Roger Federer stands third on the list with 28 Masters 1000 titles, trailing Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The young Federer would have been thrilled with that many Masters 1000 titles after making a terrible start in that series.
The Swiss was 2-11 before his first quarter-final in Miami 2001. A year later, Federer played well and earned a chance to fight in his first notable final. Roger had the most victories on the Tour in 2022 in the opening three months, and he could have cracked the top-10 for the first time had he defeated Andre Agassi in the final.
Roger won the Sydney title and reached the Australian Open fourth round, losing to Tommy Haas after an epic battle. The Swiss failed to defend the Milan crown and struggled a bit in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells. Hoping for a better run in Miami, Federer delivered five straight-sets victories to earn his first Masters 1000 final and make another big step toward the top-10.
Roger Federer played his first Masters 1000 final in Miami 2002.
Roger scored his first victory over world no. 1 in the semi-final, toppling Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 6-4 after a notable performance. He gathered momentum ahead of the final meeting with the home star Andre Agassi, eager to claim the trophy.
The defending champion proved too strong for the young Swiss in front of the home fans and scored a 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory, his third and last over Roger. Motivated to give his best, Federer claimed the third set and opened a 4-2 gap in the fourth.
However, the American shifted into a higher gear and rattled off four straight games to seal the deal without playing a decider. After the match, Roger felt disappointed about missing the top-10 spot, knowing he had a chance to fight for the title after playing well in sets three and four.
“I’m thrilled to play well again; it’s been a great start to the year. I won my second title in Sydney and produced some excellent tennis on an outdoor surface, unlike in the previous season when I struggled a lot. It has been a fun week.
I’m disappointed I did not make the top-10 in Miami because I had a chance. I played well from the baseline and beat the guy like Lleyton Hewitt. For a while, I dominated Andre Agassi in the final, and I’m pleased with how I competed. I hope to shift this momentum onto the clay season,” Roger Federer said.