Before tennis legends Roger Federer and Serena Williams were competing professionally, iPhones, Bluetooth and Google didn’t exist. During their careers, Federer and Williams have racked up a combined 2,540 matches, 43 Grand Slam tournament championships and 27 years of competition. Their unprecedented accomplishments and impressive longevity allow them to stand out from other tennis greats. It’s only fitting that their extensive, triumphant careers ended within the same three-week span.
The opening day of the 2022 Laver Cup on Sept. 23 was a bittersweet day for tennis fans around the globe. Partnering up in the doubles bracket with his friend and frequent opponent Rafael Nadal, Federer played his final match in London, losing to Americans Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe (4-6, 7-6 (2), 11-9). The contest was the last two hours and 12 minutes of Federer’s professional career.
Federer’s tennis resume is astonishing. He has won a total of 103 titles and holds the record for the most Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour titles (6), hard court tournament titles (7) and grass court tournament titles (19). Federer also holds 20 Grand Slam titles, a feat only two other male players have achieved.
Federer’s astounding consistency is another reason why he is a legend not just in tennis, but the entire sports world. He maintained his spot at the top of the ATP Rankings for 237 straight weeks from Feb. 4, 2004, to Aug. 17, 2008. He has the longest streak in tennis history, which is a full 47 weeks more than the second-longest one.
There are many ways in which Federer’s style of play is iconic, but his trademark one-handed backhand is the first that comes to mind. It’s an artful, mesmerizing shot and an offensive weapon that has influenced generations of tennis players all over the world. Many current players have adopted this shot because they want to emulate Federer.
Federer’s dominance on grass courts was unmatched: at one point, he won 65 straight grass matches. He boasts 19 championship titles on grass, and he lost only one of the 73 grass matches he played from 2003-2009. His finesse greatly aided him on grass courts, as there is so much variation in where the ball will go on grass due to its soft, uneven and inconsistent surface. Because of the grass courts’ unpredictability, Federer could use his savviness to best his less experienced opponents.
Even with all of his impressive athletic accomplishments, Federer’s character is his most respected and admired trait. He played 1,526 singles matches and 223 doubles matches on the ATP Tour and did not retire from a single one.
His character is exemplified off the court as well. In 2003, he created The Roger Federer Foundation, which focuses on helping those in need in his native country of Switzerland and in southern Africa. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Federer helped feed over 64,000 families and raised $4.7 million for his foundation by auctioning off personal memorabilia. His commitment to giving back to communities in need is a testament to his humility and kind-heartedness.
The combination of outstanding athletic skill and genuine character has made Federer a beloved icon in the tennis world, which made his farewell match an emotional goodbye for viewers across the globe.
Roger Federer waves to the crowd after winning the 2017 Laver Cup as a member of Team Europe. (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/SUF)
This sentiment was replicated for his colleague Serena Williams’s final match on Sept. 2 at the 2022 US Open Tennis Championship. The match prior, the 41-year-old Williams upset the 26-year-old No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit in the second round. It was arguably one of Williams’ first upsets, as she has been the overwhelming favorite in most of her matchups over the course of her career.
William’s pure dominance came from her “perfectionist” mentality.
“I must have been two, or three or four [years old], and I was going to school and doing the alphabet, and it wasn’t perfect,” Williams said after a US Open victory in 2020. “I stayed up and kept erasing it until I got it perfect.”
The most perfect part of her game is undoubtedly her serve: She had over 4,000 career aces and won 75% of her first-serve points.
Her impact on tennis and, more specifically, women’s tennis is unparalleled. She has amassed $94 million in on-court career earnings and another $45 million through endorsements, more than double that of any other women’s player in history. Williams helped shift the perspective on women’s sports as a whole, garnering global respect for women’s tennis. For example, Williams’ final match drew in 4.6 million viewers, an ESPN record.
There are not many athletes who are more globally renowned than Williams, and her impact extends beyond her lucrative athletic career and into social justice work. She has pushed for equal pay between men and women in professional sports. Additionally, Williams and her sister Venus, who is also a professional tennis player, founded the Yetunde Price Resource Center, a violence prevention organization located in her hometown of Compton, Calif. She has also outwardly supported multiple activist movements, including the Black Lives Matter movement, gender equality and body positivity by publicly talking about them and making generous donations to associated organizations.
Williams has inspired athletes all over the world, especially the next generation of female tennis players.
“I started playing because of [Williams],” professional tennis player Naomi Osaka said in an interview with Tennis World Magazine. “I’m sure there’s so many other girls that started playing because of her, so she literally built champions. And I think passing it down is how the newer generations get inspired.”
Federer and Williams have been competing in the professional tennis world for longer than many of their spectators, and even opponents, have been alive. Both are undoubtedly tennis legends, and more so than their places in the record books, their unparalleled excellence of skill and character will forever be ingrained in the minds of sports fans.
Serena Williams prepares to serve during a first round match at the 2013 US Open. (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Edwin Martinez)
Aidan Berson (he/him) (26C) is from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and on the pre-business track. Some of his hobbies include playing basketball and tennis and listening to music. His favorite artist is Kendrick Lamar.
