It was written in the stars, it just had to be Federer, there were no two ways about it.
The stage was set, the actors ready to start procession but the story line had to follow just one path, and that was the path to Federer’s 20th.
Marin Cilic gave it his all, pushed Federer to the limits, made him come up with super human Tennis, but Federer was there waiting, waiting to answer all of Cilic’s questions. And he did so in emphatic fashion!
Roger Federer looked on song right from the word go, breaking Cilic early in the first set and running away with it 6-2.
Cilic though wasn’t going anywhere, he was in it for the fight, and fight he did.
Cilic snatched the second set from Federer’s reach, bringing the match to parity.
Federer though wasn’t going to be overawed by any of it, he had been there tons of times, and he was going to make that experience count. Federer ran away with the second set and it felt that Cilic could be a mere bystander in the 4th set.
However, Cilic wasn’t going down without a fight. Despite being broken by Federer early in the 4th, Cilic came back hard, pushing Roger to the limits and ultimately breaking down Federer’s resistance to win the 4th set 6-3.
We were back to square one, we were in for another decider in Melbourne, and the momentum seemed to be on Cilic’s side, but Federer was there last year as well, and that maybe could have worked in his favour, and it did.
Cilic was close to breaking Federer in his first service game of the 5th but Federer, like always, found a way out.
He then broke Cilic and it was a procession from there on.
Federer lifted his arms in delight as he won that final point, becoming the first man to win an astonishing 20 Grand Slam titles.
This is how Twitter reacted to this incredible feat.
#Federer20 – the GOAT conquers all, 3 Slams after turning 35👌 From the dawn of 2017, he’s just been FLYING.
8 #Wimbledon
6 #AusOpen
5 #USOpen
1 #FrenchOpen@rogerfederer #Federer #GOAT— Kaushik LM (@LMKMovieManiac) January 28, 2018
No words needed #20 🏆 #federer #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/vLH5abuKNG
— Jordan Raza (@volley_stop) January 28, 2018
👑#FEDERER👑
06/07/03
04/07/04
03/07/05
09/07/06 ➡️ WIMBLEDON🇬🇧
08/07/07
05/07/09
08/07/12
16/07/1701/02/04
29/01/06
28/01/07
31/01/10 ➡️ #AUSOPEN🇦🇺
29/01/17
28/01/1812/09/04
11/09/05
10/09/06 ➡️ US OPEN🇺🇸
09/09/07
08/09/0807/06/09 ➡️ R. GARROS🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/AjedBytDbq
— Raijin Antony (@RaijinAntony) January 28, 2018
You don’t get things easy because you are a Champion or a Legend. Roger #Federer had to dig deep and change his game to get the win. #GOAT #Federer20 #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/LUg687ZESj
— Juliet Bawuah (@julietbawuah) January 28, 2018
20 Grand Slam Titles
Not just the GOAT in tennis, but one of the greatest athletes of all time! #Federer #AustralianOpen pic.twitter.com/DFVdcfJYMM— Laurenz Vescoli (@Laus1507) January 28, 2018
#Federer is the 1st man to win 20 Grand Slam Singles Titles. Really can’t imagine there is a greater sportsman than him.
Only Court, Williams and Graf have won more Majors.#Cilic was magnificent, especially after the disappointment of his Wimbledon Final. #AusOpen
— Andrew Castle (@AndrewCastle63) January 28, 2018
‘Budhaa??? Who me???’.
Roger Federer you beauty.
What an inspiration!#Federer #AustralianOpen— Boman Irani (@bomanirani) January 28, 2018
Roger Federer is a legend who can’t be appreciated with adjectives anymore. #Federer #AustralianOpenfinal
— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) January 28, 2018
Tears of joy, from and for Fed, at another Grand Slam title. What an incredible journey in sport!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 28, 2018
— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) January 28, 2018
To see the emotion from Roger after number 20. Wow. Right in the feels. This guy is everything #AusOpen #Federer #Legend #GOAT
— Caylie King (@CayKing) January 28, 2018
He even gets his acceptance speeches perfect. #AustralianOpen #federer
— Heath Kelly (@HeathKellyDT) January 28, 2018
Roger ! 🐐🐐🐐🐐😭😭😭 #AusOpen #Federer #Legend pic.twitter.com/NsjOY50Y5w
— Nina *Bella* (@Rekordmeister20) January 28, 2018
Roger… the Greatest!
Do we have a spare stadium we could name after the great man! #federer #ausopen #GOAT— Bianca Chatfield (@biancachatfield) January 28, 2018
If this isn’t one of the best moments in sports history….I don’t know. #AusOpen #Federer #GOAT
— Brandon Enyeart (@Brandon_E) January 28, 2018
