Remembering early times of Roger Federer’s illustrious career – Tennis Special (Part Two)
Continuing from part one, we are remembering the early days of one of the best tennis players of all-time, Roger Federer.
After making a losing start to his professional career in the Gstaad ATP event in 1998, the Swiss Maestro took part in a challenger event and there he lost in the first round again. Federer then headed to Toulouse in France to take part in his second tour
level tournament. He gave a better performance there and reached the last-eight stage, losing to Jan Siemerink, who was ranked 20th at that time.
The Swiss legend then got a wild card entry into the main draw of Swiss Indoors Basel and lost to another legend, Andre Agassi, in his opening match. That was the end to Federer’s first season as a professional tennis player.
Federer reached two back-to-back quarter-finals at ATP events in Marseille and Rotterdam at the start of 1999. The Swiss star reached the last-four stage of a tour level event for the first time at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna in the ending weeks of that
year.
The Basel, Switzerland resident gave a further improved performance in 2000, advancing to the third round at the Australian Open and fourth round of Wimbledon. He also reached title matches at ATP events in Marseille and Basel. Federer also gave an inspired
performance at the Sydney Olympics but failed to win a medal, losing in the semi-final and then the Bronze medal match.
The Swiss player won the biggest match of his career, till that time, at Wimbledon in 2001, upsetting the four-time defending champion, Pete Sampras, in the fourth round. He came to lime light after that event and consistent good showings throughout the
season resulted in his rise to the top 20 players of the world.
Federer made a perfect start to the season in 2002, as he won Apia International Sydney. The Swiss star defeated the then world number five, Marat Safin, to win his first Masters Series title in Hamburg. However, he could not repeat his Wimbledon heroics,
losing in the first round.
The Swiss professional, who had already entered the top 10 in the world rankings, won three tour level titles in the first half of 2003. He fulfilled his dream by beating Mark Philippoussis in the Wimbledon final to win his maiden Grand Slam title. Federer
won the Masters Cup at the end of that season and started 2004 by capturing the Australian Open, becoming highest ranked tennis player.
Recalling the when he became world number one for the first time, Federer said, “I do remember it very vividly, actually. It's not one of those moments that happens and then you forget. It took me a lot of great performances to get there. I had an opportunity
I think in the match against Roddick in Montréal. Lost 7-6 in the semis there against him. It took me to win Wimbledon, the [Barclays ATP] World Tour Finals, then basically get to the finals of the Australian Open. After beating Ferrero in the semis, I knew
I clinched it, but obviously I wanted to finish the tournament on a high note winning the Australian Open as well.”
Federer has spent a total of 302 weeks on the top of the world rankings and won 17 Grand Slam titles, both of these are all-time records in the sport of tennis.
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