Roger Federer won his third consecutive Wimbledon title in 2005, defeating Andy Roddick in the final.
Federer, who also defeated Roddick in the 2004 Wimbledon final, beat the American star 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 on Centre Court.
The match marked his fifth Grand Slam title following previous successes in London, Melbourne and New York.
Federer, 24 years old when he won the 2005 Wimbledon title, was quickly establishing himself as a future great of the game. The Swiss Maestro had won five of the last nine major tennis events, dating back to the 2003 Wimbledon Championships.
Federer appeared to be the best grass-court player of his generation. However, even after winning a third Wimbledon title, he was still far away from eclipsing Pete Sampras’ record of seven Wimbledon Men’s Singles titles.
Roger Federer said he had put himself in position to eclipse Pete Sampras’ Wimbledon record
After defeating Roddick on Centre Court, Federer was asked whether he thought he could surpass Sampras’ record at Wimbledon.
A journalist asked Federer: “You’re only 23 years old. Do you feel now if you stay fit and healthy that you can eclipse the records of Borg and Sampras here at the All England Club?”
“I feel like I put myself into position,” Federer replied.
If you were in charge of tennis, what is the first rule you would change?
“This was very, very big tournament and match for me today. Obviously to get the fifth one, fifth Grand Slam, but also the third Wimbledon.
“I knew the importance of this one, so I was pretty tense going into it. After the first set, I really started to feel so good, you know, that I got so confidence.
“Obviously, for the next few years I’ll definitely be a huge favorite also for this tournament. Doesn’t mean necessarily I’ll take them all.”
Federer went on to win the next two Wimbledon titles in 2006 and 2007, beating Rafael Nadal in the final on both occasions.
In the 2008 Wimbledon final, Nadal and Federer contested one of the greatest matches in tennis history. Nadal won the contest 6–4, 6–4, 6–7, 6–7, 9–7.
Federer eclipsed Sampras’ record
Federer, who was a fan favourite throughout his time on the ATP Tour, went on to surpass Pete Sampras’ record, winning eight Wimbledon titles.
After winning five consecutive titles between 2003 and 2007, Federer won his sixth and seventh titles in 2009 and 2012 respectively.
He broke Sampras’ record in 2017 after defeating Marin Cilic in the final.
Federer had the opportunity to win another title in 2019, but was defeated by Novak Djokovic in the final, despite having match points.
What does Novak Djokovic need to change to win a 25th Grand Slam title?
Djokovic has gone on to become the most successful player in history, winning 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
