Federer very impressed by Murray

Cape Town - Roger Federer says Andy Murray’s achievements this season have been very impressive and hopes he can carry that form to the US Open which starts on Monday.

The Swiss superstar, who has been forced to pull out of all tennis for the rest of 2016 to recover from a back injury and knee surgery, feels that the new roof at the Arthur Ashe show court at Flushing Meadows will suit Murray but still regards world number one Novak Djokovic as the man to beat in the final grand slam of the year.

In an interview carried by The National, the 35-year-old Federer confirmed that he still expects Djokovic to be favourite to lift the title in New York.

“It hasn’t really changed my opinion that Novak is the favourite, despite a few tough losses [Wimbledon and Rio Olympics]. He did win [the Rogers Cup] in Toronto.

“He has a great record against Andy and is a great hard-court player. You see that in the conditions like here and at the Australian Open.

“I think the new roof will help him as well, as it will be more like Australia. Of course, Andy is a great player in the wind, but then so is Novak," Federer told The National.

“But I have been very impressed by Andy, what he has done this summer has been incredible. I hope he can keep that going. I think it will be a very exciting US Open and probably a great race between them until the end of the season.”

Federer added that though it was a tough decision to pull out of tennis for the rest of 2016 he was training hard in gym to put his injury woes behind him to bounce back stronger in 2017.

“It was a tough decision, to say the least, but in some ways, a simple decision because your health is the most important thing," said Federer. "I don’t see it as the end of something; it’s the beginning of something. When I come back to the Hopman Cup and then to the Australian Open – that’s what I’m working for now.

“I’m doing well and training as much as possible. I’ve been strengthening my quad muscles for when I head to the gym in the next couple of months."

Last year Federer lost to Djokovic in the US Open final and says it is tough to be a spectator now that he has been sidelined.

“I remain very upbeat but in a way, it’s painful to be here, and it was hard watching the Olympics and not playing.

“I hope to be super strong when I come back in January,” he added.