Roger Federer overcomes big scare to edge out Frances Tiafoe in Round 1 to advance to the second round of the US Open. However, Federer was forced to work hard and dig deep before prevailing in five sets - 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4. Worried about a recent back problem which kept him from participating in pre-slam competition as he would usually do, Federer overcame an early deficit to edge out the American teenager.
Tiafoe came out firing from the first ball and broke the Swiss in the opening game of the first set.
Federer was making too many unforced errors on the backhand side and Tiafoe closed out the first set with a crunching forehand winner. He appeared to be gathering steam and surged to the third in breakneck speed.
Federer has had a great 2017, he is 36-3 with five titles, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon, where Federer won every set he played across seven matches while collecting his record eighth trophy at the All England Club and 19th Grand Slam championship overall.
In the women’s draw sixth-seeded and defending champion, Angelique Kerber suffered a first round loss as she was beaten by Naomo Osaka of Japan, 6-3, 6-1. She becomes the first defending champion to be eliminated in the first round of the US open in 12 years.
Earlier, No. 1 seed Karolina Pliskova won her first-round match, defeating Magda Linette of Poland 6-2, 6-1. Fellow Czech Barbora Strycova also advanced quickly to the second round. The No. 23 seed beat Misaki Doi of Japan 6-1, 6-3.
