10 most painful Grand Slam defeats for Roger Federer

Modified Jul 16, 2019 10:40 GMT

Day Thirteen: The Championships - Wimbledon 2019

#3 2009 Australian Open final: Nadal beat Federer 7-5 3-6 7-6(3) 3-6 6-2

A fifth Grand Slam final defeat to Nadal reduced Federer to tears at the 2009 Australian Open

Following a difficult 2008 season, by Federer's standards, after two debilitating defeats against Nadal in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon, Federer arrived at the 2009 Australian Open hoping to equal Pete Sampras' then record tally of 14 Grand Slams.

Heartbreak awaited the Swiss as Nadal reeled off consecutive five-set wins in as many days (beat Verdasco in the semis) to deny Federer a shot at history. After a fifth reverse in a Slam final against his Spanish nemesis, the defeat was so debilitating and deflating for the Swiss that he was reduced to tears at the trophy ceremony. In a magnanimous gesture, Nadal hugged his good friend Federer on court and assured him that a 14th wasn't far away. The words proved prophetic enough as the Swiss reached the magical figure, with his first French Open title, few months later.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 18 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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