Roger Federer's best memory - 2006 edition: three more Majors in the record book

• Tennis News
• Editors Thoughts

Roger Federer's career is studded with great successes and incredible records: with 20 Slams he is the record holder but the Swiss Maestro achieved other great goals, such as eight triumphs at Wimbledon, the weeks as world no.

1, and the titles on grass and hard-courts. For each season, however, there is a particular goal, an achievement that should be highlighted. In 2006 Roger won 12 titles that included three Majors. The victory at Wimbledon against Rafael Nadal is perhaps the best memory of that incredible season.

Federer played a total of 16 finals that year, winning his second Australian Open title against Marcos Baghdatis and completing the Sunshine Double, winning at Indian Wells and Miami. The clay swing however highlighted Rafael Nadal's superiority on that surface: the Spaniard defeated the Swiss in the finals of Monte-Carlo, Rome and the French Open (Rafa also won the final in Doha, on hard-courts).

Their rivalry was flaring up: two opposite styles of play, like ice and fire. Federer had the opportunity to take revenge in the Wimbledon final, after winning the title in Halle. In fact, Nadal's progress pushed the young Rafa to the Championships final, showing incredible improvements even on grass-courts.

Federer, however, avenged his losses to the Spaniard on clay and defeated his rival in four sets, with the final score of 6–0, 7–6(5), 6–7(2), 6–3. It was probably at that moment that he understood how Nadal could become his great rival, on all playing surfaces.

After that victory, Roger Federer got other important wins in 2006, such as his third consecutive US Open title (against Andy Roddick), and the Tennis Masters Cup, against James Blake. "In that season I won 12 tournaments out of 17 played.

I felt like pac-man! I played one big tournament after another. I was an excellent player but in those months I converted to a tennis player who didn't know what losing meant. It was something I never imagined I would experience, it was truly a year of great emotions" he said.