Roger Federer's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Roger Federer. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Roger Federer, a Swiss former professional tennis player, achieved remarkable success in his career. He held the world No. 1 ranking for a record 310 weeks, including 237 consecutive weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. Federer secured 103 singles titles on the ATP Tour, the second-most in the Open Era, and won 20 major men's singles titles along with six year-end championships, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1969: First man since Rod Laver in 1969 to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a calendar year

In 1969, Rod Laver had been the last man to reach all four finals in a calendar year before Federer did in 2006.

1969: Ranked Federer's 2006 season as second-best to Rod Laver's Grand Slam year

In 1969, Rod Laver had the Grand Slam year before Federer's 2006 season.

1974: Third-best winning percentage in the Open Era

In 1974, Jimmy Connors had the third-best winning percentage in the Open Era.

1974: Oldest player to compete in a Grand Slam final

In 2016, after defeating Wawrinka in five sets, Federer became the oldest player to compete in a Grand Slam final since Ken Rosewall in 1974.

1974: Oldest man to reach a major final since Rosewall

In 2019, at 37 years, 11 months and 6 days, Federer became the oldest man to reach a major final since Ken Rosewall in the 1974 US Open.

1976: Wimbledon win without dropping a set

In 2017, Federer became the second man in the Open era to win Wimbledon without dropping a set after Björn Borg in 1976.

1980: Thrilling five-set encounter at Wimbledon

At Wimbledon, Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal for a second consecutive year in the final, this time in a thrilling five-set encounter that many analysts hailed as the greatest Wimbledon final since 1980.

1980: Last man before Federer to win a major without dropping a set

In 1980, Björn Borg was the last man before Roger Federer in 2007 to win a major without dropping a set.

1982: Most wins since Ivan Lendl in 1982

In 1982, Ivan Lendl had the most wins until Roger Federer in 2006.

1984: Most singles titles since Thomas Muster in 1995 and John McEnroe in 1984

In 1984, John McEnroe had the most singles titles until Roger Federer in 2006.

1984: Third-best winning percentage in the Open Era

In 1984, John McEnroe had the second-best winning percentage in the Open Era.

1986: Best record since Ivan Lendl

In 1986, Ivan Lendl had the best record before Roger Federer's 74-6.

1988: Last person to win three Grand Slam singles titles in a single season before Federer in 2004

In 1988, Mats Wilander was the last person to win three Grand Slam singles titles in a single season before Roger Federer achieved the same feat in 2004.

1991: Oldest man to compete in a grand slam semifinal

In 2016, Federer became the oldest man to compete in a grand slam semifinal since Jimmy Connors in 1991.

1993: Most match victories since Pete Sampras in 1993

In 1993, Pete Sampras won the most match victories before Federer's win in 2004.

1993: Swiss National Junior Championships Win

In 1993, Roger Federer won the under-12 Swiss national junior championships in Lucerne, marking an early achievement in his tennis career.

1995: Most singles titles since Thomas Muster in 1995 and John McEnroe in 1984

In 1995, Thomas Muster had the most singles titles until Roger Federer in 2006.

1995: U14 Swiss National Junior Championship

In 1995, at the age of 13, Federer won the U14 Swiss national junior championship and subsequently trained at the National Tennis Centre.

January 1997: U18 Swiss National Championship Wins

In January 1997, at age 15, Roger Federer won both the indoor and outdoor U18 Swiss national championship, defeating Yves Allegro in both finals.

December 1998: No. 1 Junior World Ranking

By the end of December 1998, Roger Federer had attained the No. 1 junior world ranking and was named ITF Junior World Champion.

1998: Wimbledon Junior Champion

In 1998, Roger Federer became the Wimbledon junior champion, foreshadowing his future success at the prestigious tournament.

September 1999: Entry into the Top 100

On September 20, 1999, Roger Federer entered the world’s Top 100 for the first time, marking a significant milestone in his professional career.

2000: Start of Grand Slam main draw streak

Before Federer's withdrawal from the French Open in 2016, he had a record run of 65 consecutive participations in the main draw of Grand Slam tournaments, stretching back to the 2000 Australian Open.

January 2001: Hopman Cup Victory

In January 2001, Roger Federer, along with Martina Hingis, won the Hopman Cup representing Switzerland, defeating the American pair of Monica Seles and Jan-Michael Gambill in the finals.

2001: Defeated 2001 champion Lleyton Hewitt at the US Open

At the US Open, Roger Federer defeated Lleyton Hewitt, the 2001 champion, to claim his first title at the tournament.

