Roger Federer retirement: A look at Swiss tennis great's 20 Grand Slam title wins

It is the dream of every tennis player to win at least one grand slam but most don't even achieve that. Tennis legend Roger Federer has hung up his racket at the age of 41, having won 20 grand slam titles in his decorated career. The Swiss maestro won a record eight Wimbledon titles, six Australian Open titles, five US Open titles and One French Open title in his career spanning more than two decades. Representing his nation Switzerland in the Olympics, the star tennis player won gold in the 2008 Beijing games and silver in the 2012 London games. He ruled the grass court at Wimbledon where he was the most successful in his bid for winning grand slams.

One of the 'big 3' in tennis which includes Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and him, the Swiss legend made fans witness the greatest rivalries in the sport. As announced by him, the great tennis star would retire after next week’s Laver Cup. Let us take a look at the 20 grand slam titles that Federer won in his career.

GRAND SLAM #1

2003 Wimbledon

The world of tennis got introduced to a new grand slam winner as Roger Federer clinched the Wimbledon title at the young age of 21 years. The Swiss star who was newbie then defeated Mark Philippoussis 7-6(5), 6-2, 7-6(3) in straight sets and won the first of his 20 grand slam titles. Little did the world then know that the tall swiss player would become an all time legend of the sport, in times to come.

GRAND SLAM #2

2004 Australian Open

Federer was disappointed having lost in the fourth round of 2003 US Open amid charges of American favouritism. But he began 2004 in style as he lifted his second grand slam title by beating Marat Safin 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-2 in a dominant way. It was the first of total six Australian open tiles that the tennis legend won in his career. The victory further cemented Federer's reputation as an upcoming star in tennis then.

GRAND SLAM #3

2004 Wimbledon

The Swiss star returned to Wimbledon as defending champion in 2004 and retained his title in style with a win over Andy Roddick 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-4. Federer had lost the first set but made a dramatic comeback to surpass the American.

GRAND SLAM #4

2004 US Open

The year 2004 was very successful one for the tennis star as he ended the year on a high by winning the last grand slam of calendar year, the US Open. The Swiss prevailed over 2001 US Open champion Australia's Lleyton Hewitt 6-0, 7-6(3), 6-0 in a very dominant manner and clinched the first of his five US Open titles. As of 2004, the only grand slam missing in Federer's trophy cabinet was French Open.

GRAND SLAM #5

2005 Wimbledon

Federer registered himself in the history books by lifting Wimbledon title for the third consecutive year in 2005. He defeated Andy Roddick 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-4 in straight sets to claim the title. With the win, the Swiss established himself as a very dominant player in grass courts.

GRAND SLAM #6

2005 US Open

Once again, the Swiss star ended his campaign on a high in grand slam events by lifting the US Open title in 2005. At Flushing meadows, Federer defeated American tennis legend Andre Agassi 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-1 in the finals to win his sixth grand slam title. After losing the first set, Agassi made a comeback and wrapped the second set with a win. But Federer got the better of his rival in the next two sets to win.

GRAND SLAM #7

2006 Australian Open

Federer halted the dream run of unseeded Marcos Baghdatis in the 2006 Australian Open final. The Swiss won over his opponent 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2. The tennis star from Cyprus started quite well against Federer and clinched the first set but the Swiss star had the last laugh as he won the next three sets to lift his second Australian Open title.

GRAND SLAM #8

2006 Wimbledon

2006 was a special year in tennis history the two greats of the sport Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal played in a grand slam final for the first time. Nadal had beaten Federer in the French Open final in 2006 and the two were up against each other in the Wimbledon final. But this time, the Swiss star got the better of Nadal 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-7(2), 6-3 and lifted his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title.

GRAND SLAM #9

2006 US Open

Once again, Federer ended the grand slam calendar year on a high note, as he clinched his ninth grand slam title by lifting the 2006 US Open. The Swiss maestro surpassed the challenge of American Andy Roddick and won in four sets 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

GRAND SLAM #10

2007 Australian Open

In peak form, the Swiss legend reached the final of Australian Open in 2007. His challenger in the final was Chilean Fernando Gonzalez and Federer prevailed over him in straight sets 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 to win the third of six Australian open titles in his career.

