ROGER Federer told Andy Murray last night that anything is possible if he can get back to full fitness – and insisted there should be no hurry to put a timescale on his return.
The former World No 1 withdrew from Wimbledon on Sunday as his hip wasn’t ready to play seven five-set matches, switching instantly to practising on a hard court instead in preparation for the US swing.
The 36-year-old, who has managed his calendar to perfection to return to the summit of the game, is hopeful the Scot can return to full fitness in time.
Read more: John McEnroe: I'm a little bit surprised, a little bit bummed by Andy Murray's withdrawal
“I’m not going to tell him what to play and what not to play,” said Federer. “But the most important thing is, if he does return he’s fully fit, because then anything is possible, especially for a former top guy. You have it. You don’t forget how to play tennis. It’s like riding a bike your brushing your teeth. It’s not like you’re going to all of a sudden rock up and forget about it all.
“The body just needs to be there. And it seems right now that’s not the case. You wonder, why did he then play Queen’s and Eastbourne? Only he and his team know. I’ve realised that, that if you do come back too soon, it’s always a problem. If that means he comes back in a month, that’s great. If he comes back in a year, so be it.”
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