Roger Federer facts for kids
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Federer at the 2015 Mutua Madrid Open
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| Country (sports) |  Switzerland |
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| Residence | Valbella, Switzerland | |||||||||||||
| Born | 8 August 1981 Basel, Switzerland |
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| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 1998 | |||||||||||||
| Retired | 23 September 2022 | |||||||||||||
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) | |||||||||||||
| Prize money | US$130,594,339
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| Singles | ||||||||||||||
| Career record | 1251–275 (82.0%) | |||||||||||||
| Career titles | 103 (2nd in the Open Era) | |||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (2 February 2004) | |||||||||||||
| Grand Slam singles results | ||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | W (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018) | |||||||||||||
| French Open | W (2009) | |||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | W (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017) | |||||||||||||
| US Open | W (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) | |||||||||||||
| Other tournaments | ||||||||||||||
| Tour Finals | W (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011) | |||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | F (2012) | |||||||||||||
| Doubles | ||||||||||||||
| Career record | 131–93 (58.5%) | |||||||||||||
| Career titles | 8 | |||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 24 (9 June 2003) | |||||||||||||
| Grand Slam doubles results | ||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | 3R (2003) | |||||||||||||
| French Open | 1R (2000) | |||||||||||||
| Wimbledon | QF (2000) | |||||||||||||
| US Open | 3R (2002) | |||||||||||||
| Other doubles tournaments | ||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | W (2008) | |||||||||||||
| Team competitions | ||||||||||||||
| Davis Cup | W (2014) | |||||||||||||
| Hopman Cup | W (2001, 2018, 2019) | |||||||||||||
| Signature | ||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Roger Federer is a famous former professional tennis player from Switzerland. He was ranked the world's number one player for a total of 310 weeks. This includes a record of 237 weeks in a row! He also finished as the year-end number one five times.
Federer won 103 singles titles on the ATP Tour, which is the second-highest number in the Open Era (since 1968). He also won 20 major men's singles titles, including a record eight Wimbledon titles. He shares the Open Era record of five US Open titles. He also won six year-end championships.
Roger Federer was a junior champion at Wimbledon in 1998. He even used to be a ball boy! He won his first major singles title at Wimbledon in 2003 when he was 21. From 2004 to 2009, Federer reached 20 out of 24 major singles finals. He won three of the four major tournaments and the ATP Finals in 2004, 2006, and 2007. He also won five titles in a row at both Wimbledon and the US Open.
He achieved the career Grand Slam at the 2009 French Open. This means he won all four major tournaments at least once. At age 27, he broke Pete Sampras' record of 14 major men's singles titles at Wimbledon in 2009.
Federer and Stan Wawrinka helped the Switzerland Davis Cup team win their first title in 2014. They had also won an Olympic doubles gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Federer also won a silver medal in singles at the 2012 London Olympics. He lost to Andy Murray in the final. After taking a break in 2016 for knee surgery, Federer returned to tennis. He won three more major titles in the next two years. This included the 2017 Australian Open against Nadal and a record eighth singles title at the 2017 Wimbledon Championships. At the 2018 Australian Open, Federer became the first man to win 20 major singles titles. He also became the oldest ATP world number one at 36 years old. He retired from professional tennis in September 2022 after the Laver Cup.
Federer was known for his graceful style on the court. He was very popular with tennis fans. Even though he lacked self-control as a junior player, he changed his behavior on court. He became known for his kindness and good sportsmanship. He won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award 13 times. He also won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award five times. Outside of playing, Federer helped create the Laver Cup team competition. He is also very active in charity work. He started the Roger Federer Foundation, which helps children in southern Africa. He raised money through special tennis matches called Match for Africa. By the end of his career, Federer was one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
Early Life and Junior Career
Roger Federer was born on August 8, 1981, in Basel, Switzerland. His father is Swiss, and his mother is from South Africa. This means Roger has both Swiss and South African citizenship. He has an older sister named Diana.
