Roger Federer vs Jurgen Melzer US Open preview
Write Roger Federer off at your peril.
Three matches into the US Open, and the world No. 2 is yet to drop a set as he sends a clear signal to all challengers that he’s still the man to beat at Flushing Meadows.
Indeed, it took less than two sets of his opening match against Brian Dabul for Federer to produce the between-the-legs trick shot that he saved for Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals in New York last year. It was vintage Federer, and he’s shown no signs of letting up in his two matches since.
In nine sets of tennis at this year’s US Open, Federer has produced 106 winners and has had his serve broken just the once in seven chances that his three opponents’ combined efforts have been able to create against a player who has on five occasions been crowned champion at the year’s final Grand Slam.
Next on the 2009 US Open runner-up’s list is Jürgen Melzer, who will be Federer’s first seeded opponent for the tournament. The 13th seed arrives in the fourth round having negotiated his way through two five-set victories in his first two matches, before securing his first straight sets win of the tournament, against 22nd seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero, in the third round.
While Federer’s quarter-final finishes at Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year were roundly regarded as disappointments by the former world No. 1’s lofty standards, Melzer has this year been producing some of the best tennis of his career at the majors, reaching the semi-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career at the French Open and also recording a personal best fourth round showing at Wimbledon.
Now might be the time to mention that Melzer’s Wimbledon exit, in straight sets, came at the hands of none other than Federer himself.
It was the first match the pair of 29-year-olds had played against one another during their vastly differing careers. While Federer’s impeccable game has taken him to 16 Grand Slam titles so far, it has taking Melzer far longer to mature into a player capable of gaining the maximum rewards from his talents.
The Austrian may have made some giant steps in his approach to tennis this year, but we can expect Federer to win the mind games and then a place in the quarter-finals when they hold court at in the last match of the day on Arthur Ashe Stadium on day eight of the 2010 US Open.
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