Top 5 most difficult Fed losses

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Just want to see what people's opinions on this are and how they compares to mine. I suppose the title might sound negative but many of these were good matches, especially if you were a fan of the other player. (I would have included Fed vs Nadal Rome 2006 somewhere around 3 or 4 as Fed had match points and this match, it has been said, set the tone for their rivalry but I didn't see the match so I couldn't really be gutted.) Anyway here goes:

#5 Wimbledon 2008 Final to Nadal
This match was probably the most historic match up in their career with Fed going for a record 6 in a row to surpass Borg. I remember Fed getting broken in the first game of the match and losing the set on a backhand error (might have been the second though). In the second set he managed to throw away a 4-1 lead. Not only was his backhand misfiring like crazy but his forehand was missing at a lot of the crucial times. Nadal's level was also higher than I was expecting and he was hitting some great shots and his backhand was better than I've ever seen. The rain delay helped Fed and when he levelled to 2-2 sets, I felt there was hope. He managed to come within two points of winning the match but couldn't string enough points together. As a fan it felt like he only showed up on championship points. The match gave the impression at the end that it could have gone either way but Nadal looked the stronger player that day. In the end it was Nadal that made history that day and it was a great achievement for him. I kind of figured once Federer returned order would be resumed so maybe it wasn't such a big deal.

#4 USO 2012 Quarters to Berdych
After Feds amazing performances at Wimbledon, the Olympics and Cincinatti (won without dropping serve and bagelled Djokovic in the final) I hoped he would reach the finals or at least the semis of this tournament. The match itself was on late where I was so after catching a few points and seeing which Fed had shown up, I confidently predicted he would lose and got some sleep. Past experience and better judgement would have suggested that this shouldn't have been so surprising but it's always tempting to believe he's back to his old level permanently especially after a good run at 3 tournaments. What makes this even worse is that Fed losing to Berdych is a bit like Nadal losing to Soderling.

#3 AO 2009 Final to Nadal
On paper this match should have been Feds pretty easily as Nadal was "no good on hardcourts". Indeed Nadal had a long semi as well leading into this match. Feds level was higher than at Wimbledon; he actually won a set serving at something like 33%. In the end I think that's what let him down as even with his groundstrokes, he wasn't going to be hitting through Nadal enough without his serve on his side as well. I think Nadal was more aggressive in his Wimbledon match than in this one and a lot of his highlights I remember were him retrieving Feds winners into an open court. This match was very winnable for Fed, his final set collapse was almost inexplicable and his reaction after the match left a lot to be desired. A good win for Nadal. That was probably Feds last chance to beat him in a slam.

#2 FO 2011 Final to Nadal
Fed had just ended Djokovic's amazing streak in an equally amazing match. He was visibly emotional about it at the end. It still meant so much to him. The match began great for him and it looked like there was hope as he had set point at 5-2. Instead of blasting his backhand crosscourt which had been working for him the whole set, he went for a crazy dropshot which he missed by about a millimeter. And with that in the same typical fashion as so many times before, the set was gone as he failed to serve it out and went on to lose 5 games in a row. What was remarkable about this match though is how high Fed's level was throughout. He was hitting the great shots I recognised him for and his backhand was holding up. He was playing so well that I would have given him about a 40% chance of winning that match especially as he managed to take the 3rd set after being to sets to love down and each of the first 3 sets was close. I dared to believe that would be the day, others have mentioned about worthier slams and although I don't subscribe to that theory, this would have been a very satisfying win to say the least. Anyhow it wasn't to be and Nadal pulled off a great win to equal Borg.

#1 USO 2009 Final to Del Potro
This match is only really the most difficult in hindsight. Again Fed was at the stage where he was always playing for history, this time again 6 in a row. The match itself until the end of the second set looked like what should have been a routine win for Fed. The level he brought was great, everything about his game was working and Del Potro perhaps started slow as he was lucky not to have lost the first set 6-2. As has been mentioned before something made Fed angry and he changed his tactics but somehow lost precision at the same time. Del Potro at the same time managed to gain momentum and started hitting some of those rocket forehands everyones still waiting to see. But still, going by his record against Del Potro past and future, it's hard to believe he lost this match. Afterwards Del Potro was really happy about his first slam and you couldn't help but feel happy for him too. Even Fed, it seemed, had learned to lose with a bit more elegance and was happy for Del Potro.

It's more what happened in the next slam that makes this the most difficult loss. Fed won the AO so convincingly and, had he come through that match against Del Potro, would have achieved what only Nadal had stopped him doing on several occasions. Whereas Nadal had always caused Fed difficulties, Del Potro poses much less of a matchup issue conversely any matchup issue actually favours Fed. Here I think he missed the best opportunity any player has had for doing the GS.

2004 Olympics semis and final were tremendously exciting matches by the way, more so than in 2008 and 2012. It's still a very credible title for Massu in 2004 although the pre tournament hype was higher in 2008.

what do other Federer fans think of his loss to Soderling? That match stung, ended his SF streak but I guess wasn't entirely unexpected after the form he was in.

Yes that wasn't a happy summer for feds, with aus feeling a very distant memory.

Good grief! That loss to Soderling in the quarters at RG 2010 meant nothing. If he had won it would have just meant yet another loss to Nadal in the final. But just imagine if he had lost to Soderling the previous year in the final. Phew! I think Federer owed Soderling that win. (Not of course that Federer would really do such a thing...)