Editing Roger Federer (section)

====2008: Illness, Olympic gold, and fifth US Open====
{{Main|2008 Roger Federer tennis season}}
Federer's success in 2008 was severely hampered by a lingering bout of [[mononucleosis]], which he suffered during the first half of the year.<ref>{{cite news |last=Clarey |first=Christopher |title=Federer battles off-court foe – mononucleosis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/07/sports/07iht-arena.3.10811374.html |date=7 March 2008 |access-date=25 October 2014 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=21 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421214008/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/07/sports/07iht-arena.3.10811374.html |url-status=live }}</ref> At the [[2008 Australian Open|Australian Open]] Federer lost in the semifinals to eventual winner Djokovic, which ended his record of 10 consecutive finals.<ref name=RF2008>{{cite web|url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Roger-Federer.aspx?t=pa&y=2008&m=s&e=0 |title=Tennis – ATP World Tour – Tennis Players – Roger Federer |publisher=[[ATP World Tour]] |access-date=8 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708055435/http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Roger-Federer.aspx?t=pa&y=2008&m=s&e=0|archive-date=8 July 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> He lost twice in Masters finals on clay to Nadal, at Monte Carlo and Hamburg.<ref name=RF2008/> Federer captured three titles playing in 250-level events at Estoril, Halle, and Basel.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Almeida |first=Henrique |date=20 April 2008 |title=Federer ends title drought with Estoril win |website=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-men-estoril-idUSL208446720080420 |access-date=7 June 2020 |archive-date=7 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607202856/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-men-estoril-idUSL208446720080420 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Federer wins fifth Halle title |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/federer-wins-fifth-halle-title/6732470 |date=15 June 2008 |access-date=7 June 2020 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch |archive-date=7 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607202858/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/federer-wins-fifth-halle-title/6732470 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |agency=The Associated Press |date=26 October 2008 |title=Federer Beats Nalbandian in Swiss Final |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/sports/tennis/27sportsbriefs-FEDERERBEATS_BRF.html |access-date=7 June 2020 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=7 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607202855/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/sports/tennis/27sportsbriefs-FEDERERBEATS_BRF.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Federer was defeated by Nadal in two Grand Slam finals, the [[2008 French Open|French Open]] and [[2008 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], which was regarded as the best match of tennis history by many, when he was going for six straight wins to break [[Björn Borg]]'s record. He came back from two sets down to force a fifth set, where he fell just two points from the title.<ref name=RF2008/>

At the [[Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]], Federer and [[Stan Wawrinka]] won the gold medal in doubles by beating the [[Bryan brothers]] American team in the semifinals and the Swedish duo of [[Simon Aspelin]] and [[Thomas Johansson]] in the final.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/Specials/Roger_Federer/News/Federer_and_Wawrinka_golden_together.html?cid=62174 |title=Federer and Wawrinka golden together |access-date=16 August 2008 |archive-date=29 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429161551/http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/Specials/Roger_Federer/News/Federer_and_Wawrinka_golden_together.html?cid=62174 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, Federer could reach only the quarterfinals in the singles draw, bowing out to then No. 8 [[James Blake (tennis)|James Blake]], thus ceding his No. 1 ranking to Nadal after being at the top for a record 237 consecutive weeks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Roger-Federer.aspx?t=pa&y=2008&m=d&e=0 |title=Tennis – ATP World Tour – Tennis Players – Roger Federer |access-date=16 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222222852/http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Roger-Federer.aspx?t=pa&y=2008&m=d&e=0|archive-date=22 February 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Federer captured his only Grand Slam of 2008 at the [[2008 US Open (tennis)|US Open]], defeating Andy Murray in the final.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/sep/09/usopentennis.andymurray |title=Courageous Murray blown away as Federer claims his 13th major |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=9 September 2008 |access-date=20 December 2023 |archive-date=17 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417134950/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/sep/09/usopentennis.andymurray |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the end of the year, Federer suffered a back injury, which caused him to withdraw from the [[2008 BNP Paribas Masters – Singles|Paris Masters]] and resulted in a poor showing at the [[2008 Tennis Masters Cup – Singles|year-end championship]], where he was eliminated in the round-robin stage.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/tennis/federer-ousted-from-masters-20081115-ge7is7.html |title=Federer ousted from Masters |website=www.theage.com.au |date=10 November 2008 |access-date=20 December 2023 |archive-date=20 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220011145/https://www.theage.com.au/sport/tennis/federer-ousted-from-masters-20081115-ge7is7.html |url-status=live }}</ref> This marked the only time in his career that he was eliminated before the semifinals. Federer ended the year ranked No. 2.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Singh|first=Gaurav|date=2 November 2018|title=2008: The year that first poked holes in Roger Federer's aura of invincibility|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/2008-the-year-that-led-to-the-downfall-of-roger-federer|access-date=7 June 2020|website=www.sportskeeda.com|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607202857/https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/2008-the-year-that-led-to-the-downfall-of-roger-federer|url-status=live}}</ref>