2001: First Singles Title and Wimbledon Breakthrough

In 2001, Roger Federer won his first singles title at the Milan Indoor tournament and defeated Pete Sampras at Wimbledon, marking significant milestones in his career.

October 2002: Start of Top 8 Ranking Streak

From October 14, 2002, Federer was ranked among the top eight players in the world continuously.

2002: First Masters Title and Loss of Peter Carter

In 2002, Roger Federer won his first Masters title in Hamburg and then suffered the loss of his coach Peter Carter, marking a year of both triumph and tragedy.

2003: ATP Fans' Favorite Award

In 2003, Federer was awarded the ATP Fans' Favorite award for the first time.

2003: First Grand Slam Singles Title at Wimbledon

In 2003, Roger Federer won his first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Mark Philippoussis in the final, joining a select group of players to win both junior and senior Wimbledon titles.

2003: US Open win against Roddick

In 2006, at the US Open, Roger Federer defeated Andy Roddick, the 2003 champion.

February 2004: Federer Ranked No. 1

In February 2004, Federer was ranked No. 1 for a record 237 consecutive weeks.

2004: ATP Player of the Year and ITF World Champion

In 2004, Federer won the ATP Player of the Year award and was named the ITF World Champion.

2004: Tied his mark with 11 singles titles during the 2004 season

In 2004, Roger Federer won 11 singles titles, which tied his mark during the 2004 season. Federer's 81 match victories were the most since Pete Sampras in 1993, and his record of 81–4 (95.2%) remains the third-best winning percentage in the Open Era behind John McEnroe's 1984 and Jimmy Connors's 1974.

2004: Won three Grand Slam singles titles, became world No. 1

In 2004, Roger Federer won three Grand Slam singles titles, marking the first time someone had achieved this in a single season since 1988. He secured his first major hard-court title at the Australian Open against Marat Safin, which propelled him to the world No. 1 ranking for the first time. He also triumphed at the Indian Wells on hardcourts and the Hamburg Masters on clay, defeating Tim Henman and Guillermo Coria in the finals, respectively.

2004: Dominance in Men's Tennis

In 2004, Roger Federer won three of the four majors and the Tour Finals, establishing himself as the dominant player in men's tennis.

2004: Federer Wins Australian Open, Roddick Loses No. 1 Ranking

In 2004, after Federer won his first Australian Open, Andy Roddick lost his No. 1 ranking to Federer.

2004: Federer became the only player in history to win three majors in a year for three years

Roger Federer finished the 2007 season as the year-end No. 1 for the fourth year in a row. After his phenomenal triple Grand Slam season yet again, Federer became the only player in history to win three majors in a year for three years (2004, 2006, 2007).

July 2005: Nadal Ascends to World No. 2

In July 2005, Rafael Nadal ascended to the No. 2 ranking in the ATP Tour, holding it for 160 consecutive weeks.

2005: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year

In 2005, Federer won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.

2005: Won Wimbledon and US Open

In 2005, Roger Federer won Wimbledon for the third time, defeating Andy Roddick. At the US Open, Federer defeated Andre Agassi in what was the latter's last major final.

2005: Won Rotterdam Open for the first time since 2005

In 2005, Roger Federer won the Rotterdam Open before winning it in 2012.

2005: Grand Slam tournaments dominance

Since 2005 Wimbledon, Federer had made 18 out of 19 finals in Grand Slam tournaments, a period of sustained excellence unparalleled in the Open Era.

April 2006: Appointment as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

In April 2006, Roger Federer was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF. He subsequently appeared in UNICEF public service announcements to raise public awareness of AIDS.

2006: Federer and Nadal in French Open and Wimbledon Finals

From 2006, Federer and Nadal played each other in every French Open final and every Wimbledon final until 2008.

2006: Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award

In 2006, Federer won the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award.

2006: Continued Success

In 2006, Roger Federer continued his dominance by winning three of the four majors and the Tour Finals.

2006: Won ATP 500 series event in Tokyo, finished year as world No. 1

In 2006, Roger Federer won an ATP 500 series event in Tokyo and captured the year-end championships for the third time in his career, finishing the year as world No. 1.

2006: Won three Grand Slam singles titles and reached the final of the other

In 2006, Roger Federer won three Grand Slam singles titles, with his only loss coming against Nadal in the French Open, marking their first meeting in a Grand Slam final. He became the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to reach all four finals in a calendar year.

2006: Previous best start to a season

In March 2018, Federer had a career-best start to a season at 17–0, beating his previous best start at 16–0 in 2006.

2006: Federer became the only player in history to win three majors in a year for three years

2006: Best season of Federer's career

The 2006 season was statistically the best season of Roger Federer's career.

