Roger Federer etched his name into tennis history after winning Wimbledon in 2009, securing a record 15th Grand Slam title.
Federer won five more Grand Slam titles before retiring in 2022, leaving him third in the all-time men’s list with 20.
Leading the way with 24, Novak Djokovic is eyeing more Grand Slam success in 2025, beginning with the Australian Open next month.
Djokovic suffered his heaviest ever Grand Slam defeat at the Australian Open, in what was his debut in such competitions back in 2025.
He has since recovered to win a record 10 Australian Opens, while it is Federer who tops the pile for Wimbledon titles with eight.
Roger Federer names his tennis idols after 2009 Wimbledon win
And one of those victories came after a mammoth clash with Andy Roddick in 2009, their third Wimbledon final and fourth Grand Slam final.
The victor gave a superb insight into his motivations after that success, with Federer having been asked by reporters if there was a particular moment in tennis history that had really inspired him.
“Sure,” Federer responded. “I mean, I wanted to be a tennis player or a soccer player from a very young age.”
And when asked if there was a particular final, Federer replied: “I think the [Boris]Becker/[Stefan] Edberg final.
“I don’t remember which year because they played a few times. Sitting at home in the living room, watching them play, thinking hopefully one day I can be like them, you know.
“That’s I guess where idols and inspirations are good. They push you forward. Then along the way you joke around and say it’s coming closer.
“You know, when you win a practice match, you know, you just fake like you’ve just won Wimbledon, you know.
“All of a sudden it’s really happening, you know. But it’s so surreal to think that far ahead, that it’s amazing coming through in the end like this today.”
What was the head-to-head record between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick?
Roddick enjoyed plenty of success during his career, but it simply would have been far more if not for the presence of Federer.
In their four Grand Slam finals, it was the Swiss icon who emerged victorious every single time, with three Wimbledon wins and one US Open win.
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The last such meeting was indeed at Wimbledon in 2009, where Federer overcame Roddick 5–7, 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–5), 3–6, 16–14 after more than four hours.
Fortunately, the American did manage to clinch the 2003 US Open title, while like the Swiss icon he managed to reach number one in the world.
Unsurprisingly, it was the 20-time Grand Slam champion who dominated their head-to-head, with Federer winning 21 of their 24 matches.
Becker and Edberg meanwhile played out a thrilling rivalry over the course of their careers, with the former winning their head-to-head battle 25-10.
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