	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

BNP PARIBAS MASTERS PARIS

November 6, 2016

Andy Murray

Paris, France

A. MURRAY/J. Isner

6-3, 6-7, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. How important was it to you after yesterday's sort of anticlimax, being no match, to win today? Was it more important just from the point of view of winning or also for the cushion it gives you at the top?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I wasn't thinking so much about the cushion or anything like that at the top. I'm obviously happy I got there. It would be nice to finish the year No. 1, but, you know, I'm happy that I managed to get there, but I was just -- I was pleased, I felt really nervous before the match, I didn't feel flat, or anything like that, which that was the most pleasing thing about today for me.

You know, obviously it's great to win, but, you know, sometimes after, you know, you achieve something big or something that you maybe didn't expect, it can be quite easy to have a letdown and feel a little bit flat. I felt really nervous before the match today, and I was happy about that.

Q. You said on court that you were determined to do well at the O2 where you have not always done your best. Is that the sort of thing that will keep you interested all the way to the end?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I think so. And obviously, you know, the last couple of years have been tough there for me.

So, yeah, obviously I want to try and play my best tennis there. It's not necessarily about winning. I just want to play my best and finish the year on a good note in that respect, because some of the years, you know, it has been tough for me there.

So hopefully I can play some good tennis there. I will take a few days' break now, and, you know, rest up a little bit and get ready for one big push out of the next ten days.

Q. If you could pick one thing Jamie Delgado adds to the team, what would it be?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, it's consistency of work. You know, having someone there that's constant, like, all of the time throughout the year for, you know, every single practice session that I've had this year, he's been at.

That's not the case with anyone else on my team. They aren't there every single day. They don't see, you know, everything that I do all of the time. You know, he does. So, you know, we were friends before, but I think, you know, we have a very strong relationship now that, you know, I have a lot of respect for the fact that he's made that sacrifice to travel and work as much as he has this year.

You know, we have obviously, you know, had great results together. Obviously, you know, the rest of the team make a big difference, as well. But I think just having that one person there all the time that sees everything that goes on, you know, I think he's good. But I think for me, as well, to have someone that is sort of putting that effort in, as well, I respect that a lot.

Q. How do you feel mentally and physically after this run you're on? Is it less tiring with you winning?
ANDY MURRAY: No. I mean, the matches are obviously what were tiring. I think it's just the mental side of it, like, you know, obviously losing is tougher than winning. I mean, the physical act of playing the matches is obviously, you know, depending on if you play for two-and-a-half hours it's tougher than playing a match that's an hour, obviously.

But like I said, the thing is when we aren't playing matches, like if I'd lose this week doesn't necessarily mean I take extra days off. You just spend more time on the practice court and more time in the gym.

No, I wouldn't say I feel sort of more or less tired at this stage of the season physically.

But mentally I have been in a good place for a long time now this year, and I don't feel stressed at all really away from the court.

So, you know, I still find the matches stressful, but like in the buildup to the match and stuff or when I'm back at home, you know, just in a good place right now, and that helps.

Q. I'm going to go to your hometown, Dunblane, tomorrow and you're from the town where the tennis is not huge. Even Scotland is not a huge tennis region. Does this make you something special that you became No. 1?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, obviously it's incredibly rare, you know, what me and Jamie have done coming from there. You know, there is a few tennis courts there, but they're not the best quality tennis courts, you'll see.

And, yeah, there has not been, you know, hasn't been many tennis players from Scotland over the years, you know, and a lot of what we have done is big credit to our parents. And obviously our mum who was a tennis coach at a young age. She sort of helped us and helped us learn the game really and helped us enjoy the game at a young age. We have obviously both got a lot to be thankful, you know, to her for.

But, yeah, I would think without our mother, you know, we certainly wouldn't have become professional tennis players, because why would we? You know, no one plays tennis or played tennis in Dunblane.

Q. You have said that now you're the world's No. 1 you're going to reset your goals and look at how you can continue to improve. What will you do as part of that process?
ANDY MURRAY: I'll sit down with my team, you know, maybe before the Tour Finals starts. Ivan arrives on Wednesday. Yeah, I'll sit down with my team and basically, you know, look at what my schedule is going to be for the beginning part of next year and sort of set, you know, goals through to, you know, March time probably, because I have found that I have worked better when I have had more short-term goals.

