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BNP PARIBAS MASTERS PARIS

November 4, 2016

Andy Murray

Paris, France

A. MURRAY/T. Berdych

7-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Were there any moments when you were truly concerned there? Like the tiebreak put us all through the grinder a bit. Must have been a bit of a tough one.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, there was still a long way to go at that stage of the match. You know, obviously didn't expect to win the first set at that stage, but I hadn't had any break points against me.

I think only one of my service games had gone to deuce in the first set and I was up 40-Love in that game, so I just needed to find a way to get more returns back in play, which I did at that moment.

And then also in the second set, beginning of the second set, started making a lot more returns. When I did that, felt a lot more comfortable.

Q. When you met that situation in the tiebreak where you're 6-1 down, how much mental strength does it take to think you can still win from that position where most people just give up and get on with the next set?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, I don't think players give up at 6-1. I think it's quite difficult to win a set 6-1 in the tiebreak. Obviously, yeah, you just have to play each point, you know, as it comes.

When you get from 6-1 to maybe 6-4, you're thinking, you know, he's going to be a little bit nervous, and, you know, I think he maybe double-faulted at 6-4. I was able to capitalize on that. There were chances afterwards, and even after 6-All it could have gone either way.

I managed to get through it, and then, you know, I think I deserved to win the second set. Although I got broken when I served for the match, I think I played better in the second.

Q. After seeing Novak lose to Cilic, did you get the feeling that there was anything more on the line than just winning tonight?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I think, you know, before -- yeah, before the match there were a few more nerves maybe than there was earlier in the week.

But once I got out there, I didn't feel any different to any other match. I didn't play the match differently to how I would have played other matches, which is good. Obviously tomorrow will probably be the same, probably.

I have never been in that position before, but I would imagine I would be pretty nervous beforehand, but once I get out there I settle down. I don't mind being nervous. I think it's a good thing. It helps me.

Q. We have been asking you about No. 1 for weeks and days, but it is a pretty big one tomorrow? In a way, it's a bit like a final, do you think, because of that extra significance?
ANDY MURRAY: No, because, you know, obviously getting to No. 1 this week, that would be great, but that wasn't my goal at the start of the week. It wasn't my goal two or three weeks ago.

You know, this is a long-term thing. To get to No. 1 is not about one match. It's about a whole season that you put together and 12 months of work.

You know, if it doesn't happen tomorrow, it can still happen, you know, in a few months, which is, you know, when I thought I'd have a better chance of doing it.

Obviously, like I said, if it happens this week, great. But if not, I'm not putting any extra pressure on myself this week because I still think I have an opportunity to do it in the future. But obviously I'd love to do it tomorrow if I can.

Q. Depending on the circumstances, are you perhaps a bit disappointed you won't be facing off Novak in Paris?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, if that was the case, I wouldn't be able to get to No. 1 this week, you know, because he would have kept the ranking.

But, yeah, I mean, obviously, any time we compete against each other, they are the matches that when I finish playing you look back on, you remember playing against the best players.

He's, you know, not just the No. 1 player just now. He's one of the best players that's ever played just like Roger and Rafa have been, as well.

So there are matches I remember a lot when, you know, when I played them. You know, a lot of those matches have been pretty significant matches in my career, as well. We have played in all of the Grand Slam finals, and, you know, we played in the Olympics and many big matches.

Q. Asked about your clinching the No. 1 in Shanghai, Gilles Simon said it would be the patience being awarded after all these years. What would it mean for you in terms of achievement to be No. 1 compared to winning a Grand Slam?
ANDY MURRAY: I think it's quite different, because obviously the slam, you know, years of work goes into trying to win a Grand Slam. I know that. It took me a long time to do it.

You know, obviously, getting to No. 1, like I said, is 12 months of work, basically. Consistency. You know, I have never done that before. My career, I have had periods where I have been consistent for a few months at a time and then dropoffs. Whereas, this year, barring the month in March, you know, I can't have done much better than I had done.

Even some of the matches that I lost, you know, Davis Cup or even at the US Open, these are matches that, you know, could have gone the other way, as well.

I have put myself in a position to do something that takes, you know, a lot of consistency, a lot of concentration for a long period of time. I'm happy about that.

Q. You seem to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the game. Have you taken the time at all in the last few months to sort of look up past No. 1s and who has actually done it, going back before your time before you were a player, even before you were born?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I haven't. Been fairly aware of the players that have been to No. 1, but I haven't looked at that the last few months. It's not something that -- I don't think that helps or would motivate me any more than I am, you know, anyway. It might distract me a little bit. I haven't checked.

Q. It's going to be a great atmosphere tomorrow. Lots of people will be cheering Jo-Wilfried on, as well. Is that something you can feed off, as well?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, yeah. I mean, obviously if he gets there, you know, it will be a tough atmosphere, for sure. He's quite far behind just now. You know, it might not happen.

But, I mean, both guys, they are fairly similar in terms of the game style. Big serves, big forehands. You know, Jo, you know, is probably -- well, Jo is a better mover and better athlete. But Milos has the bigger serve, for sure a great serve. Fairly similar matchups. It will be tough either way.

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