 Federer in Qatar | |
| Full name | Roger Federer |
|---|---|
| Country |  Switzerland |
| Calendar prize money | $8,584,842 |
| Singles | |
| Season record | 71–12 (85.54%) |
| Calendar titles | 6 |
| Year-end ranking | No. 2 |
| Ranking change from previous year |  1 |
| Grand Slam & significant results | |
| Australian Open | SF |
| French Open | SF |
| Wimbledon | W |
| US Open | QF |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | F |
| Olympic Games |  Silver Medal |
| Doubles | |
| Season record | 1–3 (25%) |
| Calendar titles | 0 |
| Year-end ranking | No. 1266 |
| Ranking change from previous year |  1131 |
| Olympic Games | 2R |
| Davis Cup | |
| Davis Cup | 1R (rel. toWG PO) adv. to2013 WG |
| Last updated on: 31 December 2012. | |
←2011 2013 → | |
Roger Federer's 2012 tennis season officially began on 2 January with the start of the2012 ATP World Tour. Federer began the year with a semifinals finish at theAustralian Open after a four-set loss to archrivalRafael Nadal. He recovered from his loss with three consecutive titles at theABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, theDubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, and theBNP Paribas Open. He won his fourth title at theMutua Madrid Open on blue clay, becoming the only person to win a title on blue clay in ATP history. By doing so, he regained the #2 ranking fromRafael Nadal At theFrench Open, Federer played four tough matches before he was ousted by Djokovic in the semifinals.
The highlight of Federer's season came at the2012 Wimbledon Championships, where he made a dramatic comeback at two sets down in the third round versusJulien Benneteau, and carried momentum from this victory to win a seventh Wimbledon title over native British favoriteAndy Murray, in the process tyingPete Sampras' record of Wimbledon titles and clinching his record-setting seventeenth Grand Slam. His win at Wimbledon also saw him climb past Djokovic to return to the World No. 1 ranking, and saw him breaking Sampras' record of weeks at World No. 1. Federer went on to win his first Olympic singles medal at the2012 London Olympics, winning silver.
Federer then won his third Masters 1000 title of the season and his twenty-first overall at theWestern & Southern Open. He was upset in the quarterfinals of theUS Open byTomáš Berdych. Federer finished his season at theATP World Tour Finals, where he lost to Djokovic in a tight final. Federer ended his season with six calendar titles, a Grand Slam title, 3 Masters 1000 titles and an Olympic silver medal. Federer also represented Switzerland in the Davis Cup, and helped Switzerland to advance to the2013 Davis Cup World Group.
The 2012 season was a return to form for Federer. He had his most match wins (71) since 2006, and his highest winning percentage (86%) and number of titles won (6) since 2007. The two most significant accomplishments of his season included winning a record seventeenth Grand Slam title (his first since the2010 Australian Open) and returning to World No. 1.
Federer began his ATP World Tour season at theQatar Open, where he was defending his title. After straight-set victories over2011 finalistNikolay Davydenko andqualifierGrega Žemlja, Federer won a hard-fought, error-prone match over eighth-seededAndreas Seppi.[1] Federer was scheduled to playJo-Wilfried Tsonga in a rematch of the previous year's semifinal, but was forced to withdraw due to a back spasm problem. This marked only the second time in Federer's career (after the2008 Paris Masters) that he withdrew from a tournament because of injury.[2]
Federer next traveled toMelbourne for the firstGrand Slam of the season, theAustralian Open. The Swiss advanced through the first four rounds without the loss of a set, starting his campaign by defeatingqualifierAlexander Kudryavtsev,[3] receiving awalkover into the third round whenAndreas Beck withdrew with a lower back injury prior to their second round match,[4][5] and beatingIvo Karlović to improve to a 10–1 head-to-head record against the Croat.[6] Federer then faced Australian teenagerBernard Tomic and downed him in less than two hours to extend his record streak of Grand Slam quarterfinals consecutive appearances to 31.[7] In the quarterfinals, Federer faced world no. 11Juan Martín del Potro in his 1000th career match. It was their first meeting in a major tournament since Del Potro defeated Federer in five sets in the2009 US Open men's final. As the tight match slowly progressed, Federer took control and flew by del Potro in straight sets.[8] With his win, Federer becomes the first player at age 30 and over to reach the Australian Open semifinals sinceAndre Agassi, and extends his match winning streak (started in September 2011) to 24 consecutive victories. Federer played world no. 2 and archrivalRafael Nadal in the semifinals. He opened up the match by winning the first set, but ultimately lost momentum and dropped the next three sets after a failed attempt to get back in the match by taking the third set. Federer's loss to Nadal saw his winning streak of 24 consecutive matches end and his record against Nadal slip to 9–18.[9]
Federer went to theABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament inRotterdam for the first time since he won in2005. He faced FrenchmanNicolas Mahut in the first round and defeated him in straight sets. He then received a walkover againstMikhail Youzhny, and then defeatedJarkko Nieminen in the quarterfinals in two tight sets. In the semifinals, Federer dropped his opening set to an aggressiveNikolay Davydenko, but rallied to win the match in three sets.[10] He beatJuan Martín del Potro in the final to clinch his second title in Rotterdam.[11]
Federer next played in theDubai Tennis Championships. He played FrenchmanMichaël Llodra in the first round and defeated him in straight sets after a tight second set went to a tiebreak.[12][13] He then facedFeliciano López and, after a slow start, defeated him in straight sets.[14] He next playedMikhail Youzhny and flew to a straight-sets victory after dropping only fourteen points on serve.[15] In the semifinals, he defeatedJuan Martín del Potro in two tight tiebreaks.[16] He beat Andy Murray in the final to clinch his fifth title in Dubai, his second consecutive title, and his second title of the year.[17] He also finished the tournament without dropping a set.
Immediately following his win at Dubai, Federer began his trip to the United States with an appearance at theBNP Paribas Showdown, playing an exhibition match againstAndy Roddick. After two very tight sets, Federer was defeated by Roddick in the second-set tiebreak.
