For Federer's fans: Most devastating loss in his career?

Most heartbreaking Roger Federer's loss ever?


  • Total voters
    81

lud

Hall of Fame
2005 WTF FINAL: Nalbandian vs Federer 6-7,6-7,6-2,6-1,7-6
2005 Australian Open 1/2 FINAL: Safin vs Federer 5-7,6-4,5-7,7-6,9-7
2006 Rome FINAL: Nadal vs Federer 6-7,7-6,6-4,2-6,7-6
2008 Wimbledon FINAL: Nadal vs Federer 6-4,6-4,6-7,6-7,9-7
2009 Australian Open FINAL: Nadal vs Federer 7-5,3-6,7-6,3-6,6-2
2009 Us Open FINAL: Del Potro vs Federer 3-6,7-6,4-6,7-6,6-2
2010 Us Open 1/2 FINAL: Djokovic vs Federer 5-7,6-1,5-7,6-2,7-
2011 Us Open 1/2 FINAL: Djokovic vs Federer 6-7,4-6,6-3,6-2,7-5
2014 Wimbledon FINAL: Djokovic vs Federer 6-7,6-4,7-6,5-7,6-4
2015 Us Open FINAL: Djokovic vs Federer 6-4,5-7,6-4,6-4
 

Towny

Hall of Fame
I guess Australian Open 2009. Part of which was that Federer was maybe the slightly better player of the first 4 sets so he looked like he had a real chance to close it out. Instead, he mentally collapses. More importantly, it was against Nadal, who had now beaten him on hard court too. I guess many of us saw the Wimbledon loss coming given that Nadal was edging closer to winning and that Federer was having a pretty poor year. But Nadal had never even made a hard court slam final before. So I thought Federer might have a good shot at winning. Clearly heartbreaking for Federer too, as seen in the trophy ceremony.

As for the others, Wimbledon 2008 comes closest. Then maybe Wimbledon 2014, given I thought this might be his last slam final and, after his comeback in the 4th set, I thought he could make it. Most of the other losses were more frustrating than heartbreaking.

For Roger, definitely Wimbledon 2008 or Australian Open 2009
 

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
I'd imagine AO09. Nadal's domination over him became total and complete by extending to all surfaces, and he had a lot of chances heading into it given Nadal's epic SF.
You imagine right. This was the biggest choke of Fed's career, IMO (worse than Del Po 2009 USO). Nadal had played Verdasco in a brutal 5 hour match with just one day's rest, Fed was in great form and just wilted. Endless squandered BP's, horrible weak slice ROS on many big points, and just mentally owned by Rafa. The haunted look on his face was very telling, he didn't believe he could win. As Fred Stolle said while commentating in the fifth set, "if Roger loses this match on a court that's favorable to him, I doubt he'll ever beat Nadal again."
 

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
One of the two RG finals in 2006 or 2007. Both would have brought the CYGS if he won. And both were winnable, especially 2006.
But are you answering just in retrospect? I remember not being crushed by either of those FO losses because I thought then, "there's plenty of time for Roger to win the FO." Any he was winning everything else in 2006/07.
 
You imagine right. This was the biggest choke of Fed's career, IMO (worse than Del Po 2009 USO). Nadal had played Verdasco in a brutal 5 hour match with just one day's rest, Fed was in great form and just wilted. Endless squandered BP's, horrible weak slice ROS on many big points, and just mentally owned by Rafa. The haunted look on his face was very telling, he didn't believe he could win. As Fred Stolle said while commentating in the fifth set, "if Roger loses this match on a court that's favorable to him, I doubt he'll ever beat Nadal again."
Beat him in their next match, hehe
 

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
AO 2009. I think it was pretty clear that he was the one winning after the first four sets rolled over. Then that disgusting fifth set...

USO 2009 is annoying too, but that was more frustrating than heartbreaking. Plus it was against Delpo so it wasn't that bad. He still blew some pretty good chances.

