Can Federer Break Borg's Record?
Roger Federer in Line for Sixth Consecutive Wimbledon Title
Jun 19, 2008
We witness the making of history every day. Athletes quietly break records, often without fanfare. Should Roger Federer win Wimbledon this year, his victory would be a much-celebrated hallmark in tennis history.
Brink of History
Tennis has changed drastically in the past twenty-five years. New racquet technology, improved court surfaces and stronger players revolutionized the game. They haven't made it easier to break those long-standing records.
Bjorn Borg won his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title in 1980 and only Roger Federer has come close to beating that record. In 2002, Mario Ancic became the last opponent to win against Roger at the All England Tennis Club.
In the past five years Federer's match record is 35 - 0, during which he's won 102 out of 110 sets and 671 game wins to 394 losses. Phenomenal is the only word to describe such an achievement.
Wimbledon Royalty
Bjorn Borg hefted the trophy from 1976 - 1980. He managed to beat Jimmy Connors twice and John McEnroe once along the way. He also won the French Open six times from 1974 - 1980, the one slam that eludes Federer.
Johnny Mac dethroned Borg in 1981 and went on to win the trophy a total of three times; Boris Becker achieved the same. Pete Sampras won the event seven times but not consecutively; Krajicek interrupted his groove in 1996. While others won the coveted title more than once, such a task isn't easy.
Who Is in the Way?
Federer has been a dominant force in professional tennis for several years now, but the past twelve months revealed some chinks in his pristine armor. Who took advantage? Novak Djokovic, Mardy Fish, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick and Radek Stepanek; each secured wins over the world number one. Five out of six are seeded in this year's tournament. Djokovic won this year's Australian Open and has beaten Federer twice. Nadal, while a clay court master, is closing the gap on grass.
Roger is by no means losing any steps; he's still a force to be reckoned with. His opponents will have to beat him; he won't go quietly. The only way around perfection is to meet it with flawlessness and it seems as though the men on the tour are up to the challenge.
The usual excitement surrounding Wimbledon is intensified this year as all eyes are glued to one man. Will Roger Federer win seven matches in a row to capture the title for the sixth consecutive year?
References:
- Wimbledon seeds announced
- ATPTennis.com
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