Roger Federer has played only three Major tournaments since the start of 2020, struggling with a knee injury and undergoing three surgeries. Last year, Roger scored seven wins at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and he is yet to play a match in 2022 following his most recent surgery.
Federer played his first Major matches at Roland Garros and Wimbledon 1999, failing to score a win and fixing that at the beginning of 2000. Roger’s first Major triumph came against Michael Chang at the Australian Open 2000, securing the first out of many victories on the most significant tennis scene and carving his path towards tennis immortals.
Men’s tennis has seen many changes in the past two decades, but Roger has always been among the players to beat at Majors, at least before the injury. The Swiss reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in 2001 and waited for two more years to claim the first Major trophy at Wimbledon 2003.
Roger scored at least one Major victory between 2000 and 2021, rattling off 22 seasons with that feat and leaving Jimmy Connors on 21.
Roger Federer has won at least one Major match in 22 seasons to set a record.
Andre Agassi secured a Major win in 20 consecutive seasons between 1987-2006, with Rafael Nadal joining him on 20 this year.
Federer grabbed the record at the last year’s Roland Garros with the first-round victory over Denis Istomin. Roger became the first player with 80 appearances at Majors and toppled the Uzbek 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 in an hour and 33 minutes.
Playing sharp and aggressive tennis, the Swiss lost 13 points behind the initial shot and kept the pressure on the other side. Federer converted five out of 13 break opportunities and raced over the finish line for one of his quickest Roland Garros wins.
In the second round, Roger beat his old rival Marin Cilic 6-2, 2-6, 7-6, 6-2 in two hours and 35 minutes for a place in the third round. Federer earned the tenth victory over Cilic in 11 encounters and the fifth in a row, all at notable tournaments.
The Swiss fired 16 aces and suffered three breaks from eight chances offered to Marin while converting five return opportunities that sent him through. Roger fired 47 winners and 27 unforced errors to tame his strokes nicely, prevailing in the third set and dominating the fourth to advance into the last 32.
Federer scored another victory over Dominik Koepfer before withdrawing ahead of the fourth-round clash with Matteo Berrettini to preserve his knee.
Source: Tennis World USA