ATP Tour

20-year flashback: Federer cracks Cincinnati code to begin record reign

It may have taken Roger Federer a few tries to find his footing at the Cincinnati Open, but once he did, it became one of his most successful stops — the Swiss ultimately captured a record seven titles and 47 match wins at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Flashback 20 years ago and Federer won his first Cincinnati title, a trophy that had seemed unlikely after his early performances in Ohio. Across Federer’s first four appearances in Cincinnati, he tallied a modest 1-4 record. He returned in 2005 as the World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the same position he held a year earlier when he was upset by Dominik Hrbaty in his opener. That loss ended Federer’s 23-match winning streak just days after he won the Toronto title.

Federer turned it all around in 2005. Entering Cincinnati, the-then-24-year-old boasted a 57-3 season record with nine trophies. Still, after a six-week layoff following his third straight Wimbledon triumph, there were questions about how sharp Federer would be upon returning to the Tour.

The time off seemed to fit Federer well. He finally cracked the Cincinnati code, going all the way to the title.

“I really don’t know this place,” Federer joked during the trophy ceremony. “I’ve [lost] in first and second rounds my whole life here and now suddenly I win the tournament. It’s fantastic. It’s a bit of a surprise since I haven’t played since Wimbledon.”

In the final, Federer earned a 6-3, 7-5 victory against home favourite Andy Roddick — the same man he beat in the Wimbledon title match that year. Federer and Roddick’s Cincinnati clash marked the 11th chapter — and Federer’s 10th win — in their Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry. Across their 24 career meetings, Federer won 21.

Sporting a cherry red shirt and his signature sweatband, which held back his flowing hair, Federer expertly employed his backhand chip to neutralise rallies and disrupt the rhythm of the big-serving Roddick amidst warm Cincinnati conditions. Federer’s victory marked the fifth different ATP Masters 1000 tournament he had conquered. He finished his career having won eight different ATP Masters 1000 events (including Hamburg), only missing Monte-Carlo and Rome.

While that ‘05 championship Sunday marked a new milestone for Federer, the day before was more reminiscent of a rollercoaster ride at nearby Kings Island. In his semi-final against American wild card Robby Ginepri, Federer trailed 4-6, 5-5 before a summer thunderstorm rolled in and suspended play — a well-timed break for the Swiss, who returned to court and fended off the scare with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory.

Three weeks after winning Cincinnati, Federer was crowned champion at the US Open, his second of five consecutive triumphs at Flushing Meadows. Remarkably, the Basel native lost only one time the rest of the 2005 season. That year marked the only season in Federer’s career during which he won all four of the United States’ biggest tournaments: Indian Wells, Miami, Cincinnati and the US Open.

Federer finished 2005 with 11 trophies and an 81-4 match record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, marking one of the Swiss icon’s career-best seasons.

After Roddick won the ‘06 Cincinnati title (defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final), Federer returned to the winner’s circle in 2007. It marked Federer’s 50th career title. Federer, an eventual 103-time tour-level titlist, again lifted the Cincy trophy in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015. Despite Federer’s early struggles in Ohio, he quickly forged a dynasty. He claimed more titles in Cincinnati than at any other ATP Masters 1000 event.

_{^{In 2015, Federer won his seventh and final Cincinnati trophy by defeating Novak Djokovic in the final. Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images}}