Third-seeded Roger Federer got pushed to the brink in a five-set win over 19-year-old American up-and-comer Frances Tiafoe in the first round of the US Open on Tuesday night. Federer hung on, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4, in a thrilling match at Arthur Ashe Stadium that was far closer than expected.
US Open results 2017: Roger Federer survives 1st-round threat from 19-year-old Frances Tiafoe
Federer needed all five sets to hang on against Tiafoe in the first round.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Federer had a chance to win with match point in the fifth set leading, 5-3, but Tiafoe survived to force a deuce, then hung on again to extend the match. The American couldn’t hold serve to tie the set, however, as he made several unforced errors that seemed to result from having a bit too much energy.
It capped a great day for Federer, who began it by responding to a kid reporter wondering why everyone calls him the G.O.A.T.
Tiafoe is considered one of the most talented players from the U.S. in the game, but he was a massive underdog to Federer. Last time we had heard from the young American, he had a match interrupted for a very ... interesting reason.
From the start of the match Tuesday, the age discrepancy was apparent in the differing styles of the two players, as Tiafoe showed off his power and athleticism. Neither one could pull away in the five-set battle, however.
The early advantage went to Tiafoe, who was aggressive out of the gate to take the first set, 6-4. Federer unsurprisingly responded with a pair of dominant sets after that to take back control of the match, at which point it seemed like he’d cruise through a fourth set and put this one away.
Instead, that’s where things got really interesting as Tiafoe responded like a veteran with a commanding 6-1 set that pushed both sides to a fifth set. Tiafoe didn’t let the pressure get to him despite a crowd that cheered for him, but cheered even louder for the Swiss superstar on the other side of the court.
Federer didn’t relent in the fifth set, where he looked very strong with his serve while earning a crucial break of Tiafoe’s serve midway through the set to lead, 3-1. While he didn’t win on the initial match point, he showed that it’s still tough to put away a legend.
Next up for Federer will be the winner of the first-round matchup between Blaz Kavcic and Mikhail Youzhny that’s set for Wednesday.
In the end, Federer was just too good, but Tiafoe showed that he’ll be a bright spot in American tennis for years to come. He’s got serious talent, and just pushed one of the game’s all-time greats to the brink in his third appearance at the US Open before turning 20 years old.
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