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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 17, 2011

Andy Murray

CINCINNATI, OHIO

A. MURRAY/D. Nalbandian
6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How much difference has a week made in your form, do you feel?
ANDY MURRAY: I thought I played better than I did last week. But, yeah, I mean, kind of the goal when you haven't been playing for a long time is just to play just a little bit better every day and try and make small improvements.
I was definitely better today than last week. I need to try and keep that up for the next match and hopefully play just 5%, 10% better tomorrow than I did today. I'll be happy with that.

Q. You ever had a match like this with six consecutive break points?
ANDY MURRAY: Six consecutive breakpoints?

Q. I mean you broke him six times in the match.
ANDY MURRAY: I didn't realize that. Yeah, I'm sure it's happened before, yeah. I've played matches where I've won sets 6-Love. I'm sure it's happened before.

Q. How much pressure was there for you going into this match, not only because he's a tricky, tough opponent, but also because if you lose here that takes away momentum going into New York?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, obviously want to try and get as many matches as I can this week. The last few years I've had a lot of momentum going into New York and haven't played particularly well there.
So it wasn't the be-all and end-all, but I want to try and play matches this week. I took quite a long break after Wimbledon and obviously played pretty poorly last week, so wanted to up my game and hopefully get a few matches this week and try and go all the way here if I can, and hopefully play my best tennis at the US Open.
That's the end goal.

Q. What is the key for you in the returning serves well?
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, it's really just instinct, you know, there's not a whole lot to it. Need to make sure you're not taking huge swings at the ball, especially the speed the ball is coming through these days.
I just try and redirect it. It's just a very instinctive shot; whereas the other strokes you normal have a bit more time to think about the serve. You know, it's like, I don't know exactly, but it's under a second by the time the ball comes off the opponent's racquet until you hit it, so you need to be very sharp.

Q. Some players talk about trying to read body language or whatnot of the server? Do you do that, or it's just completely instinctive for you?
ANDY MURRAY: One thing I've never liked so much from coaches is to like tell you, This guy favors this serve in particular. You know, on the big points he tends to serve here.
Because it's so instinctive, you start leaning one way -- it's happened to me a lot to me in the past where coaches say, First break point comes he likes to serve out wide, and you lean out there and get aced up the T. You're like, Ah, I should have just...
It's the one shot that I think you just have to do instinctively. Yeah, you pick up small things during matches, especially as the games go on, to see where they're going to serve and what you're feeling.

Q. What about anticipation in general? Not necessarily on the serve, but your peers often say you have very good anticipation. What is that exactly?
ANDY MURRAY: It's just sort of, you know, rather than being the fastest player in a straight line, it's just sort of reading the game a little bit better, so when you hit the ball in a certain position you're sort of in a way leaning and expecting the ball to go a certain way. And timing, sort of like running out to wide balls, I think, sort of getting the timing of the movement.
Because a lot of guys move really, really well, but when they get there they sometimes moved a little bit too far or not quite close enough to the ball. Sort of just anticipating the distance you have to move and when to do your split step.
The split step is huge, especially on a shot like return of serve. But also when guys have like short balls as well. If you get your split step wrong, it's all over.

Q. Is that learned or innate?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I guess it's learned, but just playing loads of matches you get your movement back. Movement has been one of the best parts of my game since I've been on the tour.
But like last week, for example, I hadn't played many matches and felt really slow. My split step was off and I wasn't timing my movement well, and all of a sudden you feel so slow.
So it is something that's learned over time, but you need make sure you play matches just to stay sharp.

Q. I know you talked about your diet change last week; was it a medical diagnosis that prompted the change, or you just wanted to see what it was like?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I just did some blood tests for allergies and some blood tests for basically food intolerances. I think it's something that most athletes should do. I've always eaten pretty well, but when you get the tests back you can be a lot more specific with what you eat and what you shouldn't eat and you're putting the things in your body that you need.
So that was why I did it. There was no -- I hadn't really had any problems. But since I started doing it, I felt much better, less stiff, less inflammation in my body. It was a good thing to do.

Q. You've spoken about how you like the US Open. Is it the atmosphere of the court or the people or the fact that you've had success there before as a junior?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, the first, you know, your first impression of the place, I went there when I was 15 years old. It was the first time we got put up in like a five star hotel when I was a kid. It's a fun place to go to, so I really like that.
It was different compared to all the other junior events. You got to eat in the restaurant with the other players. I got to meet players like Coria. He was one of my favorite players growing up. I watched Tim Henman and Roger Federer putting on the putting machine before they played the semifinals when I was 16 or 17.
You just got to be around it. That's what I really liked it. And then when I went and watched some matches on the Arthur Ashe Court, watched Henin against Clijsters final, and also Henman against Federer.
I thought the atmosphere on that court was the most completely different to other courts in the world. That's why I enjoyed it.

Q. Yesterday Roger was saying that although there this is obviously strong field, he can't see anyone outside of top four winning it. Would you agree with that?
ANDY MURRAY: The US Open or here.

Q. US Open, yeah. Have you seen a dark horse out there?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't know. It's a tough one. I think there are guys capable of winning the US Open and guys that have beaten -- like Tsonga has beaten Roger the last few times.
But, yeah, I have no idea. I think Novak is going to go in understandably as the favorite. Then I think, you know, behind them, I think this week is going to see sort of how guys are playing. Someone like Mardy Fish has been playing great tennis.
But you never know. It's one thing winning these tournaments and the smaller tour events and obviously playing your best tennis at the Grand Slams. So that's what it's up to.
It just depends on the week. If guys play their best, then for sure they have a chance. But it's not that easy to do over the space of two weeks.

Q. Speaking of Tsonga, he's down a set and a break to Bogomolov. Do you know him at all?
ANDY MURRAY: Tsonga? Bogomolov?

Q. Bogomolov.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I lost to him in Miami this year. I know a lot about him. Thanks.

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