Roger Federer is regarded as one of the most suave and graceful tennis players to ever take to the court. He is associated by fans with elegance and style, being perceived as someone with a calm and level-headed style of play. Over the years, perhaps it could be due to marketers and the media that this image of Federer got imprinted in public memory. However, this is not completely true as the legend is as much of a scrapper when required as anybody else.
There have been many occasions in his two-decade-long career where Federer has had to battle through and survive a match. He has fought hard and won ugly multiple times, coming back from losing positions. The Swiss has won 10 matches in Grand Slams after being two sets down, second only to Andy Murray’s 11.
Roger Federer – A Battler as Much as a Stunner
Federer’s tally of winning 10 Grand Slam matches after trailing by two sets eclipses that of his Big 3 counterparts. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are both considered to have a game which is much more rough and aggressive. However, they have won only eight and four majors matches, respectively, from such situations. The famed ‘Fedal’ rivalry kickstarted when Federer bounced back to win the 2005 Miami Open final after Nadal had bagged the first two sets.
Some wins from Federer’s 10 comebacks stand out. In 2009, he recovered from a two-set deficit in the fourth round of the French Open to defeat Tommy Haas. Federer went to win the title that year, his only one ever, to complete a career Grand Slam. Months before that, his fourth round clash against Tomas Berdych in the 2009 Australian Open followed a similar script. Berdych could have again made his case to be the ‘Giant Killer’ of tennis, but Federer overcame a tough challenge to eventually make it to the finals. After downing Berdych, he said five-setters are important to gage your mental strength. He said (via The Guardian) –
“It’s good to have five-setters to see where you are at. In the end it becomes very mental and I know that is where my biggest strengths always come into play.”
Federer was also pushed to five sets in the third round of the 2012 Wimbledon Championships. The then-World No.32 Julien Benneteau from France, with zero singles titles, stunned the London crowd by winning the first two sets. On the brink of a shocking upset, the Swiss turned it around as his opponent’s level dropped with inexperience losing on the day. Federer went to win the title, ending a two-year wait for a Grand Slam.
Moving to 2016, Roger Federer, who was to turn 35, impressively downed Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals after losing the first two sets. He saved three match points to get revenge for his 2014 US Open semi-final defeat against him. Federer called the match ‘epic’, saying it was one of the greatest matches he has ever played at Wimbledon.
Likely reasons why Federer isn’t known as a fighter
Federer’s effortless and refined playing style sets him apart from his fellow Big 3 members. Other players who are termed fighters, are known for having outbursts on court and a wild display of emotions. Federer, on the other hand, is someone who exuded serenity and control. This may have pigeonholed him as a classy player rather than a competitive fighter.
Additionally, many of Federer’s comeback wins flew under the radar since they either came in the early stages of his career, or against lower-ranked opponents. Apart from a match each against Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin del Potro (at French Open 2012 quarterfinals) and Gael Monfils (2014 US Open quarterfinals), the 20-time Grand Slam winner has never bounced back against the likes of Djokovic, Andy Murray, or Stan Wawrinka from a two-set deficit. However, this does not mean Roger Federer is any less of a fighter than all the names above. One does not have a legendary career like his without having a winning mentality, especially when the chips are down.
