The mind games have already started ahead of Sunday's Australian Open final between Roger Federer and Andy Murray. Murray is brimming with confidence, saying he has the game to take down the world No. 1 because he has done it six times before. Federer believes Murray could get stage-fright because he has never beaten him in a Grand Slam and has the added pressure of trying to provide Britain with their first male champion at a grand slam in 74 years. The verbal volleying has begun. “I know he'd like to win the first for British tennis in, what is it, like 150,000 years?” Federer said. “I think he really needs it more than I do, so I think the pressure's big on him. But we'll see how he's going to handle it. It's not going to be easy for him, that's for sure.” Murray smiled Saturday when told of Federer's comment. “I've only been alive for 22 and a little bit, but, yeah, it's been a long time. It's going to be tough.” Federer is the undisputed master of the big occasion. The 28-year-old has already played in 21 Grand Slam finals, winning 15. He has won the Australian Open three times and finished runner-up once, losing an epic five-set tussle with Rafa Nadal. Murray has played in just one Grand Slam final, the 2008 US Open, which he lost to Federer. The Swiss believes that could still be playing on Murray's mind. “Now that he didn't win the first one, I think it doesn't help for the second one around,” Federer said. “Plus he's playing me, who's won many Grand Slams prior to that, been able to win here three times, so I know what it takes and how to do it, which is definitely an advantage.” Murray, 22, admitted he was stricken by nerves in his first Grand Slam appearance but is more experienced now and will handle his second final much better.
