Roger Federer junior years
Roger Federer's main accomplishments as a junior player came at Wimbledon where, in 1998, he won both the singles tournament over Irakli Labadze, 6–4, 6–4,[1] and the doubles with Olivier Rochus, over the team of Michaël Llodra and Andy Ram, 6–4, 6–4.[2] In addition, Federer lost the US Open Junior tournament in 1998 to David Nalbandian, 3–6, 5–7.[3] Federer would go on to win four other junior singles tournaments in his career.
Junior career
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Federer was four years old when Boris Becker, his childhood idol, won his first Wimbledon title in 1985. From then on, Federer watched "tennis matches on television for hours on end."[4] Reflecting on his childhood, he said, "I liked tennis the best of all sports. It was always exciting and winning or losing was always in my hands."[4] Soon after enrolling in school at the age of six, Federer became the best in his age group and trained three times a week in and around Basel.[5] It was at these sessions that he became friends with Marco Chiudinelli, a "talented" boy a month younger than Federer. The boys often played squash, table tennis, and soccer together. A region-wide top tennis group was formed when the pair was eight years old; despite playing for different clubs, they became members.[4]
They first played each other at an official event called The Bambino Cup in Arlesheim when both were eight. "Back then we only played one long set of up to nine games," Chiudinelli recollects. "Things weren't going well for me at the beginning. I was behind 2–5 and I started to cry. We cried a lot back then even during the matches. Roger came up to me and tried to comfort me when we switched sides. He told me everything would be alright, and in fact, things got better. I took the lead 7–6 and noticed that the tide had turned. Then he began to cry and I ran up to him and give him encouragement and things went better for him. It was the only time I could beat him."[6]
When he was 10, Federer began weekly private coaching with Adolf Kacovsky, a tennis coach at The Old Boys Tennis Club. "I noticed right away that this guy was a natural talent," said Kacovsky. "He was born with a racquet in his hand." At first, Federer received lessons only while part of a group, although "the club and I quickly noticed he was enormously talented. We began giving him private lessons that were partly funded by the club. Roger was a quick learner. When you wanted to teach him something new, he was able to pick it up after three of four tries, while others in the group needed weeks."[6]
A "star pupil", the Swiss youngster always wanted to become the best in the world. "People laughed at him, including me," recollects Kacovsky. "I thought that he would perhaps become the best player in Switzerland or Europe but not the best in the world. He had it in his head and he worked at it."[7]
He played football until the age of twelve, when he decided to focus solely on tennis.[8] At fourteen, he became the national champion of all groups in Switzerland and was chosen to train at the Swiss National Tennis Center in Écublens. He joined the ITF junior tennis circuit in July 1996.[9] In 1998, his final year as a junior, Federer won the junior Wimbledon title and was recognized as the ITF World Junior Tennis champion of the year.[10] He also won the under 18s category at the prestigious Orange Bowl.[11]
All matches
Singles (5 titles, 1 runner-up)
Match | Tournament | Country | Start date |
Entry | Type | I/O | Surface | Round | Opponent | Result | Score |
1 | Swiss Junior Tournament | Switzerland | 7/15/1996 | WC | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Lukas Rhomberg (AUT) | W | 6–1, 6–0 |
2 | Swiss Junior Tournament | Switzerland | 7/15/1996 | WC | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R32 | Marc–Olivier Baron (FRA) | W | 7–6, 6–3 |
3 | Swiss Junior Tournament | Switzerland | 7/15/1996 | WC | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R16 | Nathan Healey (AUS) | L | 7–6, 4–6, 4–6 |
7 | World Youth Cup Final | Switzerland | 9/10/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | RR | Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) | W | 4–6, 7–6(7–3), 6–4 |
