• Australian Open, Day 12

World No. 1 predicts 'tough' final

Roger Federer has one more obstacle to overcome © Getty Images

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Federer sets up Murray final
Women's doubles final
Day 12 in pictures

Roger Federer has predicted a helter-skelter encounter with Andy Murray in the Australian Open final, admitting: "I expect a tough one".

Federer booked his place in Sunday's final with a convincing straight-sets victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, joining Murray who beat Marin Cilic the previous day. The pair have met on ten occasions in the past, with Murray leading the head-to-head 6-4 although their one Grand Slam meeting at Flushing Meadows went the way of Federer.

All of the pressure and history is against Murray going into the weekend's match-up, as the Scot attempts to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam since Fred Perry back in 1936. Indeed, his run to the Australian Open final is the first achieved in the competition by a British male since John Lloyd in 1977.

Having won six Wimbledon titles Federer is well aware of the significance of Sunday's encounter, and he had some sympathy for what his opponent will have to deal with come the weekend.

"I know Andy would like to win the first Grand Slam for British tennis in, what is it, 150,000 years?!" quipped Federer. "Think of Andy. He has to go through those moments over and over again so it would be nice for him to win. He's a nice guy and we match up well so I expect a tough one.

"I think the key is to be aggressive, which is the way I always play. We've had some tough matches against each other; he keeps the ball in play and moves it around so it's always tough against him.

"I play aggressive and he has great conditioning, so I'll come in on his backhand, he'll try to pass me, I'll drop shot him, he'll lob me and I'll hit it through my legs. It'll be something like that!"

Sunday's Australian Open final will be covered live on Espn.co.uk from 8am.

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