ROLAND GARROS

October 6, 2020

Jamie Murray

Press Conference

KRAWIETZ-MIES/Murray-Skupski

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Always disappointing to lose at a slam. Just tell us what happened out there. Why didn't it work for you and Neal out there today?

JAMIE MURRAY: Yeah, we didn't get enough jump on return, yeah, which was disappointing. Because actually I think, especially the first set actually when we had the ball in play, we did a good job to convert. But, you know, we had chances on their serve at the start of the match.

Yeah, should have done a bit better, I think. But, yeah, it was disappointing. I think those guys played -- you know, after they got through the first few games, you know, we didn't take advantage and put pressure on them. You know, I think they played a very solid match, played some good points, hustled well.

Yeah, did a better job than we did.

Q. What's next for you two now? What's the next competition you'll be playing?

JAMIE MURRAY: We are supposed to play in St. Petersburg next week.

Q. Do you know after that what your plans are? Have you got an itinerary up to the ATP finals?

JAMIE MURRAY: We are entered into Antwerp the week after that. Then the week after, I guess we'll try to get into Vienna, but I'm not sure if we will or not. It's very strong. Obviously try to play Paris if it's going ahead.

Q. Are you feeling pretty relaxed about your chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals now? You're in pretty good shape after the run to the quarterfinals here.

JAMIE MURRAY: I mean, to be honest, like, I didn't pay loads of attention to it the last few weeks. I didn't really want to think about it. I'm sure if we had got through today that would have been a big step for us in getting there.

You know, there is a lot of teams that, you know, are pretty close and stuff. I think today would have been a big opportunity for us to really kind of put a mark on it, which is obviously disappointing.

Yeah, I mean, we'll need to obviously go play the next couple of weeks, try to, you know, keep putting points on the board and see where that gets us.

Q. How important would it be for you and for the city of London if the event can go ahead in November, even without fans?

JAMIE MURRAY: Well, I mean, for tennis obviously great. I mean, I don't know how much it does for London if no one is allowed to come and watch. Could be anywhere in the world, I guess.

I mean, obviously it's important to the ATP. It's the biggest event that we have on our tour. So, as I said the other day, I really hope it's able to go ahead, you know, whether there's fans or not. Has obviously been a great event for so many years, and it's supposed to be the last year in London so it would be a shame for it not to happen. But obviously that's not necessarily a reason to have the event or not.

Q. Just in general, how have you found life in the bubble? We have heard conflicting reports that perhaps there have been guests staying in the hotel perhaps weren't accredited and we have the Zverev situation where he didn't reveal where he was ill. What's been your situation with other tennis stars and the hotel situation you have been staying in?

JAMIE MURRAY: I mean, like I have pretty much, for the last, like, seven weeks or whatever, you know, been in my hotel room if I'm not at the court, so that's basically all we can do.

You know, if there is other people in the hotel, you know, it's not much we can do. If we're in our room, doesn't really matter, does it? As long as you're not coming into contact with potential outsiders and you take the right precautions, then, you know, that's all we can do.

Me, I have spent seven or eight weeks basically in a hotel room looking at four walls, which, you know, is kind of not the most fun, but this situation is not the most fun for anyone. We've just got to make do with what it is just now. It's just the main thing is that we're able to get out and compete and, you know, earn a living.

Q. You talked a little bit about your schedule moving forward. How difficult is it to make the schedule for these next few months with all the news on which tournaments are going to happen and which won't? You know, how is tennis going to stay afloat over these next few months until the Australian swing?

JAMIE MURRAY: Well, look, it's obviously very difficult for tournaments to go ahead just now, because basically everyone is cratering money, I assume, because no one is coming to watch.

So the motivation for I'm sure the tournaments after the French Open, you know, is probably not that high to host the event because it's so much effort and you're taking a big loss. So I commend everyone that's putting on events in this time.

I mean, for me, like, literally the next few weeks obviously is just hard trying to get flights to the places that we want to go to. You know, normally traveling from London there is loads of flights every day to basically wherever you want to go.

But we're going to St. Petersburg next week and British Airways is not flying there. I don't think you can fly direct from Paris, either. It's more difficult to travel. Plus you have to take into consideration that when you get there you have to get a test done so then you're wasting more time once you get there. You have to factor all that stuff in. It's a little bit more planning, I guess, needs to go into it.

Yeah, hopefully we get to the tournaments. Everyone kind of stays safe and we finish the season strong.

Q. I know a lot of golfers on the European tour have been struggling in the bubble. Wondering as a sportsperson how hard is it for you to find that balance between accepting you're very fortunate to be able to play from somebody that's also handling the mental challenges of, as you say, weeks looking at four walls in your hotel room.

JAMIE MURRAY: Yeah, it's not an easy situation, but, you know, tennis players on the whole are pretty adaptable, I think. Kind of just used to it. That's the way the world is for us just now if we want to compete.

I mean, me, I feel like, I mean, I'm used to it now. If you don't like the hotel room, you can always hang at the courts longer. You've got your freedom there.

Yeah, it's fine. I mean, look, we're in big cities and stuff. There is Uber Eats and Deliveroo and that sort of stuff. You're not living off room service, if you like, at a Novotel for three weeks. You know, we've got a choice of food and things like that. It's not the same as going out to a restaurant with your friends, partner, whatever, and socializing. You kind of do that in your room.

Q. St. Petersburg, wondering if you have an itinerary to get there yet or what that might look like.

JAMIE MURRAY: Yeah, I'm not sure actually. When I first looked there were flights going through Amsterdam, so it wasn't too bad. They don't seem to be either running now or, I don't know, maybe they are sold out. I don't know, but I imagine they're just not running.

So I'm going to fly back to London tonight and I'll try to sort my flight in the next few hours to see when I can leave to go there.

Q. Have you decided what you're doing about the ATP Cup and the Aussie Open? Are you prepared to go to Australia and quarantine over Christmas? Have you decided yet?

JAMIE MURRAY: Yeah, yeah, we'll be doing that. There is no other option, really. You've got to do the quarantine. No, what's the word, no special exemptions of that for anyone. So you've got to do it.

Me, to be honest, I don't mind going out there early. It's good weather. You know, take the two weeks on the chin and then the beauty, the good thing compared to, you know, these events is once you have done the two weeks, then you're free to do as you please. You can just be a normal citizen again, living a normal life.

I mean, yeah, we'll just have to do it, have Christmas over there. You know, it's not the end of the world for me.

I mean, ATP Cup, are yeah, I mean, I guess, you know, that's not rely on me, I guess Evo, if he qualifies, is based on ranking, I think now he has a good chance.

Yeah, it was a great event last year, a lot of fun. All the boys had a good time. Yeah, you know, hopefully it's going on next year.