Watching Roger Federer play tennis at this time was simultaneously predictable, awe-inspiring and joyous. The predictable part was the near inevitability of his successes. There was a constant sense that, with the chips on the line and the biggest prizes at stake, the Swiss Maestro seemed to be living on the edge of invincibility. There was seldom much doubt about the outcome in most of the skirmishes he fought. He could be tested, made to work harder than expected, prone to a few rough patches here and there.
Yet Federer seemed nearly certain to succeed whenever he played big matches during this period, with the notable exception of when he faced Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros. The Swiss was at the tail end of his absolute zenith when he headed into the 2007 US Open. He had already secured his fifth Wimbledon title in a row, and now he was in full pursuit of a fourth championship in succession at Flushing Meadows, trying to establish himself as the first man to realize that feat since Bill Tilden took the U.S. Championships in 1923.
In the final, Federer found himself up against a 20-year-old Serb named Novak Djokovic, a dynamic personality who was surging swiftly toward the top of the game. This was Djokovic's first final at a Grand Slam event, and across the summer he had performed magnificently, even upending Federer in the final of the Masters 1000 event at Montreal. To many learned observers, even if Federer was unequivocally the favorite to prevail, Djokovic seemed entirely capable of pulling off a significant upset. He had the speed and athleticism, the extraordinary return of serve, and the crackling two-handed backhand. He had the gumption and the swagger. He had the desire to translate talent into triumph.
More than anything, Djokovic had presence. At 5-5 in the first set, Djokovic broke Federer, and then he changed ends of the court, serving with a strong wind at his back, building a 40-0 lead. The No. 3 seed was right where he wanted to be, up triple set point, poised to win the set and put himself in a very favorable position, ready to stamp his authority on the proceedings. He was closing in on the realization of a dream. Federer unleashed a trademark forehand winner to save the first set point. Djokovic followed with a pair of unforced errors off the backhand.
Djokovic had two more set points, but Federer ceded no ground. He forced his opponent to come up with the goods, and Djokovic was not up to that task. He double faulted that game away. An unwavering Federer broke back for 6-6. Federer took the ensuing tiebreak seven points to four, collecting five of the last six points after trailing by 3-2 and a mini-break. In the second set, Djokovic recovered his confidence and authority, opening up a 4-1 lead. But once more, Federer was unshakable. He fought his way back to 4-4.
And yet, Djokovic had another big chance. With Federer serving at 5-6 in that second set, the Swiss was perched precariously at 15-40, down double set point. Federer escaped with typical poise under pressure. On they went to another tiebreak, and Federer easily came through seven points to two. Djokovic had reached set point five times in the first set and twice in the second, but the fact remained that he was down two sets to love. Unsurprisingly, the world No. 1 was not to be denied, halting a dejected Djokovic, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4.
Thus, Federer raised his record in major singles finals to 12-2. The win over Djokovic gave Federer his third Grand Slam singles title of the season, and his 11th major out of 16 played over an astonishing four-year span. But Federer's domination of the big events would never be the same again. He did return to New York in 2008 to take his fifth US Open in a row. But he has not won it since, and a knee injury has kept him away from this year's Open, the first time he has not competed at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center since 1999.
In retrospect, the 2007 US Open was a turning point in the career of a man many consider the greatest ever to play the game. After that major nine years ago, Roger Federer was never again the dominant force he once had been. No one could have sustained that dizzying rate of success for much longer, but Federer's level of excellence has been maintained and his motivation to add to his sparkling record is undiminished. When he returns to the game in 2017, he will remain a force, and his magical shot-making will endure.
