Roger Federer
Britton was the lowest-ranked player in the tournament - No. 1,370 in the world - an 18-year-old wild-card entry invited to test himself against the sport's best. It made more sense as some interactive video game than a first-round match in the Grand Slam event Federer has won the last five years.
Roger Federer photo
Federer won, 6-1, 6-3, 7-5, a semi-crushing. But Britton, forced to try running before he walked, acquitted himself well, ultimately drawing encouragement from the experience. Not to mention a few rousing ovations from the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd interested in seeing a fourth set.
Roger Federer crazy
Britton hoped "to make it interesting for a little while, at least, "which I thought - I got up a break a couple of times and that was fun for the little while it lasted . . . I mean, he obviously looks good on TV, but playing against it was even tougher, you know, and also scary. I was pretty scared.
Roger Federer smart
A native of Brandon, Miss., who took up tennis at 5 and followed the well-traveled road to professionalism through the Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida, Britton won the NCAA title for Ole Miss this year, the youngest male ever, and only third freshman - after John McEnroe at Stanford in 1977 and Cecil Mamitt at UCLA in 1996 - to do so.
Roger Federer smile
