Many people have offered many opinions of Roger Federer’s titles over the years, but what has the great man himself got to say about them?
001: After ending Pete Sampras’ 31-match winning streak at Wimbledon – 7-6(7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-5.
“It feels unbelievable, of course. I mean, I went out on the court today trying to beat him. I mean, I knew it was not going to be easy. I’m very happy about my performance today, from the first to the last point. Yeah, at the end, it’s just a great feeling I’ve never had before.”
2002: After losing to Mario Ancic in a first-round shock on Centre Court – 3-6, 6-7(2), 3-6
“It hurts. I was looking forward a lot to this tournament again just because I was so happy that I heard I was playing on Centre Court. It’s a special place out here. I think it’s the best centre court in the world and I love playing on it… To come out today and play such tennis I played today, it’s just a shocker. So I’m very disappointed.”
2003: First Wimbledon title – def. Philippoussis 7-6(5), 6-2, 7-6(3)
“To win Wimbledon as a first Grand Slam, you know, obviously now I don’t hope it’s gonna be my last, but it is, it’s definitely for me the best one to win. I’m so happy.”
2004: Second Wimbledon title – def. Roddick 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-4
“Somehow I feel even more joy this year because I had so much pressure going into this tournament. Now to see my name on the board twice in a row, I kind of, you know, get more joy out of this. It’s strange.”
2005: Third Wimbledon title – def. Roddick 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-4
“I really played a fantastic match – one of my best in my life. Again, you know, the biggest, most important moment, you know, in a Grand Slam final, and I would consider this even bigger than the US Open final I played, so this is my best match maybe I’ve ever played. I won’t get bored so quickly, so I’m sorry.”
2006: Fourth Wimbledon title – def. Nadal 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-7(2), 6-3
“I’m very well aware of how important this match was for me. If I lose, obviously it’s a hard blow for me. He wins French, Wimbledon, back to back… It’s important for me to win a finals against him for a change and beat him for a change. At Wimbledon I knew it was gonna be the place for me to do it the easiest way. Turned out to be tough and it shows how much he’s improved over maybe an entire year.”
2007: Fifth Wimbledon title – def. Nadal 7-6(7), 4-6, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-2
“It was a huge occasion for me, huge pressure. Bjorn Borg sitting there, Jimmy Connors sitting there, John McEnroe sitting there, Boris Becker sitting there. It’s a big moment for me. Then in the end, to lift the trophy, it’s a very, special memory. I’ll have it for all my life.”
2008: After losing to Nadal in the final – 4-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(8), 7-9
“Probably my hardest loss, by far. I mean, it’s not much harder than this right now, so…”
2009: Sixth Wimbledon title, record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title – def. Roddick 5-7, 7-6(6), 7-65(), 3-6, 16-14
“I’m happy I broke the record here in some ways because this is always the tournament that’s meant the most to me with my heroes and idols being so successful here. So it definitely feels like it’s come full circle for me, starting it here and ending it here… I know how much the record meant to Pete and he knows how much the record means to me. In a way, I still feel like we share it, just because he was such a wonderful champion. He still has one up against me here at Wimbledon.”
2012: Seventh Wimbledon title – def. Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4
“I’m so happy I’m at the age I am right now, because I had such a great run and I know there’s still more possible. To enjoy it right now, it’s very different than when I was 20 or 25. I’m at a much more stable place in my life. I wouldn’t want anything to change – so this is very, very special right now.”
2013: After losing to Sergiy Stakhovsky in the second round – 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 5-7, 6-7(5)
“I still have plans to play for many more years to come. It’s normal that all of a sudden losing early after being in the quarter-finals 36 times [in a row], people feel it’s different.”
2017: Eighth Wimbledon title – def. Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4
“I didn’t think I was going to be this successful after beating Pete here [in 2001]. I hoped to have a chance maybe one day to be in a Wimbledon finals and have a chance to win the tournament. Winning eight is not something you can ever aim for, in my opinion. If you do, I don’t know, you must have so much talent and parents and the coaches that push you from the age of three on, who think you’re like a project. I was not that kid. I was just really a normal guy growing up in Basel, hoping to make a career on the tennis Tour. I guess I dreamed, I believed, and really hoped that I could actually maybe really do it, you know, to make it real. So I put in a lot of work, and it paid off.”
Source: Caroline Cheese| Wimbledon
