Andy Murray sees a more competitive field at this year's Australian Open with Roger Federer less formidable than before, but he played down his favourite tag on Saturday. Some bookies are tipping the Scot for the trophy, sparking a rebuke from Federer this week who backed his own chances for lifting a fourth Australian Open title.
Murray said it didn't matter if he was favourite or not. "I mean, I don't have a problem whether I'm a favourite or not," he said. "I guess Roger would prefer to be favorite himself. That's absolutely fine. But it doesn't change my mindset going into the tournament at all." Murray, ranked four, has beaten world number two Federer twice this month, once at an unofficial exhibition and then in the Doha ATP semi-finals.
But overcoming the Swiss great, and top-ranked Rafael Nadal, on the big stage in Melbourne will be a different matter. Murray acknowledges this, but also feels the playing field this year is more even. "Obviously they (Federer and Nadal) have got the most experience out of all the players in the tournament, in the Slams, and in the big matches because they played so many against each other in the last few years," he said.
The 21-year-old, carrying the weight of 73 years of desperate British expectations of finding their first Grand Slam champion since Fred Perry, said his experience at the US Open this year boded well for Melbourne.