Murray’s licking his wounds as Roger roars on
FIFTy-ONE weeks after Andy Murray toppled Novak djokovic to reach world No1, the O2 Arena was restored to its familiar feel of being Zurich-on-Thames.
roger Federer was convalescing from injury this time a year ago, but he was back in east london yesterday, and so were the hordes who flock here to eagerly support him.
The 36-year-old Swiss returns as a hot favourite for the Nitto ATP Finals title and made a satisfactory start with a 6-4, 7-6 victory over Jack Sock in his opening group match.
The absences of djokovic and Murray are keenly felt, with speculation continuing over the state of the 30-year-old Scot’s hip, which was tested last week in a charity match against Federer in Glasgow.
Former british players Tim henman and Andrew castle, speaking on the bbc’s coverage, chipped in yesterday. henman described what he saw in Glasgow as ‘slightly bizarre’ while castle declared that he was ‘very worried’ about Murray’s future.
Federer, having been at the opposite end of the court last week in their relatively competitive exhibition, was somewhat more upbeat.
‘I thought he was actually pretty good. I didn’t expect him to be this good yet,’ said Federer of Murray. ‘definitely he can move better, he can serve better, but for a start I thought it was actually quite encouraging.’
Former british No1 henman had earlier reflected: ‘It’s slightly bizarre because you see him walking around in between points or away from the court and the limp is quite pronounced.
‘Then when you see him moving on the court, his movement is improving. but I still think he’s got a long way to go to get back and be 100 per cent.’
castle went further, saying: ‘There’s no question, he’s not right. I’ve got a metal hip, the hip is bad news. I’m very worried about Andy’s future in the game because of the area that is clearly troubling him.
‘If we have seen the best of him, then he’s done fantastically well and we’ve loved watching his career. but fingers crossed he will be able to come back.’
What is clear is that a year after we reached Peak Murray, the british No 1 will do everything he can to regain his glories of 2016.
he made a surprise visit on Saturday to practise with Austrian dominic Thiem in what looked a heartening move, and could be back again this week. In 2011 Federer was the last player to win this event before the dominance exercised by djokovic and Murray, and it is extraordinary that he began yesterday as 4-6 favourite to repeat that triumph. he loves these indoor conditions, and happily reported afterwards that the court is relatively quick.
Naturally, he does not agree with rafael Nadal’s assertion that the Finals should be staged on clay every now and then.
‘It’s right and fair that it’s indoors,’ said Federer. ‘There’s no Masters 1000 event on grass and one indoors. So I feel like indoors deserves its place.’
he had not played since winning his hometown title in basle last month and was happy with how he coped against the first American to qualify for this event since Mardy Fish in 2011.
Sock had arranged to play golf at Augusta this week, so remote were his chances of making the field. but then he won the Paris Masters (after recovering from 5-1 down in the deciding set against britain’s Kyle Edmund in the second round) and suddenly found himself thrust into the top eight who are not currently injured.
As such he can play here with relative freedom, and suggested as much in an amusing incident in the seventh game as he tried to recover from giving away an early break.
having failed to control a half volley, Sock presented himself as a sitting duck at the net against the incoming Federer, and turned his back to offer his bottom as a target to hit.
Federer tried to guide the ball past him and succeeded only in poking the ball into the net. The Swiss failed to take five break points in the second set but came home 7-4 in the tiebreak after Sock double-faulted at 4-4.
There was a reminder immediately after the match of who, overall, has had the best season when Nadal was presented with the trophy for finishing the year as world No 1.
later, Germany’s Alexander Zverev triumphed in the evening match, defeating croat Marin cilic 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Nadal makes his entry tonight against belgium’s david Goffin, while Jamie Murray and bruno Soares kick off today’s programme with their first appearance in the doubles.