sport news Ton-up Roger Federer in league of his own after historic win

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No sportsman this century has attracted such warm and widespread acclaim for so long — nor worn the plaudits so fittingly — as Roger Federer.

And here we are again, throwing the adjectives his way after the 100th ATP title of a monumental career. 

The Swiss claimed the landmark triumph in the Dubai Duty Free Championships on Saturday, beating Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4. Only Jimmy Connors, on 109, has won more. 

Federer’s first ATP title came at the Milan Indoors in 2001, or 6,600 days before the latest. In that time, Tiger Woods has been brought low and then rebuilt as much as he could of his battered body and broken reputation. Usain Bolt ran deep into history and then retired. 

In his own sport, Federer has operated for much of his time in the golden age of Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic, with our own superb Sir Andy Murray in the mix. Which makes Federer becoming only the second man in the Open era to notch his century all the more impressive.

He has achieved what such talents as Ivan Lendl (94), Nadal (80) and John McEnroe (77) have not managed. And while Connors is ahead by the ATP metrics, the American is 12 Grand Slam titles short of Federer’s supreme record of 20.

Federer’s brilliance is not measured by figures alone. We further celebrate the purity of his strokes and elegance of his movement.