Roger Federer: Top 50 Matches

[SamSpade]

1. 2008 Wimbledon Final -- Nadal v Federer, 64 64 67 67 97
2. 2011 US Open Semifinal -- Djokovic v Federer, 67 46 63 62 75
3. 2005 Australian Open Semifinal -- Safin v Federer, 57 64 57 76 97
4. 2003 Masters Round Robin -- Federer v Agassi, 67 63 76
5. 2019 Wimbledon Final -- Djokovic v Federer, 76 16 76 46 1312
6. 2006 Rome Final -- Nadal v Federer, 67 76 64 26 76
7. 2012 Olympics Semifinal -- Federer v Del Potro, 36 76 1917
8. 2018 Paris Semifinal -- Djokovic v Federer, 76 57 76
9. 2003 Paris Round of 16 -- Federer v Verkerk, 67 76 76
10. 2001 Wimbledon Round of 16 -- Federer v Sampras, 76 57 64 67 75
11. 2014 Indian Wells Final -- Djokovic v Federer, 36 63 76
12. 2011 French Open Semifinal -- Federer v Djokovic, 76 63 36 76
13. 2017 Australian Open Final -- Federer v Nadal, 64 36 61 36 63
14. 2018 Wimbledon Quarterfinal -- Anderson v Federer, 26 67 75 64 1311
15. 2005 Masters Final -- Nalbandian v Federer, 67 67 62 61 76
16. 2010 Paris Semifinal -- Monfils v Federer, 76 67 76
17. 2009 US Open Final -- Del Potro v Federer, 36 76 46 76 62
18. 2020 Australian Open Round of 32 -- Federer v Millman, 46 76 64 46 76
19. 2009 French Open Semifinal -- Federer v Del Potro, 36 76 26 61 64
20. 2014 Shanghai Round of 32 -- Federer v Mayer, 75 36 76
21. 2017 Miami Semifinal -- Federer v Kyrgios, 76 67 76
22. 2009 Australian Open Final -- Nadal v Federer, 75 36 76 36 62
23. 2009 Wimbledon Final -- Federer v Roddick, 57 76 76 36 1614
24. 2014 Masters Semifinal -- Federer v Wawrinka, 46 75 76
25. 2016 Wimbledon Quarterfinal -- Federer v Cilic, 67 46 63 76 63
26. 2008 Masters Round Robin -- Murray v Federer, 46 76 75
27. 2004 Wimbledon Final -- Federer v Roddick, 46 75 76 64
28. 2014 Wimbledon Final -- Djokovic v Federer, 67 64 76 57 64
29. 2014 US Open Quarterfinal -- Federer v Monfils, 46 36 64 75 62
30. 2006 Masters Round Robin -- Federer v Roddick, 46 76 64
31. 2002 Australian Open Round of 16 -- Haas v Federer, 76 46 36 64 86
32. 2003 Cincinnati Round of 64 -- Federer v Draper, 46 63 76
33. 2007 Wimbledon Final -- Federer v Nadal, 76 46 76 26 62
34. 2003 Canada Semifinal -- Roddick v Federer, 64 36 76
35. 2012 Wimbledon Final -- Federer v Murray, 46 75 63 64
36. 2000 Marseille Final -- Rosset v Federer, 26 63 76
37. 2009 French Open Round of 16 -- Federer v Haas, 67 57 64 60 62
38. 2006 Halle Quarterfinal -- Federer v Rochus, 67 76 76
39. 2002 Rotterdam Quarterfinal -- Escude v Federer, 36 76 75
40. 2010 US Open Semifinal -- Djokovic v Federer, 57 61 57 62 75
41. 2012 Basel Final -- Del Potro v Federer, 64 67 76
42. 2007 Canada Final -- Djokovic v Federer, 76 26 76
43. 2005 Miami Final -- Federer v Nadal, 26 67 76 63 61
44. 2002 Masters Semifinal -- Hewitt v Federer, 75 57 75
45. 2010 Canada Quarterfinal -- Federer v Berdych, 63 57 76
46. 2011 Madrid Round of 32 -- Federer v Lopez, 76 67 76
47. 2003 Miami Quarterfinal -- Costa v Federer, 76 46 76
48. 2020 Australian Open Quarterfinal -- Federer v Sandgren, 63 26 26 76 63
49. 2018 Indian Wells Final -- Del Potro v Federer, 64 67 76
50. 2009 Masters Semifinal -- Davydenko v Federer, 62 46 75

 

[SamSpade]

I compiled this list late last year after Federer's retirement. Thought I would share it on here - as it may prompt either some discussion on either the order of these matches, or else on some overlooked match on my part... I see this list as being a 'representation of Federer's entire career', with the emphasis on 'greatest matches'. By 'greatest matches' I mean with the emphasis (probably about 85%) on match quality - while recognizing that a subjective aspect can still play a prominent role within what is defined as 'match quality'. Suffice it to say this list is effectively a run down of the 'best matches Federer was a part of from the standpoint of having the highest match quality' (representing about 85% of the influence) with a minority share invested (the remaining 15% essentially) into the ordering of the list with some considerations that play specific to Federer, (i.e., special match circumstances, such as an opponent, a venue, a record achieved etc.). As such 'great' victories by Federer, such as his drubbing of Hewitt at the 2004 US Open or similar demolition of Agassi in the ATP Finals of 2003 aren't to be found here, as they wouldn't rank high on a list I was compiling of 'great matches' - they are more appropriately 'great victories' of Roger's - but that would effectively be a separate list, for me and my tastes.

