	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

ROLAND GARROS

June 3, 2016

Andy Murray

Paris, France

A. MURRAY/S. Wawrinka

6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You have made a fair bit of history in your career. Is that a distraction coming to this final? First British player, British man in 79 years.
ANDY MURRAY: No, I don't think so. I mean, use it as motivation, if anything. But, yeah, I didn't necessarily expect to be here a few years ago.

So, yeah, got to try and enjoy it. Proud I have managed to reach the final of all four.

Q. You seem fairly emotional today when you were speaking court. What was going through your head at the time?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't know really. I was obviously pumped. I have won the match. Pumped to get to the final for the first time. It was a tough atmosphere today, as well. You know, handled that extremely well.

Then, yeah, like I said, to reach the finals of the French the first time, that's a big moment for me. It's not an easy thing to do. You know, like I said a few years ago, I never really expected to be able to do that.

To play the way that I did today after a tough start to the tournament, yeah, was just really, really happy with that.

Q. You said it was your best performance on clay. Do you think it's one of the best matches you have ever played?
ANDY MURRAY: I have no idea, to be honest. It's impossible to say. I mean, on clay, you know, I played some good ones. But, you know, to play at that level kind of in the semis of the French Open is, you know, very pleasing.

There was a lot of pressure there, as well, today. I was just really happy with the way that I handled everything, and it was for sure one of the better matches that I have played on clay throughout my career. It was kind of difficult to say if it's the best performance.

Q. Beating the defending champion like this must be an extra boost for the final, no?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. I mean, obviously it helps any time. Beating the best players gives you a boost, you know. But I've got enough motivation obviously now for the final anyway.

It's more the way that I played that gives me more confidence. Sometimes you can play, you know, not a great match and win. But, you know, today I played well, and I think my game is in the right place now. Hopefully I can play another good one on Sunday.

Q. You mentioned that the atmosphere was difficult. Did you mean the crowd was mainly in his favor? Was that what you meant?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. They were, yeah.

Q. Was that a motivation?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I mean -- I don't know. It wasn't motivating me more than others, but it's, you know, it was a tough atmosphere today. And against Richard. I handled it very well. I'm happy with that.

Q. How big an achievement is it for you to have reached all four slam finals?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, that was big. I mean, especially with the guys that are around just now. You know, it's not been easy. I lost three semis. I lost here to Rafa, two to Rafa and one to Novak last year.

So beating Stan, he's obviously won this event before. The further he gets in tournaments he tends to play better, as well. So, you know, to have done it against him means a lot.

Yeah, there's not many players that do that now because, you know, before obviously three of the slams were played on grass, and now they're on the different surfaces. Not an easy thing to do.

Q. Regarding the final on Sunday, you and Novak have a lot to play for. You had interesting matches on clay this year. So what can you tell about that match?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, it's obviously a very big match for both of us. I mean, Novak trying to win the career slam it's obviously a huge match for him, and me trying to win my first French Open, as well.

You know, neither of us know how many more chances we'll have to win here. It took obviously Roger a long time to win this one. And Novak, too. It's a very tough event to win. There is a lot riding on the match for both of us. Like I said, I hope we can both play a good match.

But, yeah, we have had some really big battles in the slams before on all the other surfaces. I'm sure it will be the same again on Sunday.

Q. If you look back how you struggled in the beginning of the tournament, how did you turn that around? Was it tactical? Mental approach? You grow in the tournament?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, started to get used to the conditions. The conditions aren't that easy. It's been cold, wet, slow, much, much slower than what we played in the last few weeks. Made some changes to my racquet tension, as well, which, you know, I don't often do.

I normally play around the same tension on most conditions, most courts, but made some changes there. Obviously getting through difficult matches, you know, you can find your rhythm. I spent a lot of time on court the beginning of the event. Yeah, starting to feel better every day.

Q. Andy, Eric Cantona and Leonardo DiCaprio were in the crowd. Do you ever notice anyone?
ANDY MURRAY: I met Eric Cantona afterwards. But, no, not always that aware of what's going on in the crowd. You know, more kind of focused on my team and the court, what's going on on there. Yeah, I don't often see what's going on off the court.

Q. Are you a Cantona fan?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't think many people aren't. Incredibly talented guy. Fun to watch. Yeah, it was nice to meet him. He's a legend in British football. So, yeah, it was very, very nice to meet him.

Q. We saw the match, that you did all, but you also came a lot to the net even though it was clay. Brave tactic or brave heart or how do you -- it was a change. Not many times you come to the net usually.
ANDY MURRAY: Well, yeah, I tried to come forward any time I had the chance. You know, I had quite good success throughout the match. You have to -- obviously against Stan, important to pick the right shots to come in on because he's a very powerful guy.

So even when he's quite far out of position he can still generate a lot of power and it's not always easy to control the volleys. Yeah, I picked the right moments to come in today. When the conditions are like they are and so slow, it's not that easy to finish the point from the back of the court all of the time.

So important to finish up at the net when you can just to make a few of the points a little bit easier for you.

Q. Obviously you have played Novak so many times in Grand Slam finals, but never on clay. So how does that change things? Do you think that's a help to you in any way?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't know. I mean, Novak obviously plays great on all of the surfaces. Yeah, I don't know if it helps either of us. It's a new experience for both of us. We never played -- we only played once here before. You know, it was a pretty tight match last year in the semis.

So like I said, I expect a very, very tough match on Sunday. I don't think that the courts or the conditions favor either one of us, to be honest.

Q. Could you talk about and compare the finals in Madrid and then in Rome? What was different for you? What worked better for you in Rome? Some type of tactical change?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, the conditions are quite different. Madrid was the altitude and it was a little bit harder to control the ball there.

A little bit easier serving conditions when we played in Rome. It was maybe a bit more similar to here. Because it was raining for quite a lot of the match when we played, so it was heavy and not as easy to sort of penetrate the court. You know, you had to sort of be very patient in the conditions in Rome. I got off to a good start. Novak got off to a good start in Madrid. That helped both of us in respective matches.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297