8 | World Youth Cup Final | Switzerland | 9/10/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | RR | Febi Widhiyanto (INA) | L | 5–7, 7–5, 5–7 |
9 | World Youth Cup Final | Switzerland | 9/10/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | RR | Vijay Kannan (IND) | W | 6–0, 7–6(7–4) |
10 | World Youth Cup Final | Switzerland | 9/10/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | RR | Nahuel Fracassi (ITA) | W | 3–6, 6–3, 6–1 |
14 | Sunshine Cup | USA | 12/12/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | RR | Petr Kralert (CZE) | L | 6–1, 0–6, 1–6 |
15 | Sunshine Cup | USA | 12/12/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | RR | Adrian Garcia (CHI) | W | 5–7, 6–2, 6–2 |
16 | Sunshine Cup | USA | 12/12/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | RR | Balazs Vaci (HUN) | L | 5–7, 2–6 |
17 | Sunshine Cup | USA | 12/12/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | RR | Han–Hui Tsai (TPE) | W | 6–3, 6–0 |
18 | Casablance Cup Qualifying | Mexico | 12/18/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R64 | Angel Garcia–Lopez (MEX) | W | 6–0, 6–1 |
19 | Casablance Cup Qualifying | Mexico | 12/18/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R32 | Jonathan Hauswaldt (MEX) | W | 6–1, 6–1 |
20 | Casablance Cup Qualifying | Mexico | 12/18/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R16 | Gilberto Gutierrez (MEX) | W | 6–1, 6–1 |
21 | Casablanca Cup | Mexico | 12/22/1996 | QF | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R64 | Mathias Schwarzler (AUT) | W | 6–3, 4–2, RET |
22 | Casablanca Cup | Mexico | 12/22/1996 | QF | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R32 | Sebastien Aickele (GER) | L | 6–7, 6–3, 5–7 |
23 | Coffee Bowl Qualifying | Costa Rica | 12/28/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R32 | Bye | W | |
24 | Coffee Bowl Qualifying | Costa Rica | 12/28/1996 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R16 | Carlos Vargas (PAN) | W | 6–2, 2–6, 6–0 |
25 | Coffee Bowl | Costa Rica | 12/30/1996 | QF | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R128 | Bye | W | |
26 | Coffee Bowl | Costa Rica | 12/30/1996 | QF | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R64 | Federico Cardinali (ARG) | W | 6–1, 6–1 |
27 | Coffee Bowl | Costa Rica | 12/30/1996 | QF | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R32 | Diego Ayala (USA) | L | 4–6, 1–6 |
28 | International Junior Championships of Venezuela | Venezuela | 1/6/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R128 | Goran Sterijovksi (MKD) | W | 6–3, 4–6, 6–1 |
29 | International Junior Championships of Venezuela | Venezuela | 1/6/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Jerome Haehnel (FRA) | L | 2–6, 4–6 |
30 | City of Florence International Tournament | Italy | 3/24/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Davide Bramanti (ITA) | L | 4–6, 6–3, 6–7 |
31 | Prato International Junior Tournament | Italy | 5/5/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Giunior Ghedina (ITA) | W | 6–2, 6–0 |
32 | Prato International Junior Tournament | Italy | 5/5/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R32 | Lovro Zovko (CRO) | W | 6–4, 6–2 |
33 | Prato International Junior Tournament | Italy | 5/5/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R16 | Julien Jeanpierre (FRA) | W | 6–3, 6–0 |
34 | Prato International Junior Tournament | Italy | 5/5/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | Q | Haris Basalic (BIH) | W | 6–3, 7–6 |
35 | Prato International Junior Tournament | Italy | 5/5/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | S | Ivan Beros (CRO) | W | 6–2, 6–3 |
36 | Prato International Junior Tournament | Italy | 5/5/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | F | Luka Kutanjac (CRO) | W | 6–4, 6–0 |
37 | Italian Junior Championships, Qualifying | Italy | 5/17/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Diego de Vecchis (ITA) | W | 6–4, 1–6, 7–6 |
38 | Italian Junior Championships, Qualifying | Italy | 5/17/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R32 | Davor Grgic (CRO) | W | 6–1, 3–6, 6–2 |
