rogerfederer.com - 2001

History|2001

Roger bags his first tournament victory on the ATP circuit in Milan and brings Pete Sampras' winning streak in Wimbledon to an end. He has to take a long break due to injury for the first time during summer and thus misses the Masters at the end of the season. He ends the year as number 13 in the world rankings.

Roger, together with Martina Hingis, starts the year with a success at the Hopman Cup, the world's largest mixed teams tournament. After dropping out in the third round of the Australian Open in February, the time has finally come: Roger wins his first ATP tournament! His parents are watching from the stands how he defeats the Frenchman Julien Boutter in the finals in Milan.

Roger wins both the singles and – with his partner Lorenzo Manta – the doubles of the David Cup match between Switzerland and the USA. Thanks to these victories, Switzerland qualifies for the quarter-finals, which they unfortunately lose to France in April.

After reaching his first Grand Slam quarter-finals at the French Open, he manages to play a memorable match on July 2nd in Wimbledon. On that Monday he can play in the round of the last 16 for the first time on the centre court of Wimbledon, the most famous tennis court in the world. His opponent is no-one less than Pete Sampras, the sevenfold and defending champion, who has already won 13 Grand Slam titles and is enjoying a winning streak of 31 successive matches in London. Roger defeats his former idol in a dramatic match of five sets – the tennis world is stunned. But unfortunately the young Swiss can not hold the level; he loses to Tim Henman in the quarter-finals. Nevertheless, Roger is known as the player who was able to defeat Sampras in Wimbledon from then on.

Following Wimbledon, Roger also plays in Gstaad, but thereafter has to pause several weeks due to adductorial problems and periostitis. Unfortunately this break costs him his spot at the season finale. Even though the 20-year old reaches the round of the last 16 at the US Open as well as the finals in Basel, he can no longer qualify for the Masters. He thereby misses his season goal, ending the year as 13th in the world rankings.