Roger Federer's U.S. Open Decade: Five Up and Five Down in NYC

Is there anything more exhilarating in all of tennis than the famous night sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City?

This is when all the stars shine in the stands, as well as on court. Celebrities pack Arthur Ashe to see the best tennis the world has to offer, and they are rarely disappointed.

The last slam of the season sizzles in dying shades of summer, as the Northern Hemisphere begins to edge toward desultory fall and sobering winter.

Extreme and exhausting heat often reappears during the two weeks of the U.S. Open that may stretch over the Labor Day weekend.

Roger Federer continues to be one of the staples of the U.S. Open, having reached the finals there for the past six years. Will he make it for a seventh? That seems to be the question on everyone's lips these days.

Let's look back on a decade's worth of Federer matches.

Roger Federer at the U.S. Open: The Early Years (2000-2003)

The year was 2000, and teenager Roger Federer had finally made it into the field at the U.S. Open for the first time. Naturally enough, Federer entered unseeded. The Swiss up-and-comer had failed to qualify the previous year.

In 2000, Federer advanced to the third round, where he met Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, seeded No. 12. Federer lost that contest 5-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-7.

He did not go down without a fight, but in the end, the rising star suffered defeat. In the process, he got a taste of the Big Apple and decided this place was special.

In 2001, Federer made it to the fourth round. Unfortunately for the Swiss, there he faced American Andre Agassi and came up short––very short to the No. 2 seed Agassi 1-6, 2-6, 4-6.

Federer would have an opportunity to redeem himself for his poor play during this match with the renowned American.

The fourth round at the U.S. Open became Federer’s greatest hurdle. In 2002 he lost to his former doubles partner Max Mirnyi, seeded No. 32 that year. Federer was seeded No. 13, but still lost in straight sets to Mirnyi 3-6, 6-7, 4-6.

Federer didn’t lose in straight sets in 2003, but he did lose to Argentine David Nalbandian again in the fourth round, 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 3-6. That year, the Swiss was the No. 2 seed while Nalbandian came in as the No. 13 seed.

Who said 13 was an unlucky number?

Nalbandian would prove to be the last man to defeat Federer at the U.S. Open until countryman Juan Martin del Potro accomplished the feat in 2009.

Watch Nalbandian vs. Federer in 2003 here.

2004: Roger Federer Wins His First U.S. Open, 6-0, 7-6, 6-0

It wasn’t really a tennis match at all. It was something verging on perfection. Roger Federer overcame a man who never quits, Lleyton Hewitt, to win his first U.S. Open Championship 6-0, 7-6, 6-0.

Federer dominated the first and last sets. Sandwiched in between was Hewitt’s attempt at redemption, his attempt to come back against a man playing almost flawless tennis.

While Hewitt gave it his best, in the end, he had no answers.

With that win, Federer became the only man in the history of the sport to win his first four grand slam finals and the first man since Mats Wilander in 1988 to win three majors in one calendar year.

Hewitt came into the final at full strength having won his last 16 matches and he had marched into the men’s final without dropping a set. Everyone expected a tight match.

The first set was over in 18 minutes with Federer’s forehand dominating the action while Hewitt reeled under the assault. The second set started with a break of Hewitt’s serve and many feared a rout.

But, the Aussie never quit and he fought back hard, finally breaking back at 5-5 trying to deny Federer the second set.

But Federer established control early in the tie break and swept away any hope Hewitt had to win the second set.

By the time the third set come into focus, Hewitt was toast, having spent all his energies in the second.

Federer took the third set at love. Hewitt stood racket in hand with two bagel sets against him.

The Aussie himself admitted that what Federer had accomplished by winning his third slam title of the year was incredible, especially when considering the depth of talent in men’s tennis in 2004.

If you wish to sample a bit of the flavor of this match, click here.

2005: Roger Federer Captures His Second U.S. Open, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6, 6-1

The opponent in 2005 was America’s own Andre Agassi on the downside of his fantastic career. Agassi had defeated the Swiss easily back in 2001 at the U.S. Open, but Federer in 2005 was another matter.

Federer won the first set 6-3 but Agassi, fearing a potential straight set loss, came back strong to take the second set 6-2.

It was even going into the third set where Federer found himself immediately under pressure as Agassi broke him to go up 4-2. The pro-American New York crowd went crazy but Federer refused to fold and broke back immediately.

Agassi poured every ounce of power and determination into the third set, but Federer held his nerve and the two decided to settle matters in a tiebreak.

The Swiss, however, took the tiebreak without looking back, allowing Agassi only a single point. Federer then swept to the finish line, winning the match 6-3, 2-6, 7-6, 6-1.

In his remarks after the match Federer acknowledged the importance of the match to him, defeating Agassi in New York was a dream come true.

At age 35, the American was the oldest finalist since 1974 when Ken Rosewall played at age 39. 2005 marked Agassi's last final at Flushing Meadows with retirement to follow shortly.

