Roger Federer: breaking down his Australian Open road to glory

Roger Federer defied the odds and won the 2017 Australian Open. The 35-year-old Swiss tennis superstar defeated some of the best players on tour to reach glory.

Roger Federer earned his 18th Grand Slam singles title.

The 35-year-old is arguably one of the greatest to ever play the sport. But, when you examine his road to glory this past month, the achievement is even more impressive.

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Federer cruised through the first two rounds at Melbourne Park. In those first two matches, he dropped just one set.

Then, he came face-to-face with world No. 10 Tomas Berdych. The Czech professional tennis player came into Melbourne Park with a fair shot at winning himself. He is a two-time semifinalist at the major tournament. Federer, however, played almost flawless tennis against the Czech tennis player, winning in straight sets.

His fourth round match tested him even more.

Federer encountered world No. 5 Kei Nishikori who is a young rising star in the sport. There is no doubt that the 27-year-old will be in contention over the next several years for a Grand Slam title. Beyond the finals match against Rafael Nadal, Federer put up his best fight against Nishikori, narrowly edging the younger player in a fifth set victory.

Jump ahead to the semifinals match against world No. 4 and fellow Swiss tennis player Stan Wawrinka. The 2014 Australian Open winner is one of the best players in the sport. Federer was forced to put on another display of brilliance where he defeated Wawrinka in five sets.

The finals did not get any easier.

Roger Federer found himself in another back and forth with friend and longtime rival Nadal. Currently, Nadal is the world No. 9 player. Federer, however, made the most of the finals meeting between he and Nadal. He outlasted the Spaniard and proved that he still has the ability to go the distance, winning 6-4 3-6 6-1 3-6 6-3.

The 35-year-old superstar played some of his toughest tennis against the best opponents the sport has to offer. His win is beyond impressive and gives fans a sense of optimism as they look forward to the 2017 ATP World Tour.

Next: 10 Best Men's Players in Open Era

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