Roger Federer heads to the US Open as third favourite behind longtime rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal after a season that has nose-dived since he won the Australian Open at the start of the year. This time last year, Federer was the pundits' pick to claim a third Grand Slam title of 2017 in New York, after roaring back from a season decimated by injury to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
His run at Flushing Meadows was ended by Juan Martin del Potro in the quarter-finals, but Federer appeared to have put that defeat behind him as he claimed his 20th career Grand Slam title in style in Melbourne in January. By July, however, that early optimism had faded following Federer's defeat by Kevin Anderson in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
The loss was even more shocking because of the way in which it came about, with the world number two surrendering a two-set lead and at a loss to explain what had gone wrong. In truth, the first signs that all was not well with the Swiss emerged before Wimbledon started. Four months earlier, Federer reached the final at Indian Wells where he was beaten by Del Potro, failing to convert a match point before losing in three sets. The pattern was repeated against Borna Coric in the Halle final, and Federer headed to Wimbledon with those two defeats weighing on his mind before again losing from a winning position at the All England Club. In Cincinnati last week, Federer floundered badly against Novak Djokovic in the final, making a large number of uncharacteristic errors before succumbing in straight sets.
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