Roger Federer was 21 years old when he won his first Grand Slam title. He achieved the breakthrough at the 2003 Wimbledon Championships, defeating Mark Philippoussis in the final.
Federer was born on August 8, 1981, and won the Wimbledon final on July 6, 2003, just over a month before his 22nd birthday. The victory established him as a major force in men’s tennis and made him the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The triumph was especially meaningful at Wimbledon. Federer had won the boys’ singles title there in 1998 and had famously defeated seven-time champion Pete Sampras in the 2001 tournament. In 2003, he finally converted his promise into a senior championship, winning the final in straight sets.
People sometimes confuse this milestone with his first Australian Open title, which came in 2004, when he was 22. Federer eventually won 20 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record eight Wimbledon championships.