Roger Federer’s Great Rivalries Outside The Big 3 | ATP Tour

Roger Federer may be best remembered for his epic rivalries with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, against whom he played a combined 90 matches. But throughout his career, the Swiss developed long-standing and respectful rivalries with many other legends of the ATP Tour.

Federer soared to winning records against the likes of Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, Juan Martin del Potro, Lleyton Hewitt, Stan Wawrinka, David Nalbandian and Tommy Haas.

ATPTour.com looks back at his rich history against those men.

Federer vs. Murray (14-11)

Roger Federer and Andy Murray” />
Photo Credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for Andy Murray Live

Federer and Murray last squared off in 2015 when they met twice, with Federer winning semi-final showdowns at Wimbledon and the Western & Southern Open. The Swiss won their last five meetings in a row, including the last 10 sets, to turn around a 9-11 record in their ATP Head2Head history.

While Federer owned the late stages of their head-to-head, Murray won six of their first eight matches. Federer was 24 and Murray 18 when they first met in 2005, with Federer beating Murray in the Briton’s first ATP Tour final in Bangkok.

The Swiss shined on the biggest stages, winning five of their eight finals, including all three at the Grand Slam level. The pair played just one five-set match, when Murray outlasted Federer in the 2013 Australian Open semis.

Murray was thrice denied by Federer in major finals, but avenged his third loss — at Wimbledon in 2012 — with a win in the London Olympics final just one month later back on Centre Court.

In nine ATP Masters 1000 meetings, Federer won just three times, with Murray 2-0 against him in finals at that level.

Federer vs. Roddick (21-3)

Roger Federer and Andy Roddick” />
Photo Credit: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images

It may have been one of Federer’s most one-sided rivalries, but when he and Roddick met, there was always a lot on the line. Outside of two Nitto ATP Finals round-robin meetings, the pair never met before the quarter-finals until their very last match. With Federer just more than one year older than Roddick, both men enjoyed many of their prime years side by side — much to Roddick’s chagrin.

From 2004-06, they contested six straight finals, including at three Grand Slams and two ATP Masters 1000s. All six went the way of Federer.

Federer and Roddick played at least once each year from 2001-12, with a high of four meetings in 2009. The Swiss won all four of those 2009…