Wawrinka Says Federer ‘Will Find a Way to Come Back’

NEW YORK — Stan Wawrinka says his countryman Roger Federer will be back.

Federer and Wawrinka won a gold medal in doubles for Switzerland at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but up until this last week at the U.S. Open, Wawrinka has lived in Federer’s long shadow on the singles court.

For the first time in 35 Majors, Wawrinka went deeper than Federer did. Federer was excused from the tournament by Tommy Robredo in straight sets in the fourth round, thereby preventing the dream quarterfinal against Rafael Nadal that tennis fans everywhere were anticipating.

Nadal, Djokovic Set for Dream U.S. Open Final

NEW YORK — This U.S. Open has been deprived of several marquee matchups that seemed enticing when the draw came out.

We never got to see the first-ever New York encounter between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals.

That other quarterfinal showdown between 2009 champ Juan Martin Del Potro and 2011 champ Novak Djokovic? That never materialized, either.

Neither did what would have been a huge semifinal between Djokovic and defending champ Andy Murray in a rematch of the 2012 U.S. Open final and the 2013 Wimbledon final — both won by Murray.

Can Victoria Azarenka Slow Serena’s Roll?

NEW YORK — Victoria Azarenka is the last woman standing between Serena Williams and her 17th Grand Slam singles title.

The two top seeds will meet in the U.S. Open final Sunday afternoon after each won their semifinals in straight sets on a sun-splashed Friday afternoon inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. It will mark the first time since 2003 that the two top seeds will play for the title.

More broadly, Azarenka, the 24-year-old from Belarus who has beaten Serena twice this year on outdoor hardcourts, may be the only woman who can slow Serena’s assault on the record books.

Not only on Sunday but in the next few years as well.