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Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates victory with the trophy after the Gentlemen’s Singles final against Marin Cilic of Croatia on day thirteen of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates victory with the trophy after the Gentlemen’s Singles final against Marin Cilic of Croatia on day thirteen of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
One man is evergreen in the world of tennis; he is the Swiss maestro Roger Federer. As of today, he has won 103 ATP titles, 20 Grand Slams, 6 ATP Finals, and 28 Masters 1000. To put one achievement above the other wouldn’t be entirely fair; however, one year stands out above all. In 2006, the Basel-native clinched a whopping 12 titles and his last title of the season came on November 19.
Taking a look back at his Golden year, the ferociousness and the genius of the man stand out. Of his 12 titles in 2006, Federer claimed 3 Grand Slams, 4 Masters 1000, Doha, Halle, Tokyo, Basel, and the ATP Finals. He collected the last title against debutant James Blake without any hindrance 6-0, 6-3, 6-4.
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LONDON, ENGLAND: Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates victory after his singles match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during Day Five of the Nitto ATP Finals at The O2 Arena in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Roger Federer vs James Blake – November 19, 2006
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The now 39-year-old has outshone in every element on and off the court. 14 years ago in Shanghai, the leader in tour-titles challenged America’s James Blake playing in his first-ever year-end championship tournament.
Dictating the entire match, Federer showed Blake the kind of material it takes to be then World No. 1. One might consider achieving 10 or 12 titles in a season as extraordinary, but Roger won 11 in 2005 and 2004 each as well. Although the 2006 season of the Swiss maestro seems incomparable, there is one guy who almost challenges it.
Serbia’s finest player Novak Djokovic is the youngest among Federer and Rafael Nadal. The acclaimed owner of 17 Grand Slams himself, Djokovic has come closest to Roger’s 2006 golden season.
Federer’s 12 in 2006 vs Djokovic’s 11 in 2015
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Roger Federer of Switzerland shakes hands with Novak Djokovic of Serbia after Novak Djokovic winning his Men’s Singles final during Day Thirteen of The Championships – Wimbledon 2019 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2019, in London, England. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images)
Experts cannot single out one from the other, as both these tennis greats had equally exceptional seasons. Currently World No. 1, Djokovic won 3 Grand Slams, 6 Masters 1000, Beijing, and the ATP Finals to make his 11 in 2015.
Interestingly, Federer has won a record six ATP Finals, while Djokovic has a record of four in London. On that note, Djokovic has denied the Swiss player three times in the finals itself. However, looking back at the amazing season of 2006, Federer’s intensity and hold over the game cannot be challenged.
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Presently, Federer is training for the upcoming 2021 Australian Open, where he will again mesmerize millions with his game. Do you think any player of the current batch can one up the 2006 season?
Also Read: Roger Federer Graces Another ‘1000’ Milestone Leaving Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic Behind
