The year Roger Federer began his unprecedented streak of major dominance
In short: In 2004, Roger Federer secured his second Wimbledon title in a grueling final against Andy Roddick. Beyond the trophy, this tournament served as the starting point for one of the most consistent runs in sports history, establishing a record-breaking era of deep tournament runs.
The 2004 Wimbledon Championships were defined by a high-stakes rematch of the previous year's semifinal. Federer overcame Andy Roddick in a five-set battle, winning with scores of 4-6, 7-5, 7-6, and 6-4. This victory marked Federer's third major title overall and solidified his position as a premier force on the grass courts of London. The match was a direct rematch of the previous year's semifinal. It was his second time winning the gentlemen's singles title.
While the headline was Federer's victory, the tournament was a landmark for several other figures in tennis history. It served as the final professional appearance for Goran Ivanišević, the 2001 champion and former world No. 2, who exited in the third round against Lleyton Hewitt. Additionally, Wayne Ferreira achieved a significant milestone by making his 55th consecutive main draw appearance at a major, breaking the previous all-time record held by Stefan Edberg. The 2001 champion lost to the 2002 champion. Ferreira's milestone surpassed a record previously held by Stefan Edberg.
The tournament also faced logistical challenges, including weather issues that forced play onto the Middle Sunday—a rarity that had only occurred twice before in 1991 and 1997. Other notable shifts included the late withdrawal of David Nalbandian due to injury, which saw Luis Horna enter the draw as the 33rd seed. Crucially, a period starting in 2004 witnessed Federer's landmark sequence of 36 straight major quarterfinals and 23 consecutive major semifinals, during which he secured 14 trophies and appeared in 20 finals. Bad weather during the first week caused the schedule shift. Nalbandian's spot was filled by the highest-ranked non-seeded player.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2004 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles
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