ROGER FEDERER believes Andy Murray needs to get fitter if he is to challenge the world's big names.
Murray looked jaded during his straight sets quarter-final defeat at the hands of second seed Rafael Nadal. While he insisted he experienced no effects from his epic five-setter with Richard Gasquet two days earlier, the on-court evidence suggested
otherwise.
"I think a lack of fitness might have cost him against Rafa, maybe it was just a bit too much for him," said five-time champion Federer.
"He had a very tough match just two days beforehand and maybe that took its toll. It's something that will become easier for him in time."
Federer can certainly empathise. Seven years ago, aged just 19, he beat reigning Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras in a five-set fourth-round thriller. Two days later, jaded from the emotion he was steamrollered by Tim Henman.
"Next time it will be different," added Federer. "Andy had a really tough draw, having to play games against Tommy Haas, Gasquet and Rafa. If he starts moving himself up the rankings, he'll start getting easier draws, then he won't have to play someone like Nadal in the last eight.
"Andy has improved a lot in the last year or so, he's only going to get more difficult to beat."
Reaching a first-ever Grand Slam quarter-final means Murray will almost certainly climb into the world's top ten, when the ATP Tour release their new rankings next week.
His career best is eight and, with the forthcoming Masters events in Indianapolis, Toronto and Cincinnati held on his favourite surface, hard court, he'll be looking to improve that record and secure a better seeding for next month's US Open.
"I still prefer hard courts, I think they suit my game better," said Murray. "I want people back home to realise that tennis isn't just about Wimbledon and one month every summer. We are out here playing the other 11 months of the year as well, there's some fantastic tennis played at the US Open."
The full article contains 352 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