Roger started playing tennis at age three. He would go with his parents to their company's tennis courts on weekends. By age six, he was the best player in his age group. When he was eight, his mother enrolled him in a special junior program. He was taught by coach Adolf Kacovsky. Roger started using a one-handed backhand because his idols, like Stefan Edberg and Pete Sampras, used it.
From ages 10 to 14, Roger was coached by Australian player Peter Carter. Roger says Carter taught him his "entire technique and coolness." Roger played many sports as a child, like badminton, basketball, and football. He believes these sports helped him develop his hand-eye coordination. In 1993, he won the U12 Swiss national junior championships. This made him decide to focus only on tennis. He stopped playing football at age twelve. Roger was also a ball boy at the Swiss Indoors tournament in his hometown in 1992 and 1993.
He trained at the Swiss National Tennis Center from 1995 to 1997. There, he learned to speak French. He finished school in July 1997.
Junior Years: 1995–1998
In 1995, at age 13, Roger won the U14 Swiss national junior championship. He was then invited to train at the National Tennis Centre in Écublens. He trained for three hours a day and also studied. However, Roger found it hard to balance school and tennis. He struggled with living away from home and speaking French. He felt lonely and was often bullied. This tough time helped him become more independent.
Roger played his first junior match in 1996. In January 1997, he won the U18 Swiss national championship. In May, he won his first junior title in Prato, Italy, without losing a set. In September, he earned his first ATP points. He debuted in the ATP rankings at No. 803.
His biggest junior achievements came at Wimbledon in 1998. He won both the Boys' singles and Boys' doubles titles. He reached the US Open Junior final but lost to David Nalbandian. This was his only loss in a junior final. He finished 1998 as the No. 1 junior world player. He was named ITF Junior World Champion.
Tennis Career Highlights
Early Professional Career: 1998–2002
In July 1998, Roger Federer made his ATP debut in Switzerland. He lost his first match. Later that year, he won his first ATP match in Toulouse. He also played in his hometown tournament, the Swiss Indoors. He lost to former world No. 1 Andre Agassi. He finished 1998 ranked 301st in the world.
In April 1999, Federer played his first Davis Cup match. In August, he won his first professional title in Segovia, Spain. He entered the world's Top 100 for the first time in September 1999. He finished 1999 as the youngest player in the year-end top 100.
His first Grand Slam win was at the Australian Open in 2000. He reached his first singles final in Marseille, France, but lost. He finished 2000 ranked 29th. He made his Olympic debut in Sydney, reaching the semifinals. In January 2001, he won the Hopman Cup with Martina Hingis.
In 2001, Federer won his first singles title in Milan. He reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the French Open. His big breakthrough came at the Wimbledon Championships. The 19-year-old Federer beat four-time defending champion Pete Sampras. This ended Sampras' 31-match winning streak at Wimbledon.
In 2002, Federer reached his first Masters final in Miami. He then won his first Masters title in Hamburg, Germany. This win put him in the top 10 for the first time. On August 1, 2002, his long-time coach and mentor, Peter Carter, died in a car crash. This loss deeply affected Federer. He played with more determination after that. He finished 2002 ranked No. 6 in the world.
Grand Slam Breakthrough: 2003
In 2003, Federer won his first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon. He beat Andy Roddick in the semifinals and Mark Philippoussis in the final. He became one of the few players to win both the junior and senior Wimbledon titles. He also won his first doubles Masters event in Miami with Max Mirnyi. He reached nine finals on the ATP Tour and won seven of them. He finished 2003 as world No. 2.
Dominance Begins: 2004–2008
In 2004, Federer won three Grand Slam singles titles. This was the first time someone did that in a single season since 1988. He won the Australian Open, becoming world No. 1. He also won Wimbledon and the US Open. He won 11 singles titles and had an amazing record of 74 wins and 6 losses.
In 2005, Federer won Wimbledon for the third time. He also won the US Open, beating Andre Agassi in his last major final. He won 11 singles titles again. His record of 81 wins and 4 losses was one of the best ever.
