Roger Federer hoping to rise up in the fall again

WATCH—ATP Rankings Update:

After a much earlier than expected loss at the US Open—he fell in the fourth round to unheralded Australian John Millman—Roger Federer is hoping to get back on the winning track at the Rolex Shanghai Masters this week, and if history is anything to go by, this could be his time to rise again.

The Masters 1000 event is one of Federer’s favorite stops on the ATP World Tour calendar.

“It’s a special atmosphere,” Federer said. “Shanghai’s my big priority after the US Open. I opened the stadium here years ago—it was the first ATP Finals I ever qualified for in 2002. I know the tournament organizers really well. I just love the stadium and the tournament, so I always make it a priority.

“I always try to play my best tennis here, too.”

The Swiss has a 18-4 career record at the event, but more impressively he’s won 10 of his last 11 matches here, winning titles in 2014 (beating Gilles Simon in the final) and 2017 (beating Rafael Nadal in the final) with an early exit sandwiched in between in 2015 (to Albert Ramos-Vinolas).

The World No. 2’s 6-4, 6-3 win over World No. 1 Nadal in last year’s final was his fifth straight win over the Spaniard, and he was understandably thrilled after defeating his longtime rival for the title.

“It was great—a perfect match for me, really,” Federer said after the final. “I’m shocked how well it went this whole week. I felt good from the first match. I’m so, so happy that it went so well here.”

Federer won his first 13 matches of the fall season last year, picking up titles at Shanghai and Basel before David Goffin snapped his winning streak in the ATP Finals semifinals.

Historically, Federer has played some of his best tennis of the season after the US Open.

He has a 245-56 career record in tour-level matches after the US Open, which is a .814 winning percentage (and if you take his post-US Open numbers over the last 15 years it’s even better—he’s 196-31 in tour-level matches after the US Open since 2003, which is a .863 winning percentage).

He’s also won 24 of his 98 career titles in this stretch of the season (including six ATP Finals titles).

As of now, Federer is scheduled to play in Shanghai, Basel and the ATP Finals in London.

ATP Beijing & Tokyo (Sep. 30-Oct. 7)

• Tennis Channel PLUS has every ATP match live, from the first round to the final. Watch up to three courts from Beijing and two from Tokyo.