NEW YORK — Swiss star Roger Federer might not be so keen to try out his old-dog-new-trick, rush-the-net “SABR” — “sneak attack by Roger” — return strategy against his next opponent at the U.S. Open.
“I don’t think so,” Federer said. “I can always try. But it’s probably not the right guy to do it against.”
Probably not.
That’s because the second-seeded Federer, who advanced Saturday by beating 29th-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, will have to deal with 6-foot-10 American John Isner and his massive serve in the fourth round of the tournament.
“The idea is not to use it very much against a player like that,” Federer said of his innovative and risky approach to attacking second serves, racing forward as the ball arrives to pluck it off the ground with what amounts to a half volley. “I have done pretty well over the years against big servers, so, I mean, clearly I will think about it. But I don’t think that’s going to be the turning point of the match, to be quite honest.
“I need to make sure I protect my own serve first.”
Four past major champions in the women’s draw won Saturday afternoon — No. 2 Simona Halep, No. 5 Petra Kvitova, No. 20 Victoria Azarenka and No. 22 Sam Stosur.
Halep, the 2014 French Open runner-up, swept American Shelby Rogers 6-2, 6-3. Kvitova cruised in straight sets over No. 32 Anna Schmiedlova, and Stosur won in three sets.
Twice the title winner at the Australian Open, and twice beaten by Serena Williams in the U.S. Open final, Azarenka needed six match points and nearly three hours to close out 11th-seeded Angelique Kerber 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.
Afterward, Azarenka said she told herself “I’m going to stay here all day,” if that’s what it was going to take to win.