Federer next participated in theIndian Wells Masters inIndian Wells,California. Federer had come down with flu-like symptoms prior to his opening match due to a virus that had spread around the players at the beginning of the tournament.[18] After receiving a bye into the second round, he faced American qualifierDenis Kudla, and dispatched him in straight sets.[19] He next faced young up-and-coming CanadianMilos Raonic. Raonic grabbed a tight first set after winning the set tiebreaker, but Federer came back strong with two break points in the second set to level the match. Federer found a break point late in the third set and held to secure a close three-set win over Raonic.[20][21] Still recovering from his illness, Federer played BrazilianThomaz Bellucci, who had received a walkover from the third round, the day after his match with Raonic. Bellucci took advantage of a shaky Federer to win the first set, but Federer found his rhythm and fought back to win the next two sets and the match with two crucial break points, one of which was also match point.[22] Federer then playedJuan Martín del Potro for the fourth time in the season in the quarterfinals. After winning three break points throughout the match, Federer defeated del Potro in 69 minutes, earning his 250th career Masters 1000 win.[23] He then faced archrivalRafael Nadal, whom he had last played in his loss in the Australian Open semifinals. Rain delays kept the two rivals off the court for a few hours, but when they began playing, Federer got off to a fast start, securing two break points to win the set with ease. He then capitalized on two more break points to give himself a big lead. After fending off a late comeback by Nadal and waiting out a short rain delay after drawing match point, Federer sealed the match with an ace, recording his tenth career win over Nadal.[24] In the final, Federer met AmericanJohn Isner, who had beaten him in their last meeting in the Davis Cup, and defeated him in straight sets, clinching a record-tying 19th Masters 1000 title.[25]
Federer next played at theMiami Masters. Federer opened in the second round against wildcard AmericanRyan Harrison after taking a bye in the first round. Federer controlled much of the match and avoided a late comeback by Harrison to win in straight sets after a second set tiebreak.[26] He next played perennial rivalAndy Roddick in the third round. Federer dropped the first set tiebreak, but came back strong with three break points in the second set. The third set saw Roddick save four break points in the second game and pull momentum from Federer, who gave up a break in the next game. Federer's serve faltered, and Roddick held his next four service games to win the match and defeat Federer for only the third time in his career, the first time since he last defeated Federer at the 2008 Miami Masters. This loss ended Federer's 16-match winning streak.[27]
Federer started off his clay court season with theMadrid Open. He received a bye to the second round, where he facedMilos Raonic. After dropping the first set, Federer saved seven break points in the next two sets to hold off Raonic and win the match in the third-set tiebreak.[28] Federer then played FrenchmanRichard Gasquet in the third round, and flew to a win in less than an hour, winning in straight sets.[29] In the quarterfinals, Federer defeated SpaniardDavid Ferrer in straight sets, losing only six points on his serve, and extended his undefeated record against Ferrer.[30] He defeatedJanko Tipsarević in the semifinals in straight sets in just over an hour, and also extended an undefeated record against him.[31] In clinching a spot in the final, Federer brokeIvan Lendl's record for the most combined Championship Masters Series finals, which includes his finals appearances at Masters 1000 events, and stands alone at 32 finals reached. In his 104th career final, he defeatedTomáš Berdych in three sets after dropping the first set. With his win, he regained the world no. 2 ranking from SpaniardRafael Nadal. He also won his third Madrid Masters title and tied Nadal's record of 20 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles.[32]
Federer next played at theItalian Open inRome. He received a bye into the second round where he met and comfortably beatCarlos Berlocq of Argentina in straight sets.[33] In the third round, he played 2001 championJuan Carlos Ferrero and defeated him in three sets after Ferrero had won the second set by converting a break.[34] Federer then faced hometown favoriteAndreas Seppi in the quarterfinals, but defeated him by a comfortable margin, dropping only three games en route to a straight sets win.[35] Federer next lost to first-seededNovak Djokovic in the semifinal in straight sets, after failing to gain enough momentum to overcome Djokovic in the second-set tiebreak.[36] As Nadal ultimately won the tournament, Federer dropped to world No. 3 rank.
Federer concluded his clay court season with theFrench Open inParis, his 50th career major championship. He played GermanTobias Kamke in the first round, and won in straight sets. With his win, Federer recorded his 50th match win at the French Open and tiedJimmy Connors' record for most career Grand Slam match wins at 233 wins.[37] He next playedAdrian Ungur of Belgium, and defeated him in four sets after dropping a third-set tiebreak on a backhand error. With this win, Federer broke Connors' record for the most career Grand Slam match wins, earning his 234th win.[38] He next played against FrenchmanNicolas Mahut, who took the second set from Federer before Federer rallied to win the match in four sets.[39] Federer then facedDavid Goffin, who made his Grand Slam debut as a lucky loser, the seventh to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam. After dropping the first set because of unforced errors, Federer fought back and won the next three sets to reach his thirty-second consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal.[40] He next facedJuan Martín del Potro for the fifth time in the season. After del Potro broke Federer in the first set and won a set tiebreak to take a two set lead, Federer capitalized on a waning del Potro to win the next three sets and take the match in three hours and fourteen minutes. Federer advanced to his thirty-first Grand Slam semifinal with his seventh career win from two sets down and his third at the French Open.[41] He next played first-seededNovak Djokovic. In a match with constant breaks of serve, Federer lost in straight sets because of inconsistent play and copious errors, which included failing to convert on an early second-set lead.[42]
Federer began his 2012 grass court season at theHalle Open in Halle, where he was a five-time champion and was the second seed. He received a bye in the first round, and defeatedFlorian Mayer in the second round, firing 11 aces to kick-start his grass court season with a straight sets win.[43] Federer then played CanadianMilos Raonic in the quarterfinals, and, after losing a first set tiebreak, won in a third set tiebreak to secure three consecutive wins against Raonic.[44] In the semifinals, he cruised pastMikhail Youzhny, dropping only five games en route to a win in one hour.[45] However, Federer succumbed in the final to an inspiredTommy Haas in straight sets due to untimely errors.[46]
