By Erik Gudris | Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Roger Federer, despite a very famous friend becoming a factor, won his opening round match at this year's US Open.
Photo Credit: AP
The US Open is perhaps best known for its exciting night matches and the plethora of celebrities who attend each year. Tuesday night saw that combination in full force as one of the game's top stars was almost forced into extended sets because of his famous friends.
No. 2 seed Roger Federer entered Arthur Ashe stadium to a hero's welcome when he faced off against Australian Marinko Matosevic in their opening round match. While Federer was expected to win, the match took several unexpected turns.
Matosevic, knowing that he was the underdog, undertook an agressive game plan right from that start. While fighting to stay level with Federer, the Australian soon succumbed to Federer's overall better play in the opening set. That included this fine play early in the set.
Though fighting off several break points, Matosevic would double fault and thus hand Federer a 5-3 lead. Federer soon held serve at love to close out the set 6-3. Federer continued his supremacy in the second set.
Dropping only four points on serve, Federer closed out the second set 6-4. But it was in the third set that Federer, and his very famous friends, became a factor.
Sitting in Federer's friends box was none other than NBA basketball legend Michael Jordan. Though Federer would go up a service break midway through the set, it was Matosevic, known for his on-court antics, who would call out Jordan during the match in a key moment.
Despite Federer being up a service break, that moment seemed to distract Federer. The result? Matosevic broke back for 4-all.
The Australian's advantage would be short-lived as the set entered a tiebreak. Federer recovered after the distraction from earlier and soon closed out the 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) win.
"It was more difficult in the third than I thought it would be," Federer said later.
Federer didn't seem to mind all of the celebrity distractions when this photo was posted after the match.
Federer will now take on another Australian in Sam Groth in the second round.