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The Days of Roger Federer

The Day Roger Federer Won His First ATP Match

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by Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

It was on September 30, 1998 when Roger Federer first made a presence on the ATP Tour with this first ATP singles match win. The future world No. 1 and tennis legend was just 17-years-old and just getting a taste for of pro tennis. He won the Wimbledon junior boys singles title in the summer and had made his ATP tournament debut a week later in Gstaad, Switzerland as a wild card entry, losing in the first round to Lucas Arnold.

The following is a description of Federer’s memorable first ATP match win from my book “The Days of Roger Federer,” which is for sale and download here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559378/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_0E2ARNSZB794F06B637G

1998 – Seventeen-year-old Roger Federer defeats Guillaume Raoux of France 6-2, 6-2 in the first round in Toulouse for his first ATP singles match victory. Rene Stauffer, in his book Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection, summarizes Federer’s achievement, “Yet, before the chase for the year-end No. 1 junior ranking reached its decisive phase, the unexpected happened. Federer achieved his first great breakthrough on the ATP Tour. With a ranking of No. 878, he traveled to Toulouse, France at the end of September and, to his own surprise, advanced through the qualifying rounds to progress into the main draw of the tournament. In only his second ATP tournament, the 17-year-old registered an upset victory over No. 45-ranked Guillaume Raoux of France—his first ATP match victory—allowing the Frenchman just four games. In the next round, Federer proved this win was not a fluke by defeating former Australian Davis Cup star Richard Fromberg 6-1, 7-6 (5). In the quarterfinals—his sixth match of the tournament including matches in the qualifying rounds—Federer lost to Jan Siemerink 7-6 (5), 6-2, with a throbbing thigh injury hampering him during the match. The Dutchman was ranked No. 20 and went on to win the tournament two days later, but Federer was also handsomely rewarded. He received a prize money check for $10,800 and passed 482 players in the world rankings in one tournament—moving to No. 396.”

“The Days of Roger Federer” chronicles the glory years or the trophy-laden career of Federer, one of the world’s most well-known, popular and respected athletes, regarded by many as the greatest tennis player of all time. The book is unique for its day-by-day format: every day of the calendar year is presented with a corresponding anniversary, bit of fact or trivia, including hallmark victories, statistics, quirky happenings and quotations.

Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com), is also the publisher of “Pete Sampras: Greatness Revisited” by Steve Flink,  “I Always Wanted To Be Somebody” by Althea Gibson, “Juan Martin del Potro: The Gentle Giant” by Sebastian Torok, “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time” by Steve Flink, “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “Macci Magic: Extracting Greatness From Yourself And Others” by Rick Macci with Jim Martz, “Court Confidential: Inside The World Of Tennis” by Neil Harman, “Andy Murray, Wimbledon Champion: The Full Extraordinary Story” by Mark Hodgkinson, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker, “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “A Backhanded Gift” by Marshall Jon Fisher, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com),  “Internet Dating 101: It’s Complicated, But It Doesn’t Have To Be” by Laura Schreffler, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “Bone Appetit: Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Suzan Anson, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin among others.

When Roger Federer Played His First Match With A Larger Framed Racquet

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

Much of the success of Roger Federer in his 30s can be partially attributed to his switch from a larger racquet frame from his original 90-square inch Wilson frame. The larger frame, in particular, has allowed for Federer to hit his one-handed top-spin backhand with great frequency and ferocity.

It is interesting to look back in the pages of my day-by-day anniversary and anecdotes book compilation of Roger Federer’s tennis career called “The Days of Roger Federer” and find the first match that Federer played with the larger frame. It happened on July 17, 2013 when Federer played the ATP event in Hamburg. Federer entered the event following an unexpected second-round loss at Wimbledon to Sergiy Stakhovsky, which caused many observers to question if Federer’s career was at a crossroads.

The except from the July 17 chapter of “The Days of Roger Federer” that details the match and the switch to the new sized racquet can be found here:

 

July 17

2013 – Roger Federer plays his first ATP World Tour match with a new Wilson racquet with a 98-square inch face and struggles past Daniel Brands 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in his opening match at the Bet-at-Home German Tennis Championships. After dropping to No. 5 in the ATP rankings following a shock second-round upset loss at Wimbledon, Federer makes the switch to the larger racquet after winning 17 major singles titles with a 90-square inch racquet.

