Roger Federer joined the legion of sporting legends on Sunday, his name sitting comfortably alongside Ali, Woods, Senna, Pele, Bradman, where just one name is enough to confer instant respect,
His victory over Robin Solderling took the universally-popular Swiss level with his great friend Pete Sampras as the winner of 14 majors.
But Federer also achieved that something that eluded even Sampras as well as Boris Becker and Stefen Edberg ' a career Grand Slam, only the sixth man in history to achieve the feat.
Federer's 14 Grand Slam Victories are:
- 2003
bt Mark Philippoussis (AUS) 7-6(7/5), 6-2, 7-6 (7/3). Federer, 21 wins first Grand Slam title to turn potential into silverware. His victory five years after winning the junior title, also ended the doubts about his nerve on the big stage
- 2004 AUTRALIAN OPEN
bt Marat Safin (RUS) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-2. Federer, who had replaced Juan Carlos Ferrero as the new world number one by reaching the final, celebrated in style by beating Safin who had been in the form in Melbourne seeing off Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick.
- 2004
bt Andy Roddick (USA) 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4. Less than a month after disappointing third round exit at the French Open, Federer bounces back ahead, but a rain delay helps the Swiss recover his composure.
- 2004 US OPEN
bt Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 6-0, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4. Hewitt 2001 champion, came in to the final on a 16 match winning streak but Federer was unstoppable, becoming the first man in the history to win his first four Grand Slam Finals, and the first since Mats Wilander in 1988 to win three majors in a year.
- 2005
bt Andy Roddick (USA) 6-2, 7-6(7/2), 6-4. Federer joins Pete Sampras and Bjorn Borg as the only player to win three
- 2005 US OPEN
bt Andre Agassi (
- 2006 AUSTRALIAN OPEN
bt Marcos Bahdatis (CYP) 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2. Unseeded Baghdatis, 20, the world no. 54 gives Federer a scare when he wins first set and goes for breakup in the second. But Federer imposes his authority as a tiring Baghdatis needs treatment on his calf.
- 2006
bt Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-0, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (2/7), 6-3. Just a month after loosing to his new rival at the French Open, Federer puts an end to a five match loosing streak against the Sapaniard. He also becomes only the third man in the open era after Bjorn Borg and Sampras to win four Wimbledons in a row.
- 2006 US OPEN
bt Andy Roddick (USA) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. Federer wins third successive title in
- 2007 AUSTRALIAN OPEN
bt Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-4. Federer wins 10th Grand Slam title and extends his winning run to 36 matches. Also first man to win a Grand Slam title without dropping a set since Bjorn Borg at the 1980 French Open.
- 2007
bt Rafael Nadal (ESP) 7-6 (9/7), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-2. Federer emulates Borg by winning five straight Wimbledon Titles but he was given a huge scare by Nadal in a classic final and a taste of what to come 12 months later when the Spaniard takes his crown.
- 2007 US OPEN
bt Novan Djokovic (S
RB) 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2), 6-4. Federer wins fourth consecutive US Open despite trailing by break in each. He becomes the first man to win Wimbledon and US Open for four years in a row, and the first to win four straight
- 2008 US OPEN
bt Andy Murray (GBR) 6-2, 7-5, 6-2. The Swiss wins 13th Grand Slam Crown and fifth consecutive US Open title. He moves one Grand Slam title ahead of Roy Emerson and one behind the record 14 won by Pete Sampras.
- 2009 FRENCH OPEN
bt Robin Soderling (SWE) 6-1, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4. Federer finally wins the French Open after losing the previous three finals and equals the record 14 Grand Slam wins of Sampras. Not even an intruder who confronted him in the second set and steady rain could derail his charge past Soderling in to the history books.
