2012 U.S. Open Player Previews: Roger Federer

We profile 12 of the top title contenders at the 2012 U.S. Open.

You can call it a comeback or a renaissance or a second wind or a restoration or an Indian Summer, but whatever state the 31-year-old Federer is in this summer, it’s a good one. He won his first major in a year and a half, at Wimbledon, claimed his first singles medal at the Olympics, and cruised through the Cincy Masters without dropping a set. He said after the latter event that he couldn’t ask for more coming into the Open, and he can’t. He’s healthy; with Paul Annacone in his corner he’s playing some of the most tactically clear-sighted tennis of his career; he’s won two straight over world No. 2 Novak Djokovic; and his biggest rival, Rafael Nadal, is on the sidelines. He says he has to “start from scratch” in New York, but you have to think he believes this tournament is his to lose at the moment.

Why He’ll Win:

He loves Wimbledon the most, but Federer may have played his best tennis over the years on the slick hard courts at Flushing Meadows, where he’s a five-time champion.  

Why He Won’t:

While Federer survived two weeks of five-set matches at Wimbledon, it wasn’t by much. Recovering from long matches gets harder as you age, and those points could easily go the other way next time.  

Bottom Line:

With a great summer behind him—and no Rafael Nadal ahead of him—Federer has to be considered the pre-tournament favorite to win his sixth US Open.

More U.S. Open Player Previews:

**Roger Federer

Novak Djokovic  

Andy Murray  

David Ferrer  

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga  

Juan Martin del Potro**

**Victoria Azarenka

Agnieszka Radwanska  

Maria Sharapova  

Serena Williams  

Petra Kvitova  

Samantha Stosur**