2006: Highest win percentage

The year 2006 was the year when Federer had the highest win percentage before the events of 2017.

2007: Federer Defeats Djokovic at US Open Final

In 2007, Federer and Djokovic first played each other in a Grand Slam final at the US Open where Federer emerged victorious in straight sets.

2007: Continued Dominance

In 2007, Roger Federer continued his dominant streak, winning three of the four majors and the Tour Finals.

2007: Won three Grand Slam singles finals

In 2007, Roger Federer reached all four Grand Slam singles finals, winning three of them. At the Australian Open, he became the first man since Björn Borg in 1980 to win a major without dropping a set.

2007: Federer became the only player in history to win three majors in a year for three years

2007: Federer and Nadal at the Wimbledon Final

The 2007 Wimbledon Final between Federer and Nadal went to 5 sets.

2007: Most titles

The year 2007 was the year when Federer had the most titles before the events of 2017.

2008: Federer and Nadal in French Open and Wimbledon Finals

From 2006 to 2008, Federer and Nadal played each other in every French Open final and every Wimbledon final. The 2008 Wimbledon final has been lauded as the greatest match ever.

2008: Federer Defeats Murray at US Open Final

In 2008, Federer defeated Murray at the US Open final in straight sets.

2008: Olympics Men's Doubles Gold Medal

In 2008, Federer earned a men's doubles gold medal at the Olympics.

2008: Murray Wins against Federer in Shanghai at ATP Finals

In 2008, Murray defeated Federer in Shanghai at the ATP Finals.

2008: Olympic Doubles Gold Victory

In 2008, Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka secured the Olympic doubles gold victory at the Beijing Olympics, showcasing their prowess as a formidable team.

2008: Won gold medal in doubles and US Open

In 2008, at the Olympic Games, Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka won the gold medal in doubles. Federer also captured his only Grand Slam of the year at the US Open, defeating Andy Murray in the final.

2008: Last time defending a major title

The 2018 Australian Open marked the first time since the 2008 US Open that Federer successfully defended a major title.

2009: Federer and Nadal at the Australian Open Final

In 2009, Federer and Nadal met in the Australian Open final.

2009: Federer Wins against Murray in London at ATP Finals

In 2009, Federer defeated Murray in London at the ATP Finals.

2009: ATP Player of the Year and ITF World Champion

In 2009, Federer won the ATP Player of the Year award and was named the ITF World Champion.

2009: Career Grand Slam at French Open

In 2009, Roger Federer completed the career Grand Slam at the French Open, surpassing Pete Sampras' record of 14 major men's singles titles at Wimbledon.

2010: Federer Wins against Murray in London at ATP Finals

In 2010, Federer defeated Murray in London at the ATP Finals.

2010: Finished in the top two for the eighth consecutive season

In 2010, Roger Federer finished in the top two for the eighth consecutive season.

November 2011: Ranked Federer's 2006 season as the second-best season of all time

In November 2011, Stephen Tignor ranked Roger Federer's 2006 season as statistically the second-best season of all time during the Open Era.

2011: Federer and Nadal at the French Open Final

In 2011, Federer and Nadal met in the French Open final.

2011: Federer Ends Djokovic's Perfect Start to the Season

In 2011, Federer ended Djokovic's perfect 41–0 start to the season in the semifinals of the French Open.

2011: Tour Sportsmanship Award

In 2011, Federer received the tour Sportsmanship Award.

2012: Federer Beats Djokovic at Wimbledon Semifinals

In 2012, Federer beat defending champion and No. 1 Djokovic in four sets at the semifinals of Wimbledon.

2012: Federer Defeats Murray at Wimbledon Championships

In 2012, Federer defeated Murray at the Wimbledon Championships in four sets.

2012: Olympics Men's Singles Silver Medal

In 2012, Federer won a men's singles silver medal at the Olympics.

2012: Won Rotterdam Open, Dubai Championships, and Indian Wells Masters

In 2012, Roger Federer began the season by reaching the semifinal of the Australian Open, which he lost to Nadal. He then won the Rotterdam Open for the first time since 2005, defeating del Potro in the final. In the Dubai Championships, he defeated Murray in the final. Federer then won the Indian Wells Masters after defeating Nadal in the semifinals, and John Isner in the final.

2012: Silver Medal at London Olympics

In 2012, Roger Federer won a silver medal in singles at the London Olympics, finishing as the runner-up to Andy Murray.

2012: Won seventh Wimbledon championship and silver medal at the Summer Olympics

In 2012, Roger Federer won his seventh Wimbledon championship, tying Sampras' Open Era record. He returned to the top spot in the world rankings and broke Sampras' record of 286 weeks atop the list. At the Summer Olympics, Federer won a silver medal for his country.

