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AEGON CHAMPIONSHIP

June 18, 2016

Andy Murray

London, England

A. MURRAY/M. Cilic

6-3, 4-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to be back in the final?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it's good obviously for a number of reasons. You know, to guarantee myself five matches again here is great, you know, after quite a limited sort of preparation, so I'm happy about that.

You know, I get the chance now to try and win here for a fifth time, as well, which is, you know, a good position to be in obviously.

Yeah, again, this event has obviously worked out extremely well for me in terms of, you know, preparing and getting enough matches in for Wimbledon.

Happy with that. Played some really good stuff today.

Q. How much was the serve a key today? In the third set you won 17 out of 17 first-serve points and dropped only two on the second serve.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I served well obviously in the third. You know, I need to look at that. You're not going to repeat that every single time but try to understand why exactly it was so good in the third set.

But the third sets today and in the match with Kyle were very high level from my side of the court, and, you know, that's very pleasing because I know my best tennis is in there. Obviously just got to try to get the consistency there, which comes with matches and time on the court.

Q. What kind of achievement would it be to become the first person to win this tournament a historic five times?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it would mean a lot. A lot of great players have played here over the years, and winning any tournament, you know, a few times is hard obviously. But, you know, this one in particular has always got a very strong field. You know, it's a tough event to win.

I'm glad I have given myself the opportunity to try and win again tomorrow. Yeah, it would be nice to get a fifth title, for sure.

Q. Can you just say in your own words what Queen's means to you throughout your career? Not just this tournament but the whole place here.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I didn't spend loads of time here. When the LTA were based here I spent a little bit of time, but I was more up in Scotland. Then I obviously went to Spain when I was younger. When I came back and started working with Mark Petchey, you know, I didn't train much here.

But since I turned pro -- you know, this is obviously where I won my first match, you know, which I remember, I remember well. Winning your first match on the tour is a big deal.

Yeah, since then it's been one of the tournaments where I played really my best tennis, my most successful event. I do enjoy playing here. I always look forward to coming back every year. I have actually spent more time the last few years, you know, practicing here.

You know, they have the indoor courts here are very good. Obviously spent time training on the clay, as well, before the Davis Cup last year and also before I went off to Monte-Carlo this year, as well.

You know, it's a place where I enjoy spending time. It's always nice and quiet here. The courts are good. Obviously, you know, the tournament's got lots of history. I always enjoy coming back to play.

Q. Obviously we don't know who your opponent is going to be. If it is Milos, there will be a lot of public interest in the kind of Lendl/McEnroe thing. Will you have to kind of try and block that out a bit, or does it interest you as much as anybody else?
ANDY MURRAY: No. To me I don't find it that interesting, to be honest, because I'm playing Milos tomorrow; I'm not playing John. Ivan is not on my side of the court. Obviously the coaches are there in the box, and they are doing their best to help us, you know, and prepare as best as they can for the matches. So, I mean, boxes talk about -- you know, the only people that are there on the court are me and Milos. It's up to us how we perform when we're out there.

You know, they can't serve for us at an important moment and they can't hit a return for us on break point. You know, that comes down to the player. It's not -- I mean, yeah. I'm sure the media will make a big deal of it, but for me as a player it's not that interesting.

Q. Just say what your thoughts are about the two potential opponents.
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, Milos obviously, you know, big serve, moving forward quite a bit this week, trying to come to the net as much as he can.

Bernie plays more from the back of the court, but it's quite an unorthodox game, really. Not that easy to read. He plays very quickly between the points. He doesn't give you loads of time to think out there.

He can play all the shots. He's got unbelievable hands. Got a really nice slice. Good feel on the court. I think good tennis IQ. He knows how to win matches. He has very good anticipation, as well.

They are quite different, though. Bernie doesn't come forward much. Milos obviously moves up to the net a lot. It's quite a different matchup really.

