Michael Jordan was a special guest in Roger Federer's courtside box at the US Open on Tuesday night, the rare spectacle of an all-time great in one sport cheering on an all-time great from another.

"I know nothing about tennis," Jordan said in an interview with ESPN, adding he was nevertheless fascinated by how smooth Federer looked on court. "He's a good athlete. I know he played basketball a bit."

Jordan, seated in the same row with Vogue editor and longtime Federer friend Anna Wintour, clapped wildly when Federer ran down a drop shot for a winner in his 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) first-round victory over Australia's Marinko Matosevic. Jordan then got cheers of his own when his image was flashed on Arthur Ashe Stadium's massive screens.

"He (Jordan) was just my hero of all sports," said Federer, who will next meet another Australian, Sam Groth.

"That's what he was for me growing up. Besides (Stefan) Edberg and (Boris) Becker being my tennis idols, I had Jordan as my all sports idol.

"I just remember when I was younger; in Germany it was really big on the German TV stations.

"That's where I saw him doing all his moves. I wasn't necessarily a Chicago Bulls fan or anything like that.

"It's just I was into him, into the incredible athlete, just being that guy who was carrying basketball at the time.

"So I guess that's what inspired me."

The Federer-Jordan friendship was apparently a match made in Nike heaven. The two longtime endorsers got together recently to help design a new Federer shoe inspired by a classic 1988 Air Jordan model. Federer was wearing the white and gray sneakers on the court.

The 51-year-old Jordan and the 33-year-old Federer got together for dinner the previous night and Federer posted a selfie arm-in-arm with his Airness on his Instagram site.

"It's just amazing having Michael here," Federer said after the match. "Growing up he was my big sporting idol ... Having him here is unbelievably special and the collaboration is unique, so I love it."

While the new shoe is officially listed as a joint project of the two greats, Jordan made it clear Federer called the shots on the fine details.

"I don't want you to play in a shoe that doesn't feel well," Jordan said, noting that every little bit helps as Federer is nearing the end of his career.

Federer claimed his 50th win of 2014 on Tuesday as the 17-time major winner got his campaign for a record sixth US Open off to a battling start, the same number of NBA championships won by Jordan

The great Swiss, playing in his 60th successive Grand Slam event and bidding to become the oldest major winner in more than 40 years, defeated Matosevic to register his 23rd win in 24 night matches in New York.

"It was a bit more difficult than I thought it was going to be in the third set," said Federer who had been cruising with a break in the third before Matosevic briefly rallied.

(China Daily 08/28/2014 page24)