DOHA // Roger Federer has become an excellent sporting ambassador as he has travelled the world amassing a haul of 57 tennis titles, 13 of them in grand slams. But the popular Swiss ran the risk of upsetting leading campaigners from both codes of the game as he made a grumpy departure from the Qatar Open.
Federer was clearly annoyed towards the end of his 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 semi-final loss against Britain's Andy Murray, who has now beaten him five times in seven meetings - six in eight if you include the exhibition match in Abu Dhabi last weekend. He admitted to being tetchy but refused to say whether it was Murray, who lay prostrate for three minutes receiving attention to a damaged back immediately after losing the first set, or comments from the crowd that annoyed him.
But when questions in the post-match briefing turned to Murray's potential as a future world No 1, Federer, let rip, not only at the young Scot's credentials, but at the women's game which has Serbia's Jelena Jankovic ruling the roost without having won a major title. "If Andy carries on playing the way he is he will have his shot [at the top ranking]," said Federer, who reigned as world No 1 for more than four years before being deposed last summer by the Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
"I would hope, though, that if he were to become world No 1 he would win a grand slam first, not like on the women's side. "No disrespect to Jankovic, but that's how I feel especially after the No 1s we have had in the last few years. It took Rafa five grand slams before he became No 1. If the question is whether he [Murray] is going to win a grand slam, then 'yes'. "He has got a chance the next few years and as the years go by I guess his chances increase because he is becoming a better player. But there are a few other guys out there who want their first slam, not only him."
Murray, who was exhilarated by his success, refused to return that verbal volley. "Yes and no," he said, when asked whether he agreed with Federer. "I would like to win a slam but I think anybody who gets to world No 1 will have shown great consistency and deserves to be there. "I would love to win a slam but if you can get to No 1 in the world at anything you do it is something to be proud of."
Murray leaves for Australia, however, with concerns about his fitness after sustaining a back strain during his triumphant three days in Abu Dhabi and aggravating the injury playing on five successive days in Doha. He intends to undergo a series of massages between now and beginning what he hopes will be a productive fortnight at Melbourne Park as he targets that first grand slam. @Email:wjohnson@thenational.ae
