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WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 1, 2008

Andy Murray

CINCINNATI, OHIO

A. MURRAY/C. Moya
2-6, 6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You turned it around pretty dramatically in the third game of the second set. Talk through what changed for you.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, first set he was dominating a lot of the points and was playing really aggressive on my second serve.
Yeah, I was down I think 2-0 and two breakpoints in the second, and just managed to find some big serves. I hit one really good forehand. I was off balance and hit a forehand winner up the line, you know, and then, yeah, started to return much better. Started making a lot more balls.
I think, you know, third set he maybe got a little bit tired.

Q. What thoughts were going through your mind at 2-0?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, not a whole lot. He was playing too well and my game was not up to scratch. I just had to, you know, to try and stay tough and not give up.
You know, I managed to start serving much better. I served a lot of aces toward the end of the second set. In the third his game started to go down a little bit. He was rolling first set. He was hitting his forehand great and playing aggressive on his backhand return and couldn't do much.

Q. How is the heat for you today? Was it worse today, or did to get better when the clouds came?
ANDY MURRAY: I think it was over 100 degrees on the court maybe. You know, so regardless of whether the clouds are there, the court is still so hot it burns the feet and your legs get a little bit more tired than normal.
But, yeah, I mean, I've played a few matches in it now. I'm starting to get as used to it as you can, I guess.

Q. Did you think it had almost gone?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it was close. Yeah, I mean, to go two breaks down, a set and two breaks down, would have been tough to come back from. But, you know, it happens sometimes in tennis when you're feeling confident and you know your opponent hasn't maybe played as well as he can throughout the year.
If you can kind of get yourself back into the match a few doubts can go through their mind. I don't know if that happened, but I definitely felt more confident once I held that game at 2-Love.

Q. You played fantastically well, but were you okay physically in that first phase of the match?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, he was playing too well. I was hitting the ball badly. Sometimes you just go on the court and you're not hitting the ball well at all. It happens to everybody. You just got to try to find a way to come back and I did that. It wasn't a physical thick.

Q. At one point you grabbed your knee after the point. Was it bothering you any more today than it has been?
ANDY MURRAY: No. I misplaced my foot and I -- I don't really know how to explain it. I almost hyperextended my knee a little bit. It was a little bit uncomfortable for a few points, but it was fine for the rest of the match.

Q. There is a lot of buzz about the No. 1 position changing hands. It's really exciting for fans. Is it exciting for you guys as players?
ANDY MURRAY: No, not really. I mean, obviously, you know, you follow what's going on with the rankings and you what have you, but you're more interested in your own game rather than what's going on with Nadal/Federer.
Federer has been at the top for so long now that it was always going to happen where he has, by his standards, you know, a little drop off. You know, someone like Nadal, who I think is going to go down as one of the best players ever, is going to play well for a whole season.
Because in the past I think he had been ahead of Federer a few times in the lead-up to this stretch the year. Nadal hadn't played well in the American hard courts really before, and is playing much better this year. I think it was always going to happen some time.

Q. Seeing someone else finally achieve it, does it give you more ambition -- I assume you have ambition to be No. 1 -- does that do anything for your own ambition?
ANDY MURRAY: No. 1 has never been something that's most important for me. For me, winning a Slam is my ultimate goal. If No. 1 comes because of that that's great, but it's not something that I'm -- I would rather do than win a Slam.
You know, US Open or Wimbledon would be, for me, better than that.

Q. Do you feel maybe a little bit more poised for a Masters breakthrough this particular week?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, I've made I think four, this is maybe my fifth Masters semifinal. I lost to Djokovic a couple times, Nadal last week. Don't know who it was in the other one.
But, yeah, I mean, I lost to some really good players, and this is my best opportunity to get through to a final. Karlovic and Kohlschreiber are playing very well this week, but I think I'm the favorite for the match.

Q. For you, how much would it mean to get to the final?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, at Wimbledon I was saying I don't think there's a huge difference between the semifinals and a final of a Masters Series. It's not like it's a one-off thing for me to be in the semis.
To win it would be huge. I think there's a difference between making semis and winning it. But to make finals not a huge difference for me.

Q. Few years ago I watched you win a challenger at Seascape, and everybody noted your confidence. It seems like that's increased, particularly maybe in the last year. Can you talk just a little bit about where that comes from?
ANDY MURRAY: Was that in Aptos?

Q. Yeah.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I had just come from Wimbledon. It's funny you say that, because before Wimbledon I had absolutely zero confidence. I was really struggling. I had lost in a lot of qualifying for challengers that year.
And then a couple results at Wimbledon and Queen's made all the difference and made me believe I could beat top players and get to the top of the game.
Yeah, I played really well that whole week. I don't think I lost a set. But, yeah, I just think the more experienced, the more wins you have against better players, and the more you're around the tour.
I think I'm close to my highest ranking ever now, and that obviously gives you confidence.

Q. Has Miles gone home?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah.

Q. Is there any special reason for that?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it was best friend's wedding. He left yesterday around midday.

Q. Is that a pity in a way? I mean, it's a quite an important match tomorrow.
ANDY MURRAY: It was the same yesterday and today. I mean, a lot of guys go without coaches sometimes. I got my physio and fitness trainer here. You just got to deal with it. It's happened in the past to me I've played without coaches. Just got to get on it with it. I'll still speak on the phone and come up with a strategy. You know, they don't win the matches for you when you're on the court, so not a huge difference.

Q. Regarding your confidence, what do you think now that making consecutive semifinals in Masters Series will do for your expectations?
ANDY MURRAY: My expectations are always very high. I think that it's more important to set a really high standard, and if you don't quite achieve it you've still done well, rather than setting yourself a lower standard and achieving it.
I think I can win a Masters Series, and I'd love to do it this week. I played well last week and had a tight match against Nadal. This week I'm playing well again. You know, hopefully I can do it.

Q. What pleased you most about what you did when you were making that comeback?
ANDY MURRAY: The way that I stayed in control of my emotions. You know, I made sure that I sort of, you know, when I realized I was in danger I didn't get worked up. I slowed down and made sure I knew what I was going to do in the points.
Because of that I hit some big serves and managed to turn it around. But, yeah, it wasn't so much the way I was hitting the ball. It was more the way that I stayed in control the whole match.

End of FastScripts

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