NEW YORK — As last year’s U.S. Open began, plenty of people were wondering what was wrong with Roger Federer. Feeling sorry for the guy, even.
Federer arrived at Flushing Meadows in 2008 ranked No. 2, not No. 1. He arrived with — gasp! — zero Grand Slam titles for the season, having lost to Rafael Nadal in finals at the French Open (a blowout) and Wimbledon (a heartbreaker). He arrived to a chorus of questions about whether Nadal had surpassed him for good.
U.S. Open spectators rallied to Federer’s side, cheering for him as if he were an underdog — rather than the man who would depart with the champion’s trophy for the fifth straight year.
“I was really blown away,” Federer said. “It was like they said: ‘We have to support our man here, because he needs to come back to where he belongs.’ “
Yes, as this year’s last Grand Slam tournament starts Monday, Federer is back.
Starting with his victory in New York, Federer has won three of the past four majors to raise his career total to 15 Grand Slam championships, breaking Pete Sampras’ record. He is ranked No. 1 again. And there’s been more good news off the court: He’s now married and a father — of twins, no less.
As Federer-the-father bids to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win three consecutive majors in a single season, and the first since Bill Tilden in 1920-25 to win six straight titles at the American Grand Slam tournament, it’s his nemesis, Nadal, who looks to be in need of a boost.
It’s Nadal who recently relinquished the No. 1 ranking; he’s now at No. 3. It’s Nadal whose 31-match winning streak at the French Open ended. It’s Nadal who did not defend his Wimbledon title, citing sore knees.
Nadal returned to the tour this month, but he acknowledges he’s not in peak condition.
“You never know. You never know,” said Nadal, who needs a U.S. Open title to complete a career Grand Slam. “We will see how I am physically.”
Federer’s take?
“He’s downplaying his chances, which is very Rafa-like,” Federer said. “I understand. He has to be cautious.”
There are other men in the mix, to be sure.
Andy Murray, for example, is ranked No. 2 and hoping to win one more match at the U.S. Open than he did in 2008, when he reached his first major final.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia seems likely to add to his lone Grand Slam title one day. There are others who play well on hard courts, such as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France or Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina.
No woman really seems to rival Serena Williams when it comes to majors lately.
Like Federer, she is the defending champion at the U.S. Open. Like Federer, she has won three of the last four Grand Slam titles. Her career haul is 11, the most among active women.
In addition to the Williams sisters and Russians Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva, other women to keep an eye on include 2006 champion Maria Sharapova, who missed last year’s tournament with a shoulder injury, and 2005 champion Kim Clijsters, who recently came out of retirement after getting married and having a baby.
U.S. Open glance
Surface: Hard courts.
Site: The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.
Schedule: Play begins Monday. The women’s singles final is Sept. 12; the men’s singles final is Sept. 13.
On TV: ESPN2 (starting Monday), Tennis Channel (starting Monday), CBS (starting Sept. 5).
2008 men’s singles champion: Roger Federer of Switzerland.
2008 women’s singles champion: Serena Williams of the United States.
New this year: Video replay technology has been added to the Grandstand, giving the tournament three courts with electronic line-calling. Night sessions may have a men’s match scheduled first, followed by a women’s match; it has been the other way around in the past.
Prize money: Total of $21.6 million, with $1.6 million each to the men’s and women’s singles champions.
On the Web: The tournament’s official site will stream matches live: .
The Associated Press
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Consecutive U.S. Open matches won by Federer. He is bidding to win a sixth consecutive title at the American Grand Slam tournament, something that hasn’t been done by anyone since Bill Tilden from 1920-25.
