3 times when Roger Federer blinked on the cusp of a title

Roger Federer is the biggest name in men's tennis. The 38-year old has won the most Grand Slam titles (20) and has had most consecutive (237) as well as overall weeks at no. 1 than any other player.

Following his maiden title run on the carpet of Milan in 2001, Federer has lifted a title in every subsequent season on the tour except 2016 (when he lost his only final of the season in Brisbane). Only American Andre Agassi (18) has had as many different title-winning seasons in the Open Era.

He was the title leader as well as match-win leader at Masters 1000 tournaments, a series of 9 tournaments introduced in 1990, till Rafael Nadal surpassed him in both categories. Federer became the oldest winner of a Masters 1000 title by beating defending champion John Isner in the final at 2019 Miami.

Federer, whose 1242 singles match wins and 103 titles are only shaded by American legend Jimmy Connors (1274 singles match wins, 109 titles), has saved match points on 23 different occasions while going on to win a match. However, on the flip side, the Swiss great has squandered match points on no less than 22 occasions while going on to lose a match.

Let us have a look at the 3 occasions when Federer blinked on the cusp of winning a title.

#3 Rome Masters Final, 2006

Lost to Nadal 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-7

Federer (right) falls to Nadal in an epic Rome Masters final in 2006.

After falling to Nadal in the Dubai and Monte Carlo Masters finals earlier in the season, Federer met the Spaniard for the third time in 2006 with a title on the line - the Rome Masters.

The then 23-year old Swiss, determined to break his duck on clay against Nadal, having lost to the Spaniard in the 2005 Roland Garros semi-final and 2006 Monte Carlo final, Federer took the opening set on a tie-break where he conceded no point. However, Nadal evened the contest by grabbing the second set on another tie-break before taking a two sets to one lead.

Federer fought back to reclaim his ascendancy, dropping just two games in the fourth and leading by a break in the decider. Even though, the Spaniard got back on serve, Federer had 2 championship points on the Nadal serve at 5-6 15-40 only for two errant forehands to arrive at the most inopportune moment.

In the ensuing tie-break, Federer led by a mini-break and could have led 5-2 with two serves to come but pulled the trigger early as another forehand failed to land on court. Nadal, making full use of the reprieves, took four of the next 5 points to become the first teenager to successfully defend multiple Masters 1000 titles.

#2 Indian Wells Masters Final, 2018

Lost to Juan Martin Del Potro 4-6, 7-6(8), 6-7(2)

Juan Martin Del Potro (right) wins his 1st Masters 1000 title at 2018 Indian Wells.

In one of the matches of the 2018 season, Juan Martin del Potro met five-time champion Roger Federer in the title match of the Indian Wells Masters.

An aggressive Federer, trying to make a swift start, fired winners and unforced errors galore as del Potro took a one set lead. A pumped up Federer saved break points on serve in the first game of the second which went to a tie-break where del Potro had a look at a championship point on the Federer serve at 7-8.

Distraught at missing the opportunity on his potent forehand side, del Potro dropped the second set and then fell behind by a break in the third as Federer, serving for the title, arrived at 5-4 and 40-15. But this time it was del Potro's turn to save championship points, who saved two consecutive ones and then a third to move back on serve.

In the ensuing tie-break, Federer leaked two double faults as del Potro sealed the biggest title of his career and prevented his Swiss rival from breaking a tie with Novak Djokovic (5) for most titles at the tournament. In the process, the tall Argentinian extended his record in tour-level finals against Federer to 4-2 as the then world no.1 lost for the first time in 18 matches that season.

Earlier in the season, Federer lifted titles at the Australian Open and Rotterdam and arrived at his 8th Indian Wells final to produce his best start to a season (17-0).

#1 Wimbledon Final, 2019

Lost to Novak Djokovic 6-7(5), 6-1, 7-6(4), 6-4, 12-13(3)

Federer (left) lost to Djokovic in the 2019 Wimbledon final.

Making a record-equalling 12th final at a Grand Slam tournament, Federer faced Novak Djokovic in the 2019 Wimbledon title match.

In a cagey opening set which went to a tie-break, Federer produced consecutive groundstroke errors from 5-3 up as Djokovic took a one-set lead. Regrouping quickly, Federer broke his Serbian opponent twice in the second to restore parity but fell behind two sets to one when Djokovic took the third set on another tie-break.

Once again, Federer fought back, taking the fourth set 6-4 to send the match into a decider. Djokovic, who led 4-2 in the fifth, produced a poor service game as Federer got back on serve and at 7-7, a net-rushing Federer broke Djokovic for the second time in the set.

Serving for a record-extending 9th Wimbledon title, Federer sent down consecutive aces to arrive at 8-7, 40-15. Two championship points. On the cusp of becoming the oldest player to win a Grand Slam title in the Open Era, the Swiss maestro fired a forehand wide and saw a Djokovic forehand pass whizz past him. Two points later, the final was back on serve as a partisan crowd descended into stunned silence.

Federer had a break point on the Djokovic serve at 11-11, only for a crosscourt backhand sailing narrowly wide as the Wimbledon final entered unchartered territory. In the first-ever match at the grasscourt major to feature a fifth set tiebreak (at 12-all), Djokovic grabbed an early mini-break and never let go his advantage as he won the final three points of the match to become the first Wimbledon champion in 71 years to have saved multiple championship points.