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Will Federer win the career Golden Slam?

21st February, 2016
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Roger Federer has banked hundreds of millions in prize money over his career. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Roar Guru
21st February, 2016
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Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal are the only male tennis players to have achieved the career Golden Slam – winning the four Grand Slams and an Olympics gold medal.

Roger Federer narrowly missed it in 2012, when he lost the Olympics final to Andy Murray on the same court where weeks before he had defeated Murray to win Wimbledon.

Does the Swiss maestro have a chance this year?

Ever since Olympic tennis started in 1988, top professionals have taken it seriously. The greatest example of how seriously it is taken is German Rainer Shuttler, who went to Court of Arbitration for Sport to win his right to play at Olympics after he reached Wimbledon finals that year (2008). Even this year, Rafa expressed surprise when hard court was chosen over clay for Rio.

The 2016 Olympics will be held in Rio De Janeiro from August 5 to 21, and all the top tennis players are expected to participate.

Federer has said he is likely to compete in all three categories: men’s singles, mixed doubles with Martina Hingis, and men’s doubles with Stan Wawrinka. To quote the champ, “The Olympics for me is very unique. It’s about representing Switzerland, making Switzerland proud.” This also reflects how serious top players are about the Olympics.

The format is best of three matches until the final, which is best of five. Therefore Federer’s chances are bright, although the player to beat will be Novak Djokovic.

This will be Federer’s fourth Olympics. As mentioned above, he lost the 2012 final to Murray. In 2008 he had a shock defeat in the quarter-finals to James Blake, Fed’s first loss in the pair’s nine meetings. In 2004 he had another shock defeat, then to teenager Tomas Berdych in their first meeting. Later on Berdych rose to the top five, however it was a big upset in a year in which Fed became the first player to win three Grand Slams and the year-end final.

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Agassi, nicknamed ‘The Punisher’, won Wimbledon in 1992, the US Open in 1994, the Australian Open in 1995, and Olympics gold in 1996, defeating Sergi Bruguera in the final. He completed the career Golden Grand Slam by winning the French Open in 1999. Overall, Agassi has eight Majors in his enviable collection, including four Australian Opens, two US Opens, and one French Open and Wimbledon.

Rafa won the French Open in 2005, Wimbledon and the Olympics in 2008, Australian Open in 2009 and US Open in 2010. In his glittering career he has won the French Open nine times, US Open and Wimbledon twice, and Australian Open once.

Career Golden Slam winners since 1988
Men’s singles: Angdre Agassi and Rafa Nadal
Men’s doubles: Mike and Bob Bryan of Australia, Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge of Australia, Daniel Nestor of Canada (achieved it with three different players).
Ladies singles: Steffi Graf and Serena Williams
Ladies doubles: Serena and Venus Williams

Djokovic may have a chance to complete the Golden Grand Slam at Rio, but before he has to win the French Open first, a Major where he has faltered thrice in the final.

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