Federer cruised by Japanese Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2, 6-2, 6-4, remaining undefeated in opening-round matches at the year’s final Grand Slam (18-0). If the Swiss claims his sixth victory in New York, he will become the winningest and oldest US Open champion in the Open Era. It would also give him 99-tour-level titles in his career, only trailing Jimmy Connors, who owns 109.
"Thankfully I wasn't too nervous tonight. I felt good. I felt like I had a good preparation week. No hiccups there. I think that settles my nerves there," Federer said. "When you do walk out onto Arthur Ashe Stadium, you feel like people are there to see the show, enjoy themselves. Sure, they come for the tennis, but it's also sort of a bucket list, wanting to be there... it's great to have played also a good first round against an entertaining first-round opponent."
Federer has not lost in the first round of a major since 2003 Roland Garros, a stretch of 58 Slam appearances. Fifty-three of those first-match victories have come in straight sets. He clinched the triumph when Nishioka hit a return long after one hour, 52 minutes.
The 37-year-old is fresh off an appearance in the Western and Southern Open final, where he fell just short of picking up his eighth trophy at the event, losing to Novak Djokovic. Federer has won three titles this year, earning his 20th Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open and prevailing in Rotterdam and Stuttgart.
Federer next faces Benoit Paire, against whom he has won all six of his ATP Head to Head meetings. There will be intrigue, though, as Paire held two match points against Federer in Halle this year. The Frenchman beat Austrian Dennis Novak 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) in three hours and five minutes.
Nishioka put up a fight in Arthur Ashe Stadium, unleashing some late forehands down the line to the delight of the crowd, showing how he climbed as high as No. 58 in the ATP Rankings last year by earning his only break of the match as Federer served for the second round at the first time of asking. But Federer’s baseline-hugging play proved too much to handle, as the second seed hit 56 winners to just 32 unforced errors.
"I don't know how nervous he was going in. But I've been in tough matches against left-handed players over the years, like Rafa. I know what left-handed players can do," Federer said. "But at the end of the day the aura, it doesn't win you the match every time. You have to go out there, you have to work hard. I just finally stopped sweating. I also put in a lot of effort. You have to bring it every single time."
Date: 29 August 2018, Source: ATP
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