'It obviously works for Roger Federer', says former World No. 1

The US Open 2020 will kick off without Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The Swiss phenomenon has decided to remain in the pits until the beginning of 2021, while the Spaniard wants to concentrate on Roland Garros scheduled for late September. If he manages to seize his 13th success in Paris, the Majorcan would equal Federer's record of 20 Slams. Having skipped the first part of the year entirely, Andy Murray showed good condition in Cincinnati, taking away the satisfaction of eliminating Frances Tiafoe and Alexander Zverev. Few would have imagined his return after the touching announcement made at the Australian Open 2019. In the first round of the US Open the Scotsman will face Yoshihito Nishioka, an always very insidious opponent on this surface. In a recent interview with the Guardian, the three-time Grand Slam champion expressed his feelings on the eve of the New York Grand Slam. The British phenomenon hopes to at least pass a few turns, so as to gain a bit of confidence and honor the last part of his career as best he can.

Murray on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

“Obviously the atmosphere at the matches is going to be zero. I guess you just have to try to find what works for you. When I go on the court, if I was basically quiet, not show any emotion and not talk, I’d feel really uncomfortable, very stressed and uptight. There’s a level of intensity that I feel I need to bring" - Andy Murray said. The former World number 1 noted this composed attitude of Roger Federer and juxtaposed it with the example of Rafael Nadal as he said: “Some guys, like Roger Federer for example, he’s very relaxed off the court, and when he’s on it, that’s the way he appears as well. It obviously works for him. But maybe take someone like Rafael Nadal, for example. He is quite the opposite – although he’s toned it down a bit as he’s got older. But his first three or four years on the tour, he was fist-pumping after every single point, and using so much energy. Again, it’s getting that balance." Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and other members of the ATP Player Council spoke out Saturday against a plan put forth by top-ranked Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil to start a men's-only union of sorts for tennis -- bringing the sport’s politics into the spotlight just before the U.S. Open. Also against the proposal: the ATP men’s tour and the sport’s other governing bodies, including the WTA women’s tour and the four Grand Slam tournaments. They issued a joint statement Saturday saying: “It is a time for even greater collaboration, not division.”

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/32IDQZl