Federer wins fifth straight U.S. Open title in a flash
Roger Federer of Switzerland at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 8, 2008. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
By Max J. Dickstein
mdickstein[at]am-ny.com
For Roger Federer, there’s nothing like two late-summer weeks in New York to get things right.
The Swiss star dismissed Scottish challenger Andy Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 Monday evening to clinch his fifth straight U.S. Open title and 13th Grand Slam championship.
-Click here to see photos from the Federer-Murray match
-Click here to see photos of Roger Federer through the years
Only an hour and 51 minutes after the match began, Federer cracked an overhead on his second match point; a ragged Murray shunted his forehand reply into the net and Federer fell to the hardcourt in celebration. Federer had coverted his seventh of 10 break points before the set over the packed and adoring Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd.
"To take this home is incredible," Federer said on the court before he received another seven-pound, Tiffany & Co. trophy and a check from the USTA for $1.5 million. "It means the world to me."
Federer thanked the 23,763 fans “from the bottom of my heart” for answering the call to support him in his quest to finally win a major title in 2008. With this one, the five-time Wimbledon champion became the only man to win five consecutive titles at two major tournaments.
Federer’s 12th title came at this time last year, when he defeated Novak Djokovic in a more suspenseful straight-sets victory. But a semifinal loss to Djokovic in Australia, and painful losses to top-ranked Rafael Nadal in finals at Roland Garros and an epic match at Wimbledon this season had tarnished Federer's sterling record. The 27-year-old was ranked No. 1 for 237 weeks before being unseated by Nadal last month.
But Federer had his flourish back at this tournament, which culminated in a dominant dismissal of Murray, a first-time Grand Slam finalist who appeared ragged at times playing his third straight day of tennis.
"I've got the better of him the last two times we played," Murray said of his 2-1 career edge against Federer entering the match, "and he set the record straight today."
Whether Murray was serving or returning, Federer’s all-court attack often sent Murray staggering after booming ground strokes from either wing and sharp volleys at the net, where Federer won 31 points on 44 approaches.
"Today, I think I really chose the right tactics against Andy, who himself is a good tactician," Federer said.
Tropical Storm Hanna dealt the 21-year-old Murray a scheduling blow, forcing him to play two straight days of high-level tennis against Nadal in their semifinal, which he won on Sunday. Federer dispensed with his semifinal opponent, the third-seeded Djokovic, on Saturday, enabling him to rest on Sunday.
— Max
-Click here to see photos from the Federer-Murray match
-Click here to see photos of Roger Federer through the years
