Federer Graces the Covers

First Sports Illustrated and now the cover of the New York Times Magazine, heading into the U.S. Open.

The New York Times today debuted its annual and celebrated U.S. Open Issue.

Kathy Ryan, the magazine’s director of photography, explains the story behind the cover, which was taken by Erik Madigan Heck for The New York Times.

“Like all great athletes, Roger Federer makes the impossible look easy. So we decided to go with an action shot that captures his grace and dynamism. It has the extra twist of letting us see him form an unexpected angle.”

This week’s cover story examines the “Wonder Year” that Roger Federer has enjoyed throughout the current season. Peter de Jonge explains how the 20-year-old veteran, who hadn’t won a Grand Slam in almost half a decade, was able to spring back after making a crucial change to his game.

In a story titled, “Attitude Adjustment,” writer Michael Steinberger chronicles how tall tennis players have come to dominate the game, which he sees as a shift with radical implications.

Gaël Monfils, who’s earned the reputation of a kind of “Miracle Man,” hits impossibly acrobatic shots with astonishing strength and speed. In this player profile, Ben Austen asks the simple question: “Why hasn’t that been enough to win?”

Finally, writer Geoff Dyer describes the peculiar pleasures (and occasional pitfalls) of attending an entire Grand Slam tournament.

The issue runs in print on Sunday, August 27. A link to download a high resolution version of the cover image can be found here.