This US Open also is Federer’s first major tournament since he turned 30 on Aug. 8. That age tends to represent a barrier to success in tennis: Of the last 100 Grand Slam titles, only five were won by a man past his 30th birthday. The last to do it was Andre Agassi at the 2003 Australian Open.
Federer, though, said that his age hasn’t affected his expectations.
“Hasn’t changed anything. I’m still as professional. I’m still as hungry. Everything’s still completely normal,’’ he explained. “It’s just a number that’s changed. I’m ready to go.’’
His résumé is filled with some rather impressive numbers, including 16 Grand Slam titles and five consecutive US Open championships from 2004-08, before his 40-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows ended in the 2009 final against Juan Martin del Potro. Last year, Federer lost in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic.
For his career, Federer is 223-33 in Grand Slam matches, an .871 winning percentage. Today, he can tie Agassi for the second-most victories at majors - Jimmy Connors retired with 233 - by beating 54th-ranked Santiago Giraldo of Colombia.
They’re slated to play their first-round match in Arthur Ashe Stadium at night, after seven-time major champion Venus Williams meets Vesna Dolonts of Russia.
Other matches on the Day 1 schedule include 2006 US Open champion Maria Sharapova against Heather Watson of Britain; reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova against Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania; 2010 US Open runner-up Vera Zvonareva against Stephanie Foretz Gacon of France; 19-year-old American Ryan Harrison against No. 27-seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia; and No. 8 Mardy Fish - the highest-seeded American in New York for the first time - against Tobias Kamke of Germany.
For the first time since the 2004 Australian Open, neither Federer nor Rafael Nadal is seeded No. 1 at a Grand Slam.
