Melbourne, Australia: As Roger Federer sees it, he and Andy Murray are making a comeback from a year of ups and downs.
That's putting it mildly.
For 32-year-old Federer, the winner of 17 Grand Slam titles, 2013 was the year that his tenure near the top went into sharp decline. He slipped out of the Top 5 and failed to reach a Grand Slam final for the first time since 2002. He struggled with back problems, split with his coach and it appeared that age was taking its toll.
For Murray, the year included a stupendous success. He won Wimbledon, becoming the first British man in 77 years to win the coveted title at the All England Club. A few months later he underwent back surgery that forced him to sit out the last three months of the season.
Both are now back, feeling fit and healthy as they prepare to face each other in the Australian Open quarterfinals Wednesday. It will be the first time they've played since last year's semifinal at Melbourne Park, a five-set battle won by Murray.
"This is a big test for me," said No. 6-seeded Federer, adding that he feels fit enough to tackle big challenges. "I've overcome a lot in the last few months."
"I'm looking forward to the match, I must say. We had an interesting year last year with some ups and downs. It's a good start to the season for both of us."
