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WIMBLEDON


June 24, 2013


Andy Murray


LONDON, ENGLAND

A. MURRAY/B. Becker
6‑4, 6‑3, 6‑2


THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  Was that pretty much the perfect first round?
ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, it was a good start.  He's a tough player.  I thought it was a pretty high‑standard match, apart from a few games in the middle of the first set.
But, yeah, we had a lot of good rallies.  He served well for the first couple of sets.  And, yeah, it was a good start.

Q.  You looked quite comfortable.  How is the back feeling?
ANDY MURRAY:  No, the back feels fine.  It was fine during Queen's.  It was fine in the buildup.  So that's a positive.  Yeah, body feels good.

Q.  Have you got any other rehab tonight or tomorrow extra that you might not have had?
ANDY MURRAY:  No.  I mean, I always would have treatment after my matches.  Also tomorrow I'll have treatment before my practice for 45 minutes, an hour, and also afterwards.  I'll have an ice bath when I go back home tonight, yeah, just make sure I stay on top of that, 'cause don't want anything creeping up.

Q.  Nothing out of the ordinary?
ANDY MURRAY:  No.

Q.  The win makes you the most successful British man in Grand Slams ever.  Were you aware of that?
ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, I didn't actually know that.  Yeah, that's nice.  You know, the Grand Slams are obviously the pinnacle of our sport.  It's the tournaments I prepare extremely hard for, you know, where you want to try and play your best tennis.
Yeah, I guess that shows I've played some of my best tennis at the slams, and hopefully I can continue that.

Q.  Is Rafa's defeat good or bad news for you?
ANDY MURRAY:  Again, pretty irrelevant right now.  I'm sure for you guys it's very relevant, but for the players, especially me, you know, have to win at least four more matches before that would even become something I would think about.
It's obviously surprising.  But, you know, the consistency that Rafa, Roger, Novak have shown in the slams over the last five, six years, it's going to be almost impossible to keep that up forever.
I didn't see any of the match, obviously, because I was playing.  But, yeah, it's a surprising loss.

Q.  You've said previously that you're now relaxed with the idea that it's possible you'll never win Wimbledon.  Realistically the expectations are even higher this year, get higher every year.  Is that difficult for you, knowing the weight of expectation behind you?
ANDY MURRAY:  I put a lot of pressure on myself.  I expect a lot of myself.  So the other stuff that kind of goes with it, I mean, it doesn't really matter.  It matters what's going on in my head, what I'm feeling while I'm on the court.  And I think I've done a good job of putting that other stuff to the back of my head and just concentrate on what's going on out there.
I mean, look, that's going to be there for the rest of my career, something that, you know, all players at the top of the game have to deal with.

Q.  You said you fancied a game against James Ward, another Brit.  How much do you know about Yen‑Hsun Lu?
ANDY MURRAY:  I know quite a lot about him.  I lost to him in the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing.  It was a very tough loss for me.  I learnt a lot from that match.
I think I've only played him once more.  I played him earlier this year in Indian Wells.  I saw a little bit of the end of the match today.  He's made the quarters before.  He's beaten Roddick here.  He plays well on grass.  So I'll need to be ready.

Q.  Were you aware at any time of how Rafa was going on because there were mumbles from the crowd when it came up on the screen?
ANDY MURRAY:  You obviously see it.  The screen's pretty big.  It's right there in front of you the change of ends.  Yeah, you obviously hear the noise and stuff.
Yeah, I mean, I was aware of what was going on, but I wasn't thinking particularly long and hard about it when I was on the court.

Q.  You say you're surprised Rafa is out.  Are you disappointed he's out?
ANDY MURRAY:  Uhm, I mean, I'd say as a fan of tennis, it's probably disappointing that he's out because he's a fun guy to watch, and he brings a lot to the tournaments that he plays in.  You know, he's one of the best players that's ever played, so it's a shame in that respect.
But I'm not here to worry about all of the other players just now.  I just have to focus on myself, my matches, try and take care of them one at a time.

