Roger Federer's best memory - 2008 edition: the most epic match ever

Roger Federer's career is studded with great successes and incredible records: with 20 Slams, he is the record holder but the Swiss Maestro has achieved other great goals, such as eight triumphs at Wimbledon, the weeks as the world no. 1, and the titles on the grass and hard courts. For each season, however, there is a particular goal, an achievement that should be highlighted. In 2008 Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal played one of the biggest tennis matches ever, at Wimbledon

2008 was a complicated season for Federer. Already, starting from the Australian Open, where the winner was Novak Djokovic. At the beginning of the year, he had mononucleosis, which did not allow him to train well. At Roland Garros, he was again defeated by Rafael Nadal. His only triumph in a Slam occurred in September, at the US Open, when he defeated a young Andy Murray in straight sets.

However the pinnacle of his season, despite the defeat, was the Wimbledon final. For the third consecutive year, he faced Nadal, who was improving year after year on grass. That epic finale touched one of the highest points in the history of tennis, with peaks of emotions, quality and drama that thrilled the crowd, fans, media and insiders.

To get to the final Federer eliminated Hrbatý, Söderling, Gicquel, Hewitt, Ancic and Safin. Nadal won the first two sets of the final 6-4, 6-4. Federer was in trouble, but with pride and mental strength, he won the third and fourth sets in two tie-breaks, 7-6(5), 7-6(8). The epilogue was the incredible fifth set, won by Nadal 9-7. It was an epochal battle, the end of an era for Federer, Wimbledon winner for five consecutive years. But it was a triumph for tennis, which lived one of its main pages. Federer won Wimbledon three more times after 2008.

"(Post-match) was a tragic situation for me. I was discouraged. But what happened months later was incredible. I began to see beyond defeat and accept that the world had fallen in love with me as an athlete even in a moment of disappointment. It is since 2008 that I have had even more support. They wanted to see me win again," he said in 2014.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Krl5RB