Roger Federer has retired from tennis. The Swiss great and 20-time Grand Slam winner brought the curtain down on his career at the 2022 Laver Cup, competing in the doubles alongside long-time friend and rival, Rafael Nadal. Federer played 1526 singles matches across his career – here, Eurosport rank his 20 best and most important matches, including several of his Grand Slam wins.
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Roger Federer is officially retired from tennis.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion called time on a legendary career after playing alongside great rival and friend Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup, losing to Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe in his final competitive outing.
‘Fedal’ were beaten 4-6 7-6(2) 11-9 by the Team World duo in London in an emotional showing at the O2.
For Federer, it brought the curtain down on a career that ran for over 24 years, saw 1526 matches – with a win-loss record of 1251-275 – 103 ATP titles, 237 consecutive weeks at No. 1, 20 Grand Slams, and too-many-to-count great matches. Here, Eurosport celebrate the all-time great’s best and most important moments.
20. ATP FINALS 2010: A REMINDER
Date: November 2010Round: Semi-final and finalOpponents: Novak Djokovic then Rafael NadalScores: 6-1 6-4 followed by 6-3 3-6 6-1
2010 was a curious year fMurray and Davidor Roger Federer. It began with a 16th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, but losses at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon at the quarter-final stage, and in the US Open semi-finals, represented a first challenge to what had been near-complete dominance in the years that had preceded.
Yet, at the ATP Finals in London, Federer produced a timely reminder of his brilliance. He proceeded to the semi-finals – beating Robin Soderling, Andy Ferrer without losing a set – before he set about Nadal and Novak Djokovic. He downed Djokovic in the semi-finals before overcoming Nadal in the final.
It drew him level alongside Pete Sampras’ record haul of five ATP Finals titles. He would surpass that a year later.
19. BASEL 2019: TITLE 103
Date: October 27, 2019Round: FinalOpponent: Alex de MinaurScore: 6-2 6-2
Federer will always be synonymous with the Centre Court of Wimbledon, where he collected eight of his 20 Grand Slams. Yet, Basel – his home tournament – holds many a cherished memory, and it was there he won his 103rd, and final, ATP title. The two-time defending champion beat Alex de Minaur in 68 minutes to collect a fourth title of the 2019 season, his 10th crown in Basel and his 103rd of a career laden with success
18. WIMBLEDON 2015: UNPLAYABLE
Date: July 10, 2015Round: Semi-finalOpponent: Andy MurrayScore: 7-5 7-5 6-4
Federer beat Andy Murray to make a 10th Wimbledon final. Murray was sensational, but it was not enough against a majestic Federer. The 10th game of the second set was illustrative of Murray’s resistance – the Brit came from 0-40 down and defended five set points in a 20-minute game. But such was Federer’s relentless brilliance, he would win the set 7-5. Federer said afterwards it was one of the best performances of his career.
The result meant of the 10 semi-finals he had contested up until that point at SW19, he had won 10 and dropped just one set – against Novak Djokovic in 2012. He would lose to Djokovic in the final in 2015.
17. WIMBLEDON 2016: RESILIENCE
Date: July 6, 2016Round: Quarter-finalOpponent: Marin CilicScore: 6-7 4-6 6-3 7-6 6-3
Federer’s gracefulness has often masked the grit, determination and fight that marks any champion. However, against Marin Cilic at Wimbledon in 2016, those characteristics were on full display. The Swiss great was two sets down and staring down the barrel of a quarter-final exit for the first time at Wimbledon since 2011. He fended off three match points in the fourth set tie-break before taking control of the match to seal progression in five. The win was his 307th at a Grand Slam event.
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