Roger Federer may go down as the best tennis player in history and there is no doubt on this matter. However, to put him in the upper drawer of favorites in New York is most likely the direct consequence of media hype regarding the Swiss player. He has accomplished amazing things in 2017 and winning two Grand Slam titles is not something to ignore. But entering the North American outdoor hard swing, Federer has shown some signs of weakness as well as a decreasing level of sharpness and shot-making.
Reaching the final at Rogers Cup in Montreal was pretty much a consequence of a thin draw as there was no valid opposition up until the final where Alexander Zverev dominated Federer.
There was, of course, the minor injury that prevented him from keeping his things together while competing. Currently ranked third in the world, the 36-year-old will aim for the sixth title in New York, and the first one since 2008.
The main draw will weigh enormously in the equation
Roger Federer enters the draw as the third seed having Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal on top of him in the rankings. If he wants a deeper run the main draw must give him something to work with. If he gets some luck, his trajectory will unfold and be a constant climb in terms of difficulty. The first two will guarantee a free zone as no seeded player will emerge but, starting with the round of 32 things may get harder.
If he survives the first five rounds, he may face Rafael Nadal in the semis, taking that possible 'Fedal' final away from the fans. It's the ranking situation that delivers this scenario with Federer trailing only five points behind Andy Murray. In the eventuality of a Federer vs Nadal semifinal, if the Swiss makes it to the final, he may face Murray or Alexander Zverev.
The draw can have a significant impact on a player's run, especially during a Grand Slam where every single move must be calculated and carefully anticipated. Earlier this summer, Federer clinched his eighth Wimbledon at the end of a perfect run. Without dropping a set the whole tournament, he went on reaching the 19th Major title.
But the draw was nowhere near to being a tough one. His rivals went down early due to injuries and low shape which gave Federer an issue-free ride.
Many players see the US Open as the last chance of the season
The last Grand Slam of the season comes with a special load attached. For many, it's the last chance to rise and shine while gathering a huge amount of points along the way. It also ends a very busy schedule for professional tennis. Basically, throughout a three-months span, three Grand Slam events are scheduled each year.
For Roger Federer, the 2017 Us Open Tennis Championships may be the end of another chapter of this professional career. Without a proper warm-up session on the American hard court, Federer will step into the lion's cage as today the main draw ceremony will take place.
This time, he may not have to fight against one of his old rivals as the younger generation of ATP stars seem to be prepared to tackle the summit. It's a new type of opponent, one that Federer doesn't know. The physical factor can have an impact too. Back in January, the Australian Open final saw Federer taking on Nadal in an epic matchup. But all those five sets of the final had little individual drama as there was no tie-break involved or any tight score. To win another Grand Slam in 2017 may be a perfect goodbye party but the chances are not working in favor of Roger Federer.