39 | Italian Junior Championships, Qualifying | Italy | 5/17/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R16 | Tomas Zivincek (GER) | W | 3–6, 6–0, 6–3 |
40 | Italian Junior Championships | Italy | 5/19/1997 | QF | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Wesley Whitehouse (RSA) | W | 6–3, 6–3 |
41 | Italian Junior Championships | Italy | 5/19/1997 | QF | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R32 | Filip Aniola (POL) | W | 5–7, 6–4, 7–5 |
42 | Italian Junior Championships | Italy | 5/19/1997 | QF | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R16 | Nicolas Massu (CHI) | W | 6–2, 4–6, 6–2 |
43 | Italian Junior Championships | Italy | 5/19/1997 | QF | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | Q | Rodolfo Rake (PER) | L | 1–6, 4–6 |
68 | Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships | USA | 12/8/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R128 | Bye | W | |
69 | Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships | USA | 12/8/1997 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Edgardo Massa (ARG) | L | 3–6, 4–6 |
70 | Victorian Junior Championships | Australia | 1/9/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R64 | Adam Carey (AUS) | W | 6–4, 6–2 |
71 | Victorian Junior Championships | Australia | 1/9/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R32 | Mathias Rekate (GER) | W | 6–1, 6–0 |
72 | Victorian Junior Championships | Australia | 1/9/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R16 | Sadik Kadir (AUS) | W | 7–5, 6–1 |
73 | Victorian Junior Championships | Australia | 1/9/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | Q | Olivier Rochus (BEL) | W | 6–3, 4–6, 6–3 |
74 | Victorian Junior Championships | Australia | 1/9/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | S | Kristian Pless (DEN) | W | 6–2, 6–2 |
75 | Victorian Junior Championships | Australia | 1/9/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | F | Julien Jeanpierre (FRA) | W | 6–4, 6–4 |
76 | Australian Hardcourt Junior Championships | Australia | 1/18/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R64 | Dino Dattoli (AUS) | W | 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 |
77 | Australian Hardcourt Junior Championships | Australia | 1/18/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R32 | David Martin (USA) | W | 6–4, 6–2 |
78 | Australian Hardcourt Junior Championships | Australia | 1/18/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R16 | Olivier Rochus (BEL) | W | 6–1, 7–6 |
79 | Australian Hardcourt Junior Championships | Australia | 1/18/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | Q | Christian–Michael Straka (GER) | W | 6–1, 6–3 |
80 | Australian Hardcourt Junior Championships | Australia | 1/18/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | S | Julien Jeanpierre (FRA) | L | 1–6, 4–6 |
81 | Australian Open Junior Championships | Australia | 1/26/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R64 | Nicholas McDonald (RSA) | W | 6–3, 6–3 |
82 | Australian Open Junior Championships | Australia | 1/26/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R32 | Filippo Volandri (ITA) | W | 6–4, 6–4 |
83 | Australian Open Junior Championships | Australia | 1/26/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R16 | Dino Dattoli (AUS) | W | 6–3, 6–3 |
84 | Australian Open Junior Championships | Australia | 1/26/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | Q | Olivier Rochus (BEL) | W | 7–5, 6–4 |
85 | Australian Open Junior Championships | Australia | 1/26/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | S | Andreas Vinciguerra (SWE) | L | 6–4, 5–7, 5–7 |
91 | City of Florence International Tournament | Italy | 4/8/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Timo Nieminen (FIN) | W | 6–1, 6–1 |
92 | City of Florence International Tournament | Italy | 4/8/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R32 | Dominik Meffert (GER) | W | 6–4, 6–7, 7–6 |
93 | City of Florence International Tournament | Italy | 4/8/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R16 | Luben Pampoulov (AUT) | W | 6–2, 6–4 |
