Federer wins in five sets at U.S. Open

A bad back prevented Roger Federer from getting ready for the U.S. Open the way he prefers to prepare for a Grand Slam tournament. And it’s showed so far.

Federer blamed a lack of proper practice after making an uncharacteristic 68 unforced errors and being forced to go five sets again before coming back to edge a cramping Mikhail Youzhny 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 on Thursday in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

It is the first time in his long career that the 36-year-old Federer has played five-setters in both the first and second rounds at a major tournament.

Two seeded women lost to Americans in the afternoon: Shelby Rogers edged No. 25 Daria Gavrilova 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (5) in a tournament-record 3 hours, 33 minutes, and Jennifer Brady eliminated No. 23 Barbora Strycova 6-1, 6-1.

A couple of seeded men departed, too: No. 7 Grigor Dimitrov and No. 15 Tomas Berdych, the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up.

NFL

ELLIOTT’S HEARING CONCLUDES » Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott’s hearing on the appeal of his six-game suspension over a domestic violence case ended Thursday after 2 ½ days.

According to the labor agreement, Arbitrator Harold Henderson must rule on the NFL’s punishment “as soon as practicable.” The Cowboys must cut their roster to 53 players by Saturday, and putting Elliott on the restricted list would give them an extra spot.

The NFL’s 2016 rushing leader was suspended after the league concluded that he used physical force last summer in Ohio against his girlfriend at the time. Prosecutors didn’t pursue the case, citing conflicting evidence. Elliott has denied the allegations.