LONDON, ATP CHAMPIONSHIP TENNIS PRE-TOURNAMENT CHATTER FROM ROGER FEDERER AND ANDY MURRAY BY GLOBAL CHICK

Written by: Staff on 13th November 2015

LONDON, ATP CHAMPIONSHIP TENNIS PRE-TOURNAMENT CHATTER FROM ROGER FEDERER AND ANDY MURRAY BY GLOBAL CHICK |

- Quick Highlights From Fed And Muzz-

It was a cold and stormy night. Well ok, it was a freezing and blustery day as signs blew around, balloons went skywards and the O2 prepared itself for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Normally these can be quite a mish-mash of opinions, but with the recent allegations against Athletics’ governing body (IAAF) assisting in covering mass-scale doping by Russia, the top players were actually refreshingly candid with their opinions and what this meant for the great sport of tennis.

Roger Federer led the way, calling for more and actually expressing surprise (for him and us) that there was not more testing done on his very self!

He said: “I think they are trying their best. I think we can always do more. Whenever you make the quarters, of any tournament in my opinion, where the points and money become greater, just know you will be tested. That would be very clear and simple.

“That’s how you scare off people too. The country too, I think the Swiss programme is tough and strict. Then again out of competition, that should be increased, too. I don’t see them very often. It should happen more often.

Go behind the scenes with #Federer and the Top 8 on media day at the #FinalShowdown. Watch: http://bit.ly/1RU5GVF – Photo by @ATPWorldTour via Twitter.

“I don’t understand that you have a run, win a couple of events and don’t get tested. It just can’t be that way. I’m always surprised I win a tournie, I walk off the court and I’m like where’s the doping guy? I don’t get that part. I hope the future’s going to be better and we preserve the good clean image of our sport.”

While Rafael Nadal raised a quizzical eyebrow at Andy Murray’s suggestion that more of the (at times) astronomical prize money is not channeled towards better measures. He may not have agreed, but Murray has been very forthright on his views.

“I do think that we as a sport could invest more money in the anti-doping process. The prize money now is so, so high that there’s no reason for us not to have [this] as perfect as possible, a process really.

“I do think that the more money that’s invested in it gives you a better chance of catching everyone that’s cheating and also gaining the trust of the public as well which I think across sport in general is fading. It seems like every week something new is coming out and across a variety of different sports and we just hope that tennis can remain as clean as possible.”

It was not all doom and gloom – Murray is of course looking to carry Team GB to greater glory when this sceptered isle takes on little itty-bitty Belgium in a battle for probably the largest trophy in sports – The Davis Cup.

It has been no secret that he has been preparing on the clay, and will be hitting for the first time on the indoor hard court today, but actually seemed quite hopeful!

Just arrived at #LND19 after a ride in the HEAD tennis #Radical taxi! – Photo by Andy Murray via Facebook.

He said: “I think definitely I have a chance to win here. I do think that I have to be a bit realistic in the first few days. I have just switched surfaces and balls and now I will be going back again and I might not be timing the ball perfectly at the beginning of the week but as it goes on hopefully I will start to play better tennis.

“I do feel I have an opportunity here. I think the conditions in Paris are fairly similar to here so it will be interesting to see how I get on. But I do think I am playing well enough to go far.”

As with Singapore, we start the whole shebang on a Sunday. Unlike Singapore, there will be no jetlag, although with storms set to batter the country, trench foot continues to be a risk to Global Chick, who wisely turned back in the hammering rain to exchange her beloved Converses for a paid of sturdy boots. No stranger to practical footwear is she.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic will be kicking off the whole hurrah against Kei Nishikori and Sunday’s treat will be Federer against Tomas Berdych, while Murray will be entertaining the Monday afternoon crowd against David Ferrer, with Nadal up against Stan Wawrinka.

For our part we will be enjoying a well earned Starbucks as we thaw out from the demon elements.

Topics: 02 Arena, Andy Murray, ATP Finals, Barclays World Tour Finals, global chick, London tennis, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

November 13, 2015 at 1:24 pm

#London, #ATP Championship #Tennis Pre-Tournament Chatter From @rogerfederer And @andy_murray by Global Chick
https://t.co/VdDfWCoU6r