FED FOR GLASGOW

Roger accepts Andy’s offer of charity match

NEWLY-CROWNED Australian Open champion Roger Federer is to play in Scotland for the first time in his trophy-laden career after accepting Andy Murray’s invitation to play at a charity event. And his host Murray couldn’t resist a wisecrack ahead of a mouth-watering exhibition match between the pair at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro on November 7. Asked if he had any advice for the 18-time Grand Slam champion before his trip to Scotland, Murray replied: ‘Don’t try the fried Mars Bars. I tried one of them for the first time last year and it was horrific. Stay away from them.’ Try keeping tennis-hungry Scottish fans at bay, however, when they are given this rare opportunity to see the elegant Swiss maestro at close quarters. Federer is returning a favour to Murray after the Scot agreed to play him in Switzerland to raise money for his foundation on April 10. Meanwhile, Murray has confessed

that he failed to prepare properly for the Australian Open, which saw Federer pull off a triumph for the ages at 35 by beating Rafael Nadal in a classic final.

In an unusual move by his workaholic standards, the 29-year-old took a full ten days off after his shock fourth-round defeat by Mischa Zverev, and is still only practising lightly. It suggests that he felt overcooked for Melbourne — and following his exit he didn’t even watch the final, preferring to leave with Kim instead.

‘There’s definitely things I would have done a bit differently,’ admitted Murray (right). ‘It’s hard sometimes, with the way the schedule is, to get things right all of the time.

‘I was in a position I’d never experienced before, I had played that much tennis and been that fatigued that by the end of the year I didn’t know exactly what to do.’

He conceded that his lucrative appearance in the Qatar Open, which prevented him from arriving in Australia until the week before, might not have been wise.

‘Whether Doha’s the best preparation or not, I don’t know,’ added Murray. Novak (Djokovic) played it the year before and then won the Australian Open.’

Murray’s exhibition with Federer comes the day after Great Britain are due to finish their Davis Cup quarter-final in France.