Federer holds on to avoid major upset at US Open
Poor Roger Federer. All these years of dominating the tennis world, and he was missing out on the fun of riveting five-set matches.
Federer wasn’t actually complaining about the dearth of drama, but he insisted he found joy _ not disappointment _ in being pushed to the limit by 23rd-seeded Igor Andreev on Tuesday in the fourth round of the U.S. Open.
The four-time defending champ won 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
‘They’re fun when you play them,’ Federer said of going the distance. ‘Sometimes, of course, they’re hard physically and mentally, and the pressure is huge on me, because Igor doesn’t have a whole lot to lose. For me it’s way worse, so I’m very happy with the way we competed tonight.’