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In a period of 15 months, between Wimbledon 2019 and Roland Garros 2020, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal achieved one of the most incredible records of a Major. Two legends became the first tennis players with 100 victories in the same Major.
The Swiss did it first at Wimbledon 2019 and repeated the feat at the Australian Open 2020 following that thrilling win over John Millman in the third round. Thus, Federer is the only player with a hundred in two Majors. In his 21st Australian Open, the Swiss had to go all out to get this historic victory, beating the local star 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 4-6 and 7-6 after four hours and three minutes of an epic battle.
John defeated Roger at the 2018 US Open and gave 200% of himself in front of home fans at Rod Laver Arena. He went all out for Federer and missed a colossal opportunity in the tie break of the match, where he was leading 8-4.
Federer won three more points and scored three breaks, losing serve four times but finding a way to emerge on top. Millman got off to a strong start and got two breaks in the first set for 6-4. The Swiss only dropped five points after the opening blow in the second set to mount the pressure on the other side and took the tie-break 7-2 to level the aggregate score.
Continuing in the same style, Federer won the third set with a break in the tenth game and got closer to the finish. John served well in the fourth set and stole Roger's serve at 3-3 to carve out the lead and enter a decider.
The rivals traded breaks in games three and four and stayed even after a pair of deuces on Millman's serve in game 12 for a match-decisive tie-break. The home player opened up a 3-0 lead after some loose shots from the Swiss, who won the next two points to stay in touch.
Wawrinka praises Federer
Stan Wawrinka, just like many Roger Federer fans across the world, shed tears on that fateful day in September. "I cried for Roger (Federer). It was hard, a strong feeling. Even talking about it is difficult.
When I came on the tour, he was already there. He was like a big brother to me, a friend," said Stan Wawrinka on the RMC podcast Court No. 1 as mentioned in an article on Eurosport.