|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
WIMBLEDONJuly 6, 2012Andy MurrayLONDON, ENGLAND A. MURRAY/J. Tsonga THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. What were you doing 74 years ago? ANDY MURRAY: Not a whole lot. (Smiling.) Q. Okay. We'll follow that up with, assuming you weren't around 74 years ago, how much weight did you feel on your shoulders of this whole thing and everybody rooting for you? Were you able to put some of that aside? ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, well, to be honest, I've been trying to explain you don't really think about it that much, but I think like subconsciously at the end of the match it was obviously very emotional. Haven't really been like that before in a semifinal match, so obviously it meant something to me and it was very, very important. And, yeah, there is obviously a lot of pressure and stress around this time of year. I don't, like, feel it like when I'm on the practice court on when I'm just kind of walking around. I try not to think about that stuff. But, yeah, in the back of my mind it's obviously there. Q. What is the contribution of Maggie and Rusty to this quest now for the championship? ANDY MURRAY: Well, I don't think they necessarily influence the match that we'll play on Sunday. Yeah, I mean, I'm sure if you asked Roger what his kids' contribution are or the people that are around him, it's something that makes me happy. I love dogs, and, yeah, they're obviously part of my life. It's something I enjoy away from the court. When I finish my matches it's nice to go home. You know, they don't care whether I win or lose. It's important to have also people around you that are like that, as well. Q. What are your thoughts on Roger's place in the history of this sport and this tournament? ANDY MURRAY: Well, he's obviously one of the greatest players ever to have played. He's got probably‑‑ not sure who has a better win/loss record than him here. I'd be surprised if he wasn't the best in terms of his win/loss ratio here. And, yeah, he's been doing it consistently over a number of years. The matches he has lost the last couple of years was five sets against Tsonga, five sets against Berdych, five sets against Rafa. He's very, very tough to beat here. Q. Can you describe the challenge ahead of you? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. It's a great challenge, one where I'm probably not expected to win the match, but one that, you know, if I play well, I'm capable of winning. But, yeah, I mean, if you look at his record here over the past 10 years or so, yeah, it's been incredible. So, you know, the pressure that I would be feeling if it was against somebody else I guess it would be different. But there will be less on me on Sunday, you know, because of who he is. Q. What happened at the start of the third, and how did you manage to turn it back round again? ANDY MURRAY: Well, I played one bad game, and then after that I thought I played well. You know, I had a lot of games where I was giving myself chances. All of his service games I was getting 30‑All, Love‑30, had some breakpoints here and there. He played some great points. Yeah, just didn't get off to a good start in that third set. Obviously let him back into it a little bit. He started playing better. You know, he started serving very well on the big points. Q. Can you take us a little bit through the sequence on match point? It looked like you thought you had it won. What was happening out there? ANDY MURRAY: Well, I knew it was in when it left my racquet, and then I thought that he challenged it. I mean, obviously it was close, but then the umpire said to me that the ball had been called out and that he hadn't overruled it. So then obviously I challenged, and that was it. Q. What did it feel like to have that called in? It was a strange sequence of events. ANDY MURRAY: I knew it was in, so, you know, that wasn't really an issue. Just, yeah, you just have to obviously sit and wait a little bit. Then, yeah, when I had confirmation, it was, yeah, relieved I won the match. Q. You were talking to Jo about it at the net. ANDY MURRAY: He said he thought it was wide and I said I thought it was in. Then, yeah, that was it. Q. What is your main emotion at the moment? Is it possible to feel elated getting through to the final, or had that perhaps already dissipated? ANDY MURRAY: No, tonight I think I need to make sure I enjoy myself, enjoy the win. You know, it's not every day you're through to the final of a Grand Slam, and also Wimbledon. So I need to make sure I enjoy tonight, and then tomorrow get back on the practice court and, you know, make sure I hit enough balls tomorrow and get focused for Sunday. Q. Do you have anything to prove to yourself on Sunday? Forget everybody else. How much fun are you having right now? You don't look like you're having too much fun. ANDY MURRAY: Well, on Sunday, I mean, almost every time you step on the court