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MUTUA MADRID OPENMay 7, 2013Andy MurrayMADRID, SPAIN A. MURRAY/F. Mayer THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. It was tough match, especially in the first set. Did you expect it as it was? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I expected a tough match. You know, it's always difficult playing your first match at altitude. I felt like I hit the ball very well today, very few misshits. I just didn't return so well. That was the only thing I would have liked to have done better. Because I had a lot of chances on his service games, especially in the first set. A lot of 15‑30s, Love‑30s, 30‑All points. He served well and hit a lot of aces on those points, but also I wasn't reading the serve. So even when I was getting to it I was a little bit late and missed a few too many returns. Apart from that, I moved very well, which I didn't do in Monte‑Carlo, so that's a big improvement. Q. I wanted to ask you physically you are okay? Because end of the first set and beginning of the second set it was like you were struggling breathing. ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I was struggling ‑ I think both of us were ‑ at the end of the first set. There were so many long points. Also, it's hard to explain, but if you're playing someone that plays with a nice rhythm it's a lot easier to breathe during the points. You get into a rhythm of how the points are getting played. Against him, he's playing different shots all of the time. Some low ones; some high ones; he's coming to the net; he makes you run forwards; backwards; and to the side. You're quite tense in the rallies. I was finishing a lot of the points very out of breath, and I think that's a combination of the way the points were going, but also it's different playing altitude. It takes time to get used to that. Q. Explain the challenges that you have to face on clay. ANDY MURRAY: Well, there is a lot of great players on clay. You know, I think there are a lot of great players on hard courts as well. Maybe grass is the surface where there is not so many guys that play at a very high level. But on the clay, there is a lot of very tough opponents. It's a surface that I didn't grow up on, so I don't feel as comfortable on it. But it's not to say that without the right attitude and work ethic, and, you know, the right mindset going into these events that I can't play well at them. I think my game should suit clay well. I just need to play a lot on it. I'd like to play a lot on it. So I would like to play more on it during the year. I think that would help me for the French Open. Q. Many people, observers, have said that 26 and 27 are the best ages to reach your peak as a male player, professional tennis player. What would you give to celebrate your 26th with a victory here? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it would be nice. I mean, it would be a big milestone for me. I haven't won a clay court tournament before. I haven't played too many. But, yeah, it would be nice. I've put in a lot of work on the clay over the last couple years on the practice court because I need to improve on it. I hope this year it pays off and I can have some good tournaments. Q. In the next round your opponent will be Gilles Simon. I think you know each other well. Do you expect a tough game against him? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it's always difficult against him because there is a lot of long rallies. He moves unbelievably well and makes very few unforced errors. Every time you play against him there is a lot of long games and points, so you need to be prepared for that. I've played well against him in the past, so I hope I can do the same again on Thursday. Q. You look really tired over the match. It has nothing to do with the surface? ANDY MURRAY: No, I don't think so. I mean, I practiced hard before getting here. I was ill when I left Monte‑Carlo. I worked very hard there and wasn't able to practice for about four days. I didn't hit any balls. I got a bit sick. So, I mean, also playing at altitude, it's different. It takes time to get used to that. That's why a lot of people and athletes in different sports train in altitude, because it's very hard to breathe. Then when you start playing at sea level it feels easier. So it's normal to be a bit out of breath in your first match. Q. Speaking about the altitude, obviously it's completely different conditions to the French Open. Do you think in a way it's quite pointless in a warmup tournament that it's so different to what you're warming up for? ANDY MURRAY: I think if it was, players wouldn't be here, the top players wouldn't come to play. I think in some ways it's good because it's hard to control the ball here. So, you know, when you go back to playing at sea level, feels a little bit easier to control the ball. And also, physically it's good to play matches at altitude. You know, just when you do get to Rome, it does take a few days to get used to playing again at sea level. But if it was pointless, you wouldn't have the field that you have here. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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