Nadal, Federer, Sharapova take spotlight at US Open
NEW YORK: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will try to add another Grand Slam success in their age-defying seasons while Maria Sharapova takes her comeback to the highest stage when the US Open begins Monday.
World number one Nadal, back on top after more than three years, captured his 10th French Open in June for his 15th Grand Slam title while third-ranked Federer took the Australian Open and Wimbledon crowns, raising his record Slam total to 19.
“It’s something that probably you and we don’t expect to have that much success, but here we are,” Nadal said. “And we worked well. We worked with passion and we played well. So let’s see how we finish season.”
Nadal, 31, and Federer, 36, have never faced each other on the New York hardcourts but could meet in the semi-finals.
“That would be fun for everybody involved,” Federer said. “There’s like 60-plus players in between us that don’t agree we should make it to the semis. We have our work cut out there. I don’t think we’re both thinking that far ahead.”
Federer opens against US teen Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday, the same day Nadal meets Serbian Dusan Lajovic in his first-round match.
“Ten victories to have that match. A lot of points and games to play,” Nadal said of a possible semi-final with Federer. “Now is not the moment to think about that. For me, I think about Lajovic. That’s my goal.”
Nadal could face Bulgarian seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov, coming off his biggest career title two weeks ago at Cincinnati, in the quarter-finals while Federer’s last-eight opponent could be Austrian sixth seed Dominic Thiem.
Until this year’s revival, Federer had not won a Grand Slam title since Wimbledon in 2012. Nadal’s most recent major crown was at Roland Garros in 2014.
“You could foresee maybe Rafa and me would be back in some shape or form but maybe not quite like this,” Federer said. “I think we’re all a bit surprised, all the players, all the media, all the experts and fans.
“It has been a great year and I hope we can keep playing like this.”
For Sharapova, the Broadway stage shines a spotlight on her comeback and controversy. She served a 15-month ban after testing positive for the blood boosting drug meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open. - AFP