And, yeah, I will sit down and chat with them about it then.

Q. The best form of your career now. How confident are you that you can win the Australian Open and French Open next year to complete the Grand Slam?
ANDY MURRAY: I have no idea. It's so far away really. I mean, so much can happen and change in a small space of time as I have found out a number of times during my career.

These last few months, you know, no one would have expected what I have done the last few months in the summer, really, or after the French Open.

So this was unexpected to me, as well. I didn't expect it. You know, I have also gone through a period where I had the best sort of year of my career where I had won the US Open, the Olympics, and Wimbledon. I think I was in the final of the Australian Open, as well. And then after that I had back surgery, you know, a few months later.

So I have no idea what place I'm going to be in five or six months' time. But, yeah, obviously I'd love to win the Australian Open because it's sort of the next major goal, beginning of next year, because I have been close a number of times and I have never quite done it. Obviously I'd love to try and win that.

Q. You said you were nervous going into the match today. Was that because you knew it was the first time you'd be playing, having secured the world No. 1 position? And do you think is that going to be a factor in the future? Do you think it will feel different going on the court as the world No. 1?
ANDY MURRAY: I have no idea. It might only be for one week. So, you know, I might as well try and enjoy it, you know, because I could lose it at the Tour Finals and never be there again.

Once I got on the court today it was fine. I wasn't thinking about rankings or anything. I was just trying to win the match.

But beforehand, I was just happy that, you know, I was really up for the match and really wanted to try and win today. I didn't feel like, okay, well, you know, my work this week was done, in a way.

So I was really happy about that, and, you know, hopefully will feel the same way going into the Tour Finals, as well, which I'm sure I will, because, you know, you're competing against the best players in front of, you know, a big crowd there.

And, yeah, hopefully I'll be up for it.

Q. Do you think you'll stay up late tonight or possibly get up early tomorrow morning to see the rankings computer tick over and see No. 1 by your name? And has it actually sunk in yet?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I won't stay up for it. But, you know, maybe it hasn't really, because it all just has happened really quickly. Yeah, I don't know if it's -- I don't really know if it's sunk in or not.

It feels different, certainly, to when I had won, you know, a Grand Slam or anything, you know, anything like that or Olympics. It feels quite different. Maybe just because of the way it happened, really. You know, whereas when you play a final, it's kind of -- you know, you win or you lose.

Whereas with the No. 1 ranking, it's not really like that. I could still potentially have had a chance to do it next week, and obviously didn't go on the court against Milos, so it feels kind of different.

Q. What are the big differences for you, playing a tournament in Paris or Vienna or Shanghai, and playing a tournament in London where there will be so much local interest?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, I always have dealt with that well, I think, when I played Davis Cup or, you know, Olympics or any of the grass court tournaments. I have always enjoyed playing in front of, you know, home crowds.

You know, I have never -- well, it's not that I never played well at the O2. Just the last few years I haven't played so well. One year I played really well there and missed out by -- I don't know even know what it was in the end, but by a game. And one of the years I played one of the best matches of the year against Rafa in the semifinals.

So I have had some good moments there. But it's just -- it hasn't quite happened for me. So, you know, obviously the crowd helps. You know, I do think playing in front of a home crowd helps. It makes a difference, so hopefully I'll be able to perform a bit better this year.

Q. You have had a few public messages of congratulations. Roger has called you Sir Andy Murray, Rafa and Lleyton. I wondered what the best or your favorite messages of congratulations have been since you have seen since you reached No. 1?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, there is not really one. I think, I mean, obviously when you hear from any players, it's very nice, because like I said on the court the other day, you kind of -- you know, you have won the respect of the players is the most important thing, I think, when you're done playing.

You know, but I think -- I got a lot of messages last night, more than I've had after any match I have played in my life, probably.

So, I mean, all of the stuff from the family is nice, because they obviously have been -- you know, they have been there pretty much from, you know, from the start. You know, they have also seen, because you're open with your family, they have seen all kind of the ups and downs and the tough moments you have been through, as well.

You know, that's the nicest messages that you receive come from them. That's not to say, getting it from, you know, players or famous people or whatever isn't nice, too. But it means the most when it comes obviously from the family or people you care about the most.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297