Federer finished his grass court season at theWimbledon Championships, where he was the third seed and a six-time champion. He was bidding to equalPete Sampras' record of seven Wimbledon titles won. Federer faced SpaniardAlbert Ramos in the first round, and swept past him in less than an hour and a half, dropping only three games en route to his straight sets victory.[47] He next played ItalianFabio Fognini, and dispatched him in similar fashion, winning in straight sets after losing only six games.[48] The match was attended by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall (Charles andCamilla), both of whom met Federer following his win.[49] In the third round, Federer faced FrenchmanJulien Benneteau, whom he had lost to in their last encounter at the2009 Paris Masters. He found himself down two sets to love after Benneteau's brilliant play won a break point in the first set and a tiebreak in the second set. However, Federer steeled himself and won the third set in less than half an hour. He then held off a comeback by Benneteau in a fourth-set tiebreak to level the match at two sets all. Federer broke Benneteau in the fifth set and held his lead to close the match out in three and a half hours.[50] Federer's win over Benneteau marked the second time in the season and the eighth time in Federer's career that he came back from two sets down to win the match. Federer played BelgianXavier Malisse in the fourth round, and recorded his 850th match win over four sets. Federer was down a break in the first set but broke Malisse back to force a tiebreak, which he won handily. After dropping only one game en route to winning the second set. Federer found his serve broken in the third set, which allowed Malisse to take a set off of Federer. Federer then broke Malisse in the middle of the fourth set to secure the lead, which he held to win the match in just over two hours.[51] He facedMikhail Youzhny, whom he has an undefeated record against, in the quarterfinals. In a match attended by TheDuke andDuchess of Cambridge,Rod Laver, andAndre Agassi and his wifeSteffi Graf, Federer steamrollered over Youzhny in just over one and a half hours, dropping only five games in his victory.[52]
He played against primeNovak Djokovic in the semifinal for the second consecutive Grand Slam, and managed to hold a break in the middle of the first set to jump out to a one set lead. Djokovic struck back with a break in the opening game of the second set, and held the lead to even out the game. In the third set, after Federer and Djokovic traded mistakes and missed opportunities, Federer found two set points, and converted his second to take a two sets to one lead. Federer made a strong start to the fourth set, winning the first three games and serving with great accuracy. He ultimately clinched the match in one of his service games, winning in two hours and twenty minutes.[53] In his record eighth final appearance at the All-England Club, Federer won in four sets against hometown favoriteAndy Murray, securing his seventh Wimbledon title and tyingWilliam Renshaw's andPete Sampras' record of most Wimbledon titles won. Federer fought back from a one set love deficit, created by Murray when he closed up the set after breaking Federer's serve late in the set. Federer and Murray both held serve in the second set until Federer converted a set point in the final game of the set by breaking Murray's serve. After the players started the third set, play was suspended after a rain delay forced the Centre Court roof to be closed. After play resumed, Federer dominated play, winning a crucial break point in a game that stretched out for 20 minutes and saw 26 points played. Federer held the break to win the set and take the lead. The fourth set also saw Federer outserve Murray and win the only break point of the set to eventually win the match after three hours and fourteen minutes.[54] Federer was the oldest finalist sinceJimmy Connors in 1984 and the oldest winner sinceArthur Ashe in 1975. With his win, Federer also extended his record of most Grand Slams won to seventeen and regained the World No. 1 ranking, which he last held two years ago.[55] Federer's return to World No. 1 also sees him tying, and ultimately surpassing, Pete Sampras' career record of 286 weeks as World No. 1.[56][57]
Federer next played at the2012 Summer Olympics, representingSwitzerland in the men's singles and doubles tennis tournaments.[58]
In the singles tournament, Federer first played ColombianAlejandro Falla, who took him to five sets at the2010 Wimbledon Championships. Federer took the first set with ease, but lost a few match points and his serve late in the second set, allowing Falla to make a comeback and level the match at one set all. Federer regained control over the match, however, and closed out the third set to advance to the second round.[59] Federer then played FrenchmanJulien Benneteau, who had also taken him to five sets at the2012 Wimbledon Championships just over a month ago. Contrary to their previous matchup, Federer faced no challenge from Benneteau, and flew past him to a straight-sets win in less than an hour.[60] Federer next played UzbekDenis Istomin in the third round, and clinched a tight first set after a short rain delay. He then took command in the second set and defeated Istomin.[61] In the quarterfinals, Federer faced AmericanJohn Isner, and secured the first set after a break of Isner's serve allowed him to serve for the set. Federer then battled with Isner to reach a tiebreak in the second-set, which ended when a return of Isner's serve clipped the top of the net and dribbled over to win the match.[62] In the semifinals, Federer facedJuan Martín del Potro for the sixth time this season. He found himself in a one-set deficit after del Potro broke him in the middle of the first set and held to win the set. Federer, however, fought back in the second set, and after losing two opportunities to serve for the set, won the tiebreak with an ace on his second set point. Federer and del Potro then began a third set which saw del Potro creating a one-game lead and Federer matching it in his service games. Federer managed to break del Potro after twenty games, but was unable to convert the break, and del Potro broke back to continue the pattern. Eventually, Federer engineered another break at seventeen games all, and held serve to win the match on his second match point. The match, which stretched over four hours and twenty-six minutes, broke the record for the longestbest-of-three-sets system match in the Open Era, surpassing the 4 hours and 3 minutes in Rafael Nadal’s victory over Novak Djokovic in the2009 Madrid Masters.[63][64][65]
Federer, who secured his first Olympic medal and Switzerland's first medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics with his semifinal win, played BritonAndy Murray in the final. Federer was unable to find a way to control the match, and saw his serve broken five times en route to a loss in straight sets, which resulted in earning him a silver medal. The match was a nightmarish match for Federer, where he won just seven games and scored a minuscule ten points on his own second serve. It was Federer's worst ever loss on grass, and overall second worst in a best of five sets match, next only to2008 French Open final toRafael Nadal.[66][67] Federer’s finals finish, along with World No. 2 Novak Djokovic's semifinals finish, guaranteed that he would retain his World No. 1 ranking.
