European sophisticate Roger Federer can feel the love even more from the US Open public now that he stands as second seed at a major for the first time since early 2004.
The Swiss who lost his ATP number 1 ranking crown after a four-and-a-half-year reign to Rafael Nadal, showed he won't be bowled over in despair, crushing Argentine outsider Maximo Rodriguez with the loss of just six games to advance in his opening match.
And Federer, freshly crowned Olympic doubles gold medallist, says that he's perhaps experiencing even more support than ever before.
The holder of a dozen grand slam titles - he claimed his last at Flushing Meadows a year ago over Novak Djokovic - believes that his rising popularity with the fickle Gotham fan base is due to solid past performances.
After taking his time as a shy Swiss teenager in coming to terms with the brash and bold New York style, Federer at age 27 has adapted nicely.
His handlers decided a few years ago to lift his North American profile, pairing him occasionally with golfing dominator Tiger Woods and inserting him and girlfriend/manager Mirka Vavrinec into the Manhattan social swirl.
The result is a still-modest and personable figure who transcends his sport and reaps huge financial rewards as a global brand.
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