The world-famous Wimbledon Championships returns this summer following last year’s coronavirus enforced cancellation. Sports fans in the United Kingdom and beyond will be delighted to see SW19 back in full swing. Tennis betting online will also return with a bang as fans aim to predict the winner and beat the bookies.
The Wimbledon men’s list includes the usual names. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev are just some of the stars expected to show up in London this summer.
"Roger Federer" by Clive Brunskill/Getty is licensed under CC BY 3.0
FedEx, the king of SW19
However, Roger Federer has made this tournament his own in recent years, and he’s known in these parts as Wimbledon’s most successful champions.
FedEx has eight Wimbledon gongs, lifting his first in 2003 with the most recent in 2017. Approaching 40 years old, does the Swiss star have another title left in him? We’ll find out this year as Federer aims to bow out with a victory.
Taking a quick break from the Wimbledon build-up, we look back at three of Federer’s most impressive Wimbledon final wins.
2003 beat Mark Philippoussis
Wimbledon 2003 will go down in history for fans of Federer as it was the year he won his first title at the London venue. FedEx beat Australian Philippoussis by three sets to love, claiming his place in the history books, joining an exclusive club of Wimbledon champions. The scoreboard that day showed just how impressive the winner was, reading 7-6, 6-2, 7-6.
His first Wimbledon title was also Roger’s first career Grand Slam, making him the first Swiss player to win a men’s singles Grand Slam tennis title. It kick-started his love affair with playing on the centre court of SW19.
2007 beat Rafael Nadal
Think famous rivalries in sport, and you can’t exclude Federer and Nadal. The two have massive respect for each other after competing head-to-head and carrying tennis for much of their careers. In the 2007 final, Federer came out on top, beating Nadal in a five-set thriller.
The score in that final was 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2. The game swung back and forth, keeping fans in attendance and watching around the world on the edge of their seats. It was a match no player deserved to lose, but no one could deny Roger his spectacular win. Interestingly, that was the first time Federer has played all five sets in a Grand Slam final, but coming through victorious bagged him a record-equaling fifth consecutive title, matching the efforts of Bjorn Borg. Roger wasn’t finished there, of course. There were plenty more thrilling Grand Slam finals played out between Federer and Nadal, with the pair winning more than their fair share of titles during a dominant period.
"Roger Federer win vs Rafael Nadal" by Ryan Pierse/Getty is licensed under CC BY 3.0
2017 Marin Cilic
Federer’s most recent Wimbledon win came in 2017, which was, arguably, his most impressive. We love his victory over Marin Cilic because it ended a five-year wait for another Wimbledon crown, proving he can never be written off in London. He upset the odds before. Will he do it again this year? It would be a brave pundit who says no.
The 2017 final was won by Federer in straight sets, dominating Cilic. The scorecard read 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. Roger was favourite to win that game after blazing a trail of glory to the final, and he didn’t disappoint on centre court. Many players are fazed by the splendour of the occasion but never Roger. He’s as calm when a set down as he is when a setup. It’s that winning mentality and steely character that has set him apart over the years, and although he may be getting on in years, his desire and will to win never drops.
Dates for your diary
Wimbledon 2021 begins on 28 June, with the final played on 11 July. Novak Djokovic enters as the men’s defending champion and favourite to retain his title. He already has five winner’s medals from this competition, and a sixth could be on the way.
The ladies defending champion is Shimona Halep, and many pundits have picked her to continue her rise with another win on Church Road. She showed that she is more than talented enough to win on the London grass, and another big effort is expected this summer.
