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ROGER FEDERER

Federer faces off against Monfils at US Open

Switzerland's Roger Federer set up a quarterfinal blockbuster US Open quarterfinal against eccentric French star Gaël Monfils after advancing in the tennis tournament on Tuesday.

Federer faces off against Monfils at US Open
Photo: AFP

Five-time champion Federer reached his tenth US Open quarterfinal in the last 11 years with a comfortable 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win over Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut while Monfils, the 20th seed, reached his second New York last-eight stunning seventh-seeded Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 7-6 (8/6), 7-5
   
Federer, the 17-time Grand Slam winner, leads Monfils 7-2 in career meetings, including their most recent clash in Cincinnati last month.
 
 "It was a tough three-setter in Cincinnati," said Federer after winning his 25th night-time match.
 
"Gael has been playing some great tennis, he's always very entertaining," he said.

" I'm sure we'll see lots of retrieving by him and attacking by me."
   
Federer was barely troubled by Bautista Agut, the 17th seed who was trying to make a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time.
   
He broke in the third and fifth games for a 4-1 lead and despite surrendering one of the breaks in the eighth game, two successive aces sealed the opening set and there was no looking back for the 33-year-old.
   
Crowd favourite Monfils overcame a dramatic loss of composure in the second set to reach his second US Open quarterfinal, four years after his first.
   
"It's my first ever win on the Ashe stadium which is great," said Monfils, who turned 28 on Monday and whose best performance at a major remains his run to the semifinals at the 2008 French Open where he was defeated by Federer.
   
"I love to play in New York. There is so much energy and it helps me deliver my game."
   
Wimbledon semifinalist Dimitrov, 23, was hoping to reach his third quarter-final at the majors this year but despite occasional breath-taking shot-making, he was undone by 38 unforced errors.
   
Monfils, who hasn't dropped a set at the tournament, raced through the first set on the back of a break for a 6-5 lead.
   
The Frenchman was another break to the good at 4-2 in the second before he got embroiled in a brief war of words over distractions on the court.
   
Still seething, the Parisian surrendered a break point by not returning the ball in the eighth game.
   
But he bounced back in impressive style, saving two set points in the tiebreak before winning four points in a row to open a two sets to love lead.

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ROGER FEDERER

Is this the end of the road for Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer?

Roger Federer is talking optimistically about returning to his "highest level" after knee surgery, but does tennis have to start adjusting to a future without the Swiss star?

Is this the end of the road for Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer?
Is it the end of the line for Roger? Photo: Martin BUREAU / AFP

The 20-time Grand Slam winner announced on Wednesday that he would be sidelined until 2021 after his second operation in a matter of months.

Federer remains upbeat, tweeting: “I plan to take the necessary time to be 100 percent ready to play at my highest level.”

In some ways 2020 is a good season to miss after the coronavirus ravaged the tennis schedule. Writing Federer off in the past has proved dangerous.

He returned from a six-month injury lay-off to claim the Australian Open in 2017, winning his eighth Wimbledon crown later that year.

But he will be 40 in 2021 and is now heading into uncharted territory.

Despite his groaning trophy cabinet, there are two factors that will motivate Federer to keep going — the risk of losing his grip on the men's Grand Slam title record and a missing Olympics singles gold medal.

Rafael Nadal has 19 majors, just one shy of Federer's mark and Djokovic has 17.

Spain's Nadal will be fancied to draw level with Federer at the French Open, rescheduled for September, while few would bet against Djokovic winning in New York weeks earlier.

In April, Federer said he was “devastated” when Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since World War II. Last year he fell agonisingly short at the All England Club, failing to convert two championship points on his own serve against Djokovic.

The Wimbledon grass probably remains his best chance of adding to his Grand Slam collection — he has not won the US Open since 2008 and his only title at Roland Garros came in 2009.

Even though Federer has slipped from the very pinnacle of the game, he is still a major threat to Nadal and Djokovic.

'Golden' ambitions

Last year, the world number four had a 53-10 win-loss record and he reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open in January in his only tournament this year.

Federer, who is still six ATP titles short of Jimmy Connors' all-time record of 109, has one glaring omission from his CV — the Olympic title.

The Swiss won doubles gold in Beijing in 2008 with compatriot Stan Wawrinka but lost in the singles final to Andy Murray in London four years later.

The postponed Tokyo Games will almost certainly be Federer's last opportunity to complete a career “golden” Grand Slam — he will turn 40 on the day of the closing ceremony next year.

Tennis will feel the loss of the elegant Federer keenly when he walks off the court for the last time.

Djokovic and Nadal have been the dominant forces in recent years but the Swiss remains the biggest draw and last month topped Forbes' list of the world's highest-earning athletes.

His last appearance on court was in front of nearly 52,000 fans — touted by organisers as a world record for tennis — at a charity match against Nadal in Cape Town in February.

Federer is nearly always the crowd favourite wherever he plays and has proved a perfect ambassador for the sport since he won his first Grand Slam title in 2003.

He certainly expects to be back and competitive next year.

“I will be missing my fans and the tour dearly but I will look forward to seeing everyone back on tour at the start of the 2021 season,” he tweeted.

The avalanche of support from his adoring fans showed they would miss him too, but they will have to get used to a time when he is gone for good.

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