US Open 2019: Two-time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson withdraws due to knee injury; Italy's Paolo Lorenzi to replace him

New York: Two-time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson withdrew from the US Open on Saturday due to a right knee injury. [caption id=“attachment_5825061” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Kevin Anderson.[/caption] The 33-year-old South African lost the 2017 final at Flushing Meadows to Rafael Nadal and finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic last year at Wimbledon. Anderson’s place in the draw will go to Italian lucky loser Paolo Lorenzi, the US Tennis Association announced. World number 17 Anderson has not played since his third-round exit at Wimbledon last month. Injury ruled him out of the recent hardcourt events at Washington, Montreal, and Cincinnati. Among the men, the old firm of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal look certain to go deep, with Federer insisting that he has put the five-set loss in the Wimbledon final at the hands of Djokovic behind him. “This is probably the best I’ve felt in years coming into the US Open again, which is encouraging,” Federer said. “I’m ready for the US Open. It’s going to be a tough tournament to win, no doubt about it. I feel like I’m part of that group who can do it.” The 38-year-old Swiss star owns a record 20 Grand Slam singles titles but squandered two championship points in the fifth set and fell 7-6 (7/5), 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 13-12 (7/3) after four hours and 57 minutes — the longest singles final in Wimbledon history. There’s still a sting for Federer to be the first player since 1948 to lose the Wimbledon men’s final after being one point from victory. But he is hoping to channel the emotions positively at the US Open.