Roger Federer and David Nalbandian played each other a total of nineteen times with Roger leading their H2H 11-8.
The last time Federer and Nalbandian played each other was in the 3rd round of the Wimbledon Championships in 2011, with Roger winning their last encounter in straight sets 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
The first Federer vs Nalbandian match was in a round of 32 match at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2002, with David winning the match 6-2, 6-1.

Federer vs Nalbandian H2H Stats
Roger Federer | vs | David Nalbandian |
---|---|---|
1981 | Year born | 1981 |
1998 | Year turned Pro | 1998 |
Right-handed | Plays | Right-handed |
One-handed backhand | Backhand | One-handed backhand |
11 | Matches won | 8 |
58% (11/19) | Winning Percentage | 42% (8/19) |
6 | Matches won on a hard court | 5 |
3 | Matches won on clay | 1 |
1 | Matches won on grass | 0 |
1 | Matches won on carpet | 2 |
1 | Matches won in Finals | 2 |
4 | Matches won in Grand Slam Tournaments | 2 |
3 | Matches won in Masters 1000 Tournaments | 4 |
Grand Slams
Roger Federer (or “R.F”) and David Nalbandian (or “D.N”) faced each other a total of six times in grand slam tournaments (twice at the Australian Open, once at the French Open, once at Wimbledon, and twice at the US Open), with Roger leading their grand slam H2H 4-2.
Year | Grand Slam | Round | Winner | Score in Match |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Wimbledon | Round of 32 | R.F | 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 |
2006 | French Open | Semifinals | R.F | 3-6, 6-4, 5-2 (Retired) |
2005 | US Open | Quarterfinals | R.F | 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 |
2004 | Australian Open | Quarterfinals | R.F | 7-5, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 |
2003 | US Open | Round of 16 | D.N | 3-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
2003 | Australian Open | Round of 16 | D.N | 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 |
Head to Head by Court Surface
They have played each other a total of three times on indoor carpet courts, five times on indoor hard courts, once on grass, six times on outdoor hard courts, and four times on clay.
Indoor Carpet Courts
They have played each other a total of three times on indoor carpet courts with David leading their H2H on this court surface 2-1.
Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Tennis Masters Cup | Final | R.F | 6-7, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 |
2005 | Tennis Masters Cup | RR | D.N | 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 |
2002 | Basel Indoors | Semifinals | D.N | 6-7, 7-5, 6-3 |
Indoor Hard Courts
They played each other a total of five times on indoor hard courts, with Roger leading their H2H on this court surface 3-2.
Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Basel Indoors | Final | R.F | 6-3, 6-4 |
2007 | Paris Masters | Round of 16 | D.N | 6-4, 7-6 |
2007 | Madrid Masters | Final | D.N | 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 |
2006 | Tennis Masters Cup | RR | R.F | 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 |
2006 | Madrid Open | Semifinals | R.F | 6-4, 6-0 |
Grass Courts
They only played each other once on grass, with Roger winning the match in straight sets.
Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Wimbledon | Round of 32 | R.F | 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 |
Outdoor Hard Courts
They played each other a total of 6 times on outdoor hard courts with their H2H standing at 3 wins each (3-3).
Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | US Open | Quarterfinals | R.F | 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 |
2004 | Australian Open | Quarterfinals | R.F | 7-5, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 |
2003 | Tennis Masters Cup | RR | R.F | 6-3, 6-0 |
2003 | US Open | Round of 16 | D.N | 3-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
2003 | Cincinnati Masters | Round of 32 | D.N | 7-6, 7-6 |
2003 | Australian Open | Round of 16 | D.N | 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 |
Clay Courts
They played each other a total of four times on clay courts, with Roger leading their H2H on clay courts 3-1.
Year | Tournament | Round | Winner | Match Score |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Monte Carlo Masters | Quarterfinals | Federer | 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 |
2006 | Roland Garros | Semifinals | Federer | 3-6, 6-4, 5-2 (Retired) |
2006 | Rome Masters | Semifinals | Federer | 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 |
2002 | Monte Carlo Masters | Round of 32 | Nalbandian | 6-2, 6-1 |
Matches Played per Year
From 2002 to 2011, Federer and Nalbandian played each other a total of nineteen times, with David winning five of their first six matches.
However, by the end of Nalbandian’s tennis career in 2013, Roger led their H2H 11-8.
Year | Matches | Federer Wins | Nalbandian Wins | H2H |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | 2 | – | 2 | 0-2 |
2003 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1-5 |
2004 | 1 | 1 | – | 2-5 |
2005 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4-6 |
2006 | 4 | 4 | – | 8-6 |
2007 | 2 | – | 2 | 8-8 |
2008 | 2 | 2 | – | 10-8 |
2011 | 1 | 1 | – | 11-8 |
2012 | – | – | – | 11-8 |
2013 | – | – | – | 11-8 |
Below are match highlights from the Federer vs Nalbandian match at the 2005 ATP Finals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times did David Nalbandian beat Roger Federer?
David beat Roger a total of eight times (2002 Monte Carlo Masters, 2002 Basel Indoors, 2003 Australian Open, 2003 Cincinnati Masters, 2003 US Open, 2005 Tennis Masters Cup, 2007 Madrid Open, and the 2007 Paris Masters).
How many times did Nalbandian and Federer play each other on the ATP Tour?
They played each other a total of nineteen times on the ATP Tour, with Roger leading the H2H 11-8.
When did Nalbandian and Federer first play each other?
Their first match was at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2002, in which David won the match in straight sets (6-2, 6-1).
Who defeated Nalbandian at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships?
David was beaten by Roger in the 4th round of the 2011 Wimbledon Championships.