Federer back on track with US Open win

New Delhi: Roger Federer won the US Open men's singles title on Sunday but how will he remember 2008?

A year of missed opportunity, perhaps?

He started the year as the unchallenged king of the game. But the aura was diminished by a series of losses only for the king to emerge once again in New York.

The semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open was the first sign that this could be the year when Federer's challengers will catch up.

The Serb played the match of his life and he not only won in straight sets but also made Federer look mortal.

"The shock for me came the moment when I made the forehand error. Wait a minute. I won't get a chance to get another ball now. It is all over. I will just shake hands and go into the locker room and pack my bags and leave the place," Federer said after the Australian Open loss.

That followed a string of losses that left the world stunned. Federer was upset repeatedly. Andy Murray beat him in Dubai, Andy Roddick in Miami, Mardy Fish in Indian Wells and Radek Stepanek in Rome.

And the man who had emerged as his greatest rival; Rafael Nadal overcame Federer in Monte Carlo, Hamburg and then handed him an embarrassing straight sets thrashing at Roland Garros.

But once the caravan moved to grass, it was expected that order would be restored.

Federer cruised through to his sixth straight Wimbledon final but against the feisty Nadal in possibly the most memorable final in recent memory, the throne he owned was snatched away.

"Tried everything. Got a little late in everything but look Rafa's a deserving champion. He just played fantastically," Federer said after Wimbledon loss.

The doomsdayers were having a field day.

As the likes of Giles Simon and Ivo Karlovic added Federer to their list of victims and his No.1 ranking was snatched away, many wondered if the decline was irreversible now.

James Blake strengthned that view by ending his Federer's quest for gold in the men's singles event at the Olympics.

But a couple of weeks in the Big Apple and the wagging tongues have been silenced.

"One this is sure. I won't be stopping at 13 (Grand Slam titles). That would be terrible," Federer said after winning the US Open.

The King is back and the pretenders to his throne have plenty to do to unseat him.