McEnroe Thinks Federer Is An Unlikely US Open Champion

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 23rd August 2013

McEnroe Thinks Federer Is An Unlikely US Open Champion

epa03827609 Roger Federer, of Switzerland, serves to Raphael Nadal, of Spain, during the quarter-final round of the ATP Masters in Mason, Ohio, USA, on 16 August 2013. EPA/Mark Lyons |

The victory chances of Roger Federer at the US Open are minor, according to pundit John McEnroe, who is now insisting that the Swiss aces’ best days are over. With a seventh seeding, the facts might stand up for Mac, but Federer has been known to often surprise his doubters.

“I don’t see at this stage him being able to go through all seven (rounds) and have to beat at least two of these (top) three guys,” McEnroe said in a conference call prior to the start of the US Open when the subject of the 32-year-old Federer came up. “When you’ve won 17 majors, you clearly think you can win another one. To me, there comes a point, even as great as Roger has been for so many years, that it catches up to you a little bit.”

Federer, who lost early at Wimbledon, had back problems last month on clay and failed to go past the quarter-finals in defending his title in Cincinnati, has hit a rough patch, His ranking is the lowest it’s been in a decade at a slam.

While four-time Open winner McEnroe may not see Federer with title chances, he does view him as a dangerous floater in the field. “There are certainly scenarios where he could easily still get late into an event and even to a final,” McEnroe said. “Andre (Agassi) got to the final of the Open at 35, so there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t do it.”