“I’m pleased how it’s playing,” Federer says of the racquet after his win over Brands. “I kind of knew it from practice, so it wasn’t like just jumping into the water, but I’m very happy that under match conditions I was feeling comfortable with it. I’m satisfied.” Federer plays tentative from the start in his first career meeting with Brands, losing the first set, but doesn’t lose a point on his first serve in the second set (17 for 17) to square the match. Federer’s confidence grows in the third set and he streaks to victory.

“After I lost at Wimbledon, I thought this is a good time to go and test the racquets, to take a bit of time off and then add some tournaments and see was there enough time to change or not,” Federer says. “I’m happy I did the change and now we’ll see how it goes. So far, so good.” Federer says his extended time off from his loss at Wimbledon and the start of the summer hard-court season in the United States provided an ideal time to try out new models of racquets. “I’ve been very close on numerous occasions to change racquets in a bigger way,” he says. “But then very often, time was the issue. Maybe also just the records of Grand Slams – I was always keeping on playing quarters and semis – so then it was also a bit more difficult to change it because of the time. This time around, all of a sudden I just had the extra 10 days, two weeks I was looking for, and I really was very serious about it. Wilson flew to Switzerland and we went through the whole process and I was very happy how things went over there.

 

“The Days of Roger Federer” book, available for $19.95 here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1937559378/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=10D3VB2K77DG8P0DHHEV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846, chronicles the trophy-laden career of Federer, one of the world’s most well-known, popular and respected athletes, regarded by many as the greatest tennis player of all time. The book is unique for its day-by-day format: every day of the calendar year is presented with a corresponding anniversary or a bit of fact or trivia, including hallmark victories, statistics, quirky happenings and quotations.

Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time” by Steve Flink, “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “Macci Magic: Extracting Greatness From Yourself And Others” by Rick Macci with Jim Martz, “Court Confidential: Inside The World Of Tennis” by Neil Harman, , “Andy Murray, Wimbledon Champion: The Full Extraordinary Story” by Mark Hodgkinson, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker, “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “A Backhanded Gift” by Marshall Jon Fisher, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “Internet Dating 101: It’s Complicated, But It Doesn’t Have To Be” by Laura Schreffler, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “Bone Appetit: Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Suzan Anson, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin among others.

Roger Federer
Roger Federer

Roger Federer’s First-Ever ATP Singles Match Victory

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by Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

The date September 30, 1998 is a hallmark day on the calendar in the career of Roger Federer. It was the day when the future all-time great in tennis history won his first main draw match on the ATP Tour.

The match is documented on page 404 of the day-by-day Roger Federer career compilation “The Days of Roger Federer” available here on amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559378/ref=cm_sw_r_pi_dp_S-Skub0XACFFP or where ever books are sold

The excerpt from the book, detailing Federer’s historic first win – and also quoting Rene Stauffer’s Federer book “Quest for Perfection,” can be found below:

September 30

1998 – Seventeen-year-old Roger Federer defeats Guillaume Raoux of France 6-2, 6-2 in the first round in Toulouse for his first ATP singles match victory. Rene Stauffer, in his book Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection, summarizes Federer’s achievement, “Yet, before the chase for the year-end No. 1 junior ranking reached its decisive phase, the unexpected happened. Federer achieved his first great breakthrough on the ATP Tour. With a ranking of No. 878, he traveled to Toulouse, France at the end of September and, to his own surprise, advanced through the qualifying rounds to progress into the main draw of the tournament. In only his second ATP tournament, the 17-year-old registered an upset victory over No. 45-ranked Guillaume Raoux of France—his first ATP match victory—allowing the Frenchman just four games. In the next round, Federer proved this win was not a fluke by defeating former Australian Davis Cup star Richard Fromberg 6-1, 7-6 (5). In the quarterfinals—his sixth match of the tournament including matches in the qualifying rounds—Federer lost to Jan Siemerink 7-6 (5), 6-2, with a throbbing thigh injury hampering him during the match. The Dutchman was ranked No. 20 and went on to win the tournament two days later, but Federer was also handsomely rewarded. He received a prize money check for $10,800 and passed 482 players in the world rankings in one tournament—moving to No. 396.”

