|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
MUTUA MADRID OPENMay 3, 2016Andy MurrayMadrid, Spain A. MURRAY/R. Stepanek 7-6, 3-6, 6-1 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. It was a tricky first match against an opponent like Radek. I guess you're happy to get through this. What was the most difficult for you tonight? ANDY MURRAY: Well, he played very well. I mean, it was not easy. He obviously started the match a little bit better than me. I was playing a little bit too flat, so I think he obviously likes it when it's like that, when the ball is bouncing a bit lower. He was hitting the ball big up the lines. He hit a lot of lines the first set and a half to get himself in a good position. In the second set, the game where he broke me, I hit good second serves and he hit like four or five clean return winners in that game. Nothing you could do there. He was just going big and it was going in. Third set I started to play with a little bit more height. I was playing a little bit more spin, which made it harder for him. When I was getting the ball up high he started making a few more mistakes. Yeah, tough, tough match. Q. How long does it take to get used to the different altitude here? You've been practicing in Mallorca, which I assume is pretty much sea level. Does it take a while to get used to those conditions? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I think so. And also atmosphere at night, first match I played at night. It's not easy. A little bit different when you play in the evening for sure. It's always difficult this time of year because the conditions here are different. Obviously you got Roland Garros at the end of this stretch, so if you're preparing for that you obviously practice at sea level. Then obviously come here, conditions are a little bit different. It's quicker; it's a slightly different way of playing. I mean, I was just saying, speaking to Sky there, I hit 11 aces in tonight's match. I served 11 aces I think in the whole of Monte-Carlo in four matches, and three of them were pretty long. Yeah, just takes a bit of time to adjust to. When you've got someone playing like that and taking a lot of chances going up the line and going up to the net, it's not easy. Q. Off-topic question. Is it an your intention to stay at the Olympic Village in Rio? ANDY MURRAY: I'm not staying in the Village, no. I'm staying in an apartment with the rest of the team, I believe. Q. Presumably having come through a match like that, those three sets, must give you a hell of a lot of confidence going into the rest of the defense of your title? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, obviously didn't think I played -- definitely things I could have done better tonight for sure. I could have made the adjustment to my game a little bit earlier. But, yeah, I didn't play badly. I played some good stuff against a guy making it very difficult. He's not like any of the guys that you practice with or play against much now. He has a very different game style and had come in having played three matches in these conditions and some pretty good wins. I'm happy I got through. I got a day off tomorrow now to work on a couple things and get ready for Thursday. Q. I'm working on a tennis-in-music project and found there has been a pretty large number of songs written about you, at least nine or ten. ANDY MURRAY: Oh, really? Q. Do you have a favorite of the ones you may be aware of already? ANDY MURRAY: One of the guys I used to grow up playing tennis with, Keith Meisner, he's done a couple of them. He obviously knows me very well because we grew up and I still see him from time to time. He's a pretty good singer as well and writes his own songs. The one he did after I won the US Open I liked. I would say that would've been the best one I heard. I didn't know there was that many. That was the best one I heard. Q. Just following up, is there any specific reason for not staying in the Village this time and staying with the team? ANDY MURRAY: To be honest, when I stayed in the Village in Beijing I had a great time, but my tennis was pretty bad there. I did something different obviously during London and that worked out well for me, so decided it was better to -- my job there is to try to prepare as best I can and win a medal for my country. I think the best, best way to do that is to sort of prepare like you do for other events where you're in your own space and not in a pretty -- although it was very exciting, it's a pretty manic place, the Olympic Village. It's different than what we're used to. Yeah, I think that's why the players are staying outside. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|