Roger Federer has revealed that two defeats from his career haunt him more than his agonising loss to Novak Djokovic in the 2019 Wimbledon final. The Swiss tennis icon, who retired in September 2022, is currently in New York ahead of the US Open, where he has been playing a series of exhibition matches.
Federer, a 20-time major winner, squandered two match points against Djokovic in that 2019 final, ultimately losing in five sets. He never won at SW19 again. Yet despite that setback, the Swiss hero counts two other losses as more painful: the 2009 US Open final against Juan Martin del Potro and his legendary defeat to Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2008.
Federer on his most painful defeats
Asked which game has played on his mind the most, Federer told PuntodeBreak: “I suppose the 2019 final with Novak. I think I played very well in the semi-finals and also very well in the final.”
However, he added: “It's funny that I regret those matches against Rafa and Delpo more than the match with Novak. I am the king of lost match points.”
At 38, Federer had navigated the 2019 edition of Wimbledon in typically ruthless fashion and arrived at the final after seeing off Nadal in the semi-finals. A win over Djokovic would have meant defeating his two biggest rivals consecutively in the same Slam, but it wasn't to be.
Turning points against Nadal and del Potro
Federer insists it is not the loss to Djokovic that has tormented him the most. Although he acknowledged that the defeat could have weighed heavily on others, it didn't on him. That cannot be said for the other two games he mentioned, however.
Upon facing del Potro at Flushing Meadows in 2009, Federer had previously dominated the New York-based event, winning five consecutive titles between 2004 and 2008. The Argentinian beat Federer 3-2, and the Swiss idol's loss coincided with him never winning the US Open again in his career.
At the All England Club in 2008, against Nadal in a match many consider the greatest of all time, Federer's run of five titles on the spin was ended by his Spanish rival. In a marathon tie that ran almost five hours, Nadal won the first of his two Wimbledon titles in a five-set thriller. Federer would go on to claim the title another three times, winning it in 2009, 2012 and 2017.
Federer back in New York
Federer is back at the US Open this week and played a series of exhibition matches before the Grand Slam gets underway on August 30. On Tuesday night, Federer, 45, beat Andy Roddick in a singles match before joining forces with John McEnroe to win a doubles exhibition against Roddick and Andre Agassi.
“It's great to be back in New York,” Federer said. “It's incredible. I have incredible memories of this court, the fans here and the city. In 2004 and 2005, that's when it all started here, my love for New York, with the victories here. I fell in love with this city and this court from day one.”
