Roger Federer put on a show in front of Michael Jordan to reach the second round of the US Open. Federer tweeted a picture with the former basketball great and Jordan was in the Swiss star’s box as he opened his campaign at Flushing Meadows with a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7/4) win over Marinko Matosevic.
Australian Matosevic is a feisty competitor but it was not long before he was being forced to admire Federer’s shots.
Federer was really turning on the style by this point, and a ‘tweener’ shot between his legs that hit Matosevic had Jordan in stitches. When Federer broke serve again in the seventh game of the third set, it appeared the end was nigh, and Matosevic tried to lighten his darkening mood by engaging with Jordan, pointing at him and saying, ‘I just want to be like Mike’.
Federer had only faced two break points in the match, saving both of them, but an unexpected lapse allowed his opponent to hit back.
When Federer trailed 3-1 in the tie-break, a fourth set looked like it might be on the cards, but the second seed only lost one more point and finished off the victory with an emphatic smash – Jordan no doubt approving of the air he got.
Federer, who plays Matosevic’s countryman Sam Groth in the second round, said: “Marinko has got a big game, I was never quite sure what to expect. I’m happy I came through. It was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be in the third set when I had a break. But it’s always good to win tie-breaks.”
Meanwhile, Serena Williams began her quest for a third straight US Open title with a convincing win over American teenager Taylor Townsend. Williams described 18-year-old Townsend as the future of tennis ahead of the meeting but showed she is still very much the present in a 6-3, 6-1 victory.
The 32-year-old said: “I just come out and play. This was the first slam I won and I love to come back. I never want to stop.
“Taylor’s incredibly talented. She’s such a great person, I love her and I love that there’s so many great Americans. We have so much to look forward to.”