NEW YORK _ There is something particularly nerve-wracking about watching Roger Federer struggle.
Federer, 38, is a living legend. His style of play is so elegantly efficient, his movement around the court is so deceptively effortless that his legion of fans seemed to fall into a state of shock Wednesday when, once again, he lost the first set of an early match at the U.S. Open.
Yes, the third-seeded Federer shook off a poor start to beat Damir Dzumhur, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, in their second-round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. But the error-filled first set had to be a bit disconcerting. Two days earlier, Federer lost the first set of a match against another unheralded player, Sumit Nagal of India, before rallying to win in four sets.
