No love lost between Andy Murray and Roger Federer

Published on Saturday 30 January 2010 21:22

AS Federer's scant praise for Murray exposes his unease about today's Australian Open final, the British No.1 is respectful in the belief he can end Britain's 74-year drought in men's grand slams

&149 Roger Federer stands in the way of Andy Murray becoming the first British male grand slam winner in 74 years

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ROGER FEDERER is clearly feeling the pressure; Andy Murray is expecting the nerves to be jangling when he steps on court while, back home, an anxious nation holds its breath. This morning Murray will attempt to become Britain's first male grand slam champion in 74 years. He is the best player this country has produced, since Fred Perry, by a country mile but now he has to prove it – and he has to prove it to Federer in the Australian Open final.

The normally suave and urbane Swiss has been trash talking in the lead up to the match. He may not be quite as terrifying as a riled-up heavyweight growling into Murray's face, but the way he has been damning the Scot with faint praise and the fact that he is trying to pile the pressure on his rival shows that Federer is not at ease.

According to Federer, Murray's 6-4 lead over him in their head-to-head rivalry is irrelevant and, by Federer's way of thinking, Murray choked under the pressure at the US Open last year when he lost in the fourth round.

"I played him maybe at times when I wasn't at my very, very best," Federer said. "We had some close matches on many occasions where I thought I was in control and I ended up giving the match away by making errors of my own.

"He's in his second Grand Slam final now. I think the first one's always a bit tougher than the second one. But now that he didn't win the first one, I think doesn't help for the second one around.

"Plus he's playing me, who's won many Grand Slams prior to that, been able to win here three times so I know what it takes and how to do it, which is definitely an advantage.

"Maybe at the US Open (last year] you could think he crumbled there under pressure."

When Federer was asked if Murray had improved since they last met in a major final at the US Open in 2008, the majestic world No.1 paused for a moment before replying: "I think he's still as good, you know. Let's put it that way." That brought a sharp intake of breath from everyone but when he told a television reporter that he hoped that Murray would choke, just as he had in New York, it became obvious that Federer was trying every trick in the book to unsettle the Scot.

"I hope he too badly wants to win the first set and then again (after losing it] let's his head hang," he said.

The simple fact is that Federer does not like playing Murray. Since they first met in 2005, back in the days when Murray was a skinny teenager taking his very first steps on the world tour, the Scot has refused to bow the knee to the world No1.

Murray has always been full of praise and admiration for what Federer has achieved and for his position as the greatest player the sport has ever seen, but he has never been afraid of Federer. Never has he stepped on to the court with the thought that Federer should beat him by right. And that rankles with the Swiss.

Proving that he is rather more grown up than his opponent, he refused to be drawn into any argument before the final but, quietly and firmly, Scotland's finest made his feelings known: Federer can say what he likes, but Murray still believes he can win his first major title today.

"I have always been pretty respectful about his game," Murray said. "He's probably the greatest player that's ever played. But if every time he loses to me he thinks it's because he hasn't played his best, well, every time I have lost against him I don't think I have played my best either.

"He obviously deals with these situations his way and he's played very well in these circumstances. But in the last few years he's also lost a lot of close matches in five sets, including slam finals.

"That sort of gives you the belief you can win against him in these situations. If I play my best I have a chance of winning. I'll try and do that."

He did not play his best in London at the ATP World Tour finals – his last loss to Federer – but when he beat the Swiss in the Indian Wells semi-final last March, he frustrated an obviously rattled Federer to the point where he imploded in the third set. The three victories before that all followed the same pattern: Federer would begin brightly and then Murray would start to put a stranglehold on Federer's attack before landing the killer blow late in the third set.

"I have played well against him in the past, and always had chances. I have always felt like I have a chance against him. I haven't felt like he's going to blow me off the court. I think I am better now than I was four or five months ago (when I lost in London]. Like I say, I'll try and play well again in the final."

The evidence of the past six matches seems to show that this could, indeed, be Murray's moment. The biggest obstacle in the draw was Rafael Nadal, but he was dispatched with power and with confidence. Even when he started poorly against Marin Cilic in the semi finals, the quality of his play in the last three sets was still impressive. At times, it was breathtaking.

"It's been a great tournament so far," Murray said. "I have only dropped the one set and the win against Nadal made me feel good about my game. And coming back from a set down against Cilic was good after what happened at the US Open (losing against him in September]. I've just got one more match to go now."

One more match. A handful of sets and an evening's work. It sounds so simple and yet this could be the match of Murray's life. Controlling his nerves and expectations will not be easy – even Federer, after winning 15 grand slam titles, still admits to feeling the quickening of the pulse and the knot in his stomach before a final. But drawing heavily on his experience of the US Open final 18 months ago, Murray thinks he is ready to win this time.

"I've been training my whole life to try and do it," "If it happens, that's fantastic; if it doesn't there's more to life than just tennis," Murray said. But, obviously, I will be giving it my best shot. There is a lot of pressure on me. I put a lot of pressure on myself to play well.

"Knowing that this is what you have always wanted to do adds a little bit to that. But now I think I am old enough to deal with that and play well under the pressure."

And if Murray does play well and he does win, he will not care one jot what Federer has to say about it.