Roger Federer's Most Important Grand Slam Titles

The WImbledon Championships in 2003 saw the first of Federer's many Grand Slam victories.

After suffering from back problems and encountering a stubborn, hustling and energetic American Andy Roddick in the semifinals, the match which many believed would determine the winner of the tournament, Federer faced Mark Phillipousis, from Australia, in the final.

Overcoming nerves, tension and drama, Federer sealed his first Wimbledon and Slam victory in 3 sets. After finally fulfilling his childhood dream, tears of happiness flowed and Federer became a national hero in Switzerland.

Would this be the start of a majestic career? That, only Federer could determine.

The 2007 Wimbledon final saw a rematch of the 2006 final where Federer was also triumphant—his recurring nemesis in both encounters, and in many other tournaments, being Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard was a formidable threat on clay to Federer, but he had not been able to transition his game entirely successfully on grass.

2007, however, was the year when this began to change.

Federer won through a relatively comfortable 4 set match in 2006; however 2007 was a much tougher task. Five tight sets decided the winner.

With this hard-fought victory, Federer was able to extend his winning streak on grass to over 50 matches.

Most importantly, this win equalled Bjorn Borg's amazing record of 5 consecutive Wimbledon victories, a record that many believed could never be matched.

With this record win—Federer's 11th Major—the Swiss really began to take a closer look at the history books and his place among the greats.

The 2008 US Open was yet another turning point in Federer's immense Slam history.

After a bout of mononucleosis severely affected his performance at the 2008 Australian Open (he lost to Serb Novak Djokovic in the semifinals), doubts were raised over Federer's hegemony at the top of the men's game.

The dual effect of Nadal's 3 set win at Roland Garros in Paris at the French Open later in the year, combined with a hugely tight, epic match and consequent defeat at Wimbledon several weeks later, the questions persisted.

The Wimbledon loss in particular affected Federer badly—he admitted that he felt pained after the loss at his favourite tournament, especially due to the dramatic fashion in which the match ended, in the darkness at 9.30pm, after several rain delays.

Yet after winning a stunning Olympic Gold medal at the Beijing Games in the doubles with his Swiss partner, Stanislas Wawrinka, Federer travelled to New York with renewed energy and confidence.

A five set thriller against Russian Igor Andreev propelled him further; he beat Novak Djokovic, a predicted threat, emphatically in the semifinals and then blazed to victory against Andy Murray from Scotland in the final to win his 13th Grand Slam.

A fifth consecutive victory at Flushing Meadows—a feat that had never been achieved before in the Open Era.

Together with his 5 consectiive titles at Wimbledon, this made two 5-peats—once again, a feat never before achieved.

Federer was certainly not finished. Not by a long shot.

For the past 4 years, a Federer victory at Roland Garros looked as doomed as another player making it to the final of a Grand Slam event.

There were chances, certainly—but they were all too quickly quashed by the unceasing opponent.

But as soon as Rafael Nadal exited the French Open in a shock fourth-round loss to Robin Soderling, all eyes turned to Federer. Could this be the year when he could finally complete a career Grand Slam?

It certainly looked close for a few games in several of Federer's matches. Against Tommy Haas of Germany in the quarterfinal, Federer was 5 points away from defeat.

A pummeled forehand, expertly directed with power and speed crosscourt, showed the world that Federer was not out just yet.

Argentinian Juan Martin Del Potro put up another stern test in the semifinals, with Federer feeling the pressure mounting on his shoulders; but again the Swiss proved victorious.

The final was a less tight affair, although it was still punctuated with drama—an intruder leaped on to court and startled the good-natured Federer - but soon natural order was restored.

Finally, after 3 sets against Swede Robin Soderling, Federer was able to hold the Coupe des Mosquetaires aloft.

With this victory, Federer won his 14th Grand Slam, tying Pete Sampras' unbelievable record. If not more importantly, he joined an elite group of five men—Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi, Fred Perry and Don Budge—that have won all four Slams in their careers.

A truly momentous victory.

With Nadal's pre-tournament exit due to recurring tendonitis in his knees, together with a new roof over Centre Court, it was certain that there would be no repeat of the previous year's rain-delayed, darkening final drama between Federer and Nadal. But was it certain that Federer would be one of the two finalists?

By the end of the first week of the tournament, it was clear. After the emotionally draining French Open, Federer was back to his best.

He reached the final with relative ease; but his opponent had considerably more problems. Facing Lleyton Hewitt, then Andy Murray, in the quarterfinal and semifinal respectively (the latter being announced as a true threat for the title), Andy Roddick nevertheless proved victorious with renewed vigor, booming serves and an all-court game.

The final, then, turned into an epic all on its own. A spectacular second set tiebreak, where Roddick had the 4 break points to go 2 set to love up, ended miraculously in Federer's favour.

The fifth and final set, with no tiebreak, seemed like a match all in itself. Throughout, Roddick had broken Federer just twice, but those two times were the crucial breaks to secure two sets; Federer, on the other hand, had won his two sets on tiebreaks, not breaking a Roddick serivce game once.

Even the most ardent Federer fans felt that in this 21st meeting between the pair—even after 18 wins for the Swiss—the momentum was with Roddick.

Yet in the 30th game of the set, at 15-14 Federer, Roddick flinched. Mirka Federer, pregnant and noticeably uncomfortable in the heat and under the pressure, together with the rest of the player's box, looked on in hope.

Advantage Federer. Championship point. Game, Set and Match: Federer.

After over 70 games and 4 and a half hours of continuous play, with Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver and many other greats looking on from the Royal Box and elsewhere, Roger Federer truly won.

A fifteenth Grand Slam, a sixth Wimbledon title and a return to the Number One ranking.

A culmination of a career, of numerous records smashed. What a victory.