US Open SmashTalk: can Federer win the title?

Rarely has Roger Federer looked less convincing in the opening rounds at a Grand Slam tournament.

The reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion scratched to another five-set victory at Flushing Meadows – this time over Mikhail Youzhny – to reach the third round. Is his form good enough to win the title?

The Tennismash team of Paul Moore, Vivienne Christie, Matt Trollope and Leigh Rogers provide their thoughts, as well as their reactions to Caroline Wozniacki’s comments on court scheduling and what the biggest takeaway was from Thursday’s action.

Agree or disagree with our panel? Have your say on Facebook and Twitter using #SmashTalk.

Can Roger Federer win the US Open?

Moore: It’s not looking great, is it? He’s looking laboured at times on the court, and he’s clearly not comfortable. What’s more, it’s just going to get harder. Because of that, I’m going to say no. If a punchy Feli Lopez doesn’t finish him off, then a free swinging Delpo almost certainly will.

Christie: We know Roger is far from his best so far in New York – but we also know that a far-from-his-best Roger is still better than most other players. Yes, he appears vulnerable but he’s also finding a way to win. It might take another couple of marathons but bear in mind that Federer leads the tour in five-set matches won (5-0) this season. I’m not counting him out yet.

SAY WHAT?! Best of US Open quotes Day 4

Trollope: Unless whatever is ailing him physically miraculously heals, then no. Frances Tiafoe and Mikhail Youzhny should not be pushing Federer to five sets, and he cannot continue to leak so many errors. Thankfully, with so many outs and upsets in the men’s draw, he’s not likely to come up against anyone too threatening until at least the quarters, where Thiem or del Potro could lie in wait. But the way he’s playing, previous “non-threats” may represent a whole new challenge.

Rogers: As one of 32 men still left in the draw, of course he can. The reality is though that after two five-set matches to reach this stage, it is going to be difficult for Federer to actually win it from here. There is a lot of anticipation for a Nadal-Federer semifinal showdown, but I think on current form Juan Martin del Potro will be the player to advance from Federer’s quarter.

Caroline Wozniacki has slammed a scheduling decision that saw Maria Sharapova appear on Ashe while she was scheduled on Court 5 – and later moved to Court 17 at 11pm. Does she have a point?

Moore: Nope, and deep down she know it. Sport is entertainment, and people pay to watch the biggest names playing on the biggest stages. Sharapova is a bona fide superstar, and of course she belongs on the biggest stadium in tennis. Anyone who denies that is simply struggling with an over-inflated ego.

Christie: Court five, match five and world No.5. The only way that original scheduling makes sense is in how it rolls off the tongue. The match was ultimately moved to a bigger court (No.17) but I still think it’s a slight. Apart from her current ranking, Wozniacki is a two-time finalist and former world No.1. Not sure about her focus on Sharapova though – I’m more baffled by Eugenie Bouchard, at No.76, given the Arthur Ashe stage for her fizzler against No.89 Evgeniya Rodina.

GALLERY: US Open Day 4 snaps

Trollope: I’m not sure Wozniacki would be so focused on this if she’d lived up to her seeding and beaten Makarova. If Sharapova is going to be awarded a place in the draw via wildcard – based on the fact she’s a five-time major winner, former world No.1 and huge drawcard – then the organisers are hardly going to bump her to an outer court. And at the end of the day, Sharapova is in the third round, while Wozniacki has already packed her bags. It simply validates the tournament’s decision.

Rogers: Definitely, and good on her for speaking out about it. When the two marquee players on Arthur Ashe were No.76-ranked Genie Bouchard and No.146-ranked Maria Sharapova against unseeded low-profile opponents, the tournament was bound to cop criticism. Wozniacki, as the No.5 seed and two-time finalist in New York playing a former US Open semifinalist and top-10 player in Ekaterina Makarova, did deserve to be treated better.

Your biggest takeaway from Day 4?

Moore: That Grigor Dimitrov is the most frustrating tennis player in the world. How do you go from winning Cincinnati to going down in straight sets to Rublev?! The guys is so talented, oozes appeal (on lots of levels) and repeatedly falls short when it matters.

Christie: Keep an eye on 2009 champ Juan Martin del Potro, who thrives with the massive fanfare he generates at his favourite Slam. With two straight-sets wins, he’s already equalled his best Grand Slam result for 2017 and has some winnable matches ahead. Delpo next meets Roberto Bautista Agut, a victim in his spirited silver medal run at the 2016 Rio Olympics. And if seedings hold del Potro may face Dominic Thiem, who is yet to win a match in their two previous meetings. Roger Federer looms – but remember who del Potro beat, in five stunning sets, to win that 2009 title?

Trollope: That the women’s draw is unfolding quite nicely thanks to the progression of young guns like Svitolina, Keys, Ostapenko, Kasatkina – Ostapenko v Kasatkina in round three – Osaka, Barty, Vekic, etc. Oh, and that you can’t put your faith in Grigor Dimitrov, no matter what his lead-up form.

Rogers: Beware Jelena Ostapenko. I did not rate her chances before the tournament, however the French Open champion is returning to form. She loves the big stage and is in an open section of the draw, so suddenly looks a strong possibility to make another deep Grand Slam run.

What are you most looking forward to on Day 5?

Moore: Honestly? Not a lot. It’s such a weak half of the draw that it’s tricky to find a match actually worth watching. Just because it’s topical, it’ll be interesting to see how Sharapova goes. It should be easy, but then Babos was supposed to be straightfroward…

Christie: I can’t wait to see the Denis Shapovalov show roll on when he takes on Kyle Edmund. The teenager’s memories of two previous encounters with Edmund couldn’t be more contrasting – defaulted for accidentally hitting an umpire with a ball hit in anger during Davis Cup, while in the other he upset Edmund to reach the second round at Queen’s. Both contributed to the remarkable maturity that complements Shapovalov’s big-hitting weapons. Another win for the US Open qualifier will be another important breakthrough in a year of many.

Trollope: As an Australian this may be jingoistic, but I’m really psyched for Barty v Stephens. Both have had excellent US summer lead-ups to the year’s final Grand Slam and are both two of the most talented shotmakers out there. Stephens holds the edge in athleticism and power but Barty has a versatility and heaviness to her game that could prove decisive. It’s two of the game’s most promising players going head-to-head, and it’s really hard to pick a winner.

Rogers: Venus Williams v Maria Sakkari. On paper the world No.9 against world No.94 looks like a mismatch, but Venus’ form has been scratchy and their only previous meeting was a three-set battle at Wimbledon 2016. Venus won on that occasion, but will no doubt be wary entering this rematch.