Roger Federer dominated on the grass for several years, carving out a one-of-a-kind Wimbledon legacy.
In 2003, Federer won his first Wimbledon title, defeating Mark Philippoussis in the final, 7-6, 6-2, 7-6.
14 years later, Federer won Wimbledon for the eighth time, a record that still stands today.
He came close to adding another Wimbledon title to his resume two years later, but failed to convert championship points against Novak Djokovic in the 2019 final.
After the match, Djokovic highlighted what Federer does on grass courts that makes him so difficult to beat.
Novak Djokovic said Roger Federer’s ‘constant pressure’ makes him hard to beat on grass
In a five-set thriller, Djokovic defeated Federer in the 2019 Wimbledon final, 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12.
During his post-match press conference, Djokovic was full of praise for his Swiss opponent, as he outlined how his game is ‘perfect’ for grass-court tennis.
“First of all, playing against Roger [Federer] on any surface, but on grass, in a final, it’s a lot of constant pressure because he stays close to the line,” he said.
“Regardless of who he’s playing against, whether the serve is coming 150 miles an hour or as mine, 120, he’s there. He blocks the shots very well. He anticipates very well.
“He’s so talented. He’s got a perfect game for this surface.”
Knowing how good Federer can be on grass, Djokovic revealed the tactical changes he made to come away with the win.
“So I knew that I needed to bring in some variety in play. I needed to be sharp when the opportunity was there, when I had a shorter ball, to go for it. At times, I did. At times, I didn’t,” he said.
“Especially in the second-serve returns, I was not doing well at all. I thought I had many opportunities, and I just didn’t hit the ball; I didn’t capitalize on those opportunities.
“But, you know, in a way it’s normal also to expect that there are more nerves in play. Playing the finals of Wimbledon against Roger, so…
“I thought most of the match I was on the back foot actually. I was defending. He was dictating the play. I just tried to fight and find a way when it mattered the most, which is what happened.”
Saving two match points at 7-8 in the fifth set, Djokovic fought back to win 13-12, as the Serb clinched the fifth of his seven Wimbledon titles.
Federer and Djokovic never met again on the grass, as their Wimbledon rivalry came to a fitting conclusion on Centre Court six years ago.
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer’s head-to-head record at Wimbledon
Djokovic said Federer had the ‘perfect’ game for grass, but how many times did he beat the 20-time Major champion at Wimbledon?
The pair first met at the All England Club in 2012, battling it out for a place in the final.
In the first of their four meetings, it was Federer who prevailed, winning in four sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 on his way to the title.
They played three more times at Wimbledon, in three finals, as Djokovic asserted his dominance over the Swiss star on grass.
| Final | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2019 Wimbledon | Novak Djokovic | Roger Federer | 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 |
| 2015 Wimbledon | Novak Djokovic | Roger Federer | 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 |
| 2014 Wimbledon | Novak Djokovic | Roger Federer | 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 |
Winning three of their four matches on grass, it’s fair to say Djokovic had the better of Federer at Wimbledon.
The Serb still has some work to do if he wants to surpass his rival’s Wimbledon legacy, however, as he trails him in titles won at the event.
Most Wimbledon titles (Open Era)
- 1. Roger Federer – 8
- T-2. Novak Djokovic – 7
- T-2. Pete Sampras – 7
- 4. Bjorn Borg – 5
- T-5. John McEnroe – 3
- T-5. Boris Becker – 3
Djokovic missed out on a chance to move level with Federer in 2023 and 2024, losing back-to-back Wimbledon finals to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.
He’ll no doubt be out for revenge in 2025, when the tournament begins on Monday, June 30.
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