Roger Federer enjoyed the seventh edition of the Laver Cup in Berlin, embracing light practice session on the black court and spending time with fellow legends and players. The Swiss witnessed the Team Europe triumph on Sunday, with Carlos Alcaraz delivering the crucial point against Team World.
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On the same day 27 years ago, the 16-year-old Federer entered the ATP ranking list, starting his incredible tennis journey that would last nearly 25 years! Roger appeared on the ATP ranking list on September 22, 1997, standing on the verge of the top-800.
The young gun collected 12 points at Switzerland 1 Masters Satellites in Bossonnens, introducing himself as world no. 803. A year earlier, the 15-year-old talent tried to enter two home Satellites, failing in the qualifying round.
Federer earned a chance to compete at the home ATP event in Gstaad in July 1997, still at 15, losing to Filippo Messori after a massive battle. Roger embraced the Switzerland 1 Masters in Bossonnens, playing his first professional matches in the main draw.
The home youngster played well on clay, reaching two semi-finals and falling to the 2nd seed Daniele Balducci and the 1st seed Agustin Garizzio. A teenager reached another quarter-final, suffering a loss to his future ATP doubles partner, Yves Allegro, with whom he competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
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The Swiss gathered eight victories during four events in Bossonnens for his first ATP points. He would score one victory in the ATP Basel qualifying round and three at the Switzerland 2 Masters, completing the season as the second-youngest player in the top-1000 after Feliciano Lopez.
Federer cracked the top-300 at the beginning of 1999 and passed almost 250 rivals for a year-end top-70 spot, displaying his full potential. The Swiss cracked the top-20 in February 2001 and made a top-10 debut in May next year following his first Masters 1000 crown in Hamburg.
Roger lifted his first Major crown at Wimbledon in July 2003, missing a chance to grab the ATP throne in the following weeks.
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Roger Federer debuted on the ATP ranking list on September 22, 1997.
However, it was only a matter of time, and it happened in February 2004 following the Australian Open trophy.
Federer embraced a brilliant streak of 237 consecutive weeks as world no. 1, raising the bar high and looking good to keep the record for many more decades. As we all know, the rest is history, with Roger becoming one of the most decorated and cherished players of all time, influencing many generations to embrace tennis and follow in his footsteps.
The Swiss ended his incredible career with 20 Major titles, 26 Masters 1000 shields and over 100 ATP trophies, crowned by 310 weeks as world no. 1. Federer leads the chart with 968 top-10 weeks, remaining competitive for two decades and wrapping up the 2019 season as world no.
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3 at 38! The Swiss maestro reached the 2020 Australian Open semi-final before taking a break from tennis due to a knee injury, embracing three surgeries by the summer of 2021 and failing to compete injury-free.
Roger lost his place on the ATP ranking list in July 2022, ending an incredible 25-year-old journey and retiring following an emotional Laver Cup two months later.
The veteran played his last singles tournament at Wimbledon 2021, stopping the clock at his beloved event and becoming the oldest quarter-finalist in the Open era! Federer passed four rivals and arranged the clash against Hubert Hurkacz on July 7.
The Pole outplayed the Swiss in a 6-3, 7-6, 6-0 triumph in an hour and 48 minutes, moving into the last four and sending his idol out of the competition. Roger experienced his first bagel since the 2008 Roland Garros final, feeling the pain in his knee and deciding to end his career a year later.
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It was the toughest Wimbledon defeat for the Swiss since 2002, missing his chances in the second set and fading from the court in the third. The legend delivered a single break and gave serve away five times, three in the third set.
Hurkacz tamed his strokes nicely, keeping the pressure on the other side.
The younger player converted five of 14 break points, moving into his first Major semi-final in style.
Hubert overpowered Roger in the shortest, mid-range and most extended rallies, becoming the last player to beat the legend! Federer saved three break points in the fourth game of the opening game before losing serve at 2-3 after the rival's backhand volley winner.
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The Pole secured the set with a service winner in game nine after a service winner, notching the first part of the duel after 28 minutes. The Swiss forged a 3-0 lead in the second set before losing the advantage after a forced error at 4-2.
The set went into a tie break, and Hurkacz claimed it 7-4 with a powerful serve, forging a massive two sets to love advantage. Federer wasted two game points in the second game of the third set, falling on the third break point and finding himself 3-0 down following the opponent's quick hold. Roger missed a forehand in the fourth game, losing serve again and hitting the exit door after another break at 0-5.
