Federer reaches another milestone in Melbourne
Tennis legend’s 20th Grand Slam win also ties record for most Aussie crowns
As Roger Federer cried while accepting his 20th Grand Slam title, Rod “Rocket” Laver took a chance to snap a picture for posterity.
Federer has won more major tennis titles than any man, including a record-equalling six on the court that bears the great Rod Laver’s name at Melbourne Park.
This one, following a tensionfilled, momentum-swinging 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over Marin Cilic in Sunday’s Australian Open final, was a keeper.
Laver has been involved in the on-court presentations in the past, witnessing Federer’s tears at close range. This time, Laver — the only man to twice win all four Grand Slam titles in one season — held up his mobile phone to get the shot from the stands.
“I didn’t see that through my thick tears, that he was taking a picture of me crying,” Federer said.
He joked in a TV interview that “I couldn’t lift my head, I was so embarrassed.”
Federer has now won three of the last five majors in a stunning career resurgence.
“I’m so happy. It’s unbelievable,” Federer said, taking deep breaths and choking back tears. “Of course, winning is an absolute dream come true — the fairy tale continues for us, for me, after the great year I had last year. It’s incredible.”
Federer started to tear up toward the end of the trophy ceremony as he thanked his team in the stands: “I love you guys. Thank you.”
At the age of 36 years, 173 days, Federer became the second-oldest man to win a Grand Slam title in the Open era after Ken Rosewall, who won the 1972 Australian Open at 37.
It was clear early on the crowd would be heavily pro-Federer.
Federer was quick off the mark, getting service breaks in the first and third games and forcing Cilic to go to his equipment bag for a new racket after just 12 points. Federer only conceded two points on his serve in the opening set, which lasted just 24 minutes.
But Cilic rallied in the second, getting his big forehand working and, after missing a set point on Federer’s serve in the 10th game, levelled the match in the tiebreaker. That was the first set Federer had dropped in the tournament.
Federer easily won the third set and was up a break in the fourth, but the momentum swung again with Cilic going on a roll to level the match. The sixth-seeded Cilic had two chances to break Federer’s serve in the first game of the fifth set, but wasted them both with unforced errors. He then doublefaulted twice in the second game to drop his own serve, giving Federer the decisive lead in the set.
Federer is now 9-1 against Cilic, including last year’s Wimbledon final. His only defeat was in the semifinals of the U.S. Open in 2014, where Cilic claimed his first major title.
After serving out at love, his celebration was delayed slightly by an unsuccessful challenge from Cilic on match point. It was a similar end to his five-set win over Nadal here last year. And just like 12 months ago, the tears flowed.
Of course, winning is an absolute dream come true — the fairy tale continues for us ... after the great year I had last year.