Roger Federer discusses ’pressure’ on Novak Djokovic at US Open

Federer has not played competitively since sacrificing a two-set lead and crashing out of the Wimbledon quarter-finals at the hands of eventual finalist Kevin Anderson.

But the Swiss is back in action in Cincinnati this week, where he will be looking to add an eighth Masters title at the venue in his only hard-court warm-up tournament for the US Open.

Federer’s Cincinnati campaign starts tonight against Peter Gojowczyk, who beat Joao Sousa to reach the second round but faces a tall order to inflict the same fate on the world No 2.

However, win or lose Federer will not start as favourite at Flushing Meadows at the end of the month as Djokovic’s Wimbledon triumph has earned him that tag.

But the Swiss knows that the title can be a double-edged sword.

“Novak can play with less pressure again I guess, to some extent, but you can always get caught up in the pressure, the media saying ‘well clearly now you’re going to win the US Open’, and you’re like ‘Well, I guess so, yes’,” Federer said.

“And then rather than you being able to say ‘Well, we’ll see what happens’, perspective changes from your side but also from the media.

“But definitely exciting times, a lot of the best players are back in the game and I think the US Open is going to be epic.

“Novak winning Wimbledon obviously that was massive, I don’t think he expected it.

“I remember the press conference he gave after [losing to Marco Cecchinato in] Paris when he was like ‘I don’t know yet I was frustrated, I just want to get out of here’.

“And people were asking him ‘What, you’re not going to play the grass?’

“And then he should have won Queens and goes on to win Wimbledon, so things can turn very quickly, regardless if you’re positive or not, sometimes when you just put yourself out there and then you get excited in a quarters or semis of a Slam you can start playing your best tennis.

“I thought it was great for the sport, I’m happy for him because I know it probably it hasn’t been easy the last couple of years for him but then again I don’t think anybody should be feeling sorry for him, like people feeling sorry for me or Rafa[el Nadal].

“We’ve had so much success that it’s just more beautiful when you do come back after a tough time.”

Djokovic, who did not have Federer’s luxury of a first-round bye in Ohio, opened his campaign last night against home favourite Steve Johnson.

The Serb came through the match 6-4, 7-6 but spurned nine match points in the second set before finally closing out the match in 123 minutes.

“I’m not really satisfied with my performance,” Djokovic said.

“I played well in parts of the match but should have done better.

“On a brighter side, I managed to stay calm and focused and play some really good points in the tie break.

“I’ve been trying [to win the title] quite a few years, but conditions are quite a bit different.

“Hopefully I’ll make improvements each day and get to the level I want to be at later this week.

“There is no easy way [to improve]. You just need to work hard and work smart.”