His name was Thiago: On playing Roger Federer

For most of his first-time opponents, playing Roger Federer is a lesson in precision timing, nerve, and it is also a way to go absolutely nuts. It was Thiago Alves turn today; yes the top-spinning, fleet-footed Brazilian had the Federer Experience having played the U.S. Open only once before.

A grunting Alves displayed some mettle here, blasting a backhand runner down the line at one point in the first set, to which he let out a huge roar. The crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium responded gleefully, and though it knew his fate, the crowd indulged him, as New Yorkers are wont to do.

We went to the media room to see what had become of Federer. He looked to have barely broken a sweat. He zipped up his Nike-issued jacket, carressed his hair three or four times for the cameras. This match was a meager blip on his legendary radar. Reporters seemed to know this, too, posing high-minded philosophical questions. Just one question -- the second one -- ever referred to Alves. And even then the reporter did not mention him by name.


Alves defeated Paul Capdeville in the first round after dropping the first sets, and ultimately winning 4-6, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-4.


And though Federer barely noticed it, the biggest match of Alves' career came and went.