In the doubles tournament, Federer teamed up withStanislas Wawrinka to defend their gold medal from the2008 Summer Olympics. They first faced the Japanese duo ofKei Nishikori andGo Soeda, and dropped the first set tiebreak to them. However, Federer and Wawrinka rallied to win the next two sets and the match, successfully beginning their medal defense.[68] The pair next playedJonathan Erlich andAndy Ram of Israel, and grabbed a one-set lead after winning the first set in less than half an hour. However, they were edged by Erlich and Ram in the second-set tiebreak, and fared poorly in the third set, giving up a break of serve which ultimately lost them the match.[69]
Federer was scheduled to open this season'sUS Open Series by participating in theRogers Cup inToronto, but he withdrew from the tournament, citing a need for rest.[70]
Federer opened his US Open Series at theWestern & Southern Open inCincinnati, where he finished in the quarterfinals last year. Federer first facedAlex Bogomolov, Jr. of Russia, and found little trouble in his first match, dropping only five games en route to a win in one hour.[71] In the third round Federer faced AustralianBernard Tomic, defeating the 19-year-old while only dropping six games.[72] Federer next faced AmericanMardy Fish in a rematch of the2010 Cincinnati final. His quarterfinal against Fish was a high quality match with Federer closing it out in a second-set tiebreaker.[73] His semifinal match was an all Swiss affair as he faced friend and doubles partnerStan Wawrinka. Wawrinka pressed Federer to a tiebreaker but ultimately succumbed to the world number 1 in straight sets. With his victory over Wawrinka, Federer secured the number ranking going into theUS Open.[74] He faced world number 2Novak Djokovic in the final, and started the match strong, winning six straight games to open with a one-set lead in 20 minutes. He then played a tight second set with Djokovic, and won the set and the match in a tiebreaker. With his win, Federer won his record fifth title at Cincinnati and did so without losing a serve or dropping a set for the entire tournament.[75]
Federer next played at theUS Open inFlushing Meadows, where he finished in the semifinals last year. Federer faced AmericanDonald Young in the first round and defeated him in straight sets in just over an hour and a half.[76] He next faced GermanBjörn Phau, and faced little resistance, breaking Phau five times en route to a straight-sets victory in exactly an hour and a half.[77] Federer then playedFernando Verdasco of Spain, and won again in straight sets, winning in just over two hours.[78] He was scheduled to play AmericanMardy Fish in the fourth round, but Fish withdrew, citing health concerns.[79] Federer playedTomáš Berdych in the quarterfinal, and dropped the first two sets before regaining some momentum and winning the third set. However, Berdych forced a break of Federer's serve, and served out the match, handing Federer his first loss in eight matches. Federer's loss also ended his eight consecutive semifinal appearances at the US Open since 2004.
Federer's first post-US Open tournament was theShanghai Masters. Federer received a bye into the second round, where he playedLu Yen-hsun and won the match in straight sets after securing one break point in each set.[80] In the third round, Federer faced off against compatriotStanislas Wawrinka. He dropped the first set to Wawrinka, but won a crucial second-set tiebreak and finished the match by winning six straight games in the third set. Federer's win over Wawrinka guaranteed him the world No. 1 ranking for a 300th week.[81] Federer's next match in the quarterfinals, againstMarin Čilić, saw him taking control of the match from the start, winning in straight sets in just over eighty minutes.[82] Federer next playedAndy Murray in the semifinals, but a few anomalies in his service gave breaks of serve to Murray in the first and second sets, resulting in a straight sets loss.[83]
Federer's next tournament was the2012 Swiss Indoors, where he was seeded first and was a two-time defending champion. He playedBenjamin Becker in the first round, and won in straight sets after overcoming Becker in a tight first set.[84] He then facedThomaz Bellucci in the second round, and won the first set before dropping a tight second set tiebreak. He then fought off a comeback by Bellucci, and won the match with a break of Bellucci's serve in just over two hours.[85] Federer playedBenoît Paire of France in the quarterfinals, and swept past him in straight sets, dropping only one point on serve en route to a win in less than an hour.[86] In a tougher semifinal, Federer dispatchedPaul-Henri Mathieu in straight sets, advancing to his ninth Basel final and equallingJohn McEnroe's 875 career match wins.[87] Federer playedJuan Martín del Potro in the final, and found himself one set down after del Potro broke his serve in the middle of the first set. Federer fought back in the second set, saving a break point late in the set to force a tiebreak, which he won. However, he was not able to keep his seven-match win streak against del Potro, dropping the match in a third-set tiebreak after failing to convert break points earlier in the set.[88]
Federer was scheduled to play at theBNP Paribas Masters, where he was the defending champion, but elected to withdraw, citing a need to rest ahead of the World Tour Finals.[89] Federer's withdrawal, coupled with his loss in the final of the Swiss Indoors, led to the loss of his World No. 1 year-end ranking toNovak Djokovic.[90]
Federer next played at his eleventhATP World Tour Finals, where he was the two-time defending champion. He was drawn into Group B, which includedDavid Ferrer of Spain,Juan Martín del Potro of Argentina, andJanko Tipsarević of Serbia. He first faced Tipsarević, and dropped only eight points on serve en route to defeating him in straight sets in an hour and nine minutes. With his win over Tipsarević, Federer recorded his fortieth ATP World Tour Finals win, surpassingIvan Lendl's record of ATP World Tour Finals win.[91] Federer then played Ferrer, and beat him in a tight second-set tiebreak after Federer clinched the first set on a break of Ferrer's serve. Federer's win marked his fourteenth consecutive win over Ferrer and also qualified him for the semifinals.[92] Federer played del Potro to wrap up the round robin, and found himself one set down after del Potro clinched a first-set tiebreak. Federer broke del Potro early in the second set, and held the lead to level the match at one set all. However, del Potro responded by breaking him early in the third set, and Federer's unforced errors ultimately cost him the game and the match. Federer's loss meant that his streak of 12 matches won at the ATP World Tour Finals was broken.[93] Even with the loss, Federer finished first in the group, and advanced to the semifinals, where he facedAndy Murray, who he had last played at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. Murray started out strong, breaking Federer in the first game of the set, but Federer recovered by breaking Murray later in the set. The first set eventually went to a tiebreak, and Federer found himself with two set points, converting the second to take a one-set lead. Federer then flew through the second set, breaking Murray twice en route to winning the match in just over an hour and a half.[94] With his win, Federer advanced to his eighth final, where he playedNovak Djokovic. Federer held an early lead in the first set, but Djokovic managed to level the set and ended up pulling out to a one-set lead after winning a very tight first-set tiebreak. In the second set, Djokovic was able to convert a decisive break point on Federer's serve late in the set and he subsequently served out the match to win his second end of season championship.[95] The loss denied Federer a chance to tieIvan Lendl's record of three consecutive ATP World Tour Finals titles. Federer's loss also cost him a chance at tyingJohn McEnroe's record of 77 career titles won.
