Paving the Way to Flushing Meadows Glory

Roger Federer’s injury-plagued 2016 leads to historic 2017 season

August 23, 2017 | By Brian Coleman

A year ago, the U.S. Open delighted fans with two thrilling finals on the men’s and women’s sides of the draw, as Stan Wawrinka defeated Novak Djokovic for the men’s title and Angelique Kerber outlasted Karolina Pliskova on the women’s side.

But there was something missing from the final Grand Slam of 2016: Roger Federer.

The now 19-time Grand Slam champion missed the second half of last season to recover from a knee injury, bringing to a close a run of 16 consecutive years in which the Swiss competed in the U.S. Open main draw.

Federer made the decision to withdraw in late July, following a semifinal run at Wimbledon.

“The doctors advised that if I want to play injury-free for another few years, as I intend to do, I must give both my knee and body the proper time to fully recover,” Federer said at the time of withdrawal. “I am as motivated as ever and plan to put all my energy towards coming back strong, healthy and in shape to play attacking tennis in 2017.”

He has done nothing short of live up to his words.

The rest did the all-time great plenty of good, and he has been the best player in the world thus far in 2017. He has already won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, while also notching title wins in Halle, Indian Wells and Miami, improving his overall season record to 31-2 after his demolition of Croatia’s Marin Cilic in the Wimbledon finals; the eighth Wimbledon title of his career.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to be able to run through top-10 players the way I am, win all these breakers and all these big moments,” Federer said after winning at the All-England Club. “This is what’s made the difference for me. I’ve won all the big matches this year. It’s unbelievable.”

That has to be the sentiment shared by many of his peers who are in awe of what 36-year-old is doing.

His year began in Melbourne, where he played 10 sets of tennis in his final two matches. To be able to play that much tennis after missing so much of the previous season is just incredible, and it concluded with a five-set triumph over compatriot Stan Wawrinka and a victory in a historic five-set affair against long-time rival Rafael Nadal.

And he will look to continue his historic season as we approach the year’s final major, the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows.

Federer has perfected the art of schedule-making, picking and choosing his spots to compete in tournaments throughout the year to maximize his performance in the Grand Slams, which makes his presence in Flushing Meadows this year even more exciting.

The Basel, Switzerland native has also mastered the art of tampering expectations as well, never getting too high or low, and that’s how he presented his own outlook on his chances at the U.S. Open.

“That would be a joke, if I won three Grand Slams this year out of nowhere,” Federer said. “I know if I stay in shape, there are chances for me to do well at the U.S. Open, but to win it? Yeah, at some stage I almost feel like I have to be realistic. I am not 25-years-old anymore. I’m not sure I can win three Slams in one year. Winning two is already pretty crazy and plenty good enough for me.”

There is nobody playing better than Federer this season, except for the clay-court stretch from Nadal.

His success at this stage of his career is something that is not lost on some of the world’s best players and some of the greatest players in the sports history, as even they are marveling at what the Swiss Maestro has done so far this year.

“Roger is playing great again,” said former U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori. “With his age, it’s something incredible. I want to play a long time, but I don’t know if my body can stand up.”

Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker added: “We can’t emphasize enough all the records Federer has broken, and with tough competition. Everybody is younger than him and he finds the way to win easily, and do it consistently on every surface, apart from clay. It’s just impossible to fathom. You think, where is he going to go now? Will it be 20 Grand Slams at the U.S. Open?”

The scariest part of Federer’s success is just how easy he has made winning look. He won the Wimbledon title without dropping a set at a time when the sport of tennis has seen the style of play shift to more power and athleticism. And Federer hasn’t missed a beat.

His task at the U.S. Open became a bit easier when Novak Djokovic announced he would miss the rest of 2017 with an elbow injury and the recent withdrawal by defending U.S. Open champ Stan Wawrinka adds to a depleted men’s singles draw.

Current world number one Andy Murray has also been hampered by injuries and missed some of the tournaments that lead up to the U.S. Open, which opens up the draw for Federer to win his third major title of the year, and the 21st of his career.

The five-time champion has not hoisted the trophy in Flushing Meadows since 2008, but is there anyone in the tennis world who is willing to bet against him? There is no doubt that players face a mental hurdle when they stare across the net and see Federer waiting on the other side. Each match he plays, especially in Flushing Meadows, is a de facto home match for him as he garners more crowd support than anyone, and there doesn’t seem to be any holes in his game.

The only two players who have defeated him to date in 2017 are Evgeny Donsky and Tommy Haas. Those defeats came in Dubai and Halle, respectively, but there is little doubt Federer’s game rises to another level when the lights of a Grand Slam are shining bright.

His two weeks at the U.S. Open will begin with his appearance at Arthur Ashe Kids Day, the 10th time he will take part in the always-popular and fan-friendly event. Few players enjoy connecting with and being with fans than Federer as he understands the impact his smile and presence can have on the tennis world.

Federer is a fan-favorite and will once again feel the love of the Big Apple crowd when he arrives in late August. The tournament is certainly glad to have him back and there will be no shortage of celebrity sightings in Arthur Ashe Stadium as his run progresses. He is also a big favorite to bring home the title, and the real question is, can anyone challenge him over the course of two weeks in Flushing Meadows?


Brian Coleman

 Brian Coleman is the Senior Editor for New York Tennis Magazine. He may be reached at brianc@usptennis.com

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