2012: First major since 2012

In 2016, Coming back from a break down in the fifth set, Federer defeated Rafael Nadal to win his first major since 2012.

2012: Murray Defeats Federer at Summer Olympics

In the final of the 2012 Summer Olympics, Murray defeated Federer in straight sets, denying Federer a career Golden Slam.

2012: Grand Slam win

Prior to 2017, Federer last won a Grand Slam in 2012.

2013: Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award

In 2013, Federer won the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award.

2014: Federer Wins against Murray in London at ATP Finals

In 2014, Federer defeated Murray in London at the ATP Finals.

2014: Federer Ends Djokovic's Winning Streak in China

In 2014, Federer ended Djokovic's 28 straight wins in China at the Shanghai Open.

2014: Davis Cup Title with Switzerland

In 2014, Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka led the Switzerland Davis Cup team to their first title, marking a significant achievement for Swiss tennis.

2014: Shanghai Masters win and return to No. 2 ranking

In 2014, at the Shanghai Masters, Federer won his second Shanghai final, defeating Gilles Simon. This victory marked Federer's return to the No. 2 ranking for the first time since May 2013. He also won the Swiss Indoors for a record sixth title, defeating David Goffin in the final. He withdrew from the 2014 ATP Finals final due to a back injury.

2014: Davis Cup quest and advancement to the final

In 2014, the emergence of Stanislas Wawrinka as a Grand Slam singles champion renewed hope for Federer in his Davis Cup quest. Their commitment to playing each tie in the Davis Cup paid off with wins over Serbia, Kazakhstan, and Italy, allowing the Swiss team to advance to the final for the first time since 1992.

2015: Djokovic Defeats Federer at US Open Final

In 2015, Djokovic defeated Federer in four sets at the final of the US Open.

2015: Brisbane International win and 1,000 career wins

In 2015, Federer started his season by winning the Brisbane International, defeating Milos Raonic in the final. This victory made him only the third man in the Open Era to have 1,000 or more wins, joining Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl, and the first man in the Open Era to win at least one title in each of 15 consecutive years. He also defended his title at the Dubai Championships with a victory over Djokovic.

2017: Return to Grand Slam wins and best season since 2007

Federer's 2017 season marked a return to Grand Slam wins since 2012, the most titles since 2007, and the highest win percentage since 2006. Statistically, this season was his best since 2007.

2017: Laureus World Comeback of the Year

Following his 2017 comeback season, Federer won the Laureus World Comeback of the Year award.

2017: Federer and Nadal at the Australian Open Final

In 2017, Federer and Nadal met in the Australian Open final.

2017: Victories at Australian Open and Wimbledon Championships

In 2017, Roger Federer made a comeback, winning the Australian Open against Nadal and a record eighth singles title at the Wimbledon Championships.

2017: Shanghai Masters title and career milestones

In 2017, at the Shanghai Masters, Federer captured his third Masters title of the season, defeating Rafael Nadal in the final, marking his fifth straight victory over Nadal and his 94th career title. He also surpassed Ivan Lendl in the number of career titles after defeating Juan Martín del Potro in the final of the Swiss Indoors.

2018: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year

In 2018, Federer won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award.

2018: 20th Major Singles Title and Oldest ATP World No. 1

In 2018, at the Australian Open, Roger Federer became the first man to win 20 major singles titles and the oldest ATP world No. 1 at the time, at age 36.

2019: Guinness World Records

As of 2019, Roger Federer holds the third highest number of Guinness World Records within one discipline, with a total of 30 records, including 18 performance-based records.

2019: Djokovic surpassing the Australian Open record

At the 2018 Australian Open, Federer's sixth title equaled the record held by Roy Emerson and Novak Djokovic, which was surpassed by Djokovic in 2019.

2019: Djokovic Defeats Federer at Wimbledon Final

In 2019, Djokovic defeated Federer at the Wimbledon Final after saving two match points.

2019: Last Encounter with Nadal at Wimbledon

The last encounter between Federer and Nadal was at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships, where Federer won to reach the final.

2020: Highest-Paid Athlete in Endorsement Income

In 2020, Roger Federer ranked first among all athletes with $100 million in endorsement income, demonstrating his global appeal and brand value.

2020: Australian Open Semifinals and Knee Surgery

In 2020, Roger Federer reached the Australian Open semifinals after saving seven match points in the quarterfinal. He lost to Djokovic in the semi-final, having sustained a groin injury. In February 2020, he underwent arthroscopic surgery for a right knee injury, causing him to withdraw from several tournaments.