Roger Federer's 3 greatest Grand Slam escapes

Roger Federer produced one of the greatest Houdini acts of his professional career when the Swiss maestro saved as many as 7 match points against inspired American Tennys Sandgren the 2020 Australian Open quarterfinals.

This marked the 22nd time the 20-time Grand Slam champion has won a match from match point down, and the first since doing so against Gael Monfils in the 2019 Madrid Masters third round.

With the win, Federer (32-23 overall, 30-17 in Majors) tied Marin Cilic (32) for most fifth-set wins by an active player in the Open Era and overtook Lleyton Hewitt (46) for most five-set matches in Grand Slams. Only Ilie Nastase (39), Ivan Lendl (36) and Pete Sampras (33) have won more five-set matches in the all-time list.

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On that note, let us have a look at Federer's three greatest Grand Slam escape acts, when the Swiss maestro teetered on the brink of defeat only for his opponent to blink at the most inopportune moment.

#3 2014 US Open Quarterfinals: Beats Gael Monfils 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2

Federer exults after beating Monfils in the quarterfinals of the 2014 US Open

On a swirling evening at Flushing Meadows, Federer's usual stroke-making fluency went for a toss. The mercurial Frenchman Gael Monfils took a commanding two-set lead in their quarterfinal match at the 2014 US Open, and things looked bleak for Federer.

The then 33-year-old managed to stop the rot by taking the third set, but fell behind 15-40 at 4-5 down in the fourth. On the first opportunity, Monfils sent a backhand pass long.

Energised by the lucky reprieve, Federer blasted a forehand winner to erase the second, and Monfils never again came close to winning the match. The 5-time champion won two more points to hold serve for 5-5, broke Monfils in the next game and promptly served out the set to force a fifth.

The decider was but a blur for the Frenchman, who won just two games in the set as Federer produced the ninth comeback of his career from two sets down. It also marked the first time Federer escaped match points at a Major since saving a match point in his debut match at the US Open in 2000 against Peter Wessels.

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#2 2016 Wimbledon Quarterfinals: Beats Marin Cilic 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-3

Federer celebrates his win over Cilic in the quarterfinals at 2016 Wimbledon

In an injury-ravaged 2016 which limited his participation to just nine tournaments, Federer arrived at Wimbledon without a title in the season for the first time since 2000.

Making his 19th consecutive appearance at the grasscourt Major, Federer reeled off wins over Guido Pella, Marcus Willis, Daniel Evans and Steve Johnson to book a quarterfinal meeting with Marin Cilic.

Having lost to Cilic in the pair's previous clash - in the semifinals of the 2014 US Open - the Swiss maestro looked second best for large swathes in the match at SW19 too.

Shelled by Cilic's heavy artillery, Federer fell behind two sets and had to dig out of a 0-40 hole at 3-3 in the third en route to prolonging the contest by forcing a fourth. Federer faced match points serving 4-5 and 5-6 down in the fourth set, and another in the ensuing tiebreak, before sending the match to a decider - where Cilic's challenge fizzled away.

Buoyed by his newfound momentum, Federer whizzed past the finish line for the loss of just three games in the decider to move into the semifinals. In the process, Federer overtook Todd Martin (9) for most comebacks in Majors from two sets down.

#1 2020 Australian Open Quarterfinals: Beats Tennys Sandgren 6-3, 2-6, 2-6, 6-7(8), 6-3

Federer greets Sandgren at the net after their quarterfinal at the 2020 Australian Open

On paper it appeared to be a hopeless mismatch, given the gulf in experience and pedigree of the two players.

While Federer was making his 15th quarterfinal at the Australian Open, and a record-extending 57th in Grand Slams, Tennys Sandgren was playing his second Major quarterfinal, two years after making the last eight at Melbourne Park.

In the pair's first ever meeting on tour, Federer squandered break points before breaking the American at 3-2 en route to taking the opener 6-3. However, afflicted by an injury, Federer began to appear restrained in his movements as Sandgren reveled in the spotlight.

The Swiss maestro won only two games as Sandgren restored parity at a set apiece and then streaked to a 3-0 lead in the third. Following a medical timeout. Federer struggled to make an impact on the American's serve as Sandgren took the set 6-2 to stand a set away from a monumental upset.

Federer, serving at 4-5 in the fourth, had to dig deep to save three match points. In the ensuing tiebreak, a loose forehand from Federer at 3-3 allowed Sandgren to streak 6-3 clear and have three more match points.

The 38-year-old took care of his serve to erase the first two but Sandgren stood a swing of his racquet away from the greatest win of his career. However, as the American tightened, Federer seized the initiative to get back on serve.

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Sandgren saved Federer's first set point of the set with an ace and arrived at a seventh match point, only for the 20-time Grand Slam winner to win 3 points on the trot to take the match to a decider.

Federer was now a man reborn. With adrenaline coursing through his veins and a partisan crowd firmly behind him, Federer broke Sandgren for 4-2 in the fifth. He ultimately converted his first match point to extend his perfect Australian Open quarterfinal record to 15-0.

In the process, Federer also extended his near-perfect record against Americans at Grand Slam tournaments to 36-1. He has now gone 32 matches unbeaten against American opposition at Majors since losing to Andre Agassi in the fourth round of the 2001 US Open.

For a place in a record 8th Australian Open final, Federer will take on defending champion Novak Djokovic in the pair's 50th meeting on tour.

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