How Many French Opens Did Roger Federer Win?
With 20 Grand Slam titles, Roger Federer is a Swiss tennis player widely regarded as one of the best men’s singles tennis players ever. The French Open wasn’t his most successful tournament, as Federer only won it once, in 2009. Read more to find out about Roger Federer’s performances at the famous Roland-Garros tennis tournament.
French Open Finals Results
| Year | Result | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Loss | Rafael Nadal | 6–1, 1–6, 4–6, 6–7(4–7) |
| 2007 | Loss | Rafael Nadal | 3–6, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6 |
| 2008 | Loss | Rafael Nadal | 1-6, 3-6, 0-6 |
| 2009 | Win | Robin Söderling | 6-1, 7-6(7-1), 6-4 |
| 2011 | Loss | Rafael Nadal | 5-7, 6-7(3-7), 7-5, 1-6 |
French Open Finals Victories
Roland-Garros, or the French Open, is unique because it is the only major played on a clay court. The ball bounces differently on clay, making it difficult for hard-court players from around the world to adjust. Throughout Federer’s career, he has only been victorious at the French Open one time. Roger Federer won the French Open in 2009 by defeating Robin Söderling in straight sets.
When Federer won the French Open in 2009, he became only the sixth men’s tennis player to win at all four major tournaments, joining Don Budge, Fred Perry, Andre Agassi, Rod Laver, and Roy Emerson. This was his fourth straight finals appearance at Roland-Garros, but he had lost in the three previous finals.
It was a very special moment for him because he finally was able to win a final at Roland-Garros after three straight years of losing to Rafael Nadal. Söderling, who lost to Federer in the final match, was able to defeat Nadal, giving Federer an easier opponent in the finals.
Runner-Up Finishes
Roger Federer is one of the best tennis players ever, and he showed that at Roland-Garros by reaching the final match five times in his career. In total, Roger Federer was the runner-up at Roland-Garros four times.
He lost to the Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal all four times in the final match. Three of his second-place finishes came in consecutive years from 2007-2009. Federer’s record in the French Open Final is 1-4. Federer’s last appearance in the French Open Finals was in 2011.
Since that time, he had a combined four championships and eight second-place finishes at the three other grand slams (Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open). In general, Federer had much more success on the hard and grass courts.
FAQ
How many times did Roger Federer win the French Open?
Roger Federer won the French Open once, in 2009. That year, he defeated Robin Söderling in the Men’s Singles Championship Match, winning in three sets. Federer won the first set 6-1, the second set 7-6(7-1), and the third set 6-4.
How many times did Roger Federer lose the French Open in the finals?
Roger Federer lost the French Open finals four times, each time to Rafael Nadal. His first loss to Nadal occurred in 2006, and it was followed by defeats in 2007, 2008, and 2011. Nadal is notoriously hard to beat at Roland Garros, as he has won a record-breaking 14 French Open titles.