Famously smooth with a tennis ball in play, Roger Federer likes the rest of his professional life to move along smoothly as well: minimal controversy, minimal complications.
He is a planner, nailing down his schedule and commitments far in advance. And until Friday’s semifinals at least, this United States Open has gone very much according to plan.
“For sure, we’re in the best position we can be right now,” Severin Lüthi, Federer’s co-coach and longtime confidant, said in an interview between the raindrops on Thursday at the U.S.T.A. Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.