Editing Roger Federer (section)

====2012: Wimbledon title, return to No. 1, and Olympic silver====
{{Main|2012 Roger Federer tennis season}}
Federer began the 2012 season by reaching the semifinal of the [[2012 Australian Open – Men's singles|Australian Open]], which he lost to Nadal.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Park|first=Kevin Mitchell at Melbourne|date=26 January 2012|title=Rafael Nadal triumphs over Roger Federer in epic Australian Open semi|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jan/26/rafael-nadal-roger-federer-australian-open|access-date=7 June 2020|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607181921/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jan/26/rafael-nadal-roger-federer-australian-open|url-status=live}}</ref> He then won the [[2012 ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament|Rotterdam Open]] for the first time since 2005, defeating del Potro in the final.<ref>{{Cite news|date=19 February 2012|title=Roger Federer beats Juan Martín del Potro in Rotterdam final-gb|publisher=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/17090325|access-date=7 June 2020|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607193747/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/17090325|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[2012 Dubai Tennis Championships|Dubai Championships]], he defeated Murray in the final.<ref>{{Cite news|date=3 March 2012|title=Roger Federer beats Andy Murray to win Dubai Championships-gb|publisher=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/17245570|access-date=7 June 2020|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607193734/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/17245570|url-status=live}}</ref> Federer then won the [[2012 BNP Paribas Open|Indian Wells Masters]] after defeating Nadal in the semifinals, and [[John Isner]] in the final.<ref>{{Cite news|date=19 March 2012|title=Roger Federer beats John Isner to take Indian Wells title-gb|publisher=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/17424241|access-date=7 June 2020|archive-date=7 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607193743/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/17424241|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Federer Wimbledon 2012 Champion.jpg|thumb|Federer won a record 17th major, a record-equaling 7th Wimbledon, and returned to No. 1]]
Federer went on to compete at the [[2012 Mutua Madrid Open|Madrid Masters]] on the new blue clay surface, where he beat Tomáš Berdych in the final, thus regaining the No. 2 ranking from Rafael Nadal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/from-the-vault-roger-federer-s-spectacular-run-madrid-masters-2012 |title=From the vault: Roger Federer's spectacular run at the 2012 Madrid Masters |website=www.sportskeeda.com |date=2 May 2019 |access-date=20 December 2023 |archive-date=20 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220011145/https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/from-the-vault-roger-federer-s-spectacular-run-madrid-masters-2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the [[2012 French Open|French Open]], Federer reached the semifinals before losing to Djokovic in straight sets, in a rematch of the previous year's semifinal.<ref>{{cite news |title=French Open: Novak Djokovic beats Roger Federer to reach final |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 June 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/18373533 |access-date=1 July 2019 |archive-date=1 July 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701075526/https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/18373533 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At [[2012 Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]], Federer played a five-set match in the third round against [[Julien Benneteau]] on his way to winning the tournament, defeating Djokovic in the semifinals and then Murray in a four-set final to win his seventh Wimbledon championship, tying Sampras' Open Era record.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/07/09/roger-federer-wins-wimbledon-title-major/GoHcfAZgCc28XFLfFMQSDM/story.html|title=Roger Federer wins 7th Wimbledon title|date=9 July 2012|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|first=Kevin Paul|last=Dupont|access-date=11 September 2017|archive-date=18 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518134809/https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/07/09/roger-federer-wins-wimbledon-title-major/GoHcfAZgCc28XFLfFMQSDM/story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> With this victory, Federer returned to the top spot in the world rankings and, in doing so, broke Sampras' record of 286 weeks atop the list.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/federer-beats-murray-7th-wimbledon-17th-major-203809091--spt.html|title=Federer beats Murray for 7th Wimbledon, 17th major|last=Fendrich|first=Howard|date=8 July 2012|access-date=5 December 2014|agency=Associated Press|publisher=Yahoo! Sports|archive-date=18 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518141323/https://news.yahoo.com/federer-beats-murray-7th-wimbledon-17th-major-203809091--spt.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[Tennis at the 2012 Summer Olympics|2012 Summer Olympics]], Federer defeated Del Potro in a 4-hour 26-minute semifinal by winning 19–17 in the third and final set.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/aug/03/roger-federer-del-potro-olympics|title=Roger Federer beats Juan Martín del Potro to reach Olympic final|last=Mitchell|first=Kevin|date=3 August 2012|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=9 January 2013|archive-date=18 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518141323/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/aug/03/roger-federer-del-potro-olympics|url-status=live}}</ref> Clearly exhausted from his clash with Del Potro, Federer then lost the final to Murray in a surprisingly lopsided match, thus winning a silver medal for his country.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2012/08/05/roger-federer-olympics-loss|title=Despite loss to Murray, silver medal meaningful for Federer in London|last=Killion|first=Ann|date=5 August 2012|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|access-date=9 January 2013|archive-date=18 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518180643/https://www.si.com/more-sports/2012/08/05/roger-federer-olympics-loss|url-status=live}}</ref>

In August, Federer won the [[2012 Western & Southern Open – Men's singles|Cincinnati Masters]], beating Djokovic in the final.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/19314254|title=Roger Federer beats Novak Djokovic to win Cincinnati Open|access-date=19 August 2012|date=19 August 2012|publisher=BBC Sport|archive-date=24 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524193340/https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/19314254|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[2012 US Open – Men's singles|US Open]], Federer was defeated by Tomáš Berdych in the quarterfinals.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/19497670|title=Roger Federer loses to Tomas Berdych in US Open quarters|access-date=6 September 2012|date=6 September 2012|publisher=BBC Sport|archive-date=15 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715025032/https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/19497670|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[2012 Shanghai Rolex Masters – Singles|Shanghai Masters]], after defeating Wawrinka in the third round, Federer confirmed his 300th week at No. 1, thus becoming the first player to reach this milestone. Federer ended the season by reaching the final of the [[2012 ATP World Tour Finals – Singles|ATP Finals]], where he lost to Djokovic.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/top-stories/Djokovic-beats-Federer-to-win-World-Tour-Finals-title/articleshow/17200658.cms|title=Djokovic beats Federer to win World Tour Finals title|access-date=13 November 2012|work=[[The Times of India]]|archive-date=19 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119185922/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/top-stories/Djokovic-beats-Federer-to-win-World-Tour-Finals-title/articleshow/17200658.cms|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/21797541 |title=Rafael Nadal powers to win over Roger Federer at Indian Wells |publisher=BBC Sport |date=15 March 2013 |access-date=4 July 2014 |archive-date=15 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715025513/https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/21797541 |url-status=live }}</ref>