Q.  Can I ask you about the documentary yesterday?  How did that come about?  Did you ever have any doubts about doing something so personal?
ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, well, I mean, I probably got asked to do it about a year ago, and I said no probably for about seven, eight months, I think.  Matt, who is in the back of the room, he knows.  He was asking me about it.  Yeah, I said no a lot.  Wasn't that comfortable with the idea.
But, you know, the people that were in charge of it were very, very professional.  They weren't intrusive at all.  I know Sue well, too.  So I felt comfortable speaking to her, even though I cry every time I speak to her (smiling).
But, yeah, I mean, I was told not to watch it.  But, you know, a lot of people spoke to me about it today.  I think it went over well.  So that's good.

Q.  Not talking about specifically today, but in general terms when you're trying to focus on your match, a score, for example, if you were in a quarterfinal and the other quarterfinal, which you might play the winner of might be playing on Court1 at the same time, and the score comes up in the corner, how easy is it to forget about that and keep focusing on what you have to do?
ANDY MURRAY:  I mean, almost every single tournament you play, the same thing happens.  You're used to that.  You know, players are used to, you know, for example if you're in the semifinals here and you play the second semifinal, you know, you're sitting there watching and knowing who you're going to be playing if you win your match.
Yeah, I mean, that's just something that you have to deal with.  It's not very difficult to do.  I'd say it's harder, you know, if you play in the semifinals and you watch or see the match beforehand.  That's probably harder than actually being in a match and seeing what the score is on another court.

Q.  I don't know if we missed it, but we've become quite familiar with your hand gestures at the end of matches.  Did you do it today?
ANDY MURRAY:  No, I didn't.  No.

Q.  Are you prepared now to explain why you were doing it?
ANDY MURRAY:  No.  It was just something, yeah, between me and the people that are close to me.  That was why I did it.  There's no reason for me to discuss that.
But, yeah, I mean, I've celebrated matches in many different ways in my career, so...  But, yeah, today didn't do anything.

Q.  Can I ask about your Olympic partner, Laura Robson.  What do you think her chances are and her chances for future years?
ANDY MURRAY:  Of, what, winning the event?

Q.  Winning tomorrow, Wimbledon, and in the years to come.
ANDY MURRAY:  I have no idea what her chances of winning Wimbledon are.  In terms of her match tomorrow, if she plays well, she's definitely got a chance of winning.  When she plays her best tennis, she's very, very dangerous for the top players.
I think on this surface, as well, I think it suits the way that she plays.
And, yeah, I mean, the most important thing for her is to make sure that she keeps working hard, you know, setting goals, and trying to continue to improve.
You know, it can be difficult at the beginning of your career, you know, if you have a very good year, players start to take notice of you, coaches start to take notice of you, and will work out better tactics and ways to play against you.  That's why, you know, maybe this year she hasn't played as well.
But, you know, she'll keep improving.  She's very young.  She's got time on her side.  And she's a very, very good player already.  Just hope she keeps improving.

Q.  The side we see of you on court and in here is much more relaxed than you were when you started because you're older and wiser.  Are you different away from the court, as well, during Wimbledon?  Is it easier away from the court?
ANDY MURRAY:  I think this period for me is quite a stressful period.  It's also, yeah, a very enjoyable one.  I've always enjoyed the grass court season, being around friends and family, being able to go home at night.
Yeah, but there is a certain stress and pressure that comes with that.  You know, playing at home, it's just something you've got to deal with.
But I'd say the first couple of times I played here, you know, I was very relaxed and just excited to play because you're not really expecting anything of yourself.  You're not expecting to win the event or to go deep into the event.
Obviously, as you get older, that starts to change a little bit.  You start to expect more of yourself and it becomes maybe a little bit tougher to enjoy the whole experience.

Q.  Great to see Ross in the Royal Box.
ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, it was nice.  He was there with his brother.  I think Jonny Marray's brother was in there with him, as well.  I think Jonny had been asked, but I think he would have had to stay all day in the Royal Box.  He obviously needed to train and stuff.
Yeah, it was nice for him to be up there.  I'm sure he enjoyed it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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