Roger Federer had another awkward performance during his 2nd round at the US Open when he won a roller-coaster against Mikhail Youzhny.
Even if Federer has recently struggled with his back, he maintains that his injury is in the past, but his preparation to the last slam of the season wasn’t good at all, and that is what is bothering him.
Federer’s comment
During a post-match interview, Roger explained
“I think because you’re on a high, you’re thrilled that you got through, so you don’t look at the negative. Or I don’t. Yes, I might feel more tired than I normally would going into a third round, but that’s OK.
My preparation hasn’t been good at all here. I knew I was going to maybe struggle early on. Maybe I struggled more than I would have liked to. But I’m still in the draw, which gives me a chance.”
Why this is good news
If Roger’s problems to his back are over, and the Swiss is “only” struggling with his preparation, there are good chances that his tennis and confidence will improve during the tournament. Therefore, if he can get to the 2nd week, he may have a chance to win his 20th slam.