Fed really came so close to winning the CYGS in 2009. To be fair, though, he also came so close to going slamless that year.
 

Grampa

Semi-Pro
I guess Australian Open 2009. Part of which was that Federer was maybe the slightly better player of the first 4 sets so he looked like he had a real chance to close it out. Instead, he mentally collapses. More importantly, it was against Nadal, who had now beaten him on hard court too. I guess many of us saw the Wimbledon loss coming given that Nadal was edging closer to winning and that Federer was having a pretty poor year. But Nadal had never even made a hard court slam final before. So I thought Federer might have a good shot at winning. Clearly heartbreaking for Federer too, as seen in the trophy ceremony.

As for the others, Wimbledon 2008 comes closest. Then maybe Wimbledon 2014, given I thought this might be his last slam final and, after his comeback in the 4th set, I thought he could make it. Most of the other losses were more frustrating than heartbreaking.

For Roger, definitely Wimbledon 2008 or Australian Open 2009
Voted for AO 2009 too. I am sure it is universally considered to be his toughest loss by the Federer fanbase. Still not over it.
 

icedevil0289

G.O.A.T.
I guess wimbledon 2008 still even though I know he just as easily could have lost in 3 but the way he fought back to end like that...sigh. To be honest I have plenty of annoying losses where I was just flat out wtf is this more so than devstated. I'd say AO 2009 was a combo.
 

icedevil0289

G.O.A.T.
Voted for AO 2009 too. I am sure it is universally considered to be his toughest loss by the Federer fanbase. Still not over it.

that or wimbledon 2008. I know federer said for the longest time wimbledon 2008 was his toughest loss, idk something about him looking so sad in the dark holding that plate hurts. I know he cried in 09 but when I watched I just kept saying wtf happened?
 

Grampa

Semi-Pro
that or wimbledon 2008. I know federer said for the longest time wimbledon 2008 was his toughest loss, idk something about him looking so sad in the dark holding that plate hurts. I know he cried in 09 but when I watched I just kept saying wtf happened?
He wants a rematch of the USO 2009 final against del Potro, seems like he considers it his worst loss.
 

icedevil0289

G.O.A.T.
He wants a rematch of the USO 2009 final against del Potro, seems like he considers it his worst loss.

i think he feels like that was the one that got away from him more so than this is heart breaking. at the time it was an amazing year for him, looking back though so many chances
 

AnOctorokForDinner

Talk Tennis Guru
If we believe you then the greatest player of all time is just a mental midget.

Everyone chokes sometimes, Nadal included. Fed's array of mug chokes and nervefests isn't a good look for consensus GOAT though, oh well you can't have everything. With Nadal's peak focusing ability he'd have had 3-4 slams more and no realistic debate would've been possible.
 

aman92

Legend
.
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Baghdatis4TW

New User
Fans still talking about Federer's "mental block" against Nadal, as if it must have been mental that the mud roller kept beating him, rather than Federer simply not being as great as advertised.

Their French Open matches were never even close. Federer started out beating Nadal at Wimbledon in consecutive years, so where was the "mental block?"
 
You imagine right. This was the biggest choke of Fed's career, IMO (worse than Del Po 2009 USO). Nadal had played Verdasco in a brutal 5 hour match with just one day's rest, Fed was in great form and just wilted. Endless squandered BP's, horrible weak slice ROS on many big points, and just mentally owned by Rafa. The haunted look on his face was very telling, he didn't believe he could win. As Fred Stolle said while commentating in the fifth set, "if Roger loses this match on a court that's favorable to him, I doubt he'll ever beat Nadal again."

0-40 at 4-4 in the 3rd set will probably haunt me forever, so I can't even imagine what it did to Federer at that time and in the years following. It was like Rafa wanted to lose at that point. He was gassed, and Federer had multiple chances to break, serve out the 3rd, and he just couldn't get there. Rafa gets his second wind and we all know what happened next. AO 2009 probably was the most brutal for me.

