Roger Federer achieved tennis greatness with an intoxicating blend of athleticism, artistry and unflinching nerve. Yet for all his fluid genius, the measure of a career often boils down to cold numbers.
Seventeen grand slam singles titles, three more than any man who has played the game, have been won by the Swiss maestro.
But it is eight grand slam events and counting since the graceful sportsman, who ticked off major accomplishments like clockwork during his years of dominance, has won a grand slam.
At age 33, with the clock ticking down on an extraordinary career, the father of two sets of twins faces a golden opportunity to add to his majestic legacy at the US Open starting on Monday at the US National Tennis Center.
Federer is in form and his primary nemesis, 2013 US Open winner Rafa Nadal, has withdrawn due to a wrist injury, elevating the Swiss to second seed and ensuring he can only meet top seed Novak Djokovic should they both reach the final.
World number two Nadal, the Spaniard with 14 major titles of his own, has beaten Federer 23 times in 33 career meetings, and taken nine of their 11 career collisions in grand slams.
The other member of the ‘Big Four’ who have dominated men’s tennis the past decade, 2012 US Open winner and 2013 Wimbledon champion Andy Murray of Britain, is still struggling to regain top form after having back surgery, further suggesting a possible storybook run by Federer.
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