Roger Federer records that may never be broken: Winning 100 matches at two different majors

Every day until the final event of his career, the Laver Cup later this week, we’ll be highlighting one of Roger Federer’s records that may never be broken.

So far we’ve covered how he’s the only tennis player ever to win two different majors five years in a row each, his 65-match grass-court winning streak (the men’s Open Era record) and his 24-final winning streak (also a men’s Open Era record).

Today’s fantastic Federer record isn’t just about winning—it’s about winning year after year, after year, after year… after year.

Winning 100 matches at two different majors

When Federer defeated Japan's Kei Nishikori in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2019, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, he became the first man in tennis history to record 100 career wins at a single Grand Slam tournament.

“A fan reminded me on court while I was signing autographs,” the Swiss said in his post-match press conference when asked about the milestone.

“It’s special. I guess so. It’s been a lot of years I’ve been coming here, you know. That’s given me the opportunity to win a lot, naturally. I didn’t think of it while I was playing today—actually, not at all, not once. Then, as I’m signing, the guy says, ‘Congratulations for your 100!’ Oh yeah, I didn’t know. I forgot. It’s nice, because if I look back at the hundred that have happened, some were so incredibly cool. Today again was a big match going into the semis, maybe facing Rafa—Rafa, now that he won.

“Yeah, a hundred wins here at Wimbledon. Who would've thought? I didn’t, for sure.”

Six months later at the 2020 Australian Open, Federer recorded his 100th career win Down Under with a dramatic 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8) third-round victory over John Millman, in which he clawed back from 8-4 down in the 10-point tie-break in the fifth set to make history as the only player with a century of victories at two majors.

PLAYERS WITH 100+ CAREER WINS AT A SINGLE MAJOR (men and women)

• Martina Navratilova: 120 career wins at Wimbledon [120-14]
• Rafael Nadal: 112 career wins at Roland Garros [112-3]
• Serena Williams: 108 career wins at the US Open [108-15]
• Roger Federer: 105 career wins at Wimbledon [105-14]
• Roger Federer: 102 career wins at the Australian Open [102-15]
• Chris Evert: 101 career wins at the US Open [101-12]

Serena Williams is just two wins away from matching Federer’s feat—having already surpassed 100 wins at the US Open, she currently has 98 at Wimbledon. She also has 92 in Australia. The WTA legend evolved away from tennis after this year’s US Open.

Barring a Serena comeback, the best chance of someone matching or surpassing Federer’s feat belongs to the other two members of the Big 3: Novak Djokovic is currently in the low-to-mid 80s for career wins at all four majors (82 at the Australian Open, 85 at Roland Garros, 86 at Wimbledon, 81 at the US Open), so a few more years of deep runs at any two of them would do it; and Rafael Nadal—who’s already surpassed 100 wins at Roland Garros—currently has 76 at the Australian Open, but he’s a bit further back at the other two (58 at Wimbledon, 67 at the US Open).

Federer finishes his historic career with a 369-60 record at the Grand Slams. In addition to going 102-15 at the Australian Open and 105-14 at Wimbledon, he was 73-17 at Roland Garros and 89-14 at the US Open.