The debate over the G.O.A.T. in men’s tennis often leads to a contradictory “Yes, but…” rebuttal from pundits who follow this great international game and know its history best. With 20 major titles, Roger Federer trails both Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (24) as the most decorated Grand Slam singles champion ever. And by the time Djoker calls it a career, the gap will likely grow wider. So, does that make Novak the greatest of all time? Objectively, yes. But the conversation cannot end there. Not in this gentleman’s sport in which form, style, etiquette and elegance matter so much. Subjectively, no player has embodied the pure ideology of a tennis professional and sportsman better than Federer. Before his first major victory in 2003 until well beyond his last in 2018, the smooth stroke, crisp movement, and precision of Fed’s game, both on and off the court, put the Swiss legend in a class by himself.

Presented here is a pair of Federer’s 2011 Australian Open worn shoes conclusively photo-matched to his Semifinal match against Djokovic. Roger came in as the defending champion and was seeded second in Melbourne. He knocked off countryman Stan Wawrinka in the Quarterfinals before falling to Djoker in straight sets, albeit tightly contested (7-6, 7-5, 6-4), in the semis on January 27th. Novak would go on to beat Andy Murray in the Final. For the 2011 season, Federer finished with a 64-12 singles record and won four tournaments.

The Nike ‘Lunar Vapor 8 Tour’ player-exclusive shoes (size 12) come in white with yellow and black accents. Federer’s unique player logo (RF) is stamped on the tongues and upper heels. Four circular Swiss flag logos (with years “04”, “06”, “07” and “10”) appear on the lower heels to denote the number of Aussie Open titles Fed had won up to that point. Accurate manufacturer and player tagging is present on the interior. The uppers and midsoles exhibit obvious wear with creasing, scuffs and staining from the grass surface at the All England Club. Blueish streaks on the inner sides of each sneaker were used by Resolution Photomatching to make the conclusive match. Roger has autographed each shoe in black marker. Our consignor acquired the pair from Federer’s inner circle. This is the first Federer photo-matched piece we have offered. Includes full authentication paperwork from ResMatch. Signatures are both sticker certified by PSA/DNA.