Federer returned to Switzerland to represent his country for their first-roundDavis Cup meeting with theUnited States. He played his first rubber atFribourg againstJohn Isner afterMardy Fish had beaten his compatriotStanislas Wawrinka in the first rubber. After taking the first set, Federer struggled to capitalize on break points and lost the next three sets to Isner, giving the Americans a 2–0 advantage.[96] He next played with Wawrinka in the doubles rubber against top doubles playerMike Bryan and Fish. Federer and Wawrinka won a tight first set, but were run over by Bryan and Fish in the next three sets, losing the rubber and the match-up.[97] The Americans advanced to the quarterfinals, while Switzerland was relegated to theWorld Group play-offs. Federer was scheduled to playMardy Fish in the first of the reverse singles rubbers, but Federer and Fish were taken off the schedule, as the Americans had already won the match-up.
Federer represented Switzerland in theWorld Group play-offs against the Netherlands in Amsterdam. Federer playedThiemo de Bakker in his first singles rubber,[98] and he won the match in straight sets, giving Switzerland its first point.[99] After compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka secured a four-set victory overRobin Haase in the second singles rubber, Federer and Wawrinka teamed up to play the doubles rubber against Haase andJean-Julien Rojer. Because of strong play by Haase and Rojer, Federer and Wawrinka found themselves in a two-set to love deficit, but they fought to win the third set. However, Haase and Rojer continued to break the Swiss pair's serves and won an upset in four sets, preventing Switzerland from clinching the match-up on the second day of play.[100] Federer then played Haase in the first of the reverse singles rubbers, and found little trouble in winning the match in straight sets, fending off various opportunities for Haase to break his serve. Federer's win clinched the match-up, which meant that Switzerland would play in theWorld Group in 2013.[101]
| Tournament | Match | Round | Opponent | Rank | Result | Score |
| Qatar Open Doha,Qatar ATP World Tour 250 Hard, outdoor 2–7 January 2012 | 994 | 1R |  Nikolay Davydenko | 41 | Win | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 995 | 2R |  Grega Žemlja | 116 | Win | 6–2, 6–3 | |
| 996 | QF |  Andreas Seppi | 38 | Win | 6–3, 5–7, 6–4 | |
| – | SF |  Jo-Wilfried Tsonga | 6 | Withdrew | N/A | |
| Australian Open Melbourne, Australia Grand Slam Hard, outdoor 16–29 January 2012 | 997 | 1R | Alexander Kudryavtsev | 172 | Win | 7–5, 6–2, 6–2 |
| – | 2R |  Andreas Beck | 93 | Walkover | N/A | |
| 998 | 3R |  Ivo Karlović | 57 | Win | 7–6(8–6), 7–5, 6–3 | |
| 999 | 4R |  Bernard Tomic | 38 | Win | 6–4, 6–2, 6–2 | |
| 1000 | QF |  Juan Martín del Potro | 11 | Win | 6–4, 6–3, 6–2 | |
| 1001 | SF |  Rafael Nadal | 2 | Loss | 7–6(7–5), 2–6, 6–7(5–7), 4–6 | |
| Davis Cup,World Group first round Fribourg, Switzerland Davis Cup Clay, indoor 10–12 February 2012 | 1002 | RR |  John Isner | 17 | Loss | 6–4, 3–6, 6–7(4–7), 2–6 |
| ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament Rotterdam, Netherlands ATP World Tour 500 Hard, indoor 13–19 February 2012 | 1003 | 1R | Nicolas Mahut | 83 | Win | 6–4, 6–4 |
| – | 2R | Mikhail Youzhny | 31 | Walkover | N/A | |
| 1004 | QF |  Jarkko Nieminen | 46 | Win | 7–5, 7–6(7–2) | |
| 1005 | SF | Nikolay Davydenko | 49 | Win | 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 | |
| 1006 | W | Juan Martín del Potro | 10 | Win (1) | 6–1, 6–4 | |
| Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Dubai,United Arab Emirates ATP World Tour 500 Hard, outdoor 27 February – 3 March 2012 | 1007 | 1R | Michaël Llodra | 40 | Win | 6–0, 7–6(8–6) |
| 1008 | 2R | Feliciano López | 15 | Win | 7–5, 6–3 | |
| 1009 | QF | Mikhail Youzhny | 34 | Win | 6–3, 6–4 | |
| 1010 | SF | Juan Martín del Potro | 10 | Win | 7–6(7–5), 7–6(8–6) | |
| 1011 | W |  Andy Murray | 4 | Win (2) | 7–5, 6–4 | |
| BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells, United States ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Hard, outdoor 12–18 March 2012 | – | 1R | Bye | |||
| 1012 | 2R | Denis Kudla | 185 | Win | 6–4, 6–1 | |
| 1013 | 3R |  Milos Raonic | 27 | Win | 6–7(4–7), 6–2, 6–4 | |
| 1014 | 4R |  Thomaz Bellucci | 50 | Win | 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 | |
| 1015 | QF | Juan Martín del Potro | 9 | Win | 6–3, 6–2 | |
| 1016 | SF | Rafael Nadal | 2 | Win | 6–3, 6–4 | |
| 1017 | W | John Isner | 11 | Win (3) | 7–6(9–7), 6–3 | |
| Sony Ericsson Open Miami, United States ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Hard, outdoor 19 March – 1 April 2012 | – | 1R | Bye | |||
