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WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2011

Andy Murray

LONDON, ENGLAND

A. MURRAY/R. Gasquet
7-6, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In previous matches obviously it seemed much tougher. Today you were very assertive. Looked pretty straightforward in the end.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, the second and third sets were much better. First set I returned poorly, so I wasn't able to get into any of his service games at all. I definitely didn't get to deuce. I had no breakpoints in the first set, but managed to string a few good points together in the tiebreak. I served well throughout, which helped.
But, yeah, first set was tough 'cause I hardly made a return in the court.

Q. Were you struggling to get a read on it at the start?
ANDY MURRAY: No, it wasn't that. I was reading it fine. I just was making bad contact with the ball. Puts a lot of slice on his serve. It was very different conditions also today. It was very quick compared with a couple days ago under the roof.
So it took a while to get used to that, too.

Q. How did you find the heat out there?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it was hot. I mean, we haven't played -- I do a lot of training in Miami to try to get used to it. The last few months pretty much all of the tournaments, the French Open wasn't particularly hot, and obviously the last few weeks here has been cold, too. So it was definitely a bit of a shock.

Q. After three matches, what's pleasing you most about your game and what's pleasing you the least about your game?
ANDY MURRAY: Serving well. As I say, there's not been anything I've been really unhappy with. Today, like I said, I didn't return well the first set. Uhm, but serve's been good. I haven't got broken too many times.
Return is normally one of the stronger parts of my game. If I can keep returning well, keep serving like I have been, I give myself a chance in a lot of matches.

Q. The third set, the way you played, that's what you need to go all the way?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, you need to hold on to your own serve on grass when the conditions were playing like they were today, when it's quick. I've been told it's meant to be hopefully warming up a bit.
But you need to serve very well. The court gets quicker, too, the more it's played on, so serve becomes more important as the two weeks go on.
But, yeah, I need to play my best tennis if I want to win.

Q. What was it like playing in front of the Royal couple? Do you feel any extra pressure when you have such high-profile guests in the crowd?
ANDY MURRAY: No, you don't. You have to try and, you know, focus on what your job is. That's trying to get the job done on the court. You can enjoy it afterwards.
I didn't know they were coming. I wasn't told. So as I was walking to the court - I don't know if he's, someone from the Evening Standard told me. Is he here? Yeah, he told me that Kate and Pippa were coming. I didn't know if it was true, because no one else had heard anything. Yeah, obviously I saw them when I went out.
Yeah, it's obviously great to get the chance to play in front of them. But when you're playing the match you're not focusing on that.

Q. You had the wherewithal to make a bow.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. Well, I was obviously very happy after the match. I think that was the right thing to do.

Q. It came across as very funny. William and Kate laughed; you smiled. It was an amusing thing. Was it something you planned before?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I hadn't planned on doing it before. When the queen came to our match last year we were told she was coming and that we would bow when we went on and off the court.
But today we weren't told anything, so it was just, yeah, sort of off the cuff. Yeah, didn't think too much about it. If it was funny, that's fine, but I wasn't intending it to be funny.

Q. Did you get to meet them afterwards?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I did. If I'd known they were coming, I would have shaved (smiling). I was thinking to myself as I came off I was sweaty and very hairy. I said to them, I'm sorry, I'm a bit sweaty. But, yeah, it was really nice.
Like for me those things are always quite difficult because there's a lot of people around, so it's not the most natural way to be introduced to people.
But it was very nice to get to meet them.

Q. What did they say to you?
ANDY MURRAY: Just, Well done on the match. Asked me how it was out there. That was it. Wasn't a long conversation.

Q. Any superstition behind your not shaving?
ANDY MURRAY: No, not at all. No. I might shave tonight.

Q. Do you have any actual superstitions that you do before a match?
ANDY MURRAY: No. I used to be more. No, I don't. The problem with having superstitions is, you know, you become very sort of attached to them. Then, you know, if you always go in the same shower and then you finish your practice and you go to have a shower and someone's in it, you're not obviously going to jump in there. Well, you could, but I choose not to. (Smiling.)
So, yeah, I try not to have any superstitions.

Q. You used to?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I didn't. I think Tim said he used to always go in the same shower. A few people said to me, Maybe he should have changed when he got to the semifinals (smiling). Just meant to be a joke.
But, yeah, I try not to have any superstitions. When I'm on the court I sometimes have my bottle, my water bottle, facing the way that I'm like sort of going. It was more to remind myself how much I've drunk rather than anything else.
But, yeah, don't have too many superstitions.

Q. Given the unreliability of Royal arrivals here, do you think you should shave every match just in case they turn up?
ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, yeah, I've been told to shave by a few people the last five or six days, and I just haven't got round to it. It's at the length now where it actually hurts a little bit, so I always put it off a wee bit till I have a bit of time.

