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WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 17, 2006

Andy Murray

CINCINNATI, OHIO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was a pretty amazing effort by any standards. Were there points where you thought you were just too tired to go on?
ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, I just didn't want to do any more running. And it was like mentally it was so difficult because, you know, sometimes when you get tired, you know your opponent's feeling it, but I think he was pretty fresh today. And also, you know, because I was struggling from, you know, the end of the first set, I ended up doing all the running. And, you know, when you're tired, the last thing you want to be doing is running, especially in those conditions.
That's why it was so tough today. I didn't, you know, feel going into the third set like I was gonna win the match. You know, I just had to keep fighting and I managed to get myself back in. But it was really tough for me today.

Q. When did you start feeling really tired?
ANDY MURRAY: Towards the end of the first set. I can't remember when exactly, but my legs today just weren't there. You know, although I didn't cramp or anything, it was like I felt it early on, and my first step wasn't very fast. My legs were just burning after each point. I felt like I needed to take the whole 25 seconds after each point, and normally I play quite quickly in between points.
Uhm, it was the first time I really felt like that so early on in a match. But, I mean, I think it's normal. I think that's my thirteenth match in sixteen days, so, you know, I'm not used to it, especially playing at this level as well.

Q. Is it a different kind of tired than some of the other times when you've, you know, maybe faded away a bit in some matches previously? Was it different today?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, I think -- I mean, it's a strange run. I've never felt out of breath -- when I've got cramp before, like the two times that I got it, I've never felt, you know, out of breath or actually even felt tired at all. It just happens, and you can't do anything about it. I don't exactly understand why.
But like today I understood exactly why, you know. It was just one of those days where you get up and, you know, legs just weren't there. I've done a lot of running the last few weeks. I think it's normal. I've been playing in the heat of the day all the time. It's been hot here. You know, I think there's not too many guys on the tour that would be feeling good after playing as many matches as I have, you know, bar kind of Nadal. I mean, even Federer said he was tired after winning in Canada last week and coming here, so that shows how tough the conditions are, especially playing at the highest level.

Q. Was it more humid today than the rest of the week? Felt it watching.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I think it was. At least in the third set, after the first few games, the sun kind of went behind the clouds and that made it a little bit cooler. But, yeah, I was struggling for breath, and like the court felt hotter today than it was. You know, my feet were burning when I was doing the running. It wasn't very nice.

Q. I'm a little confused here. You weren't expecting to win yesterday, and today you were too tired to really play, and yet you won both those matches. How --
ANDY MURRAY: No, today I never said once I was too tired to play. I just said that I was feeling so tired that, you know, it was gonna be tough. I said going into the third set I wasn't expecting to win because I was feeling, you know, tired, and he's pretty fresh. You know, he's not played too many matches the last few weeks so he was the fresher of the two of us.
Today was -- sorry, yesterday was completely different match, you know. I didn't feel as tired, but I don't think anybody would have picked me to have won yesterday. So, no, I wasn't expecting to win yesterday, but today I was expecting to win going into the match. But the more the match went on, the more tired I got, it was starting to come harder and harder.

Q. So how did you win, then? How do you overcome being as tired as you were out there?
ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, well, I mean, I think you just have to keep fighting. And, you know, when you get to 4-All in the third set, regardless of how tired you are, you see the finishing line. If you do a marathon and you see that there's one mile to go, you can push yourself to finish it. But if you're starting to get tired, you know, after one, two miles, then, you know, mentally it's pretty difficult, but you can push yourself to finish it.
And when I, you know, was a break down, I was struggling. It was 4-3, 30-Love on his serve, and he missed some easy balls to let me back in. This was a big match for him 'cause he hadn't won too many matches this year. He had points to defend. Maybe he got a little bit nervous. When I got in at 4-All, I saw there was maybe only five, six minutes left, and I managed to push myself the last couple games.

Q. You slowed him right down, which seemed to be very effective. Was that dictated by your physical needs or by tactical considerations?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I think physically I was struggling, but I've never played against someone who played quicker than that. I don't know if he was doing it because he saw I was tired or not. But he was up at the line four, five seconds after every point. Maybe he was doing it because he saw that I was tired and wanted to start each point where I was maybe a bit out of breath.
But, you know, I'm entitled to 25 seconds, so I wanted to try and use it.

Q. Looked like at the end you could almost barely stand as you were coming over to the chair. Did it really hit you once that match ended?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I just -- I wasn't feeling well, you know. It was like I'd done so much running. And, you know, like at the end of the match I wasn't thinking like what I was doing in the points, I was just trying to get the ball in the court, hardly any winners, you know. I was just trying to chase every ball down, you know, return his serve and try and get myself into the points and I wasn't really thinking tactically, Maybe I should come into the net, Maybe I should try to hit high balls. I just wanted to try and fight my hardest. I wasn't thinking what I was doing out there really.

Q. Is there a certain part of you that enjoyed being out there?
ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, no (smiling). Not today. I wasn't really enjoying myself. That's physically the most tired I've been on a tennis court before.

Q. If you hadn't had a coach, say during the spell when you didn't have a coach, would you have been able to push yourself to that extent?
ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, I think, you know, if I was on my own and there was, you know, no family, no people that I would look to for support, then, you know, I probably would have struggled. But I just think, you know, when there's someone there who's always supporting you and you can look up and they're saying, Come on, Come on, Come on, that helps, whether it's a coach or your mum or your brother or one of your friends, then it makes it easier.
But, you know, today Brad was obviously very positive. And I'm sure, you know, he said to me he thought I still had a chance of winning even when I was 4-2 down in the third.

Q. So you have to come out and play tomorrow possibly during the day. What do you do tonight to recover and recuperate?
ANDY MURRAY: Gonna try and get some food and then, you know, just drink a lot and try and sleep as much as possible. Uhm, I'm hoping that, you know, I get the chance to play at 7 o'clock tomorrow because if not I think I'm not gonna be feeling too good. If I play when it's dark and not so humid, then, you know, that might help me a little bit. But, you know, regardless of when I play, I'm still probably gonna be struggling a bit tomorrow.

Q. Is it possible because of your youth that you don't know what your limits are yet; that you're going beyond what you thought was possible?
ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, well, this is the first time that I played three weeks in a row and won at least three matches. I could have only played one more match if I'd won against Gasquet last week in the last three weeks. So, uhm, you know, I'm just not used to this, so that's probably why I'm feeling tired.
But, you know, definitely, you know, I don't know how long I can do this for because it's never happened to me before.

Q. How does today's win rate in terms of satisfaction compared to yesterday? I know it's very different, but must be pretty satisfying for you?
ANDY MURRAY: Yes, it is very satisfying, you know. Any win is satisfying. But, you know, I can't really compare it with yesterday's because yesterday's was special. Today's wasn't, you know, as special. Still a good win, but not the same as beating someone who's won eight Grand Slams.

Q. Are you going to watch the match tonight between Roddick and Chela?
ANDY MURRAY: No.

Q. Will Brad?
ANDY MURRAY: I'm sure he will, yeah.

Q. Any thoughts about either opponent tomorrow?
ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, well, I lost to Chela in the Australian Open in three sets this year - probably the worst match I've played this year - but I've beaten Roddick twice. So, you know, I'd probably rather play against Roddick.

Q. You're not going to have any physio? You didn't mention that.
ANDY MURRAY: I saw the physio just now. I might have a massage. It just depends how much time I've got because I want to, you know, get to bed pretty early and see what time I'm playing first. If I'm on first match at eleven, or one, you know, I might want to go and get some food and get into my bed as quickly as possible.

End of FastScripts...

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