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Lot Essay
“It’s magical. I can’t believe it yet. It’s too much. I kept on believing and dreaming and here I am today for my eighth title. I hope to be back to defend it next year.” (Roger Federer, The Guardian, 2017)
In the aftermath of such an epic victory at the Australian Open, Roger could easily have been tempted to play in the French Open at Roland Garros. However, he decided to miss the year’s second major and indeed, the whole clay court season, in order to prepare for the challenges of Wimbledon later in the year. The decision would prove to be a prudent one.
Entering his favourite tournament, the landscape was much changed from Melbourne earlier in the season. Although seeded third, Roger was widely tipped as favourite for the crown, having enjoyed ideal preparations and tasting victory in Australia, Indian Wells, Miami and Halle already in 2017. He breezed through the opening rounds and recorded straight set wins against Raonic and Berdych, both of whom had defeated him in previous years.
In the final, Roger would face Marin Čilić and the pressure was squarely on him, with his wife Mirka and his four children watching on from his box. Roger, accustomed to the pressures of a Wimbledon final, completed a comfortable victory 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 41 minutes to win his eighth Wimbledon title and confirm his place as the most successful male in the history of The Championships. Notably, he also became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win the tournament without losing a set.
In the aftermath of such an epic victory at the Australian Open, Roger could easily have been tempted to play in the French Open at Roland Garros. However, he decided to miss the year’s second major and indeed, the whole clay court season, in order to prepare for the challenges of Wimbledon later in the year. The decision would prove to be a prudent one.
Entering his favourite tournament, the landscape was much changed from Melbourne earlier in the season. Although seeded third, Roger was widely tipped as favourite for the crown, having enjoyed ideal preparations and tasting victory in Australia, Indian Wells, Miami and Halle already in 2017. He breezed through the opening rounds and recorded straight set wins against Raonic and Berdych, both of whom had defeated him in previous years.
In the final, Roger would face Marin Čilić and the pressure was squarely on him, with his wife Mirka and his four children watching on from his box. Roger, accustomed to the pressures of a Wimbledon final, completed a comfortable victory 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 41 minutes to win his eighth Wimbledon title and confirm his place as the most successful male in the history of The Championships. Notably, he also became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win the tournament without losing a set.