Roger Federer Doesn’t Play Tennis ‘Just to Protect That Record.’ But Another Grand Slam Couldn’t Hurt
Australian John Millman, facing Roger Federer in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday evening down under, was leading 8-4 in a fifth-set tiebreaker, just two points away from pulling off the upset. But Millman’s end came soon enough, in a typical Federer flurry. A backhand winner, via Federer’s magic wand of a tennis racquet. Millman committed unforced errors, as Federer refused to relinquish the point. A Federer drop shot. Federer ran off six straight points, thanks to his angles and agility, still strong at age 38. He won the match, a 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 epic, to advance to the fourth round, in which he’ll face Márton Fucsovics of Hungary.
Federer enters the 2020 season seeking a cushion on his Grand Slam record. He’s won 20 Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other male player ever. But Rafael Nadal is chasing him down: Nadal won the French Open — his ridiculous 12th — and the U.S. Open in 2019, to give him 19 Grand Slam championships for his career. Federer last won a Slam two years ago, at the Australian Open. Novak Djokovic, who won the Aussie Open and Wimbledon — over Federer in the final — …
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