94 | City of Florence International Tournament | Italy | 4/8/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | Q | Stefan Wauters (BEL) | W | 6–2, 6–1 |
95 | City of Florence International Tournament | Italy | 4/8/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | S | Kristian Pless (DEN) | W | 7–6, 6–3 |
96 | City of Florence International Tournament | Italy | 4/8/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | F | Filippo Volandri(ITA) | W | 7–6, 6–3 |
98 | Italian Junior Championships | Italy | 5/18/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Flavio Saretta (BRA) | W | 7–5, 6–1 |
99 | Italian Junior Championships | Italy | 5/18/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R32 | Jerome Haehnel (FRA) | L | 6–4, 5–7, 2–6 |
100 | Belgian International Junior Championships | Belgium | 5/25/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Bye | W | |
101 | Belgian International Junior Championships | Belgium | 5/25/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R32 | Andy Ram (ISR) | W | 6–1, 6–3 |
102 | Belgian International Junior Championships | Belgium | 5/25/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R16 | Simone Amorico (USA) | W | 6–2, 6–3 |
103 | Belgian International Junior Championships | Belgium | 5/25/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | Q | Bob Borella (DEN) | L | 4–6, RET |
104 | International Junior Championships of France | France | 5/31/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Jaroslav Levinsky (CZE) | L | 4–6, 7–5, 7–9 |
105 | LTA International Junior Championships | Great Britain | 6/21/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | R64 | Jakub Hasek (CZE) | W | 4–6, 7–6, 6–3 |
106 | LTA International Junior Championships | Great Britain | 6/21/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | R32 | Lee Childs (GBR) | W | 6–1, 6–4 |
107 | LTA International Junior Championships | Great Britain | 6/21/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | R16 | Edgardo Massa (ARG) | W | 6–4, 7–5 |
108 | LTA International Junior Championships | Great Britain | 6/21/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | Q | Philipp Mullner (AUT) | W | 6–1, 7–6 |
109 | Italian Junior Championships | Great Britain | 6/21/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | S | Taylor Dent (USA) | L | 6–7, 6–4, 3–6 |
110 | The Junior Championships, Wimbledon | Great Britain | 6/27/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | R64 | Philip Langer (AUT) | W | 6–0, 6–2 |
111 | The Junior Championships, Wimbledon | Great Britain | 6/27/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | R32 | Andrej Kracman (SLO) | W | 7–6, 6–3 |
112 | The Junior Championships, Wimbledon | Great Britain | 6/27/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | R16 | Jerome Haehnel (FRA) | W | 6–4, 6–4 |
113 | The Junior Championships, Wimbledon | Great Britain | 6/27/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | Q | David Sherwood (GBR) | W | 7–6, 6–2 |
114 | The Junior Championships, Wimbledon | Great Britain | 6/27/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | S | Lovro Zovko (CRO) | W | 7–5, 6–2 |
115 | The Junior Championships, Wimbledon | Great Britain | 6/27/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Grass | F | Irakli Labadze (GEO) | W | 6–4, 6–4 |
117 | European Closed Junior Championships | Switzerland | 7/20/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R128 | Bye | W | |
118 | European Closed Junior Championships | Switzerland | 7/20/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R64 | Florin Nedelcu (ROU) | W | 6–1, 6–1 |
119 | European Closed Junior Championships | Switzerland | 7/20/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R32 | Philipp Mullner (AUT) | W | 6–2, 5–7, 6–3 |
120 | European Closed Junior Championships | Switzerland | 7/20/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | R16 | Lazar Magdincev (MKD) | W | 6–2, 6–2 |
121 | European Closed Junior Championships | Switzerland | 7/20/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | Q | Kristian Pless (DEN) | W | 3–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
