After winning the Australian Open and the Wimbledon this year, Roger Federer has been pitted as the favorite to win the US Open as well. Five time US Open champion, Roger Federer started his US Open campaign with a win in a five set thriller over an unseeded American Frances Tiafoe. Federer won the match 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4. Tiafoe gave the third seed, Federer a run for his money.
Federer won the Wimbledon without dropping a set throughout the tournament but lost the first set in the US Open 4-6. Tiafoe made Federer toil in the first set and was helped by Federer himself as he made as many as 18 unforced errors. Federer dominated the second and the third set with a 6-2, 6-1 win respectively. Tiafoe came back in the fourth set with his hard hitting game play. The American was full of energy throughout the match. He out classed the master with his fast and powerful tennis and took the fourth set 1-6. The fourth set was a thrilling one. Tiafoe broke Federer’s service when he was trailing 5-3. However, he was unable to hold his serve and lost the set 6-4.
On the other hand, Federer’s biggest competition over the years Rafael Nadal had an easy outing in the first round match. Nadal won the match 7-6(8-6), 6-2, 6-2 to progress to the second round. The number seed in this year’s US Open, Nadal defeated the Dusan Lajovic of Serbia.
With Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray pulling out of the US Open, Nadal and Federer are the favorites to win the tournament.
In the women’s single, last year’s US Open winner Angelique Kerber bowed out of the tournament in the first round in straight sets. Kerber lost to the Japanese Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-1.
American Madison Keys also progressed to the second round of the tournament. She defeated Belgian Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-6(8-6).