| 1018 | 2R | Ryan Harrison | 73 | Win | 6–2, 7–6(7–3) | |
| 1019 | 3R | Andy Roddick | 34 | Loss | 6–7(4–7), 6–1, 4–6 | |
| Mutua Madrid Open Madrid, Spain ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Clay, outdoor 7–13 May 2012 | – | 1R | Bye | |||
| 1020 | 2R | Milos Raonic | 23 | Win | 4–6, 7–5, 7–6(7–4) | |
| 1021 | 3R | Richard Gasquet | 18 | Win | 6–3, 6–2 | |
| 1022 | QF | David Ferrer | 6 | Win | 6–4, 6–4 | |
| 1023 | SF |  Janko Tipsarević | 8 | Win | 6–2, 6–3 | |
| 1024 | W |  Tomáš Berdych | 7 | Win (4) | 3–6, 7–5, 7–5 | |
| Internazionali BNL d'Italia Rome, Italy ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Clay, outdoor 14–20 May 2012 | – | 1R | Bye | |||
| 1025 | 2R | Carlos Berlocq | 38 | Win | 6–3, 6–4 | |
| 1026 | 3R | Juan Carlos Ferrero | 47 | Win | 6–2, 5–7, 6–1 | |
| 1027 | QF | Andreas Seppi | 30 | Win | 6–1, 6–2 | |
| 1028 | SF | Novak Djokovic | 1 | Loss | 2–6, 6–7(4–7) | |
| French Open Paris, France Grand Slam Clay, outdoor 28 May – 10 June 2012 | 1029 | 1R | Tobias Kamke | 78 | Win | 6–2, 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1030 | 2R |  Adrian Ungur | 92 | Win | 6–3, 6–2, 6–7(6–8), 6–3 | |
| 1031 | 3R | Nicolas Mahut | 89 | Win | 6–3, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5 | |
| 1032 | 4R |  David Goffin | 109 | Win | 5–7, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4 | |
| 1033 | QF | Juan Martín del Potro | 9 | Win | 3–6, 6–7(4–7), 6–2, 6–0, 6–3 | |
| 1034 | SF | Novak Djokovic | 1 | Loss | 4–6, 5–7, 3–6 | |
| Gerry Weber Open Halle, Germany ATP World Tour 250 Grass, outdoor 11–17 June 2012 | – | 1R | Bye | |||
| 1035 | 2R | Florian Mayer | 29 | Win | 6–4, 7–5 | |
| 1036 | QF | Milos Raonic | 21 | Win | 6–7(4–7), 6–4, 7–6(7–3) | |
| 1037 | SF | Mikhail Youzhny | 31 | Win | 6–1, 6–4 | |
| 1038 | F | Tommy Haas | 87 | Loss (1) | 6–7(5–7), 4–6 | |
| Wimbledon Championships London, United Kingdom Grand Slam Grass, outdoor 25 June – 8 July 2012 | 1039 | 1R | Albert Ramos | 43 | Win | 6–1, 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1040 | 2R | Fabio Fognini | 68 | Win | 6–1, 6–3, 6–2 | |
| 1041 | 3R | Julien Benneteau | 32 | Win | 4–6, 6–7(3–7), 6–2, 7–6(8–6), 6–1 | |
| 1042 | 4R | Xavier Malisse | 75 | Win | 7–6(7–1), 6–1, 4–6, 6–3 | |
| 1043 | QF | Mikhail Youzhny | 33 | Win | 6–1, 6–2, 6–2 | |
| 1044 | SF | Novak Djokovic | 1 | Win | 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 | |
| 1045 | W | Andy Murray | 4 | Win (5) | 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–4 | |
| Summer Olympic Games London, United Kingdom Grass, outdoor 27 July – 5 August 2012 | 1046 | 1R |  Alejandro Falla | 51 | Win | 6–3, 5–7, 6–3 |
| 1047 | 2R | Julien Benneteau | 32 | Win | 6–2, 6–2 | |
| 1048 | 3R |  Denis Istomin | 35 | Win | 7–5, 6–3 | |
| 1049 | QF | John Isner | 11 | Win | 6–4, 7–6(7–5) | |
| 1050 | SF | Juan Martín del Potro | 9 | Win | 3–6, 7–6(7–5), 19–17 | |
| 1051 | F | Andy Murray | 4 | Loss (2) | 2–6, 1–6, 4–6 | |
| Western & Southern Open Cincinnati, United States ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Hard, outdoor 13–19 August 2012 | – | 1R | Bye | |||
| 1052 | 2R | Alex Bogomolov, Jr. | 62 | Win | 6–3, 6–2 | |
| 1053 | 3R | Bernard Tomic | 49 | Win | 6–2, 6–4 | |
| 1054 | QF | Mardy Fish | 20 | Win | 6–3, 7–6(7–4) | |
| 1055 | SF | Stanislas Wawrinka | 26 | Win | 7–6(7–4), 6–3 | |
| 1056 | W | Novak Djokovic | 2 | Win (6) | 6–0, 7–6(9–7) | |
| US Open New York City, United States Grand Slam Hard, outdoor 27 August – 9 September 2012 | 1057 | 1R | Donald Young | 81 | Win | 6–3, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 1058 | 2R | Björn Phau | 83 | Win | 6–2, 6–3, 6–2 | |
| 1059 | 3R | Fernando Verdasco | 26 | Win | 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 | |
| – | 4R | Mardy Fish | 25 | Walkover | N/A | |
| 1060 | QF | Tomáš Berdych | 7 | Loss | 6–7(1–7), 4–6, 6–3, 3–6 | |
| Davis Cup,World Group play-offs Amsterdam, Netherlands Davis Cup Clay, outdoor 14–16 September 2012 | 1061 | RR |  Thiemo de Bakker | 159 | Win | 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1062 | RR | Robin Haase | 50 | Win | 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 | |
| Shanghai Rolex Masters Shanghai, China ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Hard, outdoor 8–14 October 2012 | – | 1R | Bye | |||
| 1063 | 2R |  Lu Yen-hsun | 62 | Win | 6–3, 7–5 | |
| 1064 | 3R | Stanislas Wawrinka | 17 | Win | 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–0 | |
| 1065 | QF | Marin Čilić | 16 | Win | 6–3, 6–4 | |
| 1066 | SF | Andy Murray | 3 | Loss | 4–6, 4–6 | |
| Swiss Indoors Basel Basel, Switzerland ATP World Tour 500 Hard, indoor 22–28 October 2012 | 1067 | 1R | Benjamin Becker | 83 | Win | 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1068 | 2R | Thomaz Bellucci | 34 | Win | 6–3, 6–7(6–8), 7–5 | |
