"There was pressure from all sides - also from myself, I wanted to do better" - When young Roger Federer won Wimbledon for the first time

Roger Federer once opened up about the release of pressure he experienced after winning his maiden Wimbledon title at just 21 years of age. The triumph not only marked his maiden title at the grasscourt Major but also his first Grand Slam title overall.

Federer's love story with Wimbledon began when he won the boys' singles title in 1998. The Swiss made his professional breakthrough at the grasscourt Major as a 19-year-old, upsetting his idol and four-time defending champion Pete Sampras in the fourth round in the 2001 edition of the event.

However, the high expectations placed on him were tempered the following year when he crashed out of the 2002 Wimbledon Championships in the first round with a shock loss to Mario Ancic.

Determined to redeem himself, Federer felt he had a lot to prove during his return to the All England Club in 2003. Entering the Major as the fourth seed, he didn't buckle under the pressure, beating the likes of Mardy Fish, Feliciano Lopez and Andy Roddick to reach his first Grand Slam final.

The Swiss took on Mark Philippoussis in the final, claiming a commanding 7-6(5), 6-2, 7-6(3) win to clinch his maiden Wimbledon title. The magnitude of the achievement was evident in the then-21-year-old's emotional response, as he broke down in tears after his triumph.

Speaking during the trophy presentation, Roger Federer confessed to the immense pressure he felt to meet expectations, both external and self-imposed, to do better at the Majors. Describing the moment as a dream come true, he recounted his childhood aspirations of triumphing at the grasscourt Major.

"There was pressure from all sides - also from myself. I wanted to do better in Slams. I've always believed, but then in the end, when it happens, you don't think that it is possible," he said.

"It's an absolute dream for me. I was always joking around when I was a boy: 'I'm going to win this.' You see the trophy, and it's so beautiful. Gold. You don't have golden trophies very often," he added.

The Swiss' coach, Peter Fleming, who cried while watching his protege lift the trophy, asserted that Federer's tears allowed people to understand that the players were human.

"He's a very emotional person, and that's nice for people to see. These guys are human," Fleming said (via The Gasden Times).

"It was my most important match in my life" - Roger Federer on crying after winning maiden Wimbledon title

Roger Federer with the 2003 Wimbledon trophy (Source: Getty)

During his post-match press conference, Roger Federer elaborated on the importance of beating Mark Philippoussis in the final after triumphing over Andy Roddick in the semifinals.

"Oh, you know, like I said on the court, for me this is the best ever, you know. It was my most important match in my life, you know, and already the semifinal was maybe the most important," he said.

Given the significance of his victory, it was unsurprising that the Swiss legend broke down in tears, admitting that he simply couldn't hold back his emotions.

"They [the tears] come from Switzerland (laughter). No, I don't know, I've cried, you know, a few times on big occasions. Somehow, in the first moment, I don't think I will, but then I just can't keep [it in], you know, keep it like this," he said.

Federer's triumph at the 2003 Wimbledon Championships marked the first of his record eight titles at SW19. The 20-time Grand Slam champion won his final title at the grasscourt Major in 2017, beating Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in the final.