Federer, Nadal have never faced off at US Open

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have played each other 21 times over the years, and all over the world.

Eight matches came at Grand Slam tournaments, and seven of those were in finals - three at Wimbledon, three at the French Open, one at the Australian Open.

The rivals never have faced off at the US Open, though, in any year or in any round. A big reason for that - Nadal has yet to make it past the semifinals in New York. He wants a US Open title, of course. It is, after all, the only Grand Slam trophy he has yet to win.

Still Nadal insists he is not consumed by thoughts of needing to leave Flushing Meadows with a championship two weeks from now.

“I hope I have another chance to play well here and to have the chance to win - but without obsession, no?” Nadal said. “I am more than happy (with) what I have at home, all the tournaments that I won. More than I dreamt five or six years ago.”

“There’s not much he’s doing wrong,” Federer said. “If you can make it to the semis, you can make it to the finals. That’s pretty clear.”

Federer was one of four past US Open champions scheduled to play in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday, along with Andy Roddick, Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters. Another previous winner, Lleyton Hewitt, was slated to be in Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Also in action on Day 1 were Melanie Oudin, the teenager from Marietta, Ga., who made a surprising run to the quarterfinals last year; former No. 1s Dinara Safina and Ana Ivanovic; and this year’s French Open finalists, champion Francesca Schiavone and runner-up Sam Stosur.

Nadal was given Monday off, and is expected to be on court on Tuesday, facing Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia in the first round.

“For sure, for me, personal satisfaction is going to be high if any day I have a chance to win here,” Nadal said.

First, however, he’ll need to reach the final. Federer has participated in every US Open men’s championship match since 2004.

“Roger is always there,” Nadal noted.

Nadal lost in the second round in 2003 and ‘04, in the third round in 2005, in the quarterfinals in 2006, and in the fourth round in ‘07. Then came his semifinal exits against Andy Murray in 2008 and against eventual champion Juan Martin del Potro last year.

Keywords: US Open 2010