| 1069 | QF | Benoît Paire | 46 | Win | 6–2, 6–2 | |
| 1070 | SF | Paul-Henri Mathieu | 101 | Win | 7–5, 6–4 | |
| 1071 | F | Juan Martín del Potro | 8 | Loss (3) | 4–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–7(3–7) | |
| Barclays ATP World Tour Finals London, United Kingdom ATP World Tour Finals Hard, indoor 5–12 November 2012 | 1072 | RR | Janko Tipsarević | 9 | Win | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1073 | RR | David Ferrer | 5 | Win | 6–4, 7–6(7–5) | |
| 1074 | RR | Juan Martín del Potro | 7 | Loss | 6–7(3–7), 6–4, 3–6 | |
| 1075 | SF | Andy Murray | 3 | Win | 7–6(7–5), 6–2 | |
| 1076 | F | Novak Djokovic | 1 | Loss (4) | 6–7(6–8), 5–7 |
| Tournament | Match | Round | Partner | Opponent/Rank | Result | Score |
| Davis Cup,World Group first round Fribourg, Switzerland Davis Cup Clay, indoor 10–12 February 2012 | 197 | RR | Stanislas Wawrinka | Mike Bryan / #1Mardy Fish / #118 | Loss | 6–4, 3–6, 3–6, 3–6 |
| Summer Olympic Games London, United Kingdom Grass, outdoor 27 July–5 August 2012 | 198 | 1R | Stanislas Wawrinka |  Kei Nishikori / #290Go Soeda / #337 | Win | 6–7(5–7), 6–4, 6–4 |
| 199 | 2R |  Jonathan Erlich / #44Andy Ram / #45 | Loss | 6–1, 6–7(5–7), 3–6 | ||
| Davis Cup,World Group play-offs Amsterdam, Netherlands Davis Cup Clay, outdoor 14–16 September 2012 | 200 | RR | Stanislas Wawrinka | Robin Haase / #116Jean-Julien Rojer / #17 | Loss | 4–6, 2–6, 7–5, 3–6 |
Federer's 2012 singles tournament schedule was as follows:[102]
| Date | Tournament | Location | Category | Surface | Prev. result | Prev. points | New points | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 January 2012– 7 January 2012 | Qatar Open | Doha (QAT) | 250 Series | Hard | W | 250 | Withdrew before semifinal match (againstJo-Wilfried Tsonga) | |
| 16 January 2012– 29 January 2012 | Australian Open | Melbourne (AUS) | Grand Slam | Hard | SF | 720 | 720 | Semifinals (lost toRafael Nadal, 7–6(7–5), 2–6, 6–7(5–7), 4–6) |
| 10 February 2012– 12 February 2012 | Davis CupWorld Group, 1R: Switzerland vs. United States | Fribourg (SUI) | Davis Cup | Clay (i) | N/A | N/A |  United States def. Switzerland, 5–0Switzerland relegated to2012 WG Play-offs | |
| 13 February 2012– 19 February 2012 | Rotterdam Open | Rotterdam (NED) | 500 Series | Hard (i) | A | N/A | 500 | Champion (defeatedJuan Martín del Potro, 6–1, 6–4) |
| 27 February 2012– 3 March 2012 | Dubai Tennis Championships | Dubai (UAE) | 500 Series | Hard | F | 300 | 500 | Champion (defeatedAndy Murray, 7–5, 6–4) |
| 12 March 2012– 18 March 2012 | Indian Wells Masters | Indian Wells (USA) | Masters 1000 | Hard | SF | 360 | 1000 | Champion (defeatedJohn Isner, 7–6(9–7), 6–3) |
| 19 March 2012– 1 April 2012 | Miami Masters | Miami (USA) | Masters 1000 | Hard | SF | 360 | 45 | Third round (lost toAndy Roddick, 6–7(4–7), 6–1, 4–6) |
| 7 May 2012– 13 May 2012 | Madrid Open | Madrid (ESP) | Masters 1000 | Clay | SF | 360 | 1000 | Champion (defeatedTomáš Berdych, 3–6, 7–5, 7–5) |
| 14 May 2012– 20 May 2012 | Italian Open | Rome (ITA) | Masters 1000 | Clay | R16 | 90 | 360 | Semifinals (lost toNovak Djokovic, 2–6, 6–7(4–7)) |
| 28 May 2012– 10 June 2012 | French Open | Paris (FRA) | Grand Slam | Clay | F | 1200 | 720 | Semifinals (lost toNovak Djokovic, 4–6, 5–7, 3–6) |
| 11 June 2012– 17 June 2012 | Halle Open | Halle (GER) | 250 Series | Grass | A | N/A | 150 | Final (lost toTommy Haas, 6–7(5–7), 4–6) |
| 25 June 2012– 8 July 2012 | The Championships, Wimbledon | Wimbledon (GBR) | Grand Slam | Grass | QF | 360 | 2000 | Champion (defeatedAndy Murray, 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–4) |
| 27 July 2012– 5 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London (GBR) | Olympic Games | Grass | N/A | N/A | 450 | Final (lost toAndy Murray, 2–6, 1–6, 4–6) |
| 13 August 2012– 19 August 2012 | Cincinnati Masters | Cincinnati (USA) | Masters 1000 | Hard | QF | 180 | 1000 | Champion (defeatedNovak Djokovic, 6–0, 7–6(9–7)) |
| 27 August 2012– 9 September 2012 | US Open | New York (USA) | Grand Slam | Hard | SF | 720 | 360 | Quarterfinals (lost toTomáš Berdych, 6–7(1–7), 4–6, 6–3, 3–6) |
| 14 September 2012– 16 September 2012 | Davis CupWorld Group play-offs: Netherlands vs. Switzerland | Amsterdam (NED) | Davis Cup | Clay | W | Switzerland def. Netherlands, 3–2 Switzerland advanced to2013 World Group | ||
| 8 October 2012– 14 October 2012 | Shanghai Masters | Shanghai (CHN) | Masters 1000 | Hard | A | 0 | 360 | Semifinals (lost toAndy Murray, 4–6, 4–6) |
| 22 October 2012– 28 October 2012 | Swiss Indoors | Basel (SUI) | 500 Series | Hard (i) | W | 500 | 300 | Final (lost toJuan Martín del Potro, 4–6, 7–67–5, 6–73–7) |