GRAND SLAM #11

2007 Wimbledon

Some experts rate it as the greatest final win of Federer's career. In the Wimbledon final, he was up against a resolute Rafael Nadal and both fought hard for the title. In the five set thriller, the Swiss maestro prevailed over Nadal, winning 7-6(7), 4-6, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-2. The match saw tie-breakers, spectacular comebacks, rain, injury, and surreal shots. In the rollercoaster, it was Federer who emerged victorious to lift his 11th grand slam and a mind boggling 5th consecutive Wimbledon title.

GRAND SLAM #12

2007 US Open

As Federer entered the final of the US Open in 2007, his opponent was Novak Djokovic. It was the first time that the two stalwarts of tennis were playing against each other in a grand slam final and it was the first grand slam final of the Serbian's career. In the historical match, Federer showed his class and won in straight sets 7-6(4), 7-6(2), 6-4.

GRAND SLAM #13

2008 US Open

In 2008, Federer had lost in the finals of French Open and Wimbledon and it seemed the grand slam calendar year would end without a title for the Swiss great. But Federer had other plans and he prevailed over Andy Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 to continue his streak of winning at least one grand slam since 2003. It was the fifth and last US Open title of Federer's career.

GRAND SLAM #14

2009 French Open

Having won a total of 13 grand slam titles till the end of 2008, one grand slam title that had kept eluding Federer was French Open. He had previously reached three French Open finals and lost in all three to Rafael Nadal. But as he reached the final at Roland Garros in 2009, his nemesis Nadal wasn't around and it was Federer's greatest chance to win. The Swiss legend defeated Robin Soderling 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4 to lift his first French Open title and thus completed a career grand slam. "Maybe my greatest victory, or certainly the one that takes the most pressure off my shoulders" Federer had said immediately after the match.

GRAND SLAM #15

2009 Wimbledon

Pete Sampras' record of 14 grand slam titles had long stood the test of time until Federer shattered it by winning the Wimbledon title in 2009. The Swiss legend defeated Andy Roddick 5-7, 7-6(6), 7-6(5), 3-6, 16-14 in the final to lift his then world record 15th grand slam title. It was also Federer's sixth Wimbledon title. Roddick fought really hard in the match but that wasn't enough to win against the Swiss maestro.

GRAND SLAM #16

2010 Australian Open

Federer lifted the fourth Australian Open title of his career in 2010. In the final, the tennis legend defeated Britain's Andy Murray 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(11) in straight sets to lift the16th grand slam title of his career. It was a rather easy win for Federer although Murray did try to make a comeback in the third set but lost eventually.

GRAND SLAM #17

2012 Wimbledon

2011 had passed without a grand slam title win for the Swiss maestro. With age catching up on him, Federer lifted the Wimbledon title in 2012 by defeating Andy Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. It was the time when all the 'big three' of tennis namely Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Federer were competing for grand slam wins.

GRAND SLAM #18

2017 Australian Open

It was a very long gap in Federer's career as he had gone with a grand slam title win for almost five years. The meteoric rise of Novak Djokovic, in-form Rafael Nadal and some other emerging tennis stars had ensured the long gap in the Swiss star's career. Federer bounced back in style by winning the Australian Open in 2017 by surpassing Rafael Nadal in a marathon five set match 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. It was the fifth Australian Open title of Federer's career.

GRAND SLAM #19

2017 Wimbledon

With growing questions over his tennis career, Federer first won the Australian Open in 2017 and then followed it up with a Wimbledon title. It was a record 8th Wimbledon title for the Swiss great. In the final, he had defeated Marin Cilic in a dominating straight sets 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. 2017 marked the resurgence of Federer in terms of winning grand slams.

GRAND SLAM #20

2018 Australian Open

It was the last time Federer lifted a grand slam title. His victory in the final of Australian Open 2008 was also his 20th grand slam title win and it came against Marin Cilic in a hard fought match 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. 36-year old Swiss great reached his last grand slam final in Wimbledon in 2019 but couldn't win against an in-form Novak Djokovic.

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