The 2006 season was Federer's best. He won 12 singles titles and reached the final in 16 of the 17 tournaments he played. He won three Grand Slam titles: the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. He reached all four Grand Slam finals that year, losing only to Rafael Nadal at the French Open. He finished the year as world No. 1.
In 2007, Federer reached all four Grand Slam singles finals again, winning three of them. He won the Australian Open without losing a set. He broke Nadal's 81-match winning streak on clay at the Hamburg Masters. He then beat Nadal again in a thrilling five-set final at Wimbledon. This win tied him with Björn Borg for five consecutive Wimbledon titles. He also won the US Open. He finished 2007 as the year-end No. 1 for the fourth year in a row.
In 2008, Federer struggled with mononucleosis, an illness that made him very tired. He lost in the semifinals of the Australian Open. He lost to Nadal in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon. The Wimbledon final was a very close five-set match, considered one of the greatest ever. At the Olympic Games, Federer and Stan Wawrinka won the gold medal in doubles. Federer won his only Grand Slam of 2008 at the US Open. He finished the year ranked No. 2.
Career Grand Slam and Record Titles: 2009
Federer started 2009 by losing to Nadal in a tough five-set final at the Australian Open. His season improved when he beat Nadal on clay at the Madrid Masters. After Nadal was surprisingly defeated, Federer became the favorite to win the French Open. He won the final in straight sets, completing his career Grand Slam. This win also tied him with Pete Sampras for 14 Grand Slam singles titles.
At Wimbledon, Federer faced Andy Roddick in the final. It was the longest Grand Slam final in terms of games played. Federer won 16–14 in the fifth set, winning his 15th Grand Slam title. This broke Sampras' record. He finished 2009 as the year-end No. 1 for the fifth time.
Later Career: 2010s
Federer won his 16th major title at the Australian Open in 2010. He beat Andy Murray in the final. This was a period of great success for him. However, he then started to lose earlier in Grand Slam tournaments. He hired Paul Annacone as his coach to help him. Federer finished 2010 strongly, winning the ATP Finals in London.
2011 was a quieter year for Federer. He lost to Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in Grand Slam semifinals and finals. He lost at Wimbledon after winning the first two sets, which was unusual for him. He finished the season well, winning his last three tournaments. He ended 2011 ranked No. 3.
In 2012, Federer won the Rotterdam Open and the Dubai Championships. He also won the Indian Wells Masters. At Wimbledon, he beat Djokovic in the semifinals and Murray in the final. This was his seventh Wimbledon title, tying Sampras' record. With this win, he returned to world No. 1, breaking Sampras' record for most weeks at the top. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he won a silver medal in singles.
In 2013, Federer had back injuries. His ranking dropped from No. 2 to No. 6. He won only one title that year. He also lost early at Wimbledon, which was his worst Grand Slam defeat since 2003. This ended his record of 36 straight Grand Slam quarterfinals. He later hired Stefan Edberg as a co-coach.
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In 2014, Federer reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. He won his sixth Dubai crown. He reached a record ninth final at Wimbledon, but lost to Djokovic in a five-set match. Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka led Switzerland to win the Davis Cup for the first time in history. This was a huge moment for Swiss tennis.
In 2015, Federer won the Brisbane International. This made him only the third man in the Open Era to have 1,000 or more wins. He successfully defended his title at the Dubai Championships. He won his record eighth Gerry Weber Open. At Wimbledon, he reached his tenth final, but lost to Djokovic again. He also reached the US Open final, losing to Djokovic. He later changed his coaching team, bringing in Ivan Ljubičić.
In 2016, Federer had knee surgery and a back injury. He missed many tournaments, including the French Open (ending a streak of 65 straight Grand Slam appearances) and the Summer Olympics. This was his first season since 2000 without a title. Many thought his career might be ending.
