SUMMARY
- Federico Delbonis is an Argentinian player who led his country to glory at the Davis Cup.
- However, his shot to fame happened in 2013, when he defeated Roger Federer.
Tennis has seen the rise and fall of many stars over the years. Several left their marks on the sport, while others disappeared from memory after retirement. Federico Delbonis became a sensation when he defeated Roger Federer over a decade ago, but he was forgotten far too soon despite his accomplishments. And now, the Argentine has finally decided to hang up his racket.
Federico won two main-tour titles in his career. The Argentine won his first ATP title at the Brasil Open in 2014, when he defeated Paolo Lorenzi in three sets. This win catapulted Delbonis to reach the singles ranking of world no. 44 at the time.
2016 turned out to be the breakout year for Federico. He played at the Australian Open and made it to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time. Delbinis won his second title at the 2016 Grand Prix Hassan II by defeating Borna Coric.
While Federico left his mark on the courts, his crowning glory was leading Argentina to their first Davis Cup trophy. He initially lost to Marin Cilic in five sets, but Delbonis pulled himself up by his bootstraps to defeat Ivo Karlovic in the deciding rubber. In doing so, Federico etched his name in the glorious history of the tournament. This victory also boosted his ranking, as he reached his highest rank of world number 33.
Federico Delbonis established himself for his exploits, and he is well-known for another remarkable feat. He is one of the few players who managed to defeat a tennis legend.
When Federico Delbonis defeated Roger Federer
Roger Federer is one of the most prolific tennis players of all time. With 20 Grand Slam titles to his name, Federer was one of the best in the business. Surprisingly, Federico was able to bring Roger to his knees in the semifinals of the German Tennis Championship in Hamburg.
Roger had just switched to a new Wilson frame, as he went from a 90-inch square frame to a 98-inch square frame. It was not good enough to defeat the Argentine qualifier in 2013. Federer was sloppy on the baseline, and his returns were poor, to say the least. Moreover, Delbonis channeled his aggression to register a stunning 7-6(7) 7-6(4) over the Swiss ace.
“I feel like I’m dreaming. My key was to enjoy the match and enjoy playing this kind of player, because he’s the best of all-time,” he said after the match (via BBC).
Federer was very inconsistent during both sets, as he failed to convert three set points in the first set. He also made numerous errors on his backhand. Delbonis capitalized on it, though, as it allowed him to play his first ATP final.
Federico announces his retirement
The Argentine has given his fans much joy over the years, but he has finally called time on his career. Federico took to social media to make the announcement.
View this post on Instagram
Fans have fond memories of Federico Delbonis, who gave his fans much to rejoice about. His serve was especially deadly. His last tournament will likely be in Buenos Aires.