But it was a memorable final with two great champions.

See the two champions battling it out in the 2005 final here.

2006: Roger Federer Makes It Three in a Row at the U.S. Open

Roger Federer defeated Andy Roddick in the final, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.

By winning the U.S. Open in 2006, Roger Federer became the first man to win three Wimbledon titles and three U.S. titles consecutively in the same years. It was just one of many records the phenomenal Swiss was accumulating.

Federer winning three U.S. Opens consecutively equaled Ivan Lendl who was the last man to accomplish this feat in 1987.

His opponent in 2006 was American, Andy Roddick who won this title in 2003. Once again, it was the critical third set that sealed the fate for both players, after they had each won a set.

Roddick’s fortunes improved dramatically when he hired Jimmy Connors to become his coach earlier that year. Advancing into the finals of the U.S. Open was a giant recovery step for Roddick.

After Federer took the first set, Roddick broke Federer immediately then used his own lethal serve to hang on and take the second set.

Going into the third set both players seemed to notch their game up into another gear. With break points on Federer’s serve in the fifth game, Roddick could not convert. Roddick then saved five break chances on his own serve. The set grew increasingly tense.

Finally, the defending champion found another level and broke Roddick in game 12 to take the set. After that, the match was a mere formality as Roddick quickly folded in the fourth set.

To view some of the action in this match, check out the video here.

2007: Roger Federer Wins Fourth U.S. Open, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4

It was the “black” year. The media began designating the Swiss as “Darth Federer,” as the Swiss donned an all black ensemble for the night sessions and his championship match.

Perhaps it was a signal of foreboding because the final took on a dark tone for the man who seemed to flourish at Flushing Meadows.

Yes, Roger Federer won his fourth consecutive U.S. Open in straight sets against new-comer Novak Djokovic age 20, but he seemed in trouble the whole match.

Trailing by a break in each set, waiting for the final blow to descend, the Serbian youngster, instead, caved in critical moments and let the master dominate.

That is not to say that Federer did not play well but he appeared nervous and uncertain at times and these doubts had not surfaced in the Federer psyche for a long time, especially not in New York, where the Swiss usually felt supremely confident, playing loose and free.

In the first set, playing somewhat tentatively, Federer lost his serve in the 11th game. Djokovic served for the first set and was up 40-0 when the wheels came off his game. It is easy to say he choked but perhaps that is an exaggeration.

He did manage to lose the next five points, and eventually the game, allowing Federer to even the set.

In the tiebreak, Federer scrambled from behind to even matters securing the set when Djokovic double faulted to give the Swiss the first set.

As Federer’s forehand seemed to take on an aberrant life of its own, Djokovic came back, breaking Federer’s serve in the first game of the second set.

But the Serb could not contain his advantage and ceded the game back as Federer broke Djokovic’s serve in game seven.

Once again, the set ended in a tiebreak after several more tense moments on the Federer serve. But this tiebreak had a different feeling as a confident Federer finally emerged, taking command of the tiebreak and set two.

It finally became evident to the defending champion that Djokovic wasn’t going to take advantage of his superior play and that the moment was too great for the Serb.

Federer closed out the match in three sets, becoming the first man to win the U.S. Open and Wimbledon four years in a row.

He also earned another record in winning four consecutive U.S. Open championships, the first man to do so since Bill Tilden in the 1920s.

To view the exciting highlights from this match, click here.

2008: Roger Federer Seals Fifth U.S. Open Win, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2

The man with the soft hands and the nimble feet recorded his fifth consecutive U.S. Open Championship at the expense of Andy Murray who had reached his first slam final by dismissing the No. 1 seed, Rafael Nadal.

But, 2008 had not been a typical glorious year for the former No. 1. Federer fell in the finals at the French Open in straight sets to Rafael Nadal in embarrassing fashion.

He then saw his beloved Wimbledon crown slip away, also at the hands of the surging Majorcan who replaced him as the No. 1 player in the world.

To add insult to injury Nadal swept the table taking the Olympic Gold Medal in singles as well.

The win at the U.S. Open in 2008 stopped the bleeding, applying a tourniquet to the Federer psyche. It also gave Federer his 13th grand slam singles title, pushing him past Roy Emerson and leaving him only one behind American great Pete Sampras.

Murray found himself down in set one as he sent the deciding ball into the net during the sixth game allowing Federer to break going up 4-2. In less than half an hour Murray was down one set to Federer.

In the second set, the two traded breaks early. Federer’s final break of the Murray serve gave him set two. In the third set, the Scot settled into defeat and let Federer pretty much have his way.

Murray did not rise to the grand occasion and seemed tentative at best on court, playing into Federer’s hands and becoming Federer’s fifth straight victim in the championship match.

The match is highlighted in the video found by clicking here.

2009: Federer Loses at the U.S. Open, 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2