Comeback and Retirement: 2017–2022
In 2017, Federer made an amazing comeback. His ranking had dropped to No. 17. At the Australian Open, he beat Rafael Nadal in the final. This was his first major title since 2012. He became the oldest man to win a major since 1974. He then won his 90th career title at Indian Wells. He also won in Miami, completing the "Sunshine Double."
He skipped the clay-court season to stay healthy. He then won a record-extending ninth title at the Gerry Weber Open. Federer won Wimbledon without losing a set. This was his record-breaking eighth Wimbledon title and 19th major title overall. He also helped Team Europe win the first Laver Cup. He even played doubles with his rival Rafael Nadal for the first time. He finished 2017 with his best win percentage since 2006.
In 2018, Federer won his second Hopman Cup title with Belinda Bencic. At the Australian Open, he defended his title, beating Marin Čilić in the final. He became the first man to win 20 Grand Slam titles. He also became the oldest ATP world No. 1 at 36 years old. He skipped the clay court season again. He won the Stuttgart Open, regaining the No. 1 ranking. At Wimbledon, he lost in the quarterfinals. He also played at the Laver Cup, helping Team Europe win again. He won his 99th career singles title at the Swiss Indoors.
In 2019, Federer won his third Hopman Cup. He then won his 100th career singles title at the Dubai Championships. He became only the second man to reach 100 titles. He played on clay courts for the first time since 2016. He reached the semifinals of the French Open. He won his tenth title at the Halle Open. At Wimbledon, he beat Nadal to reach his record 12th final. He lost to Djokovic in a very long five-set match. He won his tenth Swiss Indoors title.
Federer's final years were affected by injuries. In 2020, he reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. He then had two knee surgeries and missed the rest of the 2020 season. He also missed the 2021 Australian Open. In March 2021, Novak Djokovic broke his record for most weeks at No. 1. Federer returned to play but continued to struggle with his knee. He played his last singles match at Wimbledon 2021. He lost in the quarterfinals. He had another knee surgery in August 2021.
On September 15, 2022, Roger Federer announced his retirement from professional tennis. His last match was a doubles match at the 2022 Laver Cup with his friend and rival Rafael Nadal.
Rivalries
Roger Federer had many famous rivalries during his career.
Federer vs. Nadal
Federer and Rafael Nadal played each other 40 times. Nadal won 24 matches, and Federer won 16. Federer was better on grass and hard courts, while Nadal was much stronger on clay. They played in nine major finals, which is a record. They were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 for many years.
From 2006 to 2008, they played in every French Open final and every Wimbledon final. Nadal won six of their nine major finals. Many people consider their 2008 Wimbledon final to be the greatest tennis match ever.
Federer vs. Djokovic
Federer and Novak Djokovic played 50 times. Djokovic won 27 matches, and Federer won 23. They played 17 times at Grand Slam tournaments. Federer won their first Grand Slam final at the 2007 US Open. Federer ended Djokovic's long winning streak in 2011 at the French Open. However, Djokovic beat Federer in three Wimbledon finals (2014, 2015, 2019). The 2019 final lasted almost 5 hours.
Federer vs. Murray
Federer and Andy Murray played 25 times. Federer won 14 matches, and Murray won 11. They played six times at major tournaments, with Federer winning five of them. Federer won their first three major finals. Murray beat Federer in the final of the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Federer vs. Roddick
Federer and Andy Roddick played 24 times. Federer won 21 matches, and Roddick won only three. They played in four Grand Slam finals, and Federer won all of them. Roddick himself said it wasn't much of a rivalry because Federer won so often.
Legacy and Impact
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Roger Federer has won 20 Grand Slam tournament titles. This is the third most in men's tennis history. He reached 31 major finals, the second most ever. He won a men's doubles gold medal and a men's singles silver medal at the Olympics. He won a record eight Wimbledon titles. He also won five US Open titles in a row. He was world No. 1 for 310 weeks, the second-longest time for a male player. He was ranked in the top eight players for over 14 years.