"The Days of Roger Federer"
“The Days of Roger Federer”

The Top Five Wins For Roger Federer Over Novak Djokovic

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

As Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer once again renew their storied rivalry in the 2014 Wimbledon men’s singles final, we are posting the top 5 victories for Federer over Djokovic as documented in my book “The Days of Roger Federer,” available for sale here:http://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559378/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_n6VTtb183B1F4GB2 and where books are sold.

We also posted the top 5 wins for Djokovic over Federer, also excerpted from the book here: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/10692

 

 1) 2007 U.S. Open Final – Roger Federer def. Novak Djokovic 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4

September 9, 2007 – Saving a combined total of seven set points, Roger Federer wins his 12th major singles title – and his fourth straight U.S. Open men’s singles title – defeating Novak Djokovic 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the final. Federer trails by a service break in each set and Djokovic holds five set points in the first set and two in the second, but is unable to put away the world No. 1. Jokes Djokovic following the match, “My next book is going to be called, ‘Seven Set Points.” Says Federer “I think straight sets was a bit brutal for Novak, to be honest. He deserved better than that. He’s had a fantastic run, not only this tournament but the entire year. I told him at the net ‘keep it up.’ We’re going to have many more battles I think.” Says the 26-year-old Federer of possibly breaking Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles, “I think about it a lot now. To come so close at my age is fantastic, and I hope to break it.”

2) 2011 French Open Semifinals – Roger Federer def. Novak Djokovic 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5)

June 3, 2011 – Roger Federer ends the 43-match win streak of Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the French Open with a 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory. Djokovic entered the match undefeated on the year and not having lost a match since Federer beat him on November 27 of the previous year in the semifinals of the ATP World Tour Finals in London. “I wasn’t here to spoil the party,” says the No. 3-seeded Federer. “Almost feels, somewhat, like I’ve won the tournament, which is not the case. Silverware is still out there to be won, and I’m looking forward to the match with Rafa.” Says Djokovic of the loss, “A loss cannot feel good, that’s for sure, but, look, I know what to do. I handle myself better off the court, on the court. I’ll just accept it as another loss.” Two days later, Federer loses in the final at Roland Garros, falling to Rafael Nadal 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1.

3) 2009 U.S. Open Semifinals – Roger Federer def. Novak Djokovic 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-5

September 13, 2009 – Roger Federer executes perhaps the signature shot of his career, slamming a “tweener” passing shot winner past Novak Djokovic in his second-to-last point of his 7-6 (3), 7-5, 7-5 semifinal victory at the U.S. Open. ‘That’s why it’s the greatest shot I ever hit in my life,” says Federer. “I was in a difficult position, I had nothing to lose. We (practice that) a lot actually but it never works.” Says Djokovic, “On those shots, you just say, ‘Well done, too good.’ What can you do?” Writes Diane Pucin of the Los Angeles Times of the famous shot, “On the next-to-last point of the match, Federer hit what he called the best shot of his life. Djokovic was serving and seemingly in control of the point, standing at the net and watching for his just-hit lob to land out of Federer’s reach. Except Federer materialized at the baseline just when the lob landed. With his back to the net, Federer swung the racket between his legs — and hit a clean winner past Djokovic. The crowd roared, and Federer’s forehand return winner that followed on match point was anticlimactic.”

4) 2012 Wimbledon Semifinals – Roger Federer def. Novak Djokovic 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

July 6, 2012 – Roger Federer beats world No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 to reach a modern-record eighth Wimbledon final. “I have one more match to go. I’m aware of that,” says the 30-year-old Federer. “Still, it’s always nice beating someone like Novak, who has done so well here last year, the last couple years.” The win places Federer in his 24th major singles final, also a men’s record, against Britain’s Andy Murray, a semifinal winner earlier against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Writes Greg Garber on ESPN.com “Roger Federer reached back to his vintage years and took down the best player in the world.”