122 | European Closed Junior Championships | Switzerland | 7/20/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Clay | S | Feliciano Lopez (ESP) | L | 6–4, 2–6, 4–6 |
124 | US Open Junior Championships | USA | 9/6/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R64 | Boris Bachert (GER) | W | 6–2, 6–2 |
125 | US Open Junior Championships | USA | 9/6/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R32 | Philip Langer (AUT) | W | 6–3, 6–2 |
126 | US Open Junior Championships | USA | 9/6/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R16 | Olivier Rochus (BEL) | W | 6–2, 7–5 |
127 | US Open Junior Championships | USA | 9/6/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | Q | Jerome Haehnel (FRA) | W | 7–5, 3–6, 6–1 |
128 | US Open Junior Championships | USA | 9/6/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | S | Kristian Pless (DEN) | W | 6–3, 4–6, 6–3 |
129 | US Open Junior Championships | USA | 9/6/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | F | David Nalbandian (ARG) | L | 3–6, 5–7 |
130 | Toulouse Qualifying | France | 9/26/1998 | DA | TE | Indoor | Hard | R32 | Marcello Wowk (ARG) | W | 7–6, 6–2 |
131 | Toulouse Qualifying | France | 9/26/1998 | DA | TE | Indoor | Hard | R16 | Alex Radulescu (GER) | W | 7–6, 7–6 |
132 | Toulouse Qualifying | France | 9/26/1998 | DA | TE | Indoor | Hard | Q | Olivier Delaitre (FRA) | W | 6–4, 6–4 |
153 | Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships | USA | 11/30/1998 | DA | JUN | Hard | R64 | Matias Boeker (ARG) | W | 6–0, 7–6 | |
154 | Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships | USA | 11/30/1998 | DA | JUN | Hard | R32 | Andrew McDade (RSA) | W | 6–2, 6–2 | |
155 | Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships | USA | 11/30/1998 | DA | JUN | Hard | R16 | Eric Prodon (FRA) | L | 4–6, 6–3, 3–6 | |
156 | Sunshine Cup | USA | 12/8/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | RR | Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) | W | 6–2, 6–3 |
157 | Sunshine Cup | USA | 12/8/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | RR | Andreas Vinciguerra (SWE) | W | 7–6, 6–4 |
158 | Orange Bowl Tennis Championships | USA | 12/13/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R64 | Raimonds Sproga (LAT) | W | 5–7, 7–6, 6–0 |
159 | Orange Bowl Tennis Championships | USA | 12/13/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R32 | Jürgen Melzer (AUT) | W | 6–3, 6–1 |
160 | Orange Bowl Tennis Championships | USA | 12/13/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | R16 | Ivan Cinkus (CRO) | W | 6–0, 6–1 |
161 | Orange Bowl Tennis Championships | USA | 12/13/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | Q | Ricardo Mello (BRA) | W | 7–5, 6–4 |
162 | Orange Bowl Tennis Championships | USA | 12/13/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | S | David Nalbandian (ARG) | W | 6–4, 6–2 |
163 | Orange Bowl Tennis Championships | USA | 12/13/1998 | DA | JUN | Outdoor | Hard | F | Guillermo Coria (ARG) | W | 7–5, 6–3 |
References
- ^ AELTC. "Boys' Singles honour roll". Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ AELTC. "Boys' Doubles honour roll". Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "U.S. OPEN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS". Collage and Junior Tennis. 13 September 1998. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
- ^ a b c Stauffer (2007), p. 8.
- ^ Roger Federer (2004). "Fanletter September 2004" (PDF). Roger Federer Official Website. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (help) - ^ a b Stauffer (2007), p. 9.
- ^ Stauffer (2007), p. 10.
- ^ "Life as a Junior". Roger Federer Official Website. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
- ^ "Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup by BNP Paribas — Overview". ITF tennis.com. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ "ITF Junior World Champions". ITF tennis.com. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
- ^ "RADO ORANGE BOWL INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS". Collage and Junior Tennis. 20 December 1998. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
External links