Ever since Roger Federer captured his first US Open title in 2004 when he was 23, the fans in New York developed an affinity for him that was almost ineffable. Here was the Swiss Maestro, waving his magic wand on the premier American stage of tennis, and spectators showered him with an affection normally reserved only for players from the U.S. They found themselves enraptured by the majesty of his game, exhilarated by his elegance and natural athleticism and awestruck by his breathtaking shotmaking.
As was the case everywhere else he stepped on a tennis court, Federer was celebrated in New York as a tennis institution, a player they always loved watching and a celebrity who transcended tennis in countless ways. Every time he returned to the Open, no matter where he stood in the rankings, regardless of the success he had found elsewhere, the fans at the Open cheered him on as if he was one of their own.
Federer won five US Open titles in succession, ruling on the hard courts every year from 2004-2008. But then he ran into some tough opposition and some hard luck. In 2009, he was beaten in a highly charged contest by Juan Martin del Potro in five sets, after moving within two points of a four-set triumph. The next two years, in both 2010 and 2011, Novak Djokovic surpassed Federer in spellbinding five-set semifinal blockbusters, saving two match points in both encounters. Beaten by the big-hitting Tomas Berdych in a 2012 quarterfinal, and stunned by Spain’s Tommy Robredo in the round of 16 a year later, in 2014 Federer was determined to find his way back to success in the last Grand Slam championship of the season.
At Wimbledon that year, Federer reached the final and stayed with Novak Djokovic all the way, until 4-4 in the fifth set, before losing a classic. That showing encouraged the Swiss as he set his sights on the US Open. He believed that he was ready to make a serious run for the title, and he was out to prove that point emphatically.
Federer had a quarterfinal appointment under the lights with Gael Monfils, a flamboyant Frenchman, who was an outstanding crowd-pleaser in his own right. Their evening confrontation played out magnificently, as Monfils displayed his extraordinary athletic skills and tested the mighty Federer to the hilt in pulsating rallies from the backcourt. Monfils stymied Federer regularly, with big serves and splendid court coverage. Federer attacked persistently and served with uncanny accuracy. The ebbs and flows in this skirmish left the audience gasping; the two players blended appealingly and brought sparkling tennis out of each other.
But Monfils had the upper hand deep into this clash. He was often taking the racquet out of Federer’s hand over the course of the first two sets, capturing the first one, 6-4, and winning the second, 7-5. The deep intensity of the Frenchman—back in his first US Open quarterfinal since 2010— was too much for Federer during that stage of the match. Federer was misfiring frequently from the backcourt, making 26 unforced errors in the first two sets.
Yet Federer elevated his game, reduced his errors during the third set and played his way, with quiet fury, into the match. Making only one unforced error in that set, he took it with calm authority. But the crux of the contest came in the fourth set. With Federer serving to stay in the match at 4-5, Monfils reached 15-40, double match point. On the first one, Federer took a calculated risk, going for an inside out forehand swing volley. Monfils was in a position to play his backhand down the line, into the open court, but Federer’s volley had just enough on it to coax an error. Monfils missed the backhand. Then Federer erased the second match point against him with a forehand down-the-line winner off a short forehand crosscourt while on the run from the Frenchman.
Federer never looked back, holding on for 5-5. He would win nine of the last eleven games to make his ninth career comeback, from two sets to love down. The Swiss prevailed, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2. Federer would say later, “I must say, tonight was quite emotional. The crowd was incredible. They definitely got me through the match.”
A few days later, Federer walked on court for his semifinal against Marin Cilic, right after Kei Nishikori upset Djokovic to reach the final. At that moment, Federer appeared to be the clear favorite to win the tournament. But Cilic played perhaps the match of his career to blow Federer off the court in straight sets.
The Monfils match had clearly taken its toll on Federer. But losing in the penultimate round of the US Open was no disgrace for Roger Federer, and beating Gael Monfils was unmistakably one of the most gallant comebacks he would ever make at the tournament.
