Tennis: Federer the pick as Djokovic puts his love match first

Roger Federer is many people's pick for title No 6 at Flushing Meadows. Photo / AP

Father-to-be Novak Djokovic admits tennis no longer comes first, but the world No 1 is still strutting around New York feeling very much like the US Open favourite he is.

With Rafael Nadal unable to defend his crown and Djokovic struggling to shake his post-Wimbledon and wedding hangover, the resurgent Roger Federer is many people's pick for title No 6 at Flushing Meadows.

Third-round defeats in Toronto and Cincinnati, where Federer reigned supreme, have cast doubts about Djokovic's physical and mental state of mind heading into the season's final major.

But while the Serb concedes to have been "emotionally a bit flat" following his marriage to long-time girlfriend Jelena Ristic after conquering Federer in their classic five-set Wimbledon decider, Djokovic insists the honeymoon's now over.

A five-time Open finalist and champion in 2011, Djokovic is top seed this year and is planning another successful campaign.

"I have high expectations for myself," Djokovic said before facing Argentine Diego Schwartzman in the first round tomorrow.

Djokovic, though, hasn't won many matches lately and concedes the last two months have been a "very emotional period".

The 27-year-old also knows life is about to change forever with the birth of the newly-weds' first child, due in October.

"I'm going to enjoy it and try to take as much energy as I can, positive energy to [try and] kind of transfer that to the tennis court," he said.

"But, without a doubt, life changes. Priorities change. My priorities, you know, my family, my wife, my future kid - tennis is definitely not No 1 anymore."

With two sets of twins, Federer knows better than any player on tour how to juggle parenting with the demands of professional sport.

But tennis' big daddy isn't about to offer his great rival any fatherly advice, other than good luck with that. "I wish him well," the second seed said.

- AAP