Defeat by defeat, how the great Roger Federer's year has fallen apart

 
P56 FEDERER STAKHOVSKY 0309 PUBLISH OINLY IF USED IN EDITION Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky
Standard Sport3 September 2013

Roger Federer's US Open defeat to Tommy Robredo continues a downslide for the former world number one.

Jan 25: a sign of a changing of the guard? Roger Federer loses to Andy Murray for the first time in a Grand Slam, the British No1 winning their Australian Open semi-final in five sets.

Feb 16: defending his title at the World Indoor Tournament in Rotterdam, Federer is sent packing 7-5, 6-3 in the quarter-finals by world No39, Julien Benneteau, of France.

Mar 15: hampered by a back problem, Federer’s first meeting with Rafael Nadal for a year is an anti-climax. The Spaniard, recently recovered from a knee injury, wins in straight sets in Indian Wells.

May 19: Federer could not put this thrashing down to an injury as he is thumped 6-1, 6-3, by Nadal in the Rome Masters Final. Federer was guilty of 32 unforced errors, compared to Nadal’s eight.

Jun 4: for only the fifth time in nine years the Swiss fails to reach the last four of a Grand Slam as he loses to local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals of French Open.

Jun 16: respite for Federer as he claims his first title of 2013, defeating Mikhail Youzhny in the final at Halle. However, he beats only one top-20 player — No11 Tommy Haas — en-route to the crown.

Jun 26: biggest shock of his career as the defending champion is knocked out by world No116 Sergiy Stakhovsky in the second round at Wimbledon — his earliest exit from SW19 since 2002.

Jul 20: Federer takes a wildcard in Hamburg to try to find some form but loses to world No114 Federico Delbonis in straight sets in the semi-finals.

Jul 25: for the third tournament in a row, Federer loses to a player outside the top 50, beaten 6-4, 6-3 by world No55 Daniel Brands in his opening match in Gastaad.

Aug 19: Federer slips down two places to No7 in the rankings, his lowest position for 11 years.

Last night: Federer’s US Open campaign ends with a fourth-round defeat by Spain’s Tommy Robredo, his worst performance in New York for a decade.

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