Happy 60th, Roger.
Roger Federer is again a monstrous threat to win his sixth U.S. Open and record 18th Grand Slam title. But John McEnroe called the Swiss Maestro “heroic’’ for another reason.
The Open, which begins Monday at Flushing Meadows, marks the 60th straight Slam event Federer has played, an ironman streak dating back to the 2000 Australian Open. Federer faces Australia’s Marinko Matosevic in the first round.
In contrast, Federer’s nemesis, Rafael Nadal, will miss his second Open in three years with a wrist injury, The Spanish bulldog will miss his seventh Slam with assorted injuries since he burst on the scene at Wimbledon in 2003.
“It’s obviously remarkable and unbelievable that he’s been able to do this consistently well for this long,’’ McEnroe said of Federer. “To do that, 60 majors in a row, is heroic in a way.’’
At age 33, Federer isn’t revealing many secrets other than strategic resting.
“I feel I’ve managed my career well in the sense I believe in rest in a huge way,’’ Federer said Saturday at Media Day. “Whenever I can go on vacation I do. The body and mind need time to heal. I’d rather skip a tournament here and there rather than missing three or six months, which has never happened to me.’’
What also has never happened is Federer and Nadal playing a match on Flushing soil. Last year, it looked as if it would happen as they were lined up for a historic quarterfinal. But Federer, in poor form, was upset in the fourth round, paving the way for Nadal’s Open title.
One year later, Federer, who hasn’t won a Slam since Wimbledon in 2012, looks rejuvenated with a favorable draw. He lost a gritty battle in the Wimbledon finals to Novak Djokovic and cleaned up on the Open tuneups, making the Finals in Toronto and winning his last event in Cincinnati.
The 2013 Open, Federer said, was “trying to convince myself’’ he had a shot. Now he is talking like the favorite.
“This year I played a lot of good matches,’’ Federer said. “Not just Toronto and Cincinnati, but really from the first week on I have played really nice tennis. Then you come to this Open — you remember how it feels to win tournaments. You get used to that. You almost forget how to lose to a point and confidence rises. Everything seems so simple.
“I really feel like I can play a great tournament.’’
His women’s counterpart, defending Open champion Serena Williams, is not in Federer form and gets a lively opener with the young, new lefty American hope, 18-year-old Taylor Townsend. Williams is struggling through a disastrous year in Grand Slam results, failing to get to the quarterfinals of the first three. Like Federer, Williams is stuck on 17 Slam titles, as she tries to tie Chris Evert at 18.
Asked if this would be a disappointing year if she didn’t win a Slam, Williams said, “Probably yes. But there’s always next year and the year after.’’
The versatile Townsend is ranked 103rd, but riding a wave of hype as she received a wild card into the main draw. Williams admitted Townsend being a left-hander gives the youngster an edge because of her “weird spin.’’
“I’ve always wanted to be a lefty,’’ Williams said.
Asked what Arthur Ashe might say about this matchup, Williams said, “I think he would say it’s a great opportunity to see a veteran American player play the future of American tennis.’’
Williams cracked up the media when someone wondered if finesse in the women’s game — enhanced by Canada’s rising star, Eugenie Bouchard — is ending the era of big-shot hitting.
“I don’t think my big shots are particularly coming to an end,” Williams quipped.
If Townsend is “The Next Serena,” the blond-haired Bouchard, with cover-girl good looks, is being called “The Next Sharapova.’’ The French-Canadian is fast becoming women’s tennis’ new “It’’ girl after making the finals at Wimbledon and semis at the Australian and French Open. Just two years ago, she was playing the Open juniors.
“Just being recognized a bit more,’’ Bouchard said of her status. “Just feeling a lot of eyes on you no matter what you do and feeling the expectations and pressure, but it’s a position I want to be in.’’