5) 2008 U.S. Open semifinals – Roger Federer def. Novak Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2

September 6, 2008 – With Tropical Storm Hanna heading towards New York, Roger Federer is able to beat the weather, and Novak Djokovic, and advance into his fifth straight U.S. Open final with a 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 victory, in a reprise of the previous year’s U.S. Open final. Federer is fortunate to finish his match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the other men’s semifinal match between Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray is started on Louis Armstrong Stadium and not completed, Murray holding a two-sets-to-one lead before the rains cancel play for the day. “I’m happy I got my match through,” Federer says in his courtside interview. Of his form in his win, Federer tells reporters in his post-match press conference, “I had moments out there where I really felt, ‘This is how I normally play on hard court.’ You know, half volleys, passing shots, good serving, putting the pressure on, playing with the wind, using it to my advantage. I definitely had moments during today where I thought, ‘This is how I would like to play every time.’ So it was a very nice feeling to get that that feeling back.”

Honorable Mention – January 21, 2007 – In the third career meeting between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Federer remains undefeated against the 19-year-old Serbian with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 win in the round of 16 of the Australian Open. “I’m very happy with how everything went,” says Federer of the win over the No. 14-seeded Djokovic. “He’s a good up-and-coming junior. He’s really made his marks now, the last six months especially, also in the beginning of the year. We’ve both been on some winning streak. “I was hoping for a good start and I got that. I thought I was pretty much in control all the time today.” Federer says he was a bit more motivated to play well against the future world No. 1, based on his recent strong play, winning nine straight matches including the title in Adelaide and the media hype that came into the match. “I think it’s more the media that hypes up all those things, asking a thousand questions about the next opponent. That kind of gets you going and fired up already,” says Federer. “I felt that was the case for the Djokovic match, whereas I didn’t have those questions leading up to the other matches. I feel like I’m being asked to kind of perform. I’m happy when I do, it’s a good feeling to come out and play well.”

Honorable Mention – September 24, 2006 – In his second career meeting with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer beats his 19-year-old future rival 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to clinch Switzerland’s Davis Cup Playoff Round series in Geneva. The one-sided scoreline for Federer marks the most lopsided scoreline between the two players in best-of-five matches are concerned. After the match, Federer criticizes the No. 21-ranked Djokovic for simulating injury. “You know I don’t trust his injuries, no it’s not funny, I mean I’m serious, and I think that he’s a joke when he comes down to these injuries,” Federer says. “The rules are there to be used but not abused and that’s what he’s been doing many times. That’s why I wasn’t happy to see him doing that and then running around like a rabbit again. Yeah it was a good handshake for me. I was happy to beat him.”

Honorable Mention – April 17, 2006 – Roger Federer faces Novak Djokovic for the first time his career and, despite 37 unforced errors, beats the 18-year-old 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 in the first round of the Monte Carlo Open. Federer’s play is described as “sluggish” by media outlets as the world No. 1 commits 37 unforced errors against Djokovic, who advances into the tournament’s main draw via the qualifying tournament. “I’m satisfied to have won and relieved it’s over,” says Federer. “It was not easy. I didn’t play great but you need time to adapt to the surface.”

Honorable Mention – April 26, 2008 – Roger Federer advances into the final of the Monte Carlo Open when Novak Djokovic retires with breathing problems with Federer leading 6-3, 3-2. A curious highlight of the match comes with Federer leading 3-2 in the first set and the five-time Wimbledon champion turns to the Djokovic camp and tells them to “be quiet” after a close call on the baseline.

 

“The Days of Roger Federer” chronicles the trophy-laden career of Federer, one of the world’s most well-known, popular and respected athletes, regarded by many as the greatest tennis player of all time. The book is unique for its day-by-day format: every day of the calendar year is presented with a corresponding anniversary or a bit of fact or trivia, including hallmark victories, statistics, quirky happenings and quotations.

Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time” by Steve Flink, “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “Macci Magic: Extracting Greatness From Yourself And Others” by Rick Macci with Jim Martz, “Court Confidential: Inside The World Of Tennis” by Neil Harman, “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer (www.RogerFedererBook.com), “Andy Murray, Wimbledon Champion: The Full Extraordinary Story” by Mark Hodgkinson, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker (www.TennisHistoryApp.com), “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “A Backhanded Gift” by Marshall Jon Fisher, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “Internet Dating 101: It’s Complicated, But It Doesn’t Have To Be” by Laura Schreffler, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “Bone Appetit: Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Suzan Anson, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin among others.

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer

New “The Days of Roger Federer” Book Documents Federer’s Career In Daily Anniversary Capsules

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“The Days of Roger Federer” – a book that documents matches, life events and facts on tennis legend Roger Federer with unique day-by-day summaries – is now available for sale in hard and electronic formats.

The book is available for $19.95 where books are sold, including here on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559378/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_n6VTtb183B1F4GB2 that includes the book available on Kindle for $7.99. The book is published by New Chapter Press and was compiled and written by Randy Walker.

“The Days of Roger Federer” chronicles the trophy-laden career of Federer, one of the world’s most well-known, popular and respected athletes, regarded by many as the greatest tennis player of all time. The book is unique for its day-by-day format: every day of the calendar year is presented with a corresponding anniversary or a bit of fact or trivia, including hallmark victories, statistics, quirky happenings and quotations.

Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time” by Steve Flink, “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “Macci Magic: Extracting Greatness From Yourself And Others” by Rick Macci with Jim Martz, “Court Confidential: Inside The World Of Tennis” by Neil Harman, “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer (www.RogerFedererBook.com), “Andy Murray, Wimbledon Champion: The Full Extraordinary Story” by Mark Hodgkinson, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker (www.TennisHistoryApp.com), “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “A Backhanded Gift” by Marshall Jon Fisher, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “Internet Dating 101: It’s Complicated, But It Doesn’t Have To Be” by Laura Schreffler, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “Bone Appetit: Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Suzan Anson, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin among others.

 

The Days Of Roger Federer
The Days Of Roger Federer

The Top 5 Most Memorable Roger Federer Wimbledon Match Wins

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By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

Wimbledon is the tournament most associated with Roger Federer. It was there were he won his only junior Grand Slam tournament, where he had his break-through win over Pete Sampras and where he won not only his first major title, but six other singles titles.

The following is a summary of the top five most memorable Roger Federer match victories at the All England Club, taken from my new soon to be launched book “The Days of Roger Federer” from New Chapter Press available here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559378/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_gEiRtb1SF4MXF7A2

No. 1 – 2009 Wimbledon Final – Roger Federer defeats Andy Roddick 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14

July 5, 2009 – Roger Federer breaks the all-time record for most major men’s singles titles winning his 15th major title with a dramatic 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 win over Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon final. The match lasts four hours and 16 minutes, including a 95-minute fifth set, lasting 77 games — marking the longest major final in games in history. The tournament win, Federer’s sixth at Wimbledon, moves him past Pete Sampras, who flies to Britain to watch the final, along with other tennis legends Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver. “I am happy that I was able the break the Grand Slam record. Wimbledon is the tournament that always meant the most to me,” says Federer. Roddick, who loses to Federer in the 2004 and 2005 Wimbledon finals, nearly goes up two-sets-to-love in the match, leading by a set and 5-1 in the second-set tie-breaker and holds four set points in the tie-breaker, losing a critical one at 6-5 with a botched backhand volley into an open court. Writes Bud Collins in The Bud Collins History of Tennis, “The Yank might have won had he not bungled a set point volley in the tricky breeze that would have given him a two-set lead. Roger lifted himself from 1-5 in that tie-breaker, cancelling four set points, the Roddick-haunting one at 6-5, the misplayed volley. Never has such brutal serving illuminated a major final. They fireballed each other, scorching the court – Federer with 50 aces (a personal high), Roddick with 27 – while they crafted the lengthiest of major finals. Their 77 games topped the 71 consumed by Gerald Patterson in overcoming Jack Hawkes to seize the Australian trophy 82 years before. It was also a Wimbledon record, surpassing Nadal and Federer’s 62 games, merely 12 months previously.”  Writes Rene Stauffer in the book Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection, “His triumph was complete. He reached his dreams. He set new standards in his sport and his career was closer to perfection than ever before. While debating if he is the best player on earth, he provided overwhelming proof and most people gave him the nod as the greatest ever,”

