Roger Federer

Roger Federer was born on August 8, 1981, in Basel, Switzerland, and turned professional at age 17 in 1998. He quickly rose through the ranks, winning his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2003 at age 21 and becoming world No. 1 in 2004 at age 22. His early dominance included 237 consecutive weeks at No. 1 from 2004–2008, a record, during which he captured multiple Australian Open, US Open, and Wimbledon titles while struggling against Rafael Nadal at the French Open. Federer's career peaked with extraordinary consistency: in 2006, he won 12 of 17 tournaments, including his third straight Wimbledon. He secured his first French Open in 2009 (14th Grand Slam, tying Pete Sampras), followed by a record 15th at Wimbledon that year. Despite rivalries with Nadal and Novak Djokovic, he adapted his game, winning the Australian Open in 2017 (at age 35, ranked 17th) for his 18th major and a record eighth Wimbledon, then his 20th Grand Slam at the 2018 Australian Open (age 36). In later years, Federer reached the 2019 Wimbledon final (longest in history, lost to Djokovic) and won Olympic medals (silver in singles, gold in doubles). He led Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title and earned the ATP Fan Favourite award for 19 straight years (2003–2021). Injuries led to his retirement in September 2022 after his final match at the Laver Cup at age 41. Post-retirement, Federer focuses on his foundation supporting education in Africa and Switzerland, business ventures, and team-building interests.