When Roger Federer saved five match points to edge Leonardo Mayer at the 2014 Shanghai Rolex Masters, the Swiss remarked that he was “crazy lucky” to survive.
Federer hopes his US Open first-round encounter against the Argentine goes much smoother and is well aware of the threat Mayer poses.
“I didn’t know he was unseeded,” Federer said. “Total shock for me to see that I was going to play him, because he’s been seeded for some time now at majors. All of a sudden he’s not seeded here, so that’s why I think he’s a really tough draw.
“The Shanghai match was one of the luckiest matches I’ve ever won in my career to be quite honest. In Shanghai, and even now, the other day when I practised with him, I know the power he has, on both sides, plus the serve, as well. It makes him tough to control from the baseline. I think I always have to try to make it an athletic match and there’s lots of movement, shortening the points, on my terms. I think he’s a challenge, to be honest. I hope I can play with my confidence and use my experience against a player like this.”
Seeded second, Federer enters an unprecendented 64th consecutive Grand Slam tournament with high expectations. The Swiss claimed a record seventh title at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, securing his return to World No. 2 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The five-time champion in New York has not tasted victory since 2008 and is taking it one match at a time.
“Clearly my focus needs to be not trying to win the tournament right away. That’d be thinking too far ahead. I haven’t been in a final in this tournament as of late. I came close, but close is not good enough. I’ve tried to build up as we move forward.
“I think there’s always some nerves going into a first round. You don’t know how the conditions are going to be, how your opponent is going to be. You always hope to get out of the blocks early and it’s ok and if you don’t, there’s no need to panic. It’s a best of five set match, so you stay with him, you try to fight back, and if you start rolling you try to maintain that. That’s why it’s always a bit of a relief to win your first or second match. You’re really into the tournament, you’ve seen matches, you’ve felt the matches, you’ve played in some. That gives you a lot of information.”
Federer would face Marcos Baghdatis or Steve Darcis in the second round, with big serving John Isner and Ivo Karlovic potential Round of 16 opponents. Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych also loom in his half of the draw.
The 2015 US Open commences on Monday.
( Courtesy of the ATP and Original Link – http://www.atpworldtour.com/
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