NY Times · Sep 4, 2019
Still No Federer-Nadal Match for U.S. Open Fans
Ben Solomon for The New York Times
Wimbledon hangover?
It was hard not to wonder after watching Roger Federer leave the court for back treatment before losing for the first time to Grigor Dimitrov on Tuesday night.
That unexpected scene in Arthur Ashe Stadium came 48 hours after Novak Djokovic winced and retired from his fourth-round match while trailing Stan Wawrinka because of a left shoulder problem.
Federer received an extended round of applause in defeat; Djokovic regrettably was treated to quite a few boos for cutting the evening’s entertainment short by fans who ought to have remembered all the grit he has shown in recent years.