The tennis icon’s straight-set loss at the All England Club is merely a blip compared to a record-setting career that has no equal.
The 39-year old Swiss legend was aiming for a record-setting 21st major, but this year at the All England Club, it simply wasn’t meant to be.
Roger Federer, who was the oldest man in the Open Era to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, was a -240 favorite at FanDuel to win Wednesday’s quarterfinal match against Hubert Hurkacz. He was ultimately outmatched 6-3, 7-6 (4) 6-0, by the 24-year old Hurkacz, who was in grade school when Federer won his first Wimbledon in 2003.
While this may very well have been Federer’s last run at Wimbledon and potentially even his last shot at winning another major, it feels like the perfect time to take stock of his incredible playing career and the legacy he’ll leave behind both on and off the court.
It’s one that simply has no equal in his sport — and nearly no equal in any sport.
A Legend of the Game
Federer’s resume is undoubtedly one for the record books.
At Wimbledon, he’s been truly one of a kind. His 105-win total at Wimbledon puts Federer in a tie for most all-time wins at a single tournament alongside Rafael Nadal’s 105 wins at the French Open. His individual records at the All England Club now include:
- 18 appearances in the Quarterfinals (most all time)
- 8-time Champion (most all time)
- Oldest player to reach a quarterfinal
But Federer’s record goes beyond his performance on the famous grass courts.
With 20 grand slam victories under his belt, the all-timer is tied only with longtime rival Rafael Nadal for the most ever in the men’s game.
Novak Djokovic is one shy of tying both men’s players for the record. And with his sights set on another Wimbledon finals appearance of his own, the pressure is on.
But no matter what happens, Roger’s legacy will remain etched into the record books for a long, long time. Let’s take a look at his incredible on-court career by the numbers:
- Career record: 1251-275
- Professional titles: 103
- Career grand slams: 20
- Career grand slam quarterfinals: 58 (all-time record)
- Most wins at a single grand slam: 105, Wimbledon (tied for all-time record)
- 237 consecutive weeks at No. 1 (all-time record)
- Career tennis earnings: Over $130,230,769
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“Roger Inc.” Has No Match
For all the titles he’s won, few sports figures compare to Federer in terms of off-court accomplishments.
Not only is he among the handful of pro athletes to net $100 million in a year, but his total estimated earnings make him just the sixth athlete ever to surpass $1 billion during his playing career, per Sportico.
On top of it all, he’s even featured on official postage stamps and coins in his home country — something fellow billion-dollar men like Tiger Woods, Floyd Mayweather, and LeBron James simply can’t say for themselves.
He’s also quite the philanthropist, with his charity foundation raising over $50 million across multiple continents to date.
Federer’s sponsorship portfolio is likewise unmatched in the sport:
- Past year’s off-court income: $90 million, per Forbes (No. 2 among all athletes)
- Current Endorsements: Mercedes-Benz, Rolex, Wilson, Credit Suisse, Moet, Barilla, Lindt, Uniqlo, and more. The Uniqlo deal alone pays him an average of $30 million per year.
- Major investor in On footwear brand, which is nearing an IPO.
Regardless of what happened at Wimbledon, Federer will always be known as one of the true GOATs of not just tennis but all of the sports.
And with King Roger potentially making a run at the Toyko Summer Olympics — not to mention the US Open only a few weeks later in New York — we still very well may get to see him make another run at history.
But even if that hope doesn’t materialize, it doesn’t change the fact that men’s tennis only has one true GOAT.