Federer's incredibly lengthy career (more than 1500 matches) and the relative recentness of his entire career - allows for pretty robust efforts to be taken toward creating a list representative of his entire career. I have done similar career lookbacks of 'greatest matches' with Connors, Borg, Lendl, etc... but not typically 50 matches long - Federer's incredible career however demands this length of a list. And while it has been nearly a year since I compiled it, I seem to recall struggling even getting this down to 50.

 

[Waspsting]

Fine list

Of course, no 2 people will agree on exact order. In my opinion, the 2019 Wimby final isn't too great on the quality - but if ever a match gets extra brownie points for circumstantial stuff, that'd be it

Quickly for now, 2 omissions struck me

'06 Monte Carlo final with Nadal. It got overshadowed by the Rome follow-up, but the tennis is just as good - and its close too
'03 Davis Cup 5 setter with Hewitt

By 'greatest matches' I mean with the emphasis (probably about 85%) on match quality - while recognizing that a subjective aspect can still play a prominent role within what is defined as 'match quality'.

Could you amplify on what 'match quality' means to you?

The quality of tennis? Or how competitive and close it is?

 

[ChrisRF]

'06 Monte Carlo final with Nadal. It got overshadowed by the Rome follow-up, but the tennis is just as good - and its close too

Agree. Almost never talked about, but it was awfully close to a 5th set, closer than any other Fedal match on clay.

Nadal started very dominant, but Federer came back and seemingly turned it around at the beginning of the 3rd. Then Nadal took control again and lead with 2 breaks in the 4th. But Federer had an amazing comeback, reached the TB and had a 3-0 double-minibreak lead there. But as always that clay season, Nadal turned the final TB around and took the match.

 

[Waspsting]

Agree. Almost never talked about, but it was awfully close to a 5th set, closer than any other Fedal match on clay.

Nadal started very dominant, but Federer came back and seemingly turned it around at the beginning of the 3rd. Then Nadal took control again and lead with 2 breaks in the 4th. But Federer had an amazing comeback, reached the TB and had a 3-0 double-minibreak lead there. But as always that clay season, Nadal turned the final TB around and took the match.

59 winners in Monte Carlo. FH firing, BH giving out
54 winners in longer Rome match. BH steadier, FH more error prone

To beat Nadal on the dirt, guy would have had to stay steady for very long time off both sides against constant pressure and wall-stuff from Nadal, while doing damage with FH and from net

---

Another candidate would be the Dubai '06 final. Gets lost in the wash of the rivalry - what with all the 5 setters and Slam finals and other big events/matches, but purely for quality, its up there with the very best the two have played (and the very best the two have played is up there with the very best any match anybody's played)

 

[Drob]

2017 Basel Final is out of this world.

Gotta have 2015 Cincy Final - the S.A.B.R. match. Too bad for Fed he did not or could not duplicate the tactic at 2015 USO final. Wind and colder temps moved in the day before that final and S.A.B.R. probably worked on semi-fast courts. And too bad he very seldom used it subsequently.

2003 Davis Cup semifinal rubber v Hewitt

2004 YEC semifinal

2004 Wimbledon final

2014 Davis Cup WGF rubber vs. Gasquet

2019 IW Final

2007 USO Final

2012 YEC Final

And should probably include 2015 Wimbledon final.

But give the poor lad one of his dominant wins of 2017 over his arch-rival, Rafa - Miami final maybe.

 

[SamSpade]

All,
Sorry that I missed responding to the thread earlier. Essentially what this list represents is my take on the ‘best matches that Federer was a part of’ - which does have a fair amount of subjectivity to it - and even with a list as lengthy as 50, with a career as great as Federer you still leave some on the cutting room floor - so as the aforementioned 2006 Monte Carlo match with Nadal or the Davis Cup match with Hewitt.

As to considerations about the 2017 matches against Nadal such as at Shanghai or some of his demolitions against Djokovic at Cincinnati or elsewhere - these would fall outside of the criteria I set for myself with this list. Those are unquestionably ‘great wins’ for Federer, but perhaps not ‘great matches’. Still a list containing the ‘greatest wins’ of a given player would be fun as well. For Federer, just off the top of my head I’d probably say:

2001 Sampras - Wimbledon
2017 Nadal - AO
2011 Djokovic - French
2012 Djokovic - Wimbledon
2019 Nadal - Wimbledon
2014 Djokovic - Shanghai
2012 Djokovic - Cincinnati
2015 Murray - Cincinnati
2015 Djokovic - Cincinnati
2005 Nadal - Miami
2007 Nadal - Masters
2004 Hewitt - US
2004 Agassi - US
2004 Agassi - IW
2017 Nadal - Miami
2015 Murray - Wimbledon
2003 Agassi - Masters F
2004 Coria - Hamburg
2004 Roddick - Wimbledon
2006 Roddick - US
2008 Djokovic - US
2017 Cilic - Wimbledon

No doubt many others too.