Federer won the ATP Player of the Year award five times. He was named ITF World Champion five times. His fellow players voted him for the Sportsmanship Award a record 13 times. Tennis fans voted him the ATP Fans' Favorite for 19 years in a row. He also won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award five times. He is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time by many.
Roger Federer helped bring a "Golden Age" to tennis. This led to more interest in the sport and higher prize money for players. For example, when he won the Australian Open in 2004, he earned $985,000. When he won in 2018, the prize was AUD 4 million!
Playing Style
Federer was known for his amazing versatility on the court. Jimmy Connors once said, "In an era of specialists, you're either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialist... or you're Roger Federer."
He was an all-court player with great speed and smooth movements. He could hit incredible shots. He played mostly from the back of the court but was also excellent at the net. His forehand was very powerful and was called "the greatest shot in our sport" by John McEnroe.
Federer used a single-handed backhand, which allowed him to hit many different types of shots. He could hit slice shots to make opponents come to the net. He could also hit powerful topspin winners. His serve was hard to read because he always used a similar ball toss. He was also good at serve and volleying, especially earlier in his career.
Later in his career, he added the drop shot to his game. He also sometimes used a "tweener" or "hotdog" shot, hitting the ball between his legs. After Stefan Edberg joined his coaching team, Federer played more aggressively. He also developed a new shot called SABR (Sneak Attack By Roger). This was a quick attack on an opponent's second serve.
Demeanor and Attitude
Federer was known for being calm and controlled on the court. He rarely showed anger or frustration. This gave him an advantage over opponents who might lose their temper. When he was younger, he used to get very emotional and throw his racket. But he learned to control his feelings as he became a professional. His coaches helped him develop a strong work ethic.
Off the Court
Homages and Tributes
Roger Federer has been honored many times. In 2012, a street in Halle, Germany, was named "Roger-Federer-Allee." In 2016, a street in Biel, Switzerland, where he trained as a junior, was renamed "1 Allée Roger Federer." In 2021, his hometown of Basel launched a new tram called "The Federer Express."
In 2017, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Basel. This was for his work in raising Switzerland's reputation and his charity work. In 2019, he became the first living person to be featured on Swiss coins. His face was put on the 20-franc coin and later on a 50-franc gold coin. In 2007, the Swiss Post released a special stamp for him.
Philanthropy
In 2003, Federer started the Roger Federer Foundation. This foundation helps disadvantaged children get access to education and sports. He also supports the IMBEWU charity in South Africa. In 2006, he became a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
Federer has organized many charity events. In 2005, he held "Rally for Relief" to help tsunami victims. He also auctioned his racket to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. In 2010, he organized "Hit for Haiti" to raise money for earthquake victims. He also played "Match for Africa" events with Rafael Nadal and Bill Gates to raise funds for his foundation.
Sponsorships
Federer has many sponsors, including Japanese clothing company Uniqlo and Swiss companies like Rolex and Lindt. He also has deals with Mercedes-Benz, Barilla, and Gillette. Since 2021, he has worn shoes made by On, a Swiss company he is also a shareholder in.
Personal Life
Federer is married to former tennis player Miroslava "Mirka" Vavrinec. They met at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Mirka retired from tennis due to a foot injury. They got married in 2009. They have two sets of twins: twin girls born in 2009 and twin boys born in 2014.
Federer owns homes in Dubai and Switzerland. He was raised as a Roman Catholic. He speaks Swiss German (his native language), Standard German, French, and English fluently. He also knows some Italian and Swedish.
Health and Training
When he was 18, Federer was excused from military service in Switzerland due to a chronic back problem. Throughout his career, he rarely withdrew from matches due to injury. In 2008, he was diagnosed with mononucleosis, which affected his fitness.
Federer had three knee surgeries during his career. The first two were on his left knee in 2016 and 2020. The third was on his right knee in 2022. These injuries eventually led to his retirement. Federer had a detailed training program that worked on all his muscles.
Images for kids
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Roger Federer's signature.
