Singles: 1 (0–1)
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 2012 | London | Grass | Andy Murray |
2–6, 1–6, 4–6 |
Doubles: 1 (1–0)
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2008 | Beijing | Hard |  Wawrinka |
Aspelin Johansson |
6–3, 6–4, 6–7(4–7), 6–3 |
Records
- These records were attained in the Open Era of tennis.
- Records in bold indicate peer-less achievements.
- Records in italics are currently active streaks.
| Time span | Selected Grand Slam tournament records | Players matched |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2009 French Open |
Career Grand Slam | Rod Laver Andre Agassi Rafael Nadal |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2012 Wimbledon |
17 titles | Stands alone |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2012 Wimbledon |
24 finals | Stands alone |
| 2005 Wimbledon — 2007 US Open |
10 consecutive finals | Stands alone |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2013 Australian Open |
33 semifinals | Stands alone |
| 2004 Wimbledon — 2010 Australian Open |
23 consecutive semifinals | Stands alone |
| 2004 Wimbledon — 2013 French Open |
36 consecutive quarterfinals | Stands alone |
| 2004 & 2006–2007 | 3 years winning 3+ titles | Stands alone |
| 2004–2007 & 2009 | 5 years winning 2+ titles | Stands alone |
| 2006–2007 | 2 consecutive years winning 3+ titles | Stands alone |
| 2004–2007 | 4 consecutive years winning 2+ titles | Stands alone |
| 2004–2011 | 8 consecutive years winning 20+ matches | Stands alone |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2012 Wimbledon |
5+ titles at 2 different Majors | Björn Borg Pete Sampras |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2012 Wimbledon |
4+ titles at 3 different Majors | Stands alone |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2012 Wimbledon |
5+ finals at all 4 Majors | Stands alone |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2013 Australian Open |
7+ semifinals at all 4 Majors | Stands alone |
| 2001 French Open — 2013 French Open |
9+ quarterfinals at all 4 Majors | Stands alone |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2008 US Open |
5 consecutive titles at 2 different Majors | Stands alone |
| 2004 Wimbledon — 2007 US Open |
4 consecutive years of winning the two same Majors | Stands alone |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2007 French Open |
2+ consecutive finals at all 4 Majors | Ivan Lendl |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2009 French Open |
5+ consecutive semifinals at all 4 Majors | Stands alone |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2013 French Open |
9+ consecutive quarterfinals at all 4 Majors | Stands alone |
| 2003 Wimbledon — 2006 Australian Open |
First 7 finals won | Stands alone |
| 2004 Australian Open — 2010 Australian Open |
9 hard court titles | Stands alone |
| 2008 US Open — 2009 Wimbledon |
Simultaneous holder of Majors on clay, grass and hard court | Rafael Nadal |
| 2006–2007 & 2009 | All 4 Major finals in 1 season | Rod Laver |
| 2006 French Open — 2009 US Open |
Runner-up finishes at all 4 Majors | Ivan Lendl |
| 2000 Australian Open — 2013 Wimbledon |
257 match wins | Stands alone |
| 2000 Australian Open — 2013 Wimbledon |
50+ match wins at all 4 Majors | Stands alone |
| 2000 Australian Open — 2013 Wimbledon |
60+ match wins at 3 different Majors | Stands alone |
| 2000 Australian Open — 2013 Australian Open |
132 hard court match wins | Stands alone |
| 2006 | 27 match wins in 1 season | Stands alone |
| 2004–2007 & 2009 | 5 years with match winning percentage of 90%+ | Björn Borg |
| 2004 French Open — 2012 US Open |
23 No. 1 seeds | Stands alone |
| 2004 French Open — 2008 Wimbledon |
18 consecutive No. 1 seeds | Stands alone |
| 2006 US Open — 2007 French Open |
36 consecutive sets won | Stands alone |
| 2007 US Open | 35 consecutive service points won | Stands alone |
| 2009 Wimbledon | 50 aces in a final | Stands alone |
| 2007 US Open | $2.4 million earned at one event | Stands alone |
| 1999 French Open — 2012 US Open |
5618 games won | Stands alone |
| 2005 Wimbledon — 2007 French Open |
2 winning streaks of 25+ matches | Stands alone |
| 2005 Wimbledon — 2009 US Open |
3 winning streaks of 20+ matches | Stands alone |
| 2004 Wimbledon — 2009 US Open |
5 winning streaks of 15+ matches | Stands alone |
