Commemorating Roger Federer’s 20th Grand Slam Title
Roger Federer has amazed millions yet again by capturing his 20th Grand Slam Title at the 2018 Australian Open. To commemorate such a remarkable achievement, Nike has released exclusive Roger Federer Australian Open Celebration Caps and T-shirts. Before discussing these items in more detail, though, let’s first take a look at how we got here.
A Titan Falls
2016 was a trying year for Federer. As many fans will remember, he made it to the semi-finals of the Australian Open before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. The real news, however, came when Federer suffered a knee injury the following day, and was forced to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
(Jan. 27, 2016 – Source: Michael Dodge/Getty Images AsiaPac)
Shortly after his return to competition, Federer suffered a back injury, and continued to struggle with sporadic knee pain. These ailments went on for a couple of months, and no end seemed to be in sight. As a result, in July, he announced that he would sit out the remainder of the 2016 season to recover. At age 34, this led to a lot of talk about his longevity and future in tennis.
Resurgence
Federer quickly stomped out any doubts regarding his fitness when he came roaring back in 2017 with an Australian Open win. To get there, he defeated a number of formidable names, such as Tomáš Berdych, Kei Nishikori, Mischa Zverev, Stan Wawrinka, and Rafael Nadal. If there was one way to enter the season with a statement, this was it.
(Jan. 28, 2017 – Source: Scott Barbour/Getty Images AsiaPac)
From here, Federer went on to have a truly record-setting year. Following the win, he moved up to No. 10 in the ATP Standings. This did not last long, though, as his 25th career Masters Title at Indian Wells moved him to No. 6. After completing the “Sunshine Double” by winning the Miami Masters, he moved to No. 4. Federer would go on to win his 8th Wimbledon Title, struggle through a back injury at the US Open, and win the Shanghai Masters. By year’s end, he had 95 career titles, and the No. 2 ATP ranking.
Grand Slam #20
After defeating Marin Čilić at this year’s Australian Open, Roger Federer now has 6 total Australian Open wins, and 20 Grand Slam Titles overall. At age 36, it is hard to determine just when this streak of brilliance will end. That said, there is nothing wrong with simply enjoying the ride while it persists. To commemorate the thrilling accomplishment, Nike has released special edition hats and t-shirts that sport the popular “RF” logo within the number 20.
To get yours, visit our website, or come on down to Tennis Express. While you try on this exclusive Roger Federer gear, we welcome you to test out brand new racquets on our indoor tennis court! Whether you are a casual player, avid fan, or true competitor, we have something for you.
The larger images in this piece are courtesy of our partners at Nike.
