Roger Federer has earned a reputation for the precision of his shots and the resolve to put opponents away. These traits helped Federer to win a record 17 major singles titles, and to continue fighting for that elusive 18th, even into his middle 30s.
But on Sunday night, those normally dependable characteristics failed Federer in key moments, allowing top-seeded Novak Djokovic to fend off Federer, the No. 2 seed, and win the United States Open, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
Even with the crowd on Federer’s side on virtually every shot, he made a bushel of errors, most notably when he had a chance to break Djokovic’s serve.