No. 2 – 2003 Wimbledon Final – Roger Federer defeats Mark Philippoussis 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (3)

July 6, 2003 – Roger Federer wins a major tournament for the first time defeating Mark Philippoussis 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (3) in the final of Wimbledon. The 21-year-old Federer becomes the first Swiss man in 117 editions of The Championships to win the title. Federer hits 21 aces and 50 winners against only nine unforced errors in the one hour, 56-minute final. “It’s an absolute dream for me coming true,” says Federer after the victory.

No. 3 – 2001 Round of 16 – Roger Federer defeats Pete Sampras 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5

July 2, 2001 – Nineteen-year-old Roger Federer of Switzerland registers a stunning 7-6 (7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5 Centre Court upset of seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, ending the 31-match winning streak at the All England Club for Sampras as well as his quest for a record-tying fifth straight title. Federer calls the match “the biggest win of my life” adding, “This match will give me as much confidence as I can get.” Federer, playing on Centre Court for the first time in his career, says that winning the first set after fighting off a set-point against him was a key to the match. “I had the feeling that I really can beat him,” he says. “I had that feeling all the way. That’s probably why I won.” Says Sampras of Federer, “I lost to a really, really good player. He played great. He came up with some really good stuff at huge times.”

No. 4 – 2012 Wimbledon Final – Roger Federer defeats Andy Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4

July 8, 2012 – Roger Federer wins his seventh Wimbledon title – and his 17th major singles title – with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 win over Andy Murray. The win vaults the 30-year-old Federer back to the No. 1 ranking and prevents Murray from becoming the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win at the All England Club. The seventh Wimbledon singles title for Federer ties the men’s record shared by William Renshaw, a Brit who played in the 19th century, and American Pete Sampras. “I mean there was so much on the line, so I didn’t try to think of the world No. 1 ranking or the 7th or the 17th,” Federer says. “So I think that’s going to actually, for a change, take much longer to sort of understand, what I was able to achieve today. Yeah, it was crazy how it all happened under the circumstances. Yeah, I played terrific.” The final is started outdoors but after two hours and two minutes of play, with the score 1-1 in the third set, rain causes for the retractable roof to be closed after a delay of 40 minutes and the match is resumed indoors, the first Wimbledon final to be played indoors. Writes Christopher Clarey in the New York Times of the final, “This was also Federer’s 17th Grand Slam singles title, padding his lead in the career men’s standings. But this victory, though not the most significant or emotional of his career, was particularly reaffirming because it was his first major title in more than two years at an age when tennis superstars are usually past their primes.”

No. 5 – 2007 Wimbledon Final – Roger Federer defeats Rafael Nadal 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2

July 8, 2007 – With Bjorn Borg watching from the Royal Box, Roger Federer wins his fifth-straight Wimbledon men’s singles title – equaling the mark set by Borg from 1976-1980 – with a dramatic 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2 win over Rafael Nadal. Writes Elizabeth Clarke of the Washington Post, “With his idol looking on and his fiercest rival across the net, Roger Federer put an end to a five-set battle of artistry and stamina in Sunday’s Wimbledon championship with a thunderous overhead slam. Then he dropped to his knees, fell on his back and wept. The pressure Federer had shouldered with such grace this Wimbledon fortnight erupted in the form of tears the moment his winning shot delivered his fifth consecutive Wimbledon championship, equaling the mark set from 1976 to ’80 by the masterful Bjorn Borg, who watched with approval from the Royal Box.” Says Federer, “I’m just happy with such a great run, especially at Wimbledon, the most important tournament of my life. I’m loving every moment of it.”

