It took Roger Federer a second successive five-setter to reach the US Open third round on Thursday with a 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over fellow veteran Mikhail Youzhny.
It was the five-time US Open champion’s 17th win in 17 matches against Youzhny in a rivalry stretching back to 2000. Earlier, the third seed had also needed five sets to see off US teenager Frances Tiafoe in the first round. This was the first time in his career that he played five-setters in the first two rounds of a Grand Slam.
Two five-setters in the first two rounds, after coming from a brief injury layoff, would be gruelling for most players, but for the 19-time Grand Slam champion, the testing matches were just a “fun” warm-up.
“It was quite a lot of fun out there – I feel quite warmed up by now,” said Federer, who fired 63 winners and 68 unforced errors. The Swiss star carried the same candid mood into the post-match interview where he said that while his back felt better, he was just lacking in rhythm having been broken often and how Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov’s early losses have got to do with relative inexperience.
Here’s what he had to say after the match. Excerpts from the official US Open website
On his back injury
No, good. I’m better than the first round, so I’m happy. Yeah, this match wasn’t about the back, which is good. This is more just a grind. I felt different, completely different, the way it played and everything. But I’m really, really happy I got through.
On why it took him five sets to win
Yeah, I mean, I think in a way it’s pretty simple to analyse just because of my preparation, not been able to hit any returns almost, the serve, not going full in practice. You just have a bit lacking rhythm, whatever it may be.
When the match comes around, you’re more susceptible to being a bit up and down. If you get broken once or twice a set, it’s hard to win those sets consistently. That’s what I was doing so well through Wimbledon, through other tournaments where I just protected my serve at will and always in a nice way. The margins are so small. Even if I’m winning in straights, margins are still small.
When you’re not feeling your best right away, you get broken or you lose sets, then it becomes a completely different match. The way it’s also played by your opponent. I think really Mikhail was also able to pick it up today. He was playing very well at one stage. Then you have to break the code again.
I’m happy I found that way. I won through fitness, as well, which is clearly always a good feeling to have.
On playing back-to-back five-setters at the start
Well, no, I think because you’re on a high, you’re thrilled that you got through, so you don’t look at the negative. Or I don’t. Yes, I might feel more tired than I normally would going into a third round, but that’s okay.
My preparation hasn’t been good at all here. I knew I was going to maybe struggle early on. Maybe I struggled more than I would have liked to. But I’m still in the draw, which gives me a chance. I still believe I’m going to pick up my game and become just more consistent because I’m not playing all that bad. It’s just that I’m going a bit up and down in waves throughout the match.
So clearly I’m happy how I felt after the first round, because that was the scary bit. But that’s passed now. Now I can just look forward to play tennis. With a bit of fatigue, that’s okay. I’ve done that hundreds of times. That’s not something I’m too concerned about.
But, sure, perfect would be right now to be in the third round one set up. That’s how it would have been in Wimbledon. But I’m stuck in the second round, which is totally fine, too (smiling).
On Zverev, Dimitrov losing early
Look, sometimes it’s just – probably it helps me to have been there so much. Like today again, fifth set. I backed myself to find a way in the fifth. I find my way. I don’t panic. I think the point-for-point mentality helps me a lot. Not thinking too far ahead.
I remember when I lost in the French Open the first round against Horna, I lost the first set. I looked at the match like it was a mountain to climb. I still had six matches to win the tournament. I don’t know what I was looking at, but I was thinking the completely wrong thing than just let’s hit the next forehand for a winner. When your mind wanders like that, it’s hard. Best-of-five can sometimes do that to you. By having a very simple mindset, it keeps me very simple, keeps me grounded, humble as well.
But a point is just a point. You win it or you lose it. You keep on moving along. I think that maybe is a bit the experience that maybe the other guys just don’t quite have yet. Maybe these matches that they lost, Zverev or Dimitrov, they’re going to learn a ton from them. These things will maybe never happen to them again. I hope they do see the positives in this.
On practicing in Central Park
How did it work? I think we were looking for if there was anyplace at all in the city to play tennis at. Then I think we spoke to Eric Butorac of the tournament, spoke to coaches, maybe gave an idea at Central Park, apparently they have a US Open court. I was like, Yeah, anything that doesn’t make me drive very long.
I really liked the idea of playing in Central Park for the first time. We tried it out. It was perfect. I was really happy. It was really a totally different experience in the sense that when I finished practice, that was fun. If only all practices were like this. I really enjoyed myself.
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