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 is a retired Swiss professional tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. He held the world No. 1 ranking for a record 310 weeks, including 237 consecutive weeks, and finished the year as No. 1 five times. He won 103 ATP singles titles, the second-most in the Open Era, along with 20 Grand Slam men's singles titles and six ATP Finals titles, solidifying his legacy in the sport.

Sections (6)

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

1968: Start of the Open Era

Since the start of the Open Era in 1968, Federer has won 103 singles titles on the ATP tour, the second most.

1969: Rod Laver's Grand Slam year

In 1969, Rod Laver had a Grand Slam year, achieving a historic feat in tennis.

1969: Rod Laver's Reach All Four Finals

In 1969, Rod Laver was the last man to reach all four finals in a calendar year before Roger Federer matched the achievement in 2006.

1974: Oldest Man to Reach a Major Final Since 1974 US Open

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

1974: Oldest Player in a Grand Slam Final Since Ken Rosewall

At the 2017 Australian Open, Roger Federer became the oldest player to compete in a Grand Slam final since Ken Rosewall in 1974.

1974: Jimmy Connors's winning percentage

In 1974, Jimmy Connors set a high winning percentage.

1976: Second Man in Open Era to Win Wimbledon Without Dropping a Set

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

1980: Björn Borg won a major without dropping a set

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

1980: Greatest Wimbledon final since 1980

In 2007, analysts hailed the Wimbledon final between Federer and Nadal as the greatest Wimbledon final since 1980.

1982: Ivan Lendl's most wins

In 1982, Ivan Lendl achieved the most wins, a mark that was later surpassed by Roger Federer in 2006.

1984: John McEnroe's most singles titles

In 1984, John McEnroe achieved the most singles titles, a mark that was later surpassed by Roger Federer in 2006.

1984: John McEnroe's winning percentage

In 1984, John McEnroe set a high winning percentage.

1986: Ivan Lendl's record of 74-6

In 1986, Ivan Lendl achieved a record of 74-6, which was the best until Roger Federer surpassed it, marking a significant milestone in Lendl's career.

1988: Mats Wilander's last season winning three Grand Slam singles titles

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

1991: Oldest Man in a Grand Slam Semifinal Since Jimmy Connors

At the 2017 Australian Open, Roger Federer became the oldest man to compete in a grand slam semifinal since Jimmy Connors in 1991.

1992: Davis Cup Final Appearance

In 1992, before Roger Federer's involvement, the Swiss team reached the Davis Cup final, a feat they would not achieve again until Federer's commitment in 2014.

1993: Swiss National Junior Championships

In 1993, Federer won the under-12 Swiss national junior championships in Lucerne and also received a medal at the Swiss Indoors in Basel as a ball boy.

1993: Pete Sampras's 81 match victories

In 1993, Pete Sampras achieved 81 match victories, the most until Roger Federer surpassed it in 2005.

1995: Thomas Muster's most singles titles

In 1995, Thomas Muster achieved the most singles titles, a mark that was later surpassed by Roger Federer in 2006.

1995: Swiss National Junior Championship

In 1995, at age 13, Federer won the U14 Swiss national junior championship.

January 1997: U18 Swiss National Championship

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

December 1998: End of Junior Career

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

1998: Grand Slam Results

In 1998, Roger Federer achieved the following results in Grand Slam tournaments: SF in the Australian Open, 1R in the French Open, W in Wimbledon, and 1R in the US Open.

1998: Wimbledon Junior Championship

In 1998, Roger Federer became the Wimbledon junior champion.

September 1999: Entry into Top 100

On 20 September 1999, Roger Federer entered the world’s Top 100 for the first time.

2000: Grand Slam Streak Begins

Roger Federer's withdrawal from the 2016 French Open broke his record of 65 consecutive participations in Grand Slam main draws, a streak that began at the 2000 Australian Open.

January 2001: Hopman Cup Victory

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

2001: First Singles Title and Wimbledon Breakthrough

In 2001, Federer won his first singles title at the Milan Indoor tournament and defeated Pete Sampras at Wimbledon to snap Sampras' 31-match win streak.

2001: Lleyton Hewitt's US Open Title

In 2001, Lleyton Hewitt won the US Open. In a later US Open, Roger Federer defeated Lleyton Hewitt for his first title there.

