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April 24, 2008
MONTE CARLO, MONACO
N. DJOKOVIC/A. Murray
6-0, 6-4
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Give us your verdict on the match, Andy.
ANDY MURRAY: I didn't think it was very good. Uhm, second set was obviously a bit better. I had quite a few chances. You know, when I got a break up, played a bad game to get broken straight back.
You know, normally obviously my groundstrokes are very consistent. And I probably hit about three or four winners and about 25, 30 unforced errors.
Not good enough against a player like Novak.
Q. Can you just explain what happened, why the umpire didn't check that mark?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, basically the forehand was clearly wide. You know, the umpire was getting down off his chair. I mean, the ball kid slid into the mark, obviously taking the mark away. And then the umpire says that, you know, he can't change the call.
It's pretty tough because, you know, on clay, I think it's very easy to call balls that are close to the line, purely because when it does hit them, the ball obviously shoots through because it's a different surface to the rest of the courts.
Yeah, I mean, it was clearly wide.
Q. When he is striking the ball so consistently well and deep and hard, how tough is it to get into a rhythm and get into the match?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, he doesn't hit the ball hard. He changes direction of the ball very well. You know, hits good angles off both wings. You know, can take the ball up the line very well, you know, which is tough to, you know, anticipate. You know, he's got a good dropshot, as well.
Yeah, I mean, he's obviously a tough player to play against. That's why he's No. 3 in the world. I'm just disappointed I didn't play well today.
Q. Do you notice anything different about him to when he played in Indian Wells, Key Biscayne? Is it a confidence thing?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, I don't think the technique of any of his shots have changed much. But I'm sure with more experience and having won the tournaments that he's won, he's going to be feeling much better about his game.
But, yeah, I mean, he obviously hits the ball very well, serves good, returns good, moves good. He does everything very well. You know, that's why he's obviously a tough player to beat, because he's solid off both wings and moves so well.
Q. Talk about the progress you feel you've made in the last three matches, or since you got here.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, first time I made the third round of a Masters Series on clay, you know, which is good for me. You know, I felt like I was sort of understanding how to play a little bit better. Just, you know, obviously didn't really do what I was supposed to be doing well today.
But, yeah, I mean, it's been a good week for me. I've done a lot of things well. You know, so it gives me a bit of confidence going into the rest of the clay court season.
Q. Have you decided what you may do next week?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I'm not sure. I'll speak about that with Miles and Alex, decide what the best thing for me to do.
You know, obviously you want to try and play a lot of matches, you know. But also four weeks in a row... You know, if I decide to play next week, and also, you know, with obviously French Open, Queen's, Wimbledon, and then it's a really busy summer ahead.
Just have to take that into consideration, as well, and make sure that you don't, you know, tire yourself out too much because, obviously, it's going to be a long year with the Olympics.
Q. Have you been in touch with Jamie Baker?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I haven't.
Q. Do you know anything?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I kind of know what happened to him. I don't know the ins-and-outs of it. But, yeah, I mean, he's obviously had a very bad illness. You know, hopefully he'll be fit and healthy again soon.
Q. Last year Nadal was dominating the clay season and Federer was No. 2, let's say, on clay. Would you say that now Djokovic has a chance to become the No. 2, to overcome Federer at least on clay or not?
ANDY MURRAY: I think you got to wait and see how these next few weeks go. I mean, he's obviously playing well. You know, I think -- I mean, you've still got to put Federer as No. 2 right now just purely because of, when he plays well, he's the best in the world pretty much on any surface.
But, you know, yeah, I'm obviously expecting Nadal to dominate the clay again. And then, yeah, Federer. And Djokovic is for sure up there in that sort of league with Federer. Whether or not he's better than him, I don't know.
Q. I'm sure the colleagues of mine here, the British, know which soccer team you support in your country. Can you tell me?
ANDY MURRAY: I support Hibs. They're not very good. They're like the fifth best team in Scotland. They're not very good (smiling).
Q. If you can say the first quality of Djokovic, like player or athlete, which one is it?
ANDY MURRAY: I think overall just his -- he's very good at everything. I mean, he moves exceptionally well. I don't know if there's anything that, you know, he's the best at in the world, one particular shot that is better than anybody else's.
But as a whole game, he's obviously up there with the best three, four players in the world, that's for sure.
End of FastScripts
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