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ROGERS CUP MEN


August 15, 2010


Andy Murray


TORONTO, ONTARIO

A. MURRAY/R. Federer
7-5, 7-5


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you tell me what's more satisfying for you, getting your first title of 2010 or finally reversing your streak against Roger in ATP finals?
ANDY MURRAY: I hadn't thought that much about -- you know, I don't know how many times I've lost to him in finals. I think three maybe. But, no, I mean, winning a tournament is always great, but it's the first time I, you know, I beat Roger and Rafa in the same tournament, which is probably the most pleasing thing, and then didn't drop a set against either of them. So it's good for the confidence for the next few weeks.

Q. You talked yesterday, I think it was about how you're expressing yourself a lot more on the court this week. Can you talk a little bit more about that?
ANDY MURRAY: It's just in the way I'm playing. I'm just playing a bit freer. I was going for my shots more today. You know, just felt pretty calm on the court all week, and that's -- you know, if you can put sort of the emotions and how you're feeling into I guess the way you're playing rather than sort of showing it after every point, sort of saving up and putting into the points and the rallies, you know, I felt like it worked well.
It was one of the best weeks I've had, so yeah, it was just kind of expressing myself with the way I was playing. I played pretty free-flowing tennis and didn't get too nervous.

Q. This is the second straight Canadian Open. Do you think there is something in your training schedule that allows you to be in better shape at this stage of the season than the other players?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't think the other players. I think, you know, I have played a lot of my best tennis when it's been after long breaks. You know, like in Australia this year, you know, a long time to prepare and get ready for it physically, and then here I had quite a few weeks to get ready for it.
A few years ago after the US Open I had four or five weeks and won the tournament in Madrid. It's just something that, you know, there's not -- you're a lot fresher mentally maybe coming into these weeks, and that's maybe why the top guys do normally play a bit better, because they take a break after Wimbledon, and I think that helps.

Q. Are you surprised to have won a big title without a coach?
ANDY MURRAY: No, because I think, you know, coaches are very important, but it's -- when you lose a coach, it's not -- you know, all the work that you've done with them is still there, and, you know, it's just -- you don't become a worse player just because you don't have a coach.
It's just -- you know, to improve does help to have someone with you that can improve on some things, but, you know, I've done a lot of work the last few months just before Wimbledon and after Wimbledon to get ready here, and, you know, it's not -- it's not always down to the coach whether you play well or not. It can be down to yourself most of the time. So it's not that surprising.

Q. You don't show a lot of emotion in victory. What are you feeling inside when you've won the match today?
ANDY MURRAY: Um, I feel great. Any time you win a tournament, you're obviously incredibly happy. There's a sense of relief, especially at the end of the match like today where you're up, and then you get delayed and he comes back at you and has some chances, and, you know, you just managed -- like I saved a breakpoint in the last game, and, you know, that could have changed things if he had got it.
Yeah, there's a bit of relief there, but I'm very happy but it's also important not to get too ahead of yourself that, you know, there's a couple of very big tournaments coming up after this one, and I want to try and keep it going.

Q. If I'm not mistaken, you said something after the match about this being one of the best weeks of your life. You beat Rafa and you beat Roger. It might be hard to tell because Cincy is coming up, but is this the most confident you've been going into a Grand Slam?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, obviously results-wise it's definitely helped, but, you know, before here and Wimbledon a few weeks back, I hadn't been doing that well, so -- and after Australia where I played some of the best tennis of my life, I went for a couple of months, I didn't play particularly well after that.
So, you know, I know things can change in a very short space of time, but obviously feel good after this week and try and have a good run in Cincinnati, but, you know, I'm looking forward to the US Open. That's always been a tournament I love playing, so hopefully I can do well there.

Q. The decisive game in the second set you seemed to find something a little extra with your serve at deuce. Is that a conscious thing where you try and add a little more, or is it just the adrenaline flowing at that point?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, I think the adrenaline does help, but also it is nice in those situations to get -- you know, to go for a big serve and get a free point if you can. The wind was blowing into my face on that end, so it becomes a little bit difficult once you're in the rallies to get the ball through the court.
So I managed to come up on the breakpoint with a big serve, and actually I think the deuce point is the fastest serve I've ever hit. I think it was 225, which is just over 140 miles an hour. So that's obviously something that, you know, I've been working on quite a lot. I just went for it.

Q. I know you touched on this a little, just a little bit a little earlier, but how satisfying is it to beat not only Rafa and Roger in the same tournament but also win the tournament along the way right now?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it's very satisfying. I mean, it doesn't happen that often for anyone. Yeah, it's the first time I've done it, but it's -- I mean, I was satisfied with the way that I played the last three matches. Against Nalbandian was a very good win, and then obviously, you know, beating Rafa in straight sets, and Roger, you know, I've never -- I don't think I've ever beaten Roger in straight sets before.
It's just good for the confidence, very satisfying, and hopefully I can keep it up.

Q. Roger was in here and he said that now I guess that you've beaten him in the final or beaten both him and Rafa, you don't have to prove a point anymore. Do you or have you felt like you have something to prove having reached two Slam finals?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, I want to win one. That's something that I don't -- it depends what I'm trying to prove to myself only that I can do it. You know, I believe I'm good enough to, but like I said on the court after the match, it's a very, very difficult thing to do just now because the players that are around, you know, Roger and Rafa are two of the best -- I think they will be the two best rivals ever.
I don't think that will be in question by the end of both of theirs careers. So it's a tough era, but it's also something that is exciting and challenging, and that's why I think if you can do it, it makes it a much, much greater achievement. So hopefully I can give myself a good shot at the US Open.

Q. You have actually a pretty good record against Roger, a winning record, for your career. He has I think won one tournament now in about the last calendar year. Is there a difference in Roger now versus Roger maybe a year or two ago, and if so, what is it?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't think -- like in his game, I don't think -- I don't think he's got worse. I think the game's got better, the depth, I mean, has got better. And his consistency for four or five years was unbelievable and probably never be matched with what he was doing in the Slams, and getting to semis and finals of pretty much every tournament he played in.
And I think that, you know, as you get older, it's a lot harder to keep that up, you know, as young guys coming through and a lot of big, big hitters like Soderling and Berdych that can make it very, very difficult.
So it's going to be -- he's still playing great tennis at the Grand Slams, that's for sure. And I think that's what his goal is, to play his best tennis there. But I think it's difficult to be as consistent as what he was for four or five years. To keep that up for seven, eight years is very, very tough.

Q. Do you think your current form is good enough to win the US Open?
ANDY MURRAY: Um, well, the last few matches have been great. You need to obviously be in your best shape going into the Slams because of the best-of-five sets, but, you know, if I can get a little bit fitter and stronger the next couple of weeks, play like I have been the last few matches, I'm not doing as much running as I normally would on the court and dictating a lot more of the points, then, you know, I'll definitely give myself a chance to -- the surface in New York is my favorite one, so I definitely got a shot, but I need to play great.

Q. You mentioned the relaxed state of mind that you've had on the court. Can you pinpoint what caused that? Is that just a decision you've made to be more relaxed, or is it something that's happened to make you feel more relaxed?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I don't know what it is. I just felt -- I felt pretty good this week, and I prepared well for the tournament, you know, and I said in here yesterday that definitely helps. If you have the right preparation, you remove some doubts from your mind, and, you know, I just wanted to go for my shots more this week, you know, play the way that I felt like playing and definitely -- it definitely worked.

End of FastScripts




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