Murray suggests Federer's aura is fading

Federer, who turned 29 earlier this month, has won a record 16 grand slam titles with the most recent of those a straight sets success over Murray at the Australian Open in January.

Murray does, however, have a winning record against the Swiss and beat Federer in straight sets last weekend to win the Toronto Masters.

That followed Federer slipping outside the top-two ranked players for the first time in seven years after he failed to reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the first time since 2002.

And while Murray, who also lost to Federer in his only other grand slam final appearance at the 2008 US Open, is unwilling to write off the Swiss just yet he intimated he thought his form had dipped in recent years.

"He's always very tough to beat," said Murray, who was due on court last night to play Jeremy Chardy in the Cincinnati Masters.

"It's just that, because of how good he was in every tournament three or four years ago - and it's very difficult to be that consistent throughout your whole career ... it's normal that he's lost a little bit the last few years.

"But he's still been playing very, very well in grand slams. I'm sure that's what his goals are for the year, to make sure he plays his best there."

Federer, however, has heard the talk about his supposed decline before and the world No 2 finds it hard to take the suggestion seriously.

The record 16-time Grand Slam winner failed to get beyond the quarter-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon this year and with the last Grand Slam of the season, the US Open, on the horizon, talk has turned to whether the Swiss is fading.

Federer finds the idea ridiculous. "I had a wonderful summer last year with (winning) the French Open and Wimbledon, which wasn't case this year," he said "But last year after the Australian Open when I lost against Nadal, people were also talking about how I was on a huge decline. I cried on centre court at the Australian Open, which was a big tragedy for many people.

"Nobody ever believed I would come back. I won two slams and played the finals of the US Open and won the Australian Open, so then everything changes and you don't win the French or Wimbledon, and things are all bad again. So it moves very quickly. I know the rules and how it all works," he said.

Federer said that in the current era - with four outstanding players at the top of the rankings and others, such as Robin Soderling and Tomas Berdych closing in - people had better get used to keen competition.

"(You) can't win them all. I always knew that, so I was very shocked and surprised at how dominant I was and how well I played for so many years. And still today I'm hanging with the top and I've got chances, and already won a slam again this

year. I have a chance to win a second one and maybe the World Championships at the end of the year.

"There's still a lot to play for. But usually if you stay the same, you will move down. That's never something I was content with," he said.

Federer, whose semi-final win over Novak Djokovic last week regained second spot in the world from the Serb, says he has a very simple measurement for how well he is doing. "For me, it's important that I'm happy with my game...I'm very happy with how I played in Toronto. "I fought hard and I was able to turn it around a bit and get those close matches going my way."