Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/768342
maltatoday, SATURDAY, 31 DECEMBER 2016 49 Sport TENNIS BOXING Murray loses season opener to Goffin in Abu Dhabi Federer 'planning for the long term' WORLD number one Andy Murray started his new season with a surprise 7-6(4) 6-4 loss to David Goffin in the semi-finals of the Mubadala World Ten- nis Championship in Abu Dhabi on Fri- day. After losing the opening set at the year- ending exhibition event, Murray, twice winner of the tournament, recovered to go 3-2 up in the second set but Goffin broke back twice and held serve to pro- gress to the final. Goffin will face either Milos Raonic or Rafael Nadal in Saturday's final, with Murray, who lost just nine matches in his entire 2016 season, up against the loser of the semi-final. Murray ended the year at the top of the men's rankings for the first time having won titles including Wimbledon, the Rio Olympics and the ATP World Tour Fi- nals. Because the Abu Dhabi tourna- ment is classed as an exhibition event, the 29-year-old Briton will carry his 24-match winning streak into the Qatar Open in Doha as he builds towards his push for a first Australian Open title next month. Andy Murray Roger Federer says there is no reason why he cannot go on playing tennis at the highest level for at least another two or three years Amir Khan has reaffirmed his desire to take on Kell Brook in the near future saying positive discussions between the two camps are currently ongoing THE 17-time grand slam cham- pion, who is preparing to make his return from injury next week in Perth, explained how his de- cision to take a six-month break from competitive tennis was made with his long-term future in mind. Federer recently arrived in Aus- tralia to play in next week's Hop- man Cup, which will be his first event since Wimbledon. The 35-year-old has been ab- sent from the world stage since losing to Milos Raonic in the semi-finals at SW19, having ear- lier missed the French Open be- cause of a back problem. He also underwent surgery on his left knee in February, before deciding he needed extensive rehabilitation and would be side- lined for the rest of the season. But the Swiss star is only look- ing ahead: "I don't see it like this, that this could be my last Aus- tralian trip, even though it might very well be. "I'm really positive. I took these six months off so I would be play- ing for hopefully another two to three years, not just another six months or so. So my mindset is for the long-term. "I'm really positive about how I'm feeling right now, and prac- tice is going well. "Expectations are low because I don't have the matches yet and it's going to be best-of-five from the get-go at the Australian Open. "But I'm happy I've got the Hop- man Cup first and I've got my three matches there to ease my way in." The Hopman Cup is a team event, with each match featuring one men's singles, one women's singles and a mixed doubles, with Federer representing Switzerland alongside Belinda Bencic. Federer will open his account on Monday, when Switzerland take on Great Britain who are represented by world No 66 Dan Evans and Heather Watson (76). Roger Federer Brook talks in progress - Khan EARLIER this month, Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that an agreement regarding a po- tential fight between Khan and Brook had a "long way to go", with a May fight a possibility. Regarding a potential fight in 2017, 30-year-old welterweight Khan told Sky Sports News on Fri- day: "I am happy to take that fight (Brook). "Kell wants it. I want it. "At the moment we are having talks. Let's make it happen." After years of Brook pursuing his rival, Khan recently turned the tables on Twitter when, in a post referring to the IBF welterweight champion, he wrote "Ready when you are". Hearn believes Brook's Septem- ber fight with Gennady Golovkin has grown his profile to the extent Khan is finally tempted to face him, but has also stressed that pre- vious negotiations have progressed further than the present ones with- out actually succeeding. One possible reason Khan, 30, could be tempted is the likelihood Brook will struggle to return to the 147lb welterweight limit having challenged Golovkin at middle- weight. Amir Khan