Write off Federer at your peril, Ivanisevic warns Murray and Co
HE MAY have dropped out of the world’s top four for the first time in a decade and seen his extraordinary run of 36 consecutive grand slam quarter-finals halted, but Roger Federer can still win the US Open.
That is the view of former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, who believes pundits have been too quick to assume that the New York tournament, which starts next week, is a straight fight between British reigning champion Andy Murray, in-form Rafael Nadal and world No1 Novak Djokovic.
“You expect it to be one of the three players but there is also a man called Roger Federer,” said Ivanisevic, who will return to London in December to play the Statoil Masters Tennis at Royal Albert Hall.
“Everyone wants to say he is finished but I would not say that. That court is faster than all the others, he caused Nadal problems last week, and if he has a good ‘mind’ he can do damage and he can still win it. The favourite is Djokovic for me, but two years ago when Djokovic won it, Roger had match point against him in the semis and should have won. He can still do it.”
Murray, who has since added a second slam title at Wimbledon, lost in the quarter-finals at Cincinnati last week and is seeded third.