Roger Federer reacts to Alex Ovechkin surpassing Wayne Gretzky to earn historic NHL goal record

ATP legend Roger Federer congratulated NFL star Alexander Ovechkin for his historic achievement. The 20-time Grand Slam champion joined the likes of Simone Biles, Michael Jordan, Cody Rhodes and other renowned members of the sporting world to congratulate the Washington Capitals star.

The Capitals' captain, Alex Ovechkin, scored his 895th NHL goal during a game against the New York Islanders on April 6, 2025. He surpassed Wayne Gretzky's previous record of 894, making his victory memorable. The historic goal occurred in the second period on a power play and was assisted by Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome. The game paused for a 10-minute ceremony featuring NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Gretzky himself, who congratulated Ovechkin on his achievement.

After the update went viral, renowned members of the sporting community took to social media platforms to congratulate Ovechkin. In a video montage shared by NHL's official Instagram channel, Swiss tennis maestro Roger Federer was seen congratulating the Russian on his commendable achievement.

“I’m very happy for you! I hope you can hold the record forever,” he said.

The video clip also included key messages from other legendary athletes, including Michael Jordan, Mark Messier, Simone Biles and others. The video showcased how the achievement crossed the boundaries of the NHL to draw connections from athletes all across the globe.

Remembering the overtake: When Novak Djokovic surpassed Roger Federer to become the oldest world No. 1

Novak Djokovic at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters - Day One - Source: Getty

Though Novak Djokovic is far from the race to the World No.1 spot, he secured commendable achievements back in 2024, surpassing the legendary mark set by Roger Federer. On the same day last year, Djokovic surpassed the 20-time Grand Slam champion's record during his 419th at the summit.

Being 36 years and 321 days old, Djokovic became the oldest World No.1. This took down the bar set by Roger Federer in 2018 when he was 36 years and 320 days old. The Serb managed to extend the record to several weeks as he defended the top position till June.

This incident was recorded as a major milestone in Novak Djokovic's unforgettable rivalry against Federer. Both of them faced each other 50 times, with Djokovic leading 27–23. The Serb also holds an 11–6 advantage in Grand Slam events.

With Roger Federer out of the competition, Djokovic still continues to extend his numbers by chasing the 100th career title. Although he missed the chance at the Miami Open with a defeat against Jakub Mensik, his upcoming clay court season has yet to decide his fate.