| Grand Slam tournaments | Time Span | Records at each Grand Slam tournament | Players matched | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | 2004–2010 | 4 titles overall | Andre Agassi Novak Djokovic |
|
| Australian Open | 2004–2010 | 5 finals overall | Stefan Edberg | |
| Australian Open | 2004–2013 | 10 semifinals overall | Stands alone | |
| Australian Open | 2004–2013 | 10 consecutive semifinals | Stands alone | |
| Australian Open | 2007 | Won title without losing a set | Ken Rosewall | |
| Australian Open | 2000–2013 | 68 match wins overall | Stands alone | |
| Australian Open | 2006–2008 | 30 consecutive sets won | Stands alone | |
| French Open | 2006–2009 | 4 consecutive finals | Björn Borg Ivan Lendl Rafael Nadal |
|
| French Open | 2006–2011 | 4 runner-up finishes overall | Stands alone | |
| French Open | 2006–2008 | 3 consecutive runner-up finishes | Stands alone | |
| French Open | 2005–2009 | 5 consecutive semifinals | Stands alone | |
| French Open—Wimbledon | 2009 | Accomplished a "Channel Slam": Winning both tournaments in the same year | Rod Laver Björn Borg Rafael Nadal |
|
| Wimbledon | 2003–2012 | 7 titles overall | Pete Sampras | |
| Wimbledon | 2003–2007 | 5 consecutive titles | Björn Borg | |
| Wimbledon | 2003–2012 | 8 finals overall | Stands alone | |
| Wimbledon | 2003–2009 | 7 consecutive finals | Stands alone | |
| Wimbledon | 2003–2009 | 7 consecutive semifinals | Stands alone | |
| Wimbledon | 2005–2006 | 34 consecutive sets won | Stands alone | |
| US Open | 2004–2008 | 5 titles overall | Jimmy Connors Pete Sampras |
|
| US Open | 2004–2008 | 5 consecutive titles | Stands alone | |
| US Open | 2004–2009 | 40 consecutive match wins | Stands alone | |
| US Open | 1999–2012 | 88.89% (64–8) match winning percentage | Stands alone |
| Time span | Other selected records | Players matched |
|---|---|---|
| Year-End Championship records | ||
| 2003–2011 | 6 titles overall | Stands alone |
| 2002–2012 | 42 match wins overall | Stands alone |
| 2003–2005 | 14 consecutive match wins | Ivan Lendl |
| ATP Masters 1000 records | ||
| 2002–2012 | 47 semifinals overall | Rafael Nadal |
| 2000–2013 | 277 match wins overall | Stands alone |
| 2004–2012 | 15 hard court titles | Stands alone |
| 2005–2006 | 2 consecutive years winning 4+ titles | Stands alone |
| 2002–2011 | 9 different finals | Novak Djokovic |
| 2006 | 6 finals in 1 season | Novak Djokovic |
| 2004–2012 | 4 Indian Wells Masters titles | Stands alone |
| 2002–2007 | 4 Hamburg Masters titles | Stands alone |
| 2005–2012 | 5 Cincinnati Masters titles | Stands alone |
| 2012 | Won title without having serve broken or losing a set ( Cincinnati Masters) |
Stands alone |
| Other records | ||
| 2004–2012 | 302 total weeks at No. 1 | Stands alone |
| 2 February 2004 — 17 August 2008 |
237 consecutive weeks at No. 1 | Stands alone |
| 2003–2005 | 26 consecutive match victories vs. top 10 opponents | Stands alone |
| 2005–2006 | 56 consecutive hard court match victories | Stands alone |
| 2003–2008 | 65 consecutive grass court match victories | Stands alone |
| 2003–2005 | 24 consecutive tournament finals won | Stands alone |
| 2001–2012 | 10+ titles on grass, clay and hard courts | Stands alone |
| 2003–2013 | 13 grass court titles | Stands alone |
| 2002–2012 | 52 hard court titles | Stands alone |
| 2002–2013 | 57 outdoor titles | Stands alone |
| 2006 | 9 hard court titles in 1 season | Jimmy Connors |
| 1998–2013 | 335 tiebreaks won | Stands alone |
| 1999–2013 | 87.14% (122–18) grass court match winning percentage | Stands alone |
| 1998–2013 | 82.85% (546–113) hard court match winning percentage | Stands alone |
| 2006 | 94.12% of tournament finals reached in 1 season | Stands alone |
| 2004–2008 | 2 consecutive Olympic games as wire-to-wire No. 1 | Stands alone |
| 2004–2012 | 3 consecutive Olympic games as No. 1 | Stands alone |
| 2005–2007 | 3 consecutive calendar years as wire-to-wire No. 1 | Stands alone |
| 2005–2007 | 3 calendar years as wire-to-wire No. 1 | Jimmy Connors |
| 2003–2012 | Ended 9 years ranked inside the top 2 | Stands alone |
| 2007 | $10 million prize money earned in a season | Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic |
| 2005–2007 | 2 winning streaks of 35+ matches | Björn Borg |
| 2004–2012 | 7 winning streaks of 20+ matches | Stands alone |