2001: Hopman Cup Title with Martina Hingis

In 2018, Roger Federer started his season by winning his second Hopman Cup title, this time partnering with Belinda Bencic, after having won previously in 2001 with Martina Hingis.

October 2002: Federer Ranked Among Top Eight

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

2002: First Masters Title and Loss of Coach

In 2002, Roger Federer won his first Masters title in Hamburg and suffered the loss of his coach Peter Carter.

July 2003: Time before Federer dropped out of the top 4

In July 2003, it was the last time Federer dropped out of the top 4 before 2013.

2003: First Grand Slam Singles Title at Wimbledon

In 2003, Federer won his first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Mark Philippoussis in the final.

2003: Roddick's US Open Title

In 2003, Roddick was the champion of US Open. In 2006, Roger Federer defeated Roddick in the US Open final.

2003: ATP Fans' Favorite Award

In 2003, Roger Federer received the ATP Fans' Favorite award.

February 2004: Federer Ranked No. 1

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

2004: One of the three years where Federer won three majors

2004 was one of the three years, along with 2006 and 2007, where Roger Federer won three majors.

2004: Dominance in Men's Tennis

In 2004, Federer won three of the four majors and the Tour Finals, marking a period of dominance in men's tennis.

2004: Tied record of 11 singles titles

In 2004, Roger Federer won 11 singles titles, a mark that he tied in 2005.

2004: ATP Player of the Year and ITF World Champion

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

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

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

July 2005: Federer and Nadal Top ATP Rankings

From July 2005, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal held the top two rankings on the ATP Tour.

2005: Won Wimbledon and US Open

In 2005, Roger Federer won Wimbledon for the third time by defeating Andy Roddick and secured the US Open title against Andre Agassi in Agassi's last major final.

2005: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award

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

2005: First time winning Rotterdam Open

In 2012, Roger Federer won the Rotterdam Open for the first time since 2005.

2005: Start of Period of Sustained Excellence

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: Appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

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

August 2006: Last defeat before first-round loss in Indian Wells

Prior to his first-round loss in Indian Wells in 2007, Roger Federer's last defeat was in August 2006, marking a period of over seven months without a loss.

2006: One of the three years where Federer won three majors

2006 was one of the three years, along with 2004 and 2007, where Roger Federer won three majors.

2006: Statistically best season of career

In 2006, Roger Federer had what was statistically considered the best season of his career, marked by numerous titles and high performance in tournaments.

2006: Won ATP 500 series event in Tokyo and the year-end championships

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

2006: Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award

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

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

In 2006, Roger Federer won three Grand Slam singles titles and reached the final of the French Open, marking a dominant season in his career.

2006: Multiple Titles

In 2006, Roger Federer won three of the four majors and the Tour Finals.

2006: Career-Best Start to a Season

In March 2018, Roger Federer reached a career-best start to a season at 17–0, beating his previous best start at 16–0 in 2006, until being defeated by Juan Martín del Potro in the Indian Wells Masters final.

2006: Highest Win Percentage Since 2006

Roger Federer's 2017 season marked the highest win percentage since 2006.

2007: Multiple Titles

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

2007: Finished the season as the year-end No. 1 and One of the three years where Federer won three majors

In 2007, Roger Federer finished the season as the year-end No. 1 and it was also one of the three years, along with 2004 and 2006, where he won three majors.

2007: Won Australian Open and Dubai crown

In 2007, Roger Federer won the Australian Open without dropping a set and captured his fourth Dubai crown, extending his winning streak to 41 matches.

2007: Most Titles Since 2007

Roger Federer's 2017 season marked the most titles since 2007.

2008: Olympic Doubles Gold

In 2008, Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka secured an Olympic doubles gold victory at the Beijing Olympics.

2008: Won gold medal in doubles at the Olympic Games and US Open

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

2008: Defending a Major Title

In 2018, Roger Federer defended his title at the Australian Open, the first time since the 2008 US Open that he successfully defended a major title.

2009: Career Grand Slam at French Open

In 2009, Federer completed the career Grand Slam at the French Open.

2009: Fifth ATP Player of the Year and ITF World Champion

In 2009, Roger Federer won his fifth ATP Player of the Year award and was named the ITF World Champion for the fifth time.

2009: Istanbul Open Title

In May 2015, Roger Federer won the inaugural Istanbul Open, ending a title drought on red clay since the 2009 French Open.

