Almost 20 years ago to the day, Roger Federer lifted his first Cincinnati Open crown.
Federer, who would go on to win 20 Grand Slam titles during an esteemed career, defeated Andy Roddick in the final.
Federer had already beaten Roddick in the 2005 Wimbledon final, and went on to do so again later that summer, winning 6-3 7-5 in Cincinnati.
The Swiss legend would go on to win a record-setting seven Cincinnati Open titles during his career, the last being in 2015.
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After his victory over Roddick in 2005, Federer discussed a schedule ‘risk’ he had taken ahead of the US Open.
Roger Federer said that playing one tournament between Wimbledon and the US Open was a ‘risk’
While speaking to reporters after the match, Federer was asked about the ‘risk’ of having played just one tournament between Wimbledon and the US Open.
Federer replied: “It’s quite a risk, but what can I do, you know? I also need my rest.
“I’m playing consistent for the last two years, and this is really the moment where you can basically pick and choose when you’re number one in the world and you have all the options, you know.
“Just because you’re No. 1 doesn’t mean you’ve got to race through the same schedule like you’ve been trying to get there, you know. But it is very – how should I say? There’s so much you can still do.
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“Everybody wants to have you. The offers are big, you know. You’re like, Should I do it, or Should I not do it. But I believe in the long run, I believe that I should follow a smart schedule throughout my career so I can hopefully play injury-free as long as possible and try to maintain the good level.
“That’s my mindset I have on picking tournaments. So this is definitely also not only thinking about this US Open, this preparation I have, it’s much more long-term.
“This is how I’ll keep it for the rest of my life, I guess.”
Roger Federer won the 2005 US Open
The ‘risk’ Roger Federer took by playing just one tournament between Wimbledon and the US Open paid off.
The Swiss Maestro defeated David Nalbandian and Lleyton Hewitt on his way to the US Open final, before beating eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi, winning 6-3 2-6 7-6 6-1.
The victory marked Federer’s sixth Grand Slam triumph and his second consecutive US Open title. He would go on to win the US Open again in 2006, 2007 and 2008, before losing to Juan Martin del Potro in the 2009 final.
Remarkably, Federer failed to win another US Open title. He reached the final once more, in 2015, but lost to Novak Djokovic.