Can Roger come out on top in the strain game?
Fatigued Federer’s New York bid boosted by injury woes of rivals
THIS time last year Roger Federer was coming to the end of an idyllic break, spending quality time with his family and hiking in his beloved Swiss mountains. He was soon to get back into serious training, a long spell of which has paid off with spectacular results that, incredibly, sees him arrive at the bustle of the US Open with the chance of winning a third Grand Slam of 2017 — and his chances boosted by the withdrawal of Andy Murray last night.
As he did not even enter the French Open, that would represent a 100-per-cent record, something that seemed unthinkable when he began his season in Australia.
Yet at 36, it is hardly surprising that Federer is not immune to the spate of injuries that has swept across the ATP Tour since Wimbledon.
It is usually October that sees an earnest debate within the sport about the physical toll the circuit takes, but this year it has been brought forward two months.
Federer, who looked slightly laboured at the Canadian Open earlier this month and then pulled out of Cincinnati with a stiff back, is among what is a majority of top players with fitness concerns, Murray included
Last night, Federer struck an upbeat tone: ‘I have been on the practice courts since last week and I’m really happy how I’m feeling,’ he said.
Five of the men’s top 11 are not here: Novak Djokovic, Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka have already called time on their seasons while Milos Raonic withdrew last week due to wrist problems, before Murray decided to pull out.
The Scot had arrived exhausted in New York last year following his triumphs at Wimbledon and the Olympics .
This time around, he has not hit a ball in anger since making his last-eight exit from the All England Club, pained by an ongoing hip condition.
The best he could have hoped for was to play himself into some kind of form and take advantage of what looked to be an unusually benign draw.
In fact, the bottom half in which Murray would have found himself may be the weakest-looking segment of a men’s Grand Slam draw this decade, due to the absenteeism among those who would normally be considered contenders.
Murray was, in theory, seeded to meet Rafael Nadal in the final, the Spaniard having taken the world No 1 spot from him, despite having less than stellar results since reclaiming the French Open.
Even Nadal is not immune from physical concerns, with his knees starting to groan under the strain of not being on his beloved clay.
About the only player who can claim to be completely fit is 20-year-old German Alex Zverev, who this month added the Canadian Open Masterslevel title to the Italian Open — an event of similar prestige — that he took in May.
Zverev is the coming man and the lofty fourth seed here, yet his Grand Slam record remains relatively modest, having yet to proceed beyond the fourth round at any of the majors. Whether Murray — who was due to play American journeyman Tennys Sandgren in the first round — would have got as far as their scheduled meeting in the last four had to be doubtful, even if his hip had stood the strain.
There are three other British men in the men’s draw, a healthy representation.
Kyle Edmund, who overnight lost 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 to Bosnia’s Damir Dzhumur in the Winston-Salem Open semifinal, faces Dutch number one Robin Haase, while Aljaz Bedene tackles young Russian Andrey Rublev.
Cameron Norrie makes his US Open debut after coming through qualifying.