Honorable Mention – 1998 Junior Wimbledon Final – Roger Federer defeats Irakli Labaze 6-4, 6-4

July 5,1998 – A 16-year-old Roger Federer defeats Irakli Labaze of the Republic of Georgia 6-4, 6-4 to win the Wimbledon junior singles title, becoming the first player from Switzerland to win such title since Heinz Günthardt in 1976. “I felt satisfied but not overjoyed,” says Federer to Rene Stauffer in his book Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection, Says Peter Carter, Federer’s coach also to Stauffer, “Roger played with the concentration of a professional.”

 

“The Days of Roger Federer” is an entertaining and illuminating chronicle of Federer’s trophy-laden journey, unique for its day-by-day format: every day of the calendar year is presented with a corresponding anniversary, bit of fact or trivia, including hallmark victories, statistics, quirky happenings and quotations.

Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time” by Steve Flink, “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “Andy Murray, Wimbledon Champion: The Full Extraordinary Story” by Mark Hodgkinson, “Macci Magic: Extracting Greatness From Yourself And Others” by Rick Macci with Jim Martz, “Court Confidential: Inside The World Of Tennis” by Neil Harman, “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer (www.RogerFedererBook.com), “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker (www.TennisHistoryApp.com), “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “A Backhanded Gift” by Marshall Jon Fisher, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “Internet Dating 101: It’s Complicated, But It Doesn’t Have To Be” by Laura Schreffler, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “Bone Appetit: Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Suzan Anson, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin among others.

 

Roger Federer
Roger Federer

 

15 Years To The Day Of Grand Slam Debut, Roger Federer Wins Major Match No. 266

by

By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

 

Fifteen years to the day when he played his first career main draw match at a major tournament, Roger Federer won his 266th career match at a Grand Slam tournament with an easy 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Lukas Lacko of Slovakia Sunday in the first round of the 2014 French Open.

Back on May 25, 1999, as documented in my upcoming volume “The Days of Roger Federer” (available for pre-order here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559378/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_uGFGtb122AXVS3FZ via @amazon) a 17-year-old Roger Federer put up a valiant fight against two-time reigning US Open champion Patrick Rafter, as excerpted here:

1999 – Ranked No. 111 in the world, 17-year-old Roger Federer plays in his first main draw match at a major tournament at the French Open, losing to two-time reigning U.S. Open champion Patrick Rafter of Australia 5-7, 6-3, 6-0, 6-2. Writes Rene Stauffer in the book Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection, “He (Roger) jumped out to win the first set against the world’s No. 3-ranked player who then was at the peak of his career. However, the sun came out and the conditions became warmer and faster. The clay courts dried out and balls moved much faster through the court. The Australian’s attacking serve-and-volley style seemed to run on automatic and he won in four sets. ‘The young man from Switzerland could be one of the people who will shape the next ten years,’ the French sports newspaper L’Equipe wrote during the tournament. Rafter shared the same opinion. “The boy impressed me very much,” he said. “If he works hard and has a good attitude, he could become an excellent player.’”

Federer was playing only his second match since he became a father of four – his twin boys being born on May 6. Against Lacko, Federer hit 72 percent of his first serves and only lost nine points on serve, not facing break point. He won 16 of 20 points when he approached the net. Federer’s first match since becoming the father of his second set of twins was a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) loss to Jeremy Chardy on May 14 in his opening round match in Rome.

For the ninth year, Roland Garros began on a Sunday and, for the third time, Federer was on the opening day schedule. In 2006, the first year of the Sunday start, Federer expressed his anger at being scheduled on the first Sunday after beating Diego Hartfield 7-5, 7-6 (2), 6-2, “I only knew one day ahead who I was going to play, and I never heard of his name or never seen him before. I’m happy I didn’t lose, because otherwise I’d be very angry right now…. I requested not to play Sunday, so I wasn’t happy to play today. But I’m through.” Federer then joked, “I can go home to Switzerland, come back in four days and be ready for Wednesday.”

In 2013, Federer defeated Pablo Carreno-Busta 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 on the opening Sunday and said in his post-match press conference, “I told them (the French Tennis Federatino) if they wanted me to play Sunday, whatever, I’m fine with it. They took that opportunity right away.”

 

Roger Federer
Roger Federer