Last Updated: Saturday, 1 October 2005, 16:38 GMT 17:38 UK http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/4300644.stm Murray prepares for Federer test Andy Murray goes into Sunday's final of the Thailand Open ready for the biggest test of his fledgling career. Murray, in his first ever ATP final, has the unenviable task of trying to end Roger Federer's incredible run of 23 consecutive victories in finals. By any normal logic, it should barely be a contest - a gauche 18-year-old in his first season as a professional against the greatest player of today. But Murray's semi-final win suggests that it will not be quite that simple. Murray looked utterly at ease during his three-set victory over hometown favourite Paradorn Srichaphan, former world number nine and twice winner of this tournament. The young Briton, who just four months ago was playing in the boys' tournament at the French Open, was unfazed by Srichaphan's high-tempo, aggressive style and the noisy home support. At the key points in the match he was able to lift his performance a couple of notches, holding serve under extreme pressure and then striking back the moment Srichaphan gave him a glimmer of an opening. What was extraordinary was how ordinary he made it all seem. At the same age, Tim Henman was losing 6-1 6-0 in the first round of Junior Wimbledon, and did not go on to make the world's top 250 until after his 21st birthday. Federer, of course, will start Sunday's match as red-hot favourite to win in straight sets. But for Murray to even be in a position to be challenging the world number one for a senior ATP title is a mark of how well he is converting raw talent into real progress. His wins in Thailand should be enough to take him into the world's top 70, with his performances suggesting that that ascent will continue over the remainder of the season. Until now his physical conditioning has been his biggest weakness - he went out of both Wimbledon and the US Open an exhausted young man. But the way he over-powered Srichaphan despite going a set down indicates that his fitness is now catching up with the rest of his game. FEDERER v MURRAY 费德勒穆瑞赛前比一比 24------------Age-------------18 Swiss--------Nat---------British 6------------Slams-------------0 32--------Career titles--------0 $19.35m---Earnings--------$0.15m Game-by-game coverage on this website from 0830 BST Murray v Federer Highlights, Sun, BBC1, 2255 --

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