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CHINA OPEN

October 4, 2019

Andy Murray

Beijing, China

D. THIEM/A. Murray

6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What is your take about the match? Do you feel you have exceeded your expectations here?
ANDY MURRAY: What do I think about the match? I think there were some really good points in the match, like at the beginning of the match some really good points. Also at the end.

He definitely played better than me, more consistent, more solid. He returned better. At the end of the match, I mean, he messed up when he was serving for the second set. He served three double-faults. I had a little chance at 6-5 maybe to get the set. I mean, I would have been a bit fortunate if I got that second set.

I was a little bit unsure kind of how to go about the match at the beginning. When I lost that first game, I don't know however long it was, felt like a long first game, long points, I was feeling a little bit tired this morning. We talked about maybe, If you are feeling that way, try to finish off some of the points.

I was playing I feel like the right way the first game. When I lost that, I felt like I needed to try and finish the points a little bit quicker. I wasn't that happy with the way I went about the match after the first game. I went a bit off track there at first in terms of how I was playing.

Yeah, the week overall was good.

Q. It seems like you were struggling on your return during this match. I don't know if it's because Dominic served really well or you cannot find the feel.
ANDY MURRAY: I didn't hear the first bit.

Q. You were struggling on your return during the match. Only 13% return points you got from this match.
ANDY MURRAY: I checked. I think that's incorrect (smiling). I could be wrong, but I don't think that's correct.

Yeah, I mean, I didn't have that many chances on the return. Like I said, they came at the end of the match. I had a little chance in the beginning of the first set. I didn't return the first serve that well until towards the end of the match. For me, that was the problem.

Yeah, he serves well. He has a big serve. He serves really well. But I didn't return quite as well as I would have liked, especially returning the first serve.

Q. What are your biggest takeaways overall from this week?
ANDY MURRAY: I think this was maybe the best in terms of how I played since I came back. It was great for me. I played three matches in four days, which is quite a lot. Actually I felt better than I expected today, as well.

I didn't feel great this morning like when I was warming up. But actually when I started to maybe trust that I was actually feeling okay, my legs felt pretty good, which I was happy about.

Yeah, it was just another step for me. I wasn't expecting to go from here to my highest level or winning tournaments, like, straightaway. Yeah, everything has kind of been a pretty gradual progress for me.

This week was another step, I think in the right direction.

Q. Taking together this week in Beijing, last week in Zhuhai, how would you summarize these couple of weeks in terms of your form and fitness? Are you a bit further along than you had anticipated?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, maybe. It's always difficult to really say exactly where you are. Last week felt like quite a big step for me. The matches I played, just in terms of my movement around the court, I actually felt quite confident by the end of the week. I'm actually moving pretty well.

When I was over in the States, and when I played the challenger in Mallorca, I was a little bit concerned with that. I just didn't feel that comfortable moving around.

Then when I watched videos of the matches, I just didn't really like how I looked in terms of my movement. Whereas last week - and I think it was the case here as well - my movement on the court is not like it was before, but it's enough to be very competitive at this level. Hopefully that can continue to improve over the next couple of months.

But, yeah, I think I'm doing pretty well. I would say I'm quite happy with that. I don't know where exactly I expected to be really, but I think I'm doing quite well.

Q. Regarding practice and fitness training and everything, are you able to do the same load you were during back in the day, or is it still limited? Just curious.
ANDY MURRAY: It's not limited, but I'm doing less than before because I think I should and also before I think I did too much at times. I think there's a time and a place to do, like, heavy loading. Yeah, just not as much as what I was doing before.

The last two weeks, like yesterday, I took the day off, I didn't hit any balls. I did the same last week after my first round, as well, which I never had done that before in my career.

I obviously lost both of the next matches, so I don't know if it's necessarily the right thing for me (smiling).

I'm certainly trying to reduce the amount that I'm doing, especially just now. When I was talking about it with my team yesterday, I feel like the right way to prepare for a match is to hit some balls the day before. I'm also aware this is the most that I've done since I've come back to play. I need to bear that in mind, like, with all the decision making and stuff in terms of how much I'm going to play, practice and train.

I think little by little I'm getting there. But, yeah, definitely the overall load in terms of what I'm doing is less than what I did before. Not because it has to be because of my hip, it's because I want it to be. I don't think I need to do as much as what I did before.

Q. In Zhuhai last week you said your performance was about 60 to top 100. What is your assessment now?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I mean, it's difficult to say exactly where I am. Yeah, I mean, I'm playing well enough to be competitive at this level against all of the players. Maybe not quite, I don't know, consistent enough just now to beat maybe the top players. But I think against guys that are 10, 20 in the world I can compete well against them just now.

Yeah, I think I need a few more weeks of kind of playing matches like this, two, three, four matches in a week, trying to play consistently well in all of those matches to say I'm playing top-20 tennis or something like that.

But I'm getting there. This week is better than last week. I hope next week is better than this week. That's how I have to try to keep going to see where my limit is.

I don't think I'm at that limit now. I think I can keep improving. That's what this week has shown me.

Q. Even though you lost the match, it was a great match. I noticed your mom is in Beijing. I would like to ask, your family in terms of your improvement, in your comeback, what is the role of your family in your comeback?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I think my team and my family, obviously they've been very supportive of me. Times when I maybe wasn't feeling like I wanted to keep going or keep trying, they were also pushing me a little bit to keep going.

But, yeah, my mum is here this week doing, yeah, a little bit of stuff and work for the tournament. Obviously got my brother here, as well. It's nice for me to see them. Obviously when I'm traveling, when you're away from the rest of your family, to have some of them here is nice.

Yeah, they've always been very supportive of my tennis and my career. I'm very thankful for all of the help they've given me.

Q. After the match do you have any other plans in Beijing?
ANDY MURRAY: No. I think I could play on Monday in Shanghai. We'll be leaving. I'm not sure if we'll be able to leave this evening. We'll probably leave early tomorrow to get there. No more plans in Beijing.

Q. On social media your mother posted a picture of you at the Silk Market. Do you like more a third set or more going shopping with your mum?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, it was fun for a period of time yesterday. But, yeah, I haven't been shopping with my mum for quite a long time. Yeah, I don't know. We had some fun yesterday. It was a good experience.

I don't do much shopping with my mum any more (smiling).

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