Federer, back at No. 1, no longer has underdog role at Open

Federer arrived at Flushing Meadows in 2008 ranked No. 2. He even arrived without a Grand Slam title for the season, having lost to Rafael Nadal in finals at the French Open and Wimbledon. He arrived to a chorus of questions about whether Nadal had surpassed him.

But U.S. Open spectators rallied to Federer's side, cheering for him as if he were an underdog — rather than the man who would depart with the champion's trophy for the fifth year in a row.

"I was really blown away. I thought that was so cool," Federer said. "It was like they said: 'We have to support our man here, because he needs to come back to where he belongs.' It was like they wanted to push me back to the top. Winning the U.S. Open was sort of the jump-start."

So when the Open starts Monday, Federer appears to be back.

Starting with his victory in New York, Federer has won three of the past four major tournaments to raise his career total to 15, breaking Pete Sampras' record. And Federer is ranked No. 1 again.

There's even more good news off the court: He's married and a father — of twins, no less.

"You change, all of a sudden," Federer said, snapping his fingers, "from needing nine hours of sleep, to saying, 'Five is plenty.' "

As Federer bids to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win three consecutive major championships in a single season, and the first since Bill Tilden in 1920-25, to win six straight titles at the U.S. Open, it's his nemesis, Nadal, who looks to be in need of a boost.

It's Nadal who relinquished the No. 1 ranking; he's now No. 3. It's Nadal whose 31-match winning streak at the French Open ended. It's Nadal who did not defend his Wimbledon title, citing sore knees.

Nadal returned to the tour this month, but he acknowledges he's not in peak condition.

"You never know," said Nadal, who needs a U.S. Open title to complete a career Grand Slam. "We will see how I am physically."

Federer's take? "He's downplaying his chances, which is very Rafa-like," Federer said. "I understand. He has to be cautious."

But Federer also thought he noticed something else bothering the Spaniard — a stomach muscle injury.

"He looked a bit hurt in his abdominal last week, I have to say … and already prior to that," Federer said Thursday. "I don't know how that's going to affect him now. You're not only talking about the knees, but also the abdominal."

To be sure, there are other men in the mix.

Andy Murray is ranked No. 2 and hoping to win one more match at the U.S. Open than he did in 2008, when he reached his first major final.

"I was close last year," Murray said, "and I think I'm playing better now."

Andy Roddick, the champion in 2003, is a new man, with a trimmer physique, a more varied game and the confidence that comes with a strong run at Wimbledon — even if it did end with a 16-14 loss to Federer in the longest fifth set in Grand Slam final history.

On the women's side, no woman really seems to rival Serena Williams when it comes to major tournaments lately.

She is the defending champion at the Open.

Like Federer, she has won three of the last four Grand Slam titles. Her career haul is 11, the most among active women.

Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva, meanwhile, would love to get just one. Safina, younger sister of 2000 Open champion Marat Safin, is 0-3 in major finals. When last seen at a Grand Slam tournament, she was getting thumped 6-1, 6-0 by Venus Williams in the Wimbledon semifinals.

At least Dementieva held a match point against Serena Williams before losing to her at that stage at the All England Club. But the Beijing Olympic gold medalist is 0-2 in major finals.

In addition to the Williams sisters and that pair of Russians, other women to keep an eye on over the next two weeks include 2006 champion Maria Sharapova, who missed last year's tournament with a shoulder injury, and 2005 champion Kim Clijsters, who recently came out of retirement after getting married and having a baby.

That means Clijsters and Federer are both part of tennis' stroller set.

To hear Federer, 28, tell it, pursuing more Grand Slam titles will be a lot easier now than it was as an expectant father.

He was a worrywart from the moment he learned his wife, Mirka, was pregnant.

"I remember practicing," Federer said, "and every shot, I was going, 'Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. It's really happening.' "

Up next

• What: U.S. Open

• Where: New York

• When: Monday-Sept. 13