Roger Federer: Andy Murray is tired and struggling with injuries
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Updated 23/06/2017 at 09:43 GMT
Roger Federer has said that world number one Andy Murray has struggled with injury since he achieved top ranking.
Roger Federer of Switzerland (L) holds his winners trophy and Andy Murray of Britain holds his runners-up trophy after Federer defeated Murray in their men's singles final tennis match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London July 8, 2012
Image credit: Reuters
Federer was speaking after an 11-week break from Tour action, where he has returned to action in Halle to prepare for Wimbledon .
Federer qualified for the quarter-finals with a 7-6 6-4 win over the German Mischa Zverev.
Addressing Murray's drop-off in form having achieved number one status at the end of 2016, Federer said: "Andy was tired after getting to No1 at the end of last year and then has been struggling with injuries.”
Murray crashed out at Queen's against 90th-ranked Jordan Thompson as he was readying himself for Wimbledon, and also failed to defeat Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals of this year's French Open.
Murray, Wawrinka, Federer Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are not the forces they once were in men's tennis, and 35-year-old Federer is now considered the favourite for Wimbledon by punters.
“I think the second part of the season will be really crucial for Andy, and Novak [Djokovic] as well," he added. "I think the second half of the season is going to be really, really interesting.”
Should Federer win at Halle, he will enter Wimbledon as the third seed.
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