Heat, humidity did for Federer
RELENTLESS: MILLMAN AT HOME ON A SWELTERING DAY
Heat, age and a relentless John Millman combined in a perfect storm to drive Roger Federer to the US Open exit on Monday, leaving the winner of a record 20 Grand Slam titles looking every bit the 37-year-old he is.
More shocking than his departure was the manner of the 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 7-6 loss to the Australian, with Federer simply wilting in the suffocating humidity and exiting a Grand Slam before the quarterfinals for just the fifth time since 2004.
“I just thought it was very hot tonight,” Federer said after his fourth-round defeat. “It was just one of those nights where I guess I felt I couldn’t get air.
“There was no circulation at all. I don’t know, for some reason I just struggled in the conditions tonight.”
The numbers were damning with the Swiss second seed, in many eyes the greatest male player of all time, committing a shocking 77 unforced errors and 10 double faults, including two in the final tie-break.
Never before had the 55th ranked Millman beaten a top-10 player and never before at the US Open had Federer lost to someone outside the top-50, previously posting a 40-0 record in such matches at Flushing Meadows.
Both streaks came to a jaw-dropping end in front of a stunned crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium as the five-time champion made his earliest departure from the year’s final Grand Slam since a fourth-round loss to Tommy Robredo in 2013.
“When you feel like that, everything is off,” offered Federer. “But, look, I’ve trained in tougher conditions. I’ve played in the daytime, you know, at 49o Celsius.
“Some days it’s just not the day where the body can cope with it.”
For years fans and pundits have been watching for signs of decay in Federer’s game and there were hints of fading greatness to be seen on a sweltering Monday.
There was no surrender – he traded punches through two tiebreaks, but finally Federer simply ran out of energy and ideas.
While Federer suffered in the oppressive conditions, at the other end of court Millman, 27, who lives and trains in Brisbane’s heat and humidity, looked perfectly at home. – Reuters