Was Millman defeat a freak result or is it the beginning of the end for the 20-time Grand Slam champion?
Tuesday 4 September 2018 20:18, UK
Roger Federer crashed out of the US Open in the fourth round after losing in four sets to Australian John Millman, but what does it mean for the future?
It was the first time Federer has ever lost to a player outside the top 50 in New York and it was even worse considering he was a set and a break up.
Here, we assess Federer's form and what it means for his future with the Laver Cup his next scheduled tournament, which you can watch live on Sky Sports.
Five-time US Open champion Federer made 49 per cent of first serves which was the second lowest in his 98 matches at Flushing Meadows and fifth lowest in his 393 Grand Slam matches.
His lowest was 47 per cent against Andre Agassi in the fourth round of the tournament in 2001.
Federer also made 10 double faults which was his second most at US Open and tied for third most at Grand Slams. He made 11 during his 2009 final defeat to Juan Martin del Potro.
While Millman, ranked 55, produced the performance of his life, Federer gave one of his poorest displays on the big stage, making a total of 76 unforced errors and squandering set points in the second and third sets.
Australian Millman, who had never previously beaten a top-10 opponent, appeared to have even less chance of winning with Federer looking in total control, but he somehow clawed his way back to clinch a 3-6 7-5 7-6 (9-7)) 7-6 (7-3) victory.
Federer's overall recent record has not been too bad as he reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon before getting to the final in the last US Open warm-up tournament in Cincinnati. He has a 33-5 record for the year, with three titles, including the Australian Open so he is still one of the best - a Grand Slam and a stint at world No 1 tells you as much.
There is no suggestion that this should be viewed as anything other than a freak result. After all, he has not won at Flushing Meadows since 2008.
With Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic now back to their best, Federer is not finding it as easy to win the big tournaments after being so sublime in 2017.
He came back from a knee injury and played arguably the best tennis of his career on the way to the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles, while also claiming the 'Sunshine Double' in Indian Wells and Miami and returning to world No 1.
Even at the age of 37, would anybody consider him done and dusted after this latest setback?
It's not goodbye from him just yet. Federer is in the twilight of his career, but he is doing his best to prolong it. Since his injury-ruined 2016, the Swiss has carefully managed his schedule and is unlikely to ever play on clay again in order to target the grasscourt and US hardcourt swings.
As time ticks on he may reduce his diary even further, perhaps skipping either the Asian or the European indoor tournaments at the end of the year in order to be in better shape for the Australian Open where he is a six-time champion.
As long as he feels he can win the top tournaments, he is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
Unsurprisingly Federer is not viewing this as a catastrophic result and pointed to his inability to cope with the humid conditions as the main reason for the loss.
He said: "I wish I could have led two sets to love and then maybe the match would be different and I would find a way. It was just tough. I thought John played a great match in difficult conditions. I'm happy I'm getting a rest now. Then I come back for the Laver Cup and hopefully finish the year strong."
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Tennis is back on Sky Sports screens with the Laver Cup in September while we will also have coverage of the ATP Finals in November with every match live on Sky Sports. But first, we will be across the final major of the year in New York as the US Open right through to the final with live blogs, reports, features and reaction.
