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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 14, 2016

Andy Murray

Monte Carlo, Monaco

A. MURRAY/B. Paire

2-6, 7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was a bit of a rollercoaster match. Can you briefly talk us through it.
ANDY MURRAY: It was a big win is what it was. You know, to win from 6-2, 3-0 down, two breaks, when you're not playing particularly well, it's a great effort.

You know, those matches are important. It would have been easy to lose today and get down on myself. But I kept fighting right the way through to the end.

Definitely, you know, the second set was sort of ups and downs. I didn't feel like in the third that was the case so much. I mean, I think I broke him twice, he broke me once.

But, yeah, it was a good one to get through because I could have easily lost today. Fought well, good effort.

Q. What were the conditions like out there? A lot of wind blowing around. The sun appeared to be a bit of an issue.
ANDY MURRAY: No, it was completely calm on the court. It's quite lively out there. Not a slow court by any stretch. It's, you know, pretty quick conditions. Like I said the other day, when the balls are new, it's not that easy to control the returns or the groundstrokes.

You know, there's periods in the match where it's not easy. But, no, I mean, good conditions for tennis. It wasn't windy down on the court, not too hot. It was all right.

Q. Can you point to a moment in the match where you felt the sensations were coming back?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I think he played a bad game at 3-0 in the second to give me one of the breaks back. I felt like I was in with a chance then. That was really the point of the match where it turned a little bit for me. I mean, there was still a lot of work to be done at that stage. Obviously he served for the match in the third.

But, you know, I also created a few chances of my own in the third. Could have been a slightly different third set had I capitalized on those chances.

It was the middle of the second set where he was up 3-Love, kind of handed one of the breaks back to me. I started to feel a bit better after that.

Q. Did you watch Novak's match yesterday? Did it have any bearing on your match today?
ANDY MURRAY: Certainly had no bearing on my match today.

I saw kind of the end of the second set and most of the third. I was getting treatment from my physio in the room. I didn't see every point, but I watched bits of it.

Vesely played well, made a lot of balls. Novak was a little bit off. But Vesely served well, you know, made a ton of balls. Didn't give too many unforced errors up.

If you're not quite on your game, and someone's serving big, not giving you too many opportunities, it's tough at this level.

Obviously Novak's had phenomenal success and consistency over the last year or so. But when you're not at your best, I mean, he's come through a lot of matches like that in the last year as well, you know, but sometimes you can't quite turn it around. Vesely deserved to win.

Q. What is the mood like in the locker room when Djokovic loses? Must be an unusual feeling this year.
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, to be honest, it doesn't seem that different. I wasn't in the locker room when he lost the match. I was the first person in there this morning at 7:30. So I didn't see many guys before the match or after the match yesterday.

But, you know, obviously it gives guys in the top half an opportunity there, as well. Someone like Monfils obviously will have a decent chance to have a good run here.

But yeah, I mean, for my side of the draw it affects nothing unless you reach the final. It's kind of irrelevant for the guys in the bottom half.

Q. How do you see the next match going against Raonic?
ANDY MURRAY: He's come through a couple of tough ones as well. Maybe this week he hasn't played his best either. But, you know, he's got through.

He's had a very solid year this year. Every time he's been on the court, he's had good runs in the tournaments he's been in. So it will be a tough match.

He serves obviously very well. Yeah, I mean, it's a good test for me. Maybe didn't play my best today or in the first match. But by fighting and getting through, it gives me an opportunity to play better tomorrow and test myself against, you know, one of the best players in the world.

It's a good position to be in.

Q. When you come out after a match like that, even if you just say you didn't play your best, how important is the mental part, to say, I won it because I was mentally stronger? Is that something that comes up to your mind as important, not so much, yes?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it's important, for sure. I think, you know, in the match against Delbonis in Indian Wells, it was the same, too. He served for the match against me. I managed to break back at 6-5. Obviously didn't win the tiebreak.

But, you know, it's good to show that to all of the players, that when you're behind in the score, you're always fighting and trying to find a way to get back into the match.

That can win you some matches over the year. It doesn't win you every match. That can win you a couple matches through the year just through fighting and your opponents thinking that you're going to be there and giving 100% right till the end of the match.

It does help. Like I say, it also gives me an opportunity to improve, as well. If I hadn't sort of tried to find a way to turn the match around, then I wouldn't get another opportunity tomorrow, and I'd be flying home. I'm still in the doubles, but I wouldn't get another chance on the singles court this week. But I get another opportunity tomorrow against a very good player to try to make some improvements and test myself again.

Q. Bearing in mind you're also in the doubles, the toughness of the match today, how are you feeling physically?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I feel fine. I mean, obviously a doubles matches don't really take much out of you. I don't feel like I played doubles yesterday. It was probably 1 hour 15, 1 hour 20 minutes of a match. It's not hard on the body or anything.

Obviously tomorrow, if I have a long one against Milos, and get through it, then at the end of a long day it can take a little bit of something out of you.

But, yeah, we'll see how I feel tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully I'll be okay.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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