Roger Federer's Nike Australien Open 2008 match worn shoes. This special made
to measure shoes were worn during the Australien Open 2008. Both shoes are
personalized with "RF" and three swiss crosses (for his three Australien Open
victories). Federer began the 2008 year by attempting to defend his title at the
Australian Open. He lost, however, in the semifinals to eventual champion
Djokovic, 5–7, 3–6, 6–7. This ended his record of ten consecutive Grand Slam
finals, the most ever for a men's player. In March, Federer revealed that he had
recently been diagnosed with mononucleosis and that he may have suffered from
it as early as December 2007. Federer also had an illness related to food
poisoning prior to the start of the Australian Open. He noted, however, that he
was now "medically cleared to compete".