New York: Roger Federer blamed troubled preparations for his US Open quarterfinal exit here Wednesday. He told reporters he had spent most of the time leading up to the year’s final Grand Slam worrying about his back instead of focusing on training.
Federer, who skipped the US Open warm-up tournaments because of back pain, said he was fit to play but the damage had been done before the action started at Flushing Meadows.
“The best player won today (Wednesday), by far, and I don’t have a problem with that,” he told a news conference. “I don’t want to take anything from Juan Martin but when you get injured before a tournament, you are not focused on training or on how to play during the tournament.
“It was a bit the case for me before the US Open. Then I had to play a couple of five setters and you start to hurt a little bit everywhere,” added the 36-year-old Swiss who was chasing a 20th Grand Slam title here.
Federer said that because of the back problem, he was unable to recapture the form he displayed in his victorious campaigns at the Australian Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.
“I never had the feeling I had reached the level I wanted. I forced myself to think that but I never had quite the same rhythm as during the Australian Open, Wimbledon, Indian Wells or Miami,” he explained.
Federer said the turning point in the match came when he wasted four set points in the third as he was looking to go 2-1 up in the match. “There were set points. It could have been worse and been match points but yes, it was a turning point,” he said with a smile.
reuters