Roger Federer's best memory - 2012 edition: Seventh heaven in London

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 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.

Anno Domini 2012, the year in which, according to the Mayans, the end of the world should have occurred. The year in which the Swiss Maestro won his 7th Wimbledon title, equaling the successes of William Renshaw and Pete Sampras, at the end of a simply exceptional tournament. In the year in which he won six titles and he came back as world no.1, Federer played wonderful tennis on the lawns of the All England Club. He also won Rotterdam, Dubai, Indian Wells, Madrid and Cincinnati.

At the Championships he started the tournament as seed no.3, behind Novak Djokovic, defending Champion and seed no.1 and Rafael Nadal, seed no.2. The Spaniard was eliminated already in the second round by Lukas Rosol. In the first two rounds, Federer defeated Albert Ramos and Fabio Fognini without too many problems and in straight sets. The third round was a crossroads: against Julian Benneteau he needed the fifth set and superb performance to beat the Frenchman, who won the first two sets, risking defeat in the 4th set (4-6, 6-7(3) 6- 2 7-6(6) 6-1).

In the fourth round, Federer eliminated Xavier Malisse in four sets, with some difficulty. After winning the quarterfinals in three sets against Mikhail Youznhy, Federer made the masterpiece in the semifinal, defeating Djokovic in four sets, at the end of a match played almost perfectly, won by 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

In the final the epilogue most awaited by the British crowd and media: Andy Murray (British champion borrowed from Scotland) against the Game Master. Federer won in four sets, despite losing in the first one, with the final score of 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. He greatly disappointed both Murray and the British people, awaiting a champion at Wimbledon since Freed Perry's time.

Thanks to that victory Federer won the 17th Slam of his career the seventh Wimbledon title, equaling William Renshaw and Pete Sampras. A few weeks later Murray took revenge, defeating Federer in the final for the Olympic gold medal in London 2012, right on the Wimbledon Center Court. A year later he won Wimbledon.

"I think I peaked in popularity probably in 2012. I couldn't become more popular or receive more support from people. Without a doubt one of the main reasons why I keep playing is to feel the support of people, to be close to them, looking for to strike good shots and give them a show," said Federer in a 2019 interview.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2y9XqCK