US Open 2011: Will Federer and Venus Silence Whispers of Retirement?

The 2011 US Open is a fantastic opportunity and a pressure-filled event for many players. For Novak Djokovic, it could be the icing on the cake of a record-breaking year. For Rafael Nadal, it could mean defending a title against the nay-sayers.

On the women's side, this title would mean an immeasurable amount to Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova, each seeking her first post-injury Grand Slam. Caroline Wozniacki, on the other hand, would love to hush the cries of her not deserving the No. 1 ranking due to her inability to win a slam. Many players in this year's field have the expectations of their fans, their countries, and, most severely, themselves to win this year's title. 

That said, this US Open is arguably more important to Roger Federer and Venus Williams than to anyone else in the field. To them, it isn't just a title or a re-assertion of power. This is the tournament that determines the rest of their careers. 

Although each of the two storied champions has declared a desire to play late into his or her thirties, there is no denying that age, family life and general exhaustion take a toll both on a player's ability and desire to step out on the court every day.

With that in mind, it is almost impossible to envision Federer or Venus retiring before the 2012 Olympics, primarily because the lawns of the All England Club are where these two are most at home. I do not believe this upcoming fortnight in New York will determine either of these player's immediate futures. Rather, I believe it will set the stage for how they choose to proceed after next year's US Open. 

Roger Federer and Venus Williams are not mere tennis players, they are champions. True champions know the right time and place to retire (see Sampras). It is important to find the right balance between being a dominant force and becoming a wash-out.

When Federer or Venus enters a Grand Slam, they are not there to make the semis. They are there to win. Anything less is unsatisfactory, borderline unacceptable.

Many players who have reached a Grand Slam semifinal at one point in their careers will look back at that moment as a highlight, even if they were disappointed with a loss. For Fed and Venus, that semifinal run is a blemish. It was a disappointing moment, surrounded by achievements that far outweigh it. 

In 2011, it has appeared that Roger Federer cannot meet his own expectations. His achievements—a Grand Slam final, semifinal, and quarterfinal—are remarkable for most, but for him they are sub-standard. If he cannot overcome an injured Novak Djokovic and a rusty Rafael Nadal at this year's US Open, he may be on his way to deciding to hang up the towel.

Federer is, in most everyone's book, the greatest player to ever step on a tennis court. People admire him for his shot-making, class and judgment. Because of that, I think he will have the prudence to recognize when his time has come. His adoring fans, of which there are many, do not want to watch him slip further and further down the rankings.

He could easily be a Top 10 player into his mid-thirites, but that isn't what his legacy should be. He should be remembered as the unstoppable tank that took down any and all players. Rafael Nadal is already a small blemish on his near perfect record, a metaphorical "B" on his report card of otherwise straight-As.

Federer's draw at this year's open is not easy, but it is manageable. If he wants to keep himself in the mix and maintain his allure as a significant part of the ATP Tour, he needs to win the US Open, beating some of the best along the way. If he were to win a semifinal against Novak Djokovic and then a final against either Rafael Nadal or Andy Murray, he would be able to re-gain the confidence and support to prolong his career for a few more years. 

Venus Williams' 2011 has been essentially non-existent. She has only played three tournaments this year due to a hip injury and none of her results have been stellar.

She was forced to retire in the third-round of the Australian Open this year to Andrea Petkovic, an injury that kept her out of the game until June. She returned at Eastbourne, losing in the quarterfinals to Daniela Hantuchova, a player to whom she had never previously lost.

Subsequently, Venus entered Wimbledon seeded 23rd and looking primed to potentially hold the Venus Rosewater dish yet again. However, in a match eerily parallel to that in 2010, she crashed out in the fourth-round to Tsvetana Pironkova. Viral illness caused her withdrawal from Toronto and Cincinnati this summer, so she enters the US Open without any matches since June.

Venus' year has been plagued by injury and, if she does not make a deep run at this year's open (semis or better), her ranking and confidence will plummet. She is clinging to a top 40 ranking because of her run to the semis at last year's US Open, so a poor performance here would cause her to drop out of the top 100. This would surely be a devastating blow to Williams' hopes of re-ascending to the top of the game. 

All of this being said, both Federer and Venus looked convincing in their respective first-round matches. Each won in straight sets and looked in good form to make a deep run. Federer is, without doubt, the more plausible candidate of the two for a strong US Open, but many are predicting an early fall from the Swiss man. Venus, on the other hand, is flying under the radar while players like Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams carry the weights of expectation—weights that Sharapova nearly succumbed to earlier today. 

Venus and Federer's retirement in the next three years or so is less of a suggestion and more of an inevitability. Most great players do not play beyond their early thirties, and those that do never make a great time of it (Navratilova being an exception).

However, these players should view this US Open performance as either a blessing to play for a few more years or a harbinger of their impending retirement—depending on their performance. These players are too good to stay on the tour past their prime, defiling their legacy with poor late career performances and un-met expectations.

The US Open is newly underway and these two players have not crashed out yet. However, if they do go out, the real question is this: will they have the prescience and self-awareness to call it a day when the time ultimately comes to retire?