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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 30, 2010

Andy Murray

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you tell us what you've been doing since the semifinal win.
ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, yeah, not a whole lot. I mean, obviously finished pretty late on Thursday. Came in to practice about 2:00 yesterday. Practiced for about an hour or so. Pretty much slept quite a lot yesterday 'cause got to bed about 2:00 on Thursday night/Friday morning. So, yeah, sleeping a lot, practicing, seeing the physio, making sure everything is good, just resting.

Q. What do you need to do differently in this match than you did in New York in the last final?
ANDY MURRAY: Just play better. I mean, physically I'm going to be a lot fresher. And, yeah, just play better. I have a game that can cause Roger problems. I need to play my best tennis for five sets to beat him.

Q. He's a heck of a frontrunner. Is the start crucial?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, against Del Potro at the US Open last year, he was up a set and serving for the set, and Del Potro came back. You know, guys have come back against him in the past.
Obviously, it would be nice to start well, but I don't think it's the end of the match if the start doesn't go my way. Five-set matches, so much can happen. A lot can change in just a few points, like my match the other night against Cilic. It's not the end of the world if the start doesn't go to plan.

Q. You only played him once in a Grand Slam, but do you get a sense that he's a different proposition in a Grand Slam than any of the tour events?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't know. I mean, his record in slams is incredible. You know, I think in three sets some guys -- you know, you can play great for a set and a half, and the match can be done. Like, you know, when Davydenko was playing the other day, if that was in a regular tour event, you know, maybe because he was closer to the finish line, he might have closed the match out, whereas in the Grand Slams it takes a bit longer, which makes it tougher.
But his record in Grand Slams is great. This is pretty much the same in other tournaments, as well. He's had the few odd upsets here and there, but his consistency is what has been so amazing the last seven, eight years.

Q. How hard has it been dealing with the long wait to get through to Sunday night?
ANDY MURRAY: No, it's been fine. I mean, you know, you can prepare exactly how you want to, get as much rest as you need. You can sleep when you want. So, no, that's been good. You know, a lot better than when I played at the US Open, played three days in a row. I'd much rather have two days off in between and be physically fresh going into the match.

Q. Have you had much correspondence from Britain at all?
ANDY MURRAY: I've had a lot of good luck messages from friends and family from back home. Just trying to stay focused for another couple of days, not think about everything that's going on back home. Then I'll have some time to take it all in after the tournament's finished.

Q. Feel like 150,000 years?
ANDY MURRAY: I've only been alive for 22 and a little bit, so... But, yeah, it's been a long time. But, you know, it's gonna be tough.

Q. What did you make of his performance last night? Why do you think you are a better player than when you met him at the US Open?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, obviously last night was very good for him. A quick match. Not many long points. You know, obviously got ahead early. Played well afterwards. Tsonga would have been understandably a bit tired going into the match. He played back-to-back five-setters. Once he got ahead, it was going to be tough for him to come back.
Well, I was only 20. I mean, 20 was pretty young when I played my first slam final. It was a year and a half, two years later, I just feel physically more mature, mentally more mature. You know, just a lot more experience in these sort of situations now.

Q. Mentally how do you prepare for a big match like this?
ANDY MURRAY: You have to try and -- it's not like any other match because obviously there's different pressure, you know, being a Grand Slam final. It doesn't happen every day of the week. So, you know, there's a few things that you do, you know, a little bit differently in your preparation to make sure, you know, you stay focused.
Because you have a couple of days, you don't want to be overthinking the match, playing it over too many times in your head. You just need to try and not think about it, if that's possible, get away from it.
Been watching some movies, some DVDs, some comedy DVDs to get your mind off of it.

Q. What sort of titles?
ANDY MURRAY: I actually don't know the name of the movie. It was on after the tennis last night. Then I've been watching Gavin & Stacy, a British comedy series I've been watching from back home.

Q. How would you describe your relationship with Roger?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I get on fine with him. I speak to him in the locker room when we see each other and chat. We've obviously had -- we played I think 10 times now on the tour. I've known him for four and a half, five years. No, we get on well.

Q. You've beaten him six times. Is there any one of those in particular you take real heart from tomorrow? The win in Shanghai, perhaps?
ANDY MURRAY: All of them. I mean, anytime you win against him is great, you know. If it's one win somewhere, if it was one win against nine losses, it would be a little bit different. But that's not the case.
I'm gonna need to play my best match ever. I'm totally aware of that going into the match tomorrow. That's what I plan on doing. I'll try and play my best. If I do, I've got a good chance of winning.

Q. What does it mean to you to have your mother here? Does she have an influence on you at all?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I mean, I don't see her that much during the tournament. You know, I see her a little bit after all of my matches. You know, she does some commentary, loves watching, you know, the other matches as well. You know, I like having her here to watch. She obviously enjoys watching. I see her a lot throughout the rest of the year.
This week's business, you know, work. Just try and stick with the guys that I work with, not have any sort of distractions outside of the guys I work with.

Q. You mentioned Del Potro last year at the US Open. Have you studied that match and maybe some of Federer's other big losses as to how he can be taken down?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I played him a lot of times, so I know, you know, the way you need to play against him. Yeah, I've watched so many of his matches that I know how he plays. It's not going to be too many surprises on the court tomorrow.
But, you know, I've watched pretty much all of his Grand Slam finals, you know, bits of them at least. So, you know, I know what to expect. I know how he's gonna play. It's up to me, like I said, to play my best.

Q. What did you make of the Tsonga/Federer match?
ANDY MURRAY: It was quick. Roger played very well. I didn't think Tsonga played his best. Looked physically a little bit tired. You know, once Roger got ahead, looked like Tsonga's head went down a little bit. But Roger obviously played very well.

Q. Really stepped it up, didn't he? Takes it to a new level sometimes.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, he played great. I'm sure he's gonna play great again tomorrow, yeah. Obviously, he plays very, very well. He's probably the best tennis player ever. So you would expect him to play well in those situations.

Q. Can you beat him if he plays his best?
ANDY MURRAY: Have to wait and see, you know. I think, you know, if I play my best, I think I got a good chance against anyone. And then, you know, at the top of any sport, it can come down to, you know, a few points here or there, sometimes a little bit of luck. You have to wait and see.
But if I play my best, I think I got a chance against anyone.

End of FastScripts

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