you're trying to prove something to yourself. I think that's kind of what motivates you to get better. Also the players that are around me, as well. They would be the two things that I think you can't stay at the top of, you know, any sport, especially one as competitive as tennis, if you don't have very good self‑motivation. I think that's very important. Obviously I'll be very motivated on Sunday. In terms of the enjoyment, yeah, I really enjoyed the win today. I've enjoyed the tournament so far. Hopefully it will be more enjoyable on Sunday. Q. A lot of people will say over the weekend that Roger Federer is 30, he's closer to the end of the road than he is to the beginning. ANDY MURRAY: Who will say that? Q. People will just analyze it. ANDY MURRAY: Who though? Who are these people? Journalists? Anybody that knows tennis, you can't use that as an example. The last couple of years his record in the slams has been, you know, to me unbelievable. Like I said here, the matches that he's lost, he was up two sets to nothing, was it both times he lost maybe? I'm not hundred percent sure, but he was up two sets to love against Tsonga last year. Yeah, he's lost some close matches in the slams the last few years, but he had match points against Novak at the US Open maybe two years in a row. He has lost some very close matches. I don't think, if you look at the way he played today, you can't say he's passed it or because he's 30 he's playing worse tennis. I just think the players around have gotten better. Q. That's what I was going to ask you. In your mind you're still playing a great Wimbledon champion, right? ANDY MURRAY: Yes. Q. Was that the hardest game you've ever had to win? ANDY MURRAY: Which one? Q. The one today. ANDY MURRAY: No, I don't think so. I mean, the first couple of sets, you know, were pretty smooth. Then after that, yeah, it was tough. It was a tough match. But like the quarterfinal match was very difficult, as well. I mean, there certainly wasn't as many long rallies, long games like there was, you know, in the Ferrer match. But in terms of like focus, that was probably one of the hardest matches in that respect. Because, you know, when you do win a couple of sets comfortably and you're getting close to the final of a slam, you know, it's really hard sometimes just to stay in the moment and not get too far ahead of yourself, you know, play each point and make each point as important as any one. I did throw a game away a little bit at the beginning of the third set and it cost me a bit, but I wouldn't say it was the toughest match I've ever played. Q. You're being understandably quite cool about the win. I don't know if you saw, but in the players' box your girlfriend was emotional and your mum was ecstatic. Have you managed to speak to them yet? ANDY MURRAY: I haven't seen anyone except the guys that I work with. I saw Tim Henman. Q. What was Tim's reaction? ANDY MURRAY: Well, just, Well done. It's not the end of the tournament yet. The time for all of that stuff comes when I'm done. You know, I spoke to Ivan after the match. It was, Good job. You did really well. What time do you want to practice tomorrow? That's it. There's no time for anything else. Q. You said you might celebrate this evening. ANDY MURRAY: I won't celebrate. I'll just enjoy this evening. I'll go back home, have a nice meal with my girlfriend, and then, yeah, just enjoy it with her and the dogs. That's it. I'm not going to go out and celebrate tonight, although I heard there's a cocktail party here this evening which I've been invited to but probably won't be participating in. Q. Serena in here earlier today spoke about how you were one of the players she most enjoyed watching and what she appreciates about your game. What sort of appreciation do you have for watching her serve? ANDY MURRAY: It's not just that. I mean, the thing about her game for me is that she's an unbelievable athlete. She's probably one of the best female athletes ever in terms of she's got strength, she's quick, you know, she's got very powerful, powerful strokes. I mean, I saw a little bit of the match yesterday, but serving 24 aces is pretty incredible in a two‑set match. Yeah, I mean, I think as a competitor ‑ there's been some unbelievable players obviously ‑ but she's probably one of the best that the woman's tour has seen for a few years. Q. Her serve has been right below an average guy on the ATP Tour. ANDY MURRAY: Speed‑wise? Q. Yes. ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, she has a very, very good serve, like I say. She is obviously a very good athlete, but her service technique is almost perfect, as well. I think that's what is so good about it. Very few of the women can put good kick on the serve, and she has an excellent kick serve, as well. So it's not just her first serve. Her second serve is very, very good. Q. What would you say the biggest impact on the mental approach of your game, your coaching from Lendl, has had? How might that manifest itself in the next match? ANDY MURRAY: Well, I think, you know, like after the match today, you know, you try to make sure you don't get too excited on the court, never get too high, never get too down, which maybe in the past I was too up and down. Needed to try and be a bit more stable on the court, not be so emotional. I'd say that's the one thing that I've learnt from kind of being around him was that, you know, like I explained after the match today, it wasn't like it was jumping around the locker room with excitement. It was, There's one more match to go. Well done today, but let's focus on the next one. Q. When Virginia Wade was the last British woman to win a singles title here, the Queen was quite a big part of that occasion. She presented the trophy. If you were able to come on Sunday, would that add to your occasion? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I'm sure it would. But, yeah, it's tough around this time because obviously William and Kate were here the other day. You have guys like Rod Laver and Agassi here. You know, the Queen was here a few years ago, too. You know, there's a lot of pressure and stuff, but it's obviously a privilege to play in front of those sort of people. I'm not sure if she'll be here on Sunday, but it would be nice. Q. Does preparation for a match like this involve re‑watching matches of Roger at other finals to learn from mistakes, or is there ant irrelevance? ANDY MURRAY: No, more watching‑‑ my coaches will watch his matches this week. Obviously some stuff from when I would have played him before I try not to watch before I play against him. I've seen obviously some of his tennis this week. I saw obviously some of the match today, as well. The other thing you pick up on is the thing‑‑ I've learnt from those matches that I lost against him in the past. If you go too much into detail of things that happened in the past it's not always beneficial, because in tennis every day is different, you know. So I just need to try and make sure I play a perfect match on Sunday. Q. Can you imagine a more perfect scenario than beating the greatest player of all time? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it obviously would be very nice. You know, I can't allow myself to think that far ahead. Like I was trying to explain, the match today it's easy to, but you can't allow yourself to. It's not really beneficial. You know, I'll have talked to the guys about the match tomorrow and just focus on getting the tactics right and hopefully playing a match. There's obviously going to be nerves and pressure there for sure, but I need to try and stay focused. Q. How are you feeling physically? Do you think you'll recover well for Sunday? ANDY MURRAY: I felt fine today. I felt less tired than I did in the match with Ferrer because, like I say, there wasn't as many long rallies. Yeah, it wasn't that tough physically. It was more mental. That was the hard part. But I did well to hang in at the end because he was playing better. Q. I just got a call from Bunny Austin who was very relieved that nobody will talk about him next year. Do you think Fred Perry has good chance to be talked any more next year? On Sunday night do you think Fred Perry will benedict your win next Sunday? ANDY MURRAY: He's not alive, though. I don't understand. (Laughter.) Q.From up there he'll send you a benediction. ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, I hope so. (Smiling.) Q. You've already brought an immense amount of pride not just to the Scottish public, but all across Britain. Do you have a personal message for them? ANDY MURRAY: Well, yeah, I'm going to need all their help on Sunday because, yeah, it's a massive challenge to win against Roger, you know, in the final of a slam, at Wimbledon. You know, I hope that all of the crowd is with me. Like I say, I'll need all of their support. It's been great so far. They've helped me out through some tough moments the last couple of matches, and I'll definitely need it again on Sunday. Q. Given your previous experience in Grand Slam finals, if you can win one set on Sunday, will it give you the belief and confidence to go on and win three? Will you get swept up by the momentum? ANDY MURRAY: I think on grass more than the other surfaces, it can be‑‑ you know, matches can change quite quickly. Most of the sets are normally decided on one or two breakpoints or a couple of mistakes here or there or a couple of great shots. The sets aren't normally 6‑1, 6‑2 sets. Even if I lose the first set or the second set, you can always come back. Like I said, Roger lost a couple matches from a couple sets up the last few years. So, you know, whereas in the past you might have thought going two sets down it was impossible. There's still time to come back. But ideally you want to try to get off to a good start. You know, that would make a big difference, I'm sure. 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
|