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BNP PARIBAS OPENMarch 10, 2013Andy MurrayINDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA A. MURRAY/E. Donskoy THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You said you didn't know much about him. I presume you know a lot more about him now. He came out firing and gave you a good match, didn't he? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, he started off well and I started off slowly. You know, there's probably a few reasons for that. But even once I got back into the match at 5‑All he played some good stuff. The game I had four or five break points in that game and he played some good stuff. And then the game where [he/I] got broken he came up with a great lob off the good volley and a great passing shot as well in that game on the set point. He played some really good stuff in the first set. Once I got into more of a rhythm I was able to dictate more of the points. But, yeah, he played some good stuff. He's quite an easy player. He doesn't force anything. I think he's pretty smart on the court, too. He doesn't kind of go for shots that aren't on and doesn't make many mistakes. Q. What were the reasons for the slow start? You said you knew what the reasons were. ANDY MURRAY: I never saw him play before. You don't know the patterns particularly well. Yeah, I have not played a match for five weeks, so can't expect to play your best tennis straightaway. Q. You haven't been playing on the ATP Tour with the new 20‑second rule enforcement. Wondering what you think about that and what you're hearing from the guys on the enforcement. ANDY MURRAY: Well, we played in Brisbane with it and they were extremely strict with it. I got one violation in that tournament for it, but guys were getting like violations on the second point of matches and stuff. So I think that the reason it's there is so that, you know ‑ I think anyway ‑ that, you know, once you get to 4‑All in a set or something it's natural to try to take more time. And sometimes after a longer point, as well, it's natural to try and get a few extra seconds to recover. You know, my feeling was that the time ‑‑because the points are way longer than they used to be now and it's more physical. Actually sometimesit can I think be impossible to recover from a 60‑shot rally in 20 seconds. So I think maybe if we increased it to 25 like it is in the slams, then that would be the same rule across the whole of the sport. Or the other way around. Q. It's the other way around. ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I think 25 seconds, it's almost long enough, but it's just because that never really had been enforced before. The guys were very surprised when it happened. You know, when you're out bouncing the ball‑‑ I got my time violation in Brisbane when I was bouncing the ball for my serve, and beforehand it was used to be that once you started your motion the bouncing was part of that. Now it's obviously not. It's a new change for everyone to get used to. But I think in the long term it will be good, but just with a little bit more tinkering. Q. Sounds like you don't feel the enforcement is uniform or you understand exactly when it's supposed to start or when it's supposed to... ANDY MURRAY: The other thing as well is that because, you know, we're just expected to know how long we're taking. I don't know how long. When I finish a 40‑ shot rally, I don't know how long 25 seconds is exactly. So that's the other thing, is that it's a rule that's kind of at the umpire's discretion as to when he wants to enforce it. If the players could see the clock on the court, that would help. But, you know, I can't imagine someone throwing the ball up to serve and having like a (Simulated buzzer) like in basketball. I can't see that happening in tennis. (Laughter.) Q.Would you mind if there was a clock on the court? ANDY MURRAY: I wouldn't mind if there was a clock on the court, no. But obviously‑‑ as long as it doesn't make the noises, yeah. Q. We did a research project on last year's matches. The men were 2.2 seconds between hits. The women, 2.5 seconds. When you talk about rhythm, we get different answers from players. Finding their rhythm. What does that mean to you? ANDY MURRAY: I think it's ‑‑I mean, for me, rhythm is kind of in between shots, and like when you serve just knowing what shot to play at the right time. I mean, when you haven't played a lot or when you're nervous or whatever, it's easy to rush shots and go for shots that aren't on. When you're in rhythm you pick the right shot at the right time and you don't try to, you know, slap it at winners or try and end points quickly. You just believe that you're going to choose the right shot at the right moment, and if it means having to play three or four more shots in the rally before you get the chance to hit a winner, then so be it. The tendency when you aren't in rhythm is to try to finish the point as quickly as possible. Q. It's the first time you have seen Rafa back this year. You guys are known gaming buddies. Have you had a chance to challenge each other, and what would be the game of choice for you? ANDY MURRAY: No. I only saw him for 30 seconds the other day. I think because we're on opposite sides of the draw, you know, our schedules are going to be slightly different. Yeah, no, not played any computer games with him for a while. Q. Why, in the last couple of years, has it been a bit of a struggle for you at this tournament? ANDY MURRAY: I don't know exactly. You know, I felt good before the match today, and I felt good before my match last year, as well. I practiced really well the week before the tournament here last year, and I played well in Brisbane, Australian Open, and then Dubai. So I don't know why I didn't play well last year. You know, this year, yeah, I started slow and I was probably nervous, because even though I had been practicing well, you know, having it in the back of your head that you played poorly the last couple of years and struggled, that's always going to be a thought. So I don't know. Normally when I first played here I liked the conditions here. For the three, four years after that I always had decent results. I don't know exactly why. Q. When someone like that comes along and you haven't played them before and you don't know much about them but you then discover how good they could be, do you actually have an interest in how they're going to progress or perhaps progressed to where they are? Might you follow that a bit more? ANDY MURRAY: The good thing now that I played him is if I was to play him again I would have a good idea what to expect. It's good to plan your tactics or the way you approach the match against him. Yeah, I follow the tour a lot. Like I said to you the other day, a lot of the guys like three, four years ago, I knew all of the players that were coming through from juniors. I played most of them and I had seen them in futures or challenger events, so I knew kind of their strengths and weaknesses. That's why now it's a bit different for me because I'm getting ‑ not old ‑ but getting on a little bit. I have been on the tour eight, nine years now. There are players coming along I have not seen before. So, yeah, it is a challenge and, you know, now that I've seen him, I'll definitely follow his results like I do with most of the guys on the tour. Q. You had the incredible achievement of breaking through and winning the US Open. Now it's a situation where the top four players have really dominated the slams for a long, long time. Next tier, Del Poe, Berdych, Tsonga, Ferrer, maybe Raonic, if you had to pick one, who do you think has the best shot of breaking through to winning a slam? ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, Del Potro has won one, so you would say that he would be maybe the favorite for that. But it depends on the surface. I mean, the guys, like Tsonga on the grass, I mean, he's had big wins on the grass and always played well there so his game suits that court more. You know, at the US Open obviously Berdych is‑‑ you know, his game suits that surface well. He's also made finals of Wimbledon. I mean, Raonic, he obviously has a big game, but, you know, the other guys have gone deeper into slams and are more experienced. But you never know how guys are going to develop and improve, because he's the youngest of that bunch of guys. But so many guys that play well now, like, you know, the guy I played today, he's a very, very good player and he's ranked 70, 80 in the world. You never know who's going to win the tournaments. I just try and play my best tennis at the slams, and over five sets it's harder for guys to beat the top players. I mean, I have no idea who will be the most likely to break through out of those guys. Q. I was just wondering your reaction when the ATP first didn't allow the prize increase here and then later when it did allow it. What do you make of that situation? ANDY MURRAY: I mean, my opinion is that if a tournament wants to increase its prize money it should be allowed to. I don't see why we should be blocking that. You know, the players, you know, over the last few years when we have been to all the meetings it has been, you know, more prize money, trying to get more prize money into the first few rounds of the events. So when we were told that it wasn't, obviously everyone was disappointed with the decision. So it's good that it's gone ahead. I think, you know, this tournament has obviously made a big step I think in the right direction, and that forces other events to try and up their level to compete with tournaments like this. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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