Tennis legend Federer turns 30.
One of the biggest names in world sports, the Swiss athlete boasts 782 wins and 67 titles, with legendary status among fans.
Manuela Meneses_247 – One of the greatest legends in world sport turns thirty this Monday, the 8th. Swiss tennis player Roger Federer is considered by many to be the greatest player of his generation. In 1999, a year after his professional debut, Federer made his mark on the world by becoming the youngest tennis player in history to finish a season among the top 100 in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings. In his first Grand Slam, the then-inexperienced athlete defeated the renowned Pete Sampras in the Wimbledon round of 16 and, since then, has become the most feared tennis player by his opponents.
In 2004, after winning the Australian Open, Federer achieved the number one ranking in the world for the first time. His reign at the top of the world rankings lasted 237 weeks, the longest in the history of world tennis. Despite being treated as a hero across the circuits, the Swiss player was eliminated in the semi-finals of Roland Garros that same year, losing to Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten. This elimination didn't discourage him, and with the support of his American coach, Paul Annacone, Federer overcame the greatest test of his victorious career: winning the most elegant and traditional tournament in world tennis, the Wimbledon Open, in a thrilling final against American Andy Rodrick. To cap off the year perfectly, Federer also won the US Open final against veteran Andre Agassi.
Highly praised by the press and besieged by thousands of fans, the tennis player became one of the most recognizable faces in Switzerland. His spectacular plays even drew movie stars, rock stars, and former tennis players to his matches. In early 2008, Federer lost ground on the circuit and began one of the sport's greatest rivalries. Matches against Spaniard Rafael Nadal are considered great spectacles in tennis. After a meteoric career, Nadal became the ultimate opponent to beat. Currently, Federer occupies the 3rd position in the ATP world ranking, behind only Serbian Novak Djokovic, who leads the list, and Spaniard Nadal. At 30 years old, the tennis player has 782 wins, 67 titles, and holds the Career Grand Slam trophy, awarded to the select group of tennis players who have won all the Grand Slams of the season.
In addition to awards and multi-million dollar advertising contracts, the Swiss player runs a foundation supporting underprivileged children in South Africa, his mother's homeland. For fans, the statement made by the tennis player during his Wimbledon victory defines the idol's personality: "I would like to be remembered as the guy who played clean, was polite and humble." Combining talent, humility and courage, Federer definitely belongs to the select hall of legends of world sport.
´