Top 5 match points squandered by Roger Federer

In a career of remarkable achievements, Roger Federer has seen it all. From winning Wimbledon in his early twenties, to winning three Grand Slams a year thrice in a row and lately, becoming the oldest player to be the world number one. Federer has made some unbelievable comebacks, produced sublime tennis under pressure as well as let slip away some critical chances in his career.

Very recently, Federer had a great chance to close the Wimbledon quarter-final match against Kevin Anderson, where he was leading by two sets to love and a match point at 5-4 in the third set. But Federer failed to capitalize and convert the match point, which would have put him just one match away from the summit clash against Novak Djokovic.

In this article we look at the top 5 match points squandered by Roger Federer:

---

#5 2006 Rome Masters final vs Rafael Nadal

This contest was a battle to remember

Nobody would have foreseen what was going to unfold in the 2006 Rome Masters final. The match was a five-hour frenzy. Federer won the first set 7-6, but Nadal staged a strong comeback to win the third set 7-6 and the third set 6-4. Federer won the fourth set 6-2 to take the match into the deciding set.

The fifth set was nothing short of a cliffhanger, Federer broke Nadal in the fourth game of the set to take a 3-1 lead, and subsequently consolidated by holding his serve to take a 4-1 lead in the fifth set. Federer was on the verge on a 5-2 lead, but a resilient Nadal broke Federer to put the match back on serve at 4-3.

Next came the decisive moment, when Federer had two match points, with Nadal serving at 5-6 (15-40). Federer’s forehand errors went into overdrive at this critical juncture. He made two forehand errors that brought the game back to deuce and the fifth set went into the tie-breaker. In the tie-breaker, Federer rose to a 5-3 lead, but a rampant Nadal on clay, nullified the lead and went on to win the tie breaker 7-5.

Match Result - Nadal won 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6.

Shop Online Tennis Rackets Online at the Best Price

#4 2016 ATP 250 Stuttgart semi-final vs Dominic Thiem

One of the rarest defeats for Federer on grass

Dominic Thiem is a great star in the making and is a potential Grand Slam winner. He recently made it to the French Open final, but couldn’t stop the King of Clay Nadal in his pursuit of a record eleventh French Open title.

Now, this match at Stuttgart seems less dramatic compared to the other matches presented in this article. However, a win against Federer on grass is no mean feat.

Federer won the first set 6-3, and the second set went into a tie-breaker. Federer had a match point at 6-5 in the tie breaker, but Thiem engineered a marvellous drop shot which forced Federer on to the net and then smashed a volley, which drew an error from Federer to make it 6-6 in the tie breaker.

Federer had a match point again at 7-6 in the tie breaker and this time on his own serve, but a strong return of serve helped Thiem save the second match point to make it 7-7. Thiem went on to win the tie breaker 9-7 and the third set 6-4.

Match Result- Thiem won 3-6, 7-6, 6-4

Shop Online Tennis Shoes - Up to 50% Discount

#3 2010 US Open semi-final vs Novak Djokovic

The Djoker had lots of tricks up his sleeve

Novak Djokovic rose to prominence after winning the 2008 Australian Open. In the 2007 US Open final and the 2009 US Open semi-final, Federer outplayed Djokovic by winning both the matches in straight sets.

But this match had a different plot altogether. The match was poised at two sets all, with Djokovic serving at 4-5 (15-40) in the fifth set.

Djokovic saved the first match point by maneuvering Federer too far behind the baseline and followed it up with a forehand winner. He saved the second match point with a solid serve and an on-the-line forehand winner, that sent spectators inside the Arthur Ash Stadium into delirium.

Djokovic won the game to make it 5-5 in the fifth set and broke Federer’s serve in the next game to serve for the match at 6-5. Federer had a break point in the following game at 30-40, but Djokovic’s serve was too deft and impenetrable, that forced an error from the Swiss. Djokovic hung on to win the match and the final set 7-5.

Match Result – Djokovic won 5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5.

#2 2011 US Open semi-final vs Novak Djokovic

The return that was too hot to handle

This was the second consecutive year in which year both players would lock horns in the 2011 US Open semi-finals and this time too the plot was similar to their previous encounter at the 2010 US Open semi-final. Both players prior to this Grand Slam match had a tight match at the 2011 French Open semi-final, which Federer won in four sets.

In the fifth set at 4-3, Federer broke Djokovic’s serve to love to take a crucial 5-3 lead. Serving for the match at 40-15, Federer looked well on course for another showdown with Nadal. But, as in the previous encounter, Djokovic was at his unflappable best.

Djokovic saved the first match point by whacking the return on Federer’s serve that flew like a bazooka. It was 40-30 and Federer still had a chance to close out the match on his serve. However, an unforced error, which saw Federer’s forehand hit the net cord, made it 40-40, and Federer double-faulted to surrender the game back to Djokovic.

Federer couldn’t recover from the zenith of Djokovic’s resurgence and dropped the next four games and the match.

Match Result - Djokovic won 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5

#1 2005 Australian Open semi-final vs Marat Safin

The audacious lob that saved Safin from the jaws of defeat

If there was one match Marat Safin would narrate to his grandchildren, it would have to be this one. It was a contest in which the pendulum swung from one extreme to the other.

The first three sets were tight and both players produced high voltage tennis, with Federer leading two sets to one.

The incomprehensible proceedings began in the fourth set tie-breaker. The Swiss had a match point at 6-5 on his serve in the fourth-set tie-break, but Safin produced a superb lob which Federer sprinted back to try a between-the-legs shot only to hit the net to make 6-6. Safin went on to win the tie-breaker 8-6.

In the fifth set, Safin broke Federer to gain a 5-2 lead. Being the world number one, Federer just wouldn’t accept an utterly ignominious end to a fairytale match.

Federer saved two match points at 3-5 and broke Safin’s serve to bring the match back on serve at 4-5. Federer saved another match point at 4-5. But the ordeal wasn’t over, Federer was down 15-40 at 6-7 , but some prudent serving from Federer helped him save two match points to make it 7-7

The flurry of match points continued for Safin on Federer’s serve again at 7-8. Safin had two match points at 15-40, Federer saved one match point, but at 30-40, Safin’s shot dragged Federer out of court and he blasted home a forehand winner in an open court to seal his place in the 2005 Australian Open final.

Match result - Safin won 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6, 9-7