The Dominance of Roger Federer

Over the last 5 years, one man more than any other has dominated professional tennis: Roger Federer. Federer's dominance in tennis was acknowledged by his ranking as the number one men's tennis player in the world, a position he held for a record 237 straight weeks. He has won every title that can be won in singles tennis, as well as an Olympic gold medal. He has been in a record 10 straight Grand Slam finals, 18 semi finals, and also holds the record for the most wins on grass and hard courts. The sport has not seen such dominance in a long time, and Federer shows no signs of slowing down.

In 2006 Federer achieved what many thought was impossible, winning three out of the four Grand Slam tournaments. He lost only the French Open to current world number one Rafael Nadal in a very close match. Despite the loss, he became only the second man to play in all four Grand Slam finals, the other being Andre Agassi. Federer scored several other victories in 2006, winning the Indian Wells and the Miami Masters, and became the first player ever to win these tournaments two straight years.

In 2007 Federer's winning streak reached 41 as he won the Australian Open without conceding a single set. People began to wonder if Roger would ever lose with the way he was playing, but you can't go on winning forever. Federer's remarkable streak came to an end in the Pacific Life Open, where he lost in the second round to Guillermo Canas. He again lost to Canas in the Sony Open, but came back to beat Nadal for his record fifth Wimbledon title. He may not be invincible, but there is no doubt that Roger Federer has been the most dominant male tennis player in recent memory.