Por outro lado

Although fiercely disappointed, Roddick was defiant in defeat. "I'm not walking with any questions in my head this time," he said. "I played the right way."

He added: "I thought I made him play as well as he could play."

But Federer, who is attempting to become the first man in the Open era to win four straight U.S. Open titles, was not about to call it a perfect match. "I don't know if it was my best match or not," he said. "It's irrelevant, I think."

Federer has already moved on, thinking about his 9-0 match record against Davydenko. He improved to 14-1 against Roddick.