| 5 November 2012– 12 November 2012 | ATP World Tour Finals | London (GBR) | Tour Finals | Hard (i) | W | 1500 | 800 | Final (lost toNovak Djokovic, 6–7(6–8), 5–7) |
| Total year-end points | 8170 | 10265 | 2095difference | |||||
| Date | Championship | Location | Category | Surface | Prev. result | Prev. points | New points | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 February 2012– 12 February 2012 | Davis CupWorld Group, 1R: United States vs. Switzerland | Fribourg (SUI) | Davis Cup | Clay (i) | N/A | N/A | 10 | United States def. Switzerland, 5–0 Switzerland relegated to2012 WG Play-offs |
| 12 March 2012– 18 March 2012 | BNP Paribas Open | Indian Wells (USA) | ATP World Tour Masters 1000 | Hard | F | 600 | N/A | Did not play doubles |
| 27 July 2012– 5 August 2012 | 2012 Summer Olympics | London (GBR) | Olympic Games | Grass | N/A | N/A | 0 | Second round (lost toErlich/Ram, 6–1, 6–7(5–7), 3–6) |
| 14 September 2012– 16 September 2012 | Davis CupWorld Group play-offs: Switzerland vs. Netherlands | Amsterdam (NED) | Davis Cup | Clay | W | 0 | 0 | Switzerland def. Netherlands, 3–2 Switzerland advanced to2013 World Group |
| Total year-end points | 600 | 10 | 590difference | |||||
Roger Federer had a 71–12 match win–loss record for the 2012 season. His record against players who were part of theATP rankings Top Ten at the time of their meetings stands at 16–9. The following list is ordered by number of wins:
Juan Martín del Potro 6–2Milos Raonic 3–0Andy Murray 3–2Mikhail Youzhny 3–0Thomaz Bellucci 2–0Julien Benneteau 2–0Nikolay Davydenko 2–0David Ferrer 2–0Nicolas Mahut 2–0Andreas Seppi 2–0Janko Tipsarević 2–0Bernard Tomic 2–0Stanislas Wawrinka 2–0John Isner 2–1Novak Djokovic 2–3Thiemo de Bakker 1–0Benjamin Becker 1–0Carlos Berlocq 1–0Alex Bogomolov, Jr. 1–0Marin Čilić 1–0Alejandro Falla 1–0Juan Carlos Ferrero 1–0Mardy Fish 1–0Fabio Fognini 1–0Richard Gasquet 1–0David Goffin 1–0Robin Haase 1–0Ryan Harrison 1–0Denis Istomin 1–0Tobias Kamke 1–0Ivo Karlović 1–0Denis Kudla 1–0Alexander Kudryavtsev 1–0Michaël Llodra 1–0Feliciano López 1–0Yen-Hsun Lu 1–0Xavier Malisse 1–0Paul-Henri Mathieu 1–0Florian Mayer 1–0Jarkko Nieminen 1–0Benoît Paire 1–0Björn Phau 1–0Albert Ramos 1–0Adrian Ungur 1–0Fernando Verdasco 1–0Donald Young 1–0Grega Žemlja 1–0Tomáš Berdych 1–1Rafael Nadal 1–1Tommy Haas 0–1Andy Roddick 0–1
|
|
|
| Result | No. | Date | Category | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 71. | 19 February 2012 | 500 Series | Rotterdam Open, Netherlands(2) | Hard (i) | Juan Martín del Potro | 6–1, 6–4 |
| Win | 72. | 3 March 2012 | 500 Series | Dubai Tennis Championships, UAE(5) | Hard | Andy Murray | 7–5, 6–4 |
| Win | 73. | 18 March 2012 | Masters 1000 | Indian Wells Masters, United States(4) | Hard | John Isner | 7–6(9–7), 6–3 |
| Win | 74. | 13 May 2012 | Masters 1000 | Madrid Open, Spain(3) | Clay | Tomáš Berdych | 3–6, 7–5, 7–5 |
| Loss | 31. | 17 June 2012 | 250 Series | Halle Open, Germany | Grass | Tommy Haas | 6–7(5–7), 4–6 |
| Win | 75. | 8 July 2012 | Grand Slam | Wimbledon Championships, England(7) | Grass | Andy Murray | 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 32. | 5 August 2012 | Olympics | Summer Olympics, England | Grass | Andy Murray | 2–6, 1–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 76. | 19 August 2012 | Masters 1000 | Cincinnati Masters, United States(5) | Hard | Novak Djokovic | 6–0, 7–6(9–7) |
| Loss | 33. | 28 October 2012 | 500 Series | Swiss Indoors, Switzerland | Hard (i) | Juan Martín del Potro | 4–6, 7–6(7–5), 6–7(3–7) |
| Loss | 34. | 12 November 2012 | Tour Finals | Year-End Championships, England | Hard (i) | Novak Djokovic | 6–7(6–8), 5–7 |
| Event | Prize money | Year-to-date |
|---|---|---|
| Qatar ExxonMobil Open | $50,030 | $50,030 |
| Australian Open | A$437,000 | $500,882 |
| ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament | €290,550 | $884,205 |
| Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships | $409,170[103] | $1,293,375 |
| BNP Paribas Open | $1,000,000 | $2,293,375 |
| Sony Ericsson Open | $23,210 | $2,316,585 |
| Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open | €585,800 | $3,082,343 |
| Internazionali BNL d'Italia | €113,580 | $3,229,009 |
| French Open | €310,000 | $3,629,312 |
| Gerry Weber Open | €63,105 | $3,696,441 |
| Wimbledon Championships | £1,150,000 | $5,488,141 |
| Western & Southern Open | $535,600 | $6,023,741 |
| US Open | $237,500 | $6,261,241 |
| Shanghai Rolex Masters | $165,210 | $6,426,451 |
| Swiss Indoors Basel | €152,350 | $6,624,842 |
| Barclays ATP World Tour Finals | $800,000 | $7,424,842 |
| $7,424,842 | ||
Figures inUnited States dollars (USD) unless noted.