Q. What do you take from the Australian semifinal, if it's Milos? Have you learned from that match?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. I learn or try to learn from all of the matches that I play. Obviously I played him in Monte-Carlo, as well. There's obviously a different surface here to Monte-Carlo and Australia. I learned a few things I think from the match in Australia which I took into the next time I played against him in Monte-Carlo, but then it's a different surface. Clay allows me to do different things against him, and grass obviously is way less rallies.

You know, it obviously -- serve is the biggest strength in his game, so, you know, I'll have to -- if I get any chances, it's important to take them when they come, because there's not going to be too many.

Q. Do you think grass is potentially Milos' best surface, or do you think maybe with the movement he will perhaps struggle a little bit on grass?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, obviously for the serve it helps, but there are certain things that make it trickier. For the bigger guys, the movement is harder. You know, returning on the grass can be tougher, as well.

But, you know, it also allows you to sort of get away with playing, in a way, low-percentage tennis on the return games. So you hit one or two big returns and maybe sneak into the net, and all of a sudden you have break point and you haven't done too much in the game.

Probably have to ask him. I have never played him on grass before, I don't think, but he obviously played extremely well on the hard courts I think so far in his career. There's no question he can play well on grass. He made the semis of Wimbledon, so, you know, he can play well on this surface.

Q. I'm curious to know what you think of Bernie as a person. You have spoken highly of Nick Kyrgios in the past. What do you think of Bernie?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I have always gotten along well with Bernie in the past. He's always fun. Always been very polite and very nice away from the court.

You know, I know it's not easy, you know, growing up kind of in the spotlight. Sometimes you can say things or make some mistakes away from the court. You know, it's not easy dealing with that side of things.

But, I mean, Bernie is really nice. He doesn't ever have a bad word to say about anyone. He doesn't cause any problems like with any of the players at all.

You know, he's maybe said some things, you know, that he's said that he regrets. But, yeah, he never causes any issues with any of the players and is always very polite and happy to have a chat.

You know, he is very, very nice. I mean, you maybe know him better than me, but all of the time I have spent with him he's been very nice.

Q. In the second set, were you annoyed with the crowd? Was there anything or anybody bothering you at all?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I mean, no one in the crowd bothering me at all. I mean, obviously, you know, when things aren't going your way it's easy to get frustrated, you know, which I did at times in the second set. But I responded well in the third set, again a bit like yesterday, as well.

You know, that was positive. But, you know, the thing that I need to improve is to try and, you know, not allow myself to get frustrated. You know, it's something that I have been working on for a long time. It's much better than it was when I was younger but still could be better.

Q. Boris Becker yesterday was saying he was maybe a little bit surprised to see you back with Ivan. Could there be any benefit to you if people are surprised, a surprise factor in it for you?
ANDY MURRAY: To be honest, it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. It's not relevant to my work that I do with Ivan, you know, and with Jamie. You know, as a player, you get the people around you that you respect and will listen to or will help get the best out of you.

I think with Ivan and Jamie, they will be able to do that for me. I think that the last few months I have been playing very well with Jamie, and I think Ivan will be able to add to that obviously. I have had very good results working with him in the past, and I see no reason why that can't be the same again this time.

But it doesn't matter if people think it's a great appointment or people are surprised or some people say it's bad to go back to someone that you have been working with before. It really doesn't matter. What matters is, you know, what I think and what Ivan thinks and what my team think about it. You know, we're all positive about it.

Q. You touched yesterday on the fact you have worked on tactical things. Did we see some of that today? Is that the start of that coming together?
ANDY MURRAY: I think I started moving a bit better today. I think I was more comfortable underfoot, and then when that's the case, when I was on the run, I wasn't worrying about sort of falling. I was thinking just purely about hitting the ball and getting good contact on the ball.

On the grass courts when you are pushed that way, if you can hit the ball clean and big, you know, crosscourt, you can rush your opponent a little bit. Got a bit of success with that today.

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