2006 Rome was a big one to IMO. Having match points and not cashing them in. USOpen 2009 is inexcusable, but that one wasn't as painful in the moment for me at least.. DelPo was so lovable and had such a great run.
 

ChrisRF

Legend
But are you answering just in retrospect? I remember not being crushed by either of those FO losses because I thought then, "there's plenty of time for Roger to win the FO." Any he was winning everything else in 2006/07.
I also thought he would win RG one day, but he was so dominant in 2006 that the CYGS was a realistic opportunity, if only he could overcome the biggest obstacle (Nadal in the RG final). He was actually that superior at Wimbledon and US Open that I was sure even the extra pressure wouldn’t have stopped him after RG.

Then 2007 came another chance, but it was visible that Nadal more and more increased the gap on clay (despite Roger’s Hamburg win) and came closer at Wimbledon. So it was clear that the days of total dominance would be over soon and the dream of CYGS was almost gone for good. I mean realistically. A bit of fantasy was even there after AO 2017/18. That’s why I wanted him to play RG and at least try everything.

So yes, the first Slam loss of the year was always the worst loss of the year for me in these peak years (also Australian Open 2008 against Djokovic when nobody knew he was ill and how the whole year would go differently than 2004-07). But in retrospect RG 2006/07 stands out. And also the Kuerten loss 2004 which wasn’t big when it happened. Because who could have thought of Nadal back then? ;)

By the way apart from that the worst losses for me are those against weaker opponents. Normally I can live with losses against ATG players much better than those Stakhovsky/Robredo/Seppi/Gulbis/Millman disasters. That were moments when I was afraid everything could be over soon.
 

clout

Hall of Fame
It’s gotta be the 2009 AO. Seeing someone as calm and collected like Fed break down in tears like that was shocking to say the least and all the odds were in Rogers favour heading into that 5th set, before Rafa simply outlasted him. Nadal had also beaten Fed at a GS final on all three surfaces within the last 12 months...things looked really hopeless for Roger at that time.

The 2008 Wimbledon loss would’ve tough for anyone to lose, but that match also could’ve easily been a straight sets win for Rafa had Fed not stepped up his game in those last 3 sets.
 

lud

Hall of Fame
I pick 2006 Rome simply because he never beat Nadal in BO5 match.

But,I can understand why most of people pick AO 2009. I remember watching that match like it was yesterday. Fed was obviously better player through first 4 sets. All those bp wasted in 3rd set were painful to watch. It truly was depressing.
Feeling was like Nadal get away with it.
 

Pheasant

Legend
Wimbledon 2008 was by far the most crushing loss. After that loss, I figured that Fed was mostly done winning slams. I thought that his chances of getting to 14 were greatly diminished.

Nadal at 22 appeared to be only getting better. And after Fed's beatdown by Djoker in the 2008 AO semis, I figured his time was up on hard courts as well.

Luckily, I was completely wrong. But I thought Fed's slam count of 12 would maybe hit 14 after that Wimbledon loss
 

thrust

Legend
I would think losing to his "Buddy" Novak, from a winning position with overwhelming crowd support, in the semis of those 2 USO would have hurt.
 

Terry Tibbs

Hall of Fame
For me, it's Wimbledon 2015 which you haven't even included on the poll! Federer played possibly his best quality match at Wimbledon in the semi final against Murray and I had high hopes for the final unlike the year before. Devastating to see him not bring his semi final level into the final and to lose again to Djokovic.
 

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
Shout-out to USO 2015. I know we've said "this is his last chance" a million times and been wrong, but at the time I genuinely believed that was his last chance. He had Novak on the ropes and couldn't get it done, which meant he probably never would. You'll never get a better opportunity than 23 BPs.

Those 08-09 losses were huge downers, but there was an extra level of devestation/depression in 14-15, because each loss carried the feeling that he might literally never get another chance. I never could've imagined that he'd still be at the same ranking 4 years later at 37-38 years old and still have opportunities to win slams.
 
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