Q. Until you're brave enough?
ANDY MURRAY: It hurts around here. My hair is starting to get more manly now. It hurts a little bit. (Smiling.)

Q. Is that a cry for a Gillette sponsorship deal?
ANDY MURRAY: Maybe, yeah. The thing is, I wouldn't have the discipline. I think all the Gillette athletes have to shave every day. I think they have to be clean shaven. I probably wouldn't be able to keep that up.

Q. If you have to play Deliciano next, do you think your mum would be bared from the box?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I don't know what the score is. I think it was two sets to one. I'm not sure if he's going to come through. Looks like a tough one.

Q. What do you have to do to win the tournament in terms of improving your game from here now?
ANDY MURRAY: You just need to keep improving each match. I think the match in the third round, for me, was a really good test. It was a tough match. I thought both of us played well. You just need to just keep improving a little bit each round. It all comes down to taking your chances when you play against the best players.
When I played against Rafa at the French Open I had many breakpoint opportunities; wasn't able to take them. So, you know, get yourself in the right position in the match and take it.
For me, serving is very important. If I serve very well then I'll have a chance 'cause my return is normally consistent. I normally give myself quite a few chances to break during matches.
If I can be solid on serve, that will make a difference.

Q. Is this the most comfortable you've felt? At this stage, you seem quite relaxed.
ANDY MURRAY: Well, no, I mean, every match -- you know, it's not like you go out there totally relaxed. There's nerves all the time. There's pressure to do well.
I'm sure in the next match, you know, it will be a match that a lot of people will be expecting me to win. But, you know, you need to go out there and, you know, I know it's going to be very difficult. It's the quarterfinals of a slam.
Just got to be ready for the next one. Look forward to it.

Q. How was the heat?
ANDY MURRAY: It was really hot, yeah. It was really hot the first set and a half, and then the clouds came over and it was fine. Yeah, it was maybe the hottest weather I played in at Wimbledon, I think. It felt quite humid, too.

Q. When was the last time you wore a cap on Centre, Andy?
ANDY MURRAY: Quite a long time. I have worn a cap from time to time in matches when it has been really hot, but not on Centre Court for quite a while.

Q. You may not want to answer this, but if Rafa and Roger were to meet each other on a neutral surface, slow hard court, both at the peak of their games, who do you think is a better player?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, that's a tough one. I'd have to take Rafa because he's beaten Roger maybe double the times that Roger's beaten him. You know, I think the one court where I favor Roger a lot is indoors. I think he plays better on an indoor court than Rafa. But on all the other surfaces, I think I give Rafa a slight edge.

Q. Just a better matchup?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. I think so. I think, yeah, he has a good game to play against Roger, and I think that showed, you know, once he learnt how to play better on grass courts. He's obviously one of the best grass-court players ever. Rafa, as well.
Yeah, I think they're very close. I mean, if Roger plays his best tennis then he can obviously beat him, but I think that Rafa is so solid throughout the match he doesn't give him many errors. I think Roger hasn't returned Rafa's serve as well as you might expect.

Q. Talking about the next two opponents, your mum's coaching notes on LÃ³pez probably won't be of much use, but what is your own view of Feliciano as an opponent, and also what you know of Kubot?
ANDY MURRAY: LÃ³pez, he beat Roddick in the last round straight sets. He serves very well, good slice backhand, plays different than a lot of the Spaniards. He likes coming forward a lot.
Both of them actually. Kubot, as well. I watched quite a few games of the match. He was serve-volleying a lot of the second serves as well. He was coming to net whenever he had the chance.
I'll have a lot of passing shots to hit and need to return better than I did today.

Q. Does it add pressure when you face somebody you weren't expecting to face at this stage of a Grand Slam?
ANDY MURRAY: No, there's always pressure. I mean, in every round there's pressure 'cause the first round you're expected to win. That can obviously add a bit of pressure. I think once you get to this stage of the tournament, whoever's getting there is gonna have confidence in their game. They're going to have been playing very well.
You know, Kubot came through the qualifying, I think. So if he wins that match, he will have won seven matches in a row on grass. So he'll be comfortable. You just got to go out there and play, have the right game plan, get the job done.

Q. What are you going to do this evening?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't know. Go home, have a nice bath. Do, yeah, just normal stuff. I don't know. Haven't thought about it that much.

Q. Is this the best you've ever felt here in terms of your tennis?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't know. You never know. I mean, I played well today. I felt like the last match I played well. First two rounds could have been better. But you need to just try and keep improving, like I say, with each match.
It's, you know, when you go behind in matches, when you're pushed, is when it's important to up your game and play your best tennis. I'm sure I'll get challenged a lot in the next round. Just got to be ready for it.

Q. Rory McIlroy is coming today or tomorrow. If he shows up, are you going to try to meet him?
ANDY MURRAY: If it's convenient for both, obviously we'll try. I heard he was coming today. I don't know when he's coming. But, yeah, it would be good to meet him.

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