2017 US Open: Roger Federer shows off streaky form once again

Roger Federer has dropped more sets through the first two matches at the US Open than the entire two-week stretch en route his Wimbledon victory. After being pushed to five sets by American teenager Frances Tiafoe in the first-round, Federer was once again streaky during his five-set victory over Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny in the Round of 64 match on Thursday.

Federer and Rafael Nadal, who have won a combined 34 Grand Slam championships, are the co-favourites entering this year's US Open. With former US Open champions Stan Wawrinka (2016), Novak Djokovic (2011, 2015) and Andy Murray (2012) skipping the tournament with injuries, Federer became the default favourite to win his first title at Flushing Meadows since 2008.

The 36-year-old Federer entered the final Grand Slam of the year without ideal preparation. He was forced to withdraw from the Cincinnati Masters after injuring his back during his Rogers Cup final loss to German Alexander Zverev. Federer has acknowledged that the recent injury left him a tad compromised.

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"I think because you're on a high, you're thrilled that you got through, so you don't look at the negative. Or I don't. Yes, I might feel more tired than I normally would going into a third round, but that's OK," Federer said after his victory on Thursday.

"My preparation hasn't been good at all here. I knew I was going to maybe struggle early on. Maybe I struggled more than I would have liked to. But I'm still in the draw, which gives me a chance. I still believe I'm going to pick up my game and become just more consistent, because I'm not playing all that bad. It's just that I'm going a bit up and down in waves throughout the match," Federer added.

Roger Federer will now face World No. 35 Feliciano Lopez in the Round of 32 tie on Saturday. In the aftermath of World No. 2 Andy Murray's withdrawal, Federer was expected to be slotted into the No. 2 seed. However, the luck of the draw favoured World No. 7 Marin Cilic, who took Murray's place in the bottom half of the draw.