Tiafoe gives Federer a good fight
NEW YORK: World number three Roger Federer survived a first-round scare from Frances Tiafoe before grinding out a 4-6 6-2 6-1 1-6 6-4 victory over the American teenager in front of a raucous crowd at the US Open on Tuesday.
Federer looked more relieved than overjoyed when Tiafoe’s forehand found the net on match point to keep his hopes of a 20th grand slam title alive.
“We had a good fight,” Federer said in an on-court interview. “It was exciting and this is why I came to New York, to go through these emotions,” he said with a laugh.
The 19-year-old Tiafoe broke Federer in the first game of the match and bellowed out a loud “Come on!” when his forehand winner found the line to capture the opening set.
Federer, who has won this year’s Australian Open and Wimbledon since taking a sixmonth break last year, soon found his groove once he broke Tiafoe to take a 3-1 lead in the second set and reeled off nine of the next 10 games.
However, his poor form returned in a 23-minute fourth set when his serve and the accuracy of his trusty onehanded backhand completely deserted him.
Federer said Tiafoe could go on to have a big career.
“He is a great player and has a bright future ahead of him,” he said of the 19-yearold.
Despite coming away with the win, the shaky performance raises questions about the health of the 36-year-old Swiss, who sat out the Cincinnati Masters earlier this month with back pain.
He acknowledged that he was worried about his back going into the match but said he felt “much, much better”.
“This win will give me a lot of confidence,” he said.
Due to rain, the speedy 2-hour and 35-minute five setter was played under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium, which amplified the volume of the rowdy crowd.
Federer next meets either Slovenian Blaz Kavcic or Russian Mikhail Youzhny.
For all the clamour surrounding the successful return of Maria Sharapova to grand slam action at the US Open on Monday, one question lingered in the night air.
Not whether Sharapova deserved the wildcard she received into the event, having served a 15-month doping ban.
But rather, what does it say about the state of the women’s game that someone who has not played a grand slam match for 19 months can come back and beat the world No. 2?
It is a criticism often aimed at women’s tennis, especially when contrasted with the men’s game, which has been dominated by the same four players over the past decade.
“How can Roger (Federer) come back from time away and win everything?,” Patrick Mouratoglou, the coach of Serena Williams, told Reuters.
“I heard a lot of this kind of criticism, because a lot of people don’t like women’s tennis, so they try to attack through any opportunities they have.
“I remember when (Kim) Clijsters came back (in 2009), this is what they said.
“But this is ridiculous. Those players are really exceptional. They have a different level – they have the whole package. Mentally, they are champions, so it’s not a surprise that they take back what they should be and what they deserve.”
Eight women began the US Open with a chance to become world number one, an unprecedented situation which has added excitement to an already open draw.
Mouratoglou said the vacuum at the top is only temporary and is caused by the absence of Williams, who is preparing to have her first child.
“Anyone can win,” he said. “Clearly, there was a boss on Tour, she left and – I don’t want to say the next one because Serena’s coming back – but nobody really took the spot.
“It shows it’s not only about tennis it’s a lot about handling mentally that spot, and being a boss. A lot of players have tried and they didn’t succeed.
“It’s not going to stay like this for a long time, it’s an in-between period and it’s fun because there is a lot of uncertainty and I think it makes the tournament exciting.”
Mary Carillo, a former grand slam mixed doubles champion and now a broadcaster with the Tennis Channel, said the situation was not ideal.
“I’m shocked to see how many people could be number one,” she said. “I don’t think that looks good, I’m not sure that’s something to celebrate.
“I don’t mind it if there’s a tight little battle when there’s maybe three people, but when there’s eight, no, I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing at all.” Reuters