	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2016

Andy Murray

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A. MURRAY/A. Zverev

6-1, 6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You must be glad to get that out of the way, especially with the conditions out there.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it was hot, especially in the end of the second set and third set. It was a bit cloudy at the start, so it wasn't actually too bad.

But then towards the end it started to heat up. Third set was a long one. We played a lot of long games, especially on his serve. You know, I think I could have done a little bit better job of closing the match out a little bit sooner, because I did have chances to go up a double break. I think I had I think three games in a row Love-30 and break points as well.

But I played well. I played a good match. Just could have, you know, been a bit more efficient in the third set, I think.

Q. Strange start of the match with his nose bleed. Anything like that happen before? Seen that before?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I don't think so. I don't think I have seen that before.

Q. He looks as if he's going to be a quite a player.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, he's obviously very good. There's a lot of good, young players coming through just now. He's quite different to a lot of the other ones. He's much, much taller, you know, which has benefits, you know. Also some negatives, as well.

It might take him a little bit longer to sort of develop into his body and stuff. And moving, you just have to be a bit careful with injuries and stuff I think until you physically get strong enough.

But, yeah, obviously helps with his serve. He has big, big reach on the returns. You know, he times the ball pretty good, so, you know, he's got a lot, lot of potential, for sure.

Q. Has AmÃ©lie got you practicing holding babies or anything like that at the moment?
ANDY MURRAY: Eh, no.

Q. I assume you're clearly aware of the stories that have been running at home. BBC did the big program and the BuzzFeed story. Roger and Novak both spoke at length about their thoughts on match fixing and what should and shouldn't be said. What are your thoughts?
ANDY MURRAY: In terms of what should and shouldn't be said? I mean, I think -- yeah, from my perspective, any time there is -- you know, if there is corruption in any sport, you know, you want to hear about it.

Obviously, you know, some of the stuff that I read yesterday I wasn't aware of. Some of it I was already. I was already aware of. And, yeah, I mean, I guess, you know, as a player you just want to be made aware kind of everything that's going on. I think, you know, we deserve to know everything that's sort of out there.

You know, some of it will be true; some of it might not be true. But, you know, I'm always very curious with that stuff across really all sports, as well. I think, you know, sports could in general be much, much more transparent.

Q. What were you aware of? What have you discovered yesterday?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, I don't want to go into all of the details, but I was aware of the what happened in the match in Sopot. I knew some of the stuff there. You know, I read yesterday about some of the sort of gambling people in Sicily, which, you know, I wasn't aware of that.

I didn't know that so many matches had been flagged up with the betting companies. I wasn't aware of that. I knew that there had been some, but not as many as there were. That was it.

Q. Novak said he was approached in 2007. Has anyone come to you at a point where...
ANDY MURRAY: No. I never got approached with anything like that in all my career.

Q. Considering it could happen to Novak, admittedly it was a long time ago, but do you hear stories around the locker room or talking to other players about them being approached and reporting it or not reporting it?
ANDY MURRAY: No. I actually hadn't -- I have not spoken to loads of, you know, other players about it, but, you know, I have been aware of it since I was, yeah, since I was quite young.

I think, you know, when people come with those sums of money, you know, when you're that age, you know, I think sometimes people can make mistakes.

I do think it's important that from a younger age players are better educated and are made more aware of what they should do in those situations and how a decision like that can affect your career, can affect the whole sport.

And, yeah, I think across all sports -- again, I don't think that that's done particularly well. You know, I think you should be learning about those things from 15, 16, 17 years old and being warned about it.

Because, you know, when you come on the tour, you know, or even if it happens at futures level and challenger level, as well, that players need to be educated and have the right people to support them in those situations, I think.

Q. Because this has come to light or become published again before a Grand Slam tournament and raises more attention, do you think that's a good thing for younger players, that it's all of a sudden making headlines all over the world?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, I don't know if that's -- maybe it is, you know, a good thing for the young players. I don't know.

I just think that it should be tennis that does a better job of explaining -- they shouldn't have to read it in the press. You have to be proactive I think with things like this and go and speak to the players rather than them reading about it in the newspapers or, you know, listening to it on the TV or the radio.

I think the more proactive you are with educating young players the better on matters like this.

Q. What do you think about tennis tournaments having sponsorships with gambling companies?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I'm not really pro that, I don't think. I think it's a little bit hypocritical, really. You know, because I don't believe the players are allowed to be sponsored by betting companies but then the tournaments are.

I don't really understand how it all works. I think it's a bit strange.

Q. You sound concerned and also sound pretty disappointed with how it's been handled. Is that fair?
ANDY MURRAY: Disappointed with how what's been handled?

Q. You said that tennis needed to be more proactive rather than players finding out about it in the press.
ANDY MURRAY: I think definitely if it was more proactive, yeah, about telling the -- well, helping the younger players. I do think that that is something that could be done better.

Because I know when I was growing up -- I mean, certainly throughout my whole career I was never warned about that or told about that or anyone said to me how you should handle that if you're in that situation.

So I think that that's something -- I don't know if they do that now. I haven't spoken to any of the young players. I don't know if the ATP really, you know, spend a lot of time chatting to the younger -- well, it's not just the younger players, but all of the players about it.

I certainly haven't spoken too much, you know, to anyone about that in my ten years, really, that's been involved with the ATP.

Q. Roger said yesterday that it's now part of the curriculum of the ATP University. You don't remember that?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, I never did it. It might be now, though. Things can change. I have been on the tour now, this is like my 11th or 12th year on the tour. Maybe it is and that's a positive thing, you know. If it is, then great. I wasn't aware of that.

But if it is, then that's a good thing.

Q. You have said before that you weren't surprised that low-level players are involved. Are you sort of shocked to hear that maybe players higher up, maybe top 50 or Grand Slam winners are involved?
ANDY MURRAY: No, not really.

Q. Sam Groth in the second round. Quick word on him. And also your experience of playing Australians here at Melbourne Park.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, first time playing him in singles, you know. He's a big guy. Serves big, and, you know, serve and volley tactics. He tries to get forward as much as he can. You know, you don't see many players like that now.

You know, that will be different. Obviously he will have the crowd behind him, as well. He's a competitive guy, too. Fights extremely hard. Has a great attitude. He will make it tough for me because he has a different game style to a lot of the players now.

Yeah, I'll be ready for that. I normally enjoy playing against the guys that come forward and stuff, so hopefully I can return well and, you know, pass well. I'll need to if I want to win.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297