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, showcasing his consistent performance and dominance in the sport.

November 2011: Federer's 2006 season ranked second-best

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

2011: Tour Sportsmanship Award

In 2011, Roger Federer received the tour Sportsmanship Award.

2012: Australian Open Victory

At the 2017 Australian Open, Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal to win his first major since 2012. With this victory, he re-entered the top ten.

2012: Silver Medal at London Olympics

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

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

In 2012, Roger Federer won his seventh Wimbledon championship, tying Sampras' Open Era record, and also won a silver medal at the Summer Olympics after losing in the final to Murray.

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

In 2012, Roger Federer won the Rotterdam Open, Dubai Championships, and Indian Wells Masters, marking a successful start to the season.

2012: Federer Wins Wimbledon Championships Against Murray

In 2012, Roger Federer won the Wimbledon Championships against Andy Murray in four sets.

2012: Return to Grand Slam Wins

Roger Federer's 2017 season marked a return to Grand Slam wins since 2012.

May 2013: Return to No. 2 Ranking

Following his victory at the Shanghai Masters in 2014, Roger Federer returned to the No. 2 ranking for the first time since May 2013.

2013: Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award

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

2013: Won Gerry Weber Open and suffered worst Grand Slam defeat since 2003

In 2013, Roger Federer won the Gerry Weber Open but suffered his worst Grand Slam tournament defeat since 2003 at Wimbledon.

2014: Davis Cup Victory

In 2014, Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka led the Switzerland Davis Cup team to their first title.

2014: Shanghai Masters and Swiss Indoors Titles

In 2014, Roger Federer won the Shanghai Masters, defeating Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. He also secured his sixth Swiss Indoors title. He reached the ATP Finals but withdrew due to injury.

2014: Davis Cup Commitment and Success

In 2014, Stanislas Wawrinka's Grand Slam singles victory renewed hope for Roger Federer's Davis Cup aspirations. Federer and Wawrinka committed to playing every Davis Cup tie. Their dedication resulted in victories over Serbia, Kazakhstan, and Italy, enabling the Swiss team to reach the final for the first time since 1992.

2015: First Win Over Djokovic Since 2015

At the ATP Finals in 2019, Roger Federer defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets, marking his first win over Djokovic since 2015.

2015: Brisbane International Title and 1,000 Wins

In 2015, Roger Federer won the Brisbane International, securing his 1,000th career win. He became the third man in the Open Era to achieve this milestone and the first to win a title in 15 consecutive years.

September 2017: Federer and Nadal Reclaim Top ATP Rankings

From September 2017, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal again held the top two rankings on the ATP Tour.

2017: Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award

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

2017: Australian Open and Wimbledon Championships

In 2017, Federer won the Australian Open over Nadal and a record eighth singles title at the Wimbledon Championships.

2017: Shanghai Masters and Swiss Indoors Titles

In 2017, Roger Federer captured his third Masters title of the season at the Shanghai Masters, defeating Rafael Nadal in the final. He also surpassed Ivan Lendl in number of career titles by winning the Swiss Indoors.

2017: Return to Grand Slam Wins

Roger 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, making it his best season since 2007.

2018: Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award

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

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

In 2018, at the Australian Open, 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 held the third highest number of Guinness World Records within one discipline, a total of 30, which include 18 performance based records.

2019: Djokovic Surpasses Australian Open Record

In 2018, Roger Federer won his sixth title at the Australian Open, equaling the then record held by Roy Emerson and Novak Djokovic, which was surpassed by Djokovic in 2019.

2019: Federer Wins Against Nadal at Wimbledon

In 2019, Federer won against Nadal at the Wimbledon Championships to reach the final.

July 2020: Featured by Swiss National Museum

In July 2020, Roger Federer was featured in the Swiss National Museum's chronicle of Swiss history and culture.

2020: Highest-Paid Athlete

In 2020, Roger Federer ranked first among all athletes with $100 million in endorsement income.

June 9, 2024: Receives Doctorate from Dartmouth

On June 9, 2024, Roger Federer received an honorary Doctorate degree in Humane Letters from Dartmouth College, following his commencement address to the Class of 2024.

2024: Djokovic Breaks Oldest ATP World No. 1 Record

In February 2018, Roger Federer became the oldest ATP world No. 1 at 36 years and 195 days of age, a record that stood until Novak Djokovic broke the record in 2024.