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WIMBLEDONJuly 1, 2013Andy MurrayLONDON, ENGLAND A. MURRAY/M. Youzhny THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. The Friday night crowd was more raucous than tonight's crowd. Did you want to get them on your side more today than usual? ANDY MURRAY: No, that wasn't the case. I just think there was more ups and downs in this match. You know, I was pretty pumped up, especially after I won the second set, because I came back from 5‑3 down in that tiebreak and played four very good points to get that set. It was an important set, as well, because obviously I was up a break, then down a break. He served for the set. Then I had chances to break at 5‑All. You know, there was a lot of to‑ing and fro‑ing. That was a big set to win. Yeah, it was good to get the crowd into it in the end. Q. Mikhail said he thought you lost focus in the second set. Would that be your answer, as well? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, maybe a little bit. Yeah, I mean, that's the thing with grass court tennis.  I mean, if you watch the games, I missed a couple of shots in the tape. I lost a few challenges. He hit a few balls on the line. Yeah, it turned around pretty quickly. But luckily I managed to get it back in time. Q. You had to dig a little deeper this time. Do you regard these slightly tougher matches as good practice for upcoming fixtures? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I think all the matches are going to keep getting tougher. Everyone is going to be more comfortable with the conditions than they are at the beginning of the week. You don't fluke at getting into the quarterfinals of a slam. You know, you need to win four tough matches to get there. So everyone is playing well now, and it's going to keep getting tougher. Q. Quite a while since your match finished. Have you required extra treatment for anything? ANDY MURRAY: I had probably about 20 minutes longer treatment than I had done the last few days. But I just want to make sure this tournament that‑‑ yeah, I'd love to be able to come in here 10 minutes after my match. It's easier for you guys. But I need to make sure I do all the right things, like ice bathing, having my massage, and taking care of my body. Obviously, a few weeks ago I missed the French Open. I don't want it to be a case of, you know, things creeping back up on me. I want to take care of my body. It's my main priority this tournament. Q. Nothing to worry about? ANDY MURRAY: No. Q. How much pressure do you feel right now coming towards the end? ANDY MURRAY: Do you want it in words, a number, percentage? Q. A number. ANDY MURRAY: Seven or eight probably. I mean, there's always pressure coming into this event. Yeah, I mean, playing at the latter stages of Grand Slams is what you play the game for, and that's where there's the most pressure. So it builds obviously with each match. Q. You said in your post‑match TV that you actually felt calmer in this match than the previous rounds. Any reason why that was? ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, I just think the nature of how the tournament's gone, there was a few days there where, yeah, it was just strange. I think everyone was a bit on edge, a little bit uptight because of what was happening with the injuries, withdrawals, upsets and stuff. Obviously Serena losing today is a major shock, as well. So, yeah, it's just been maybe the last couple of days after Friday, you know, a little bit more relaxed over the weekend, and you have a little bit more time to think about things and just prepare. Yeah, I just felt a little bit calmer before the match today. But there were some very tense moments, especially in the second set. Also having played indoors in the last match and moving outdoors, it's different conditions as well. So I had to adjust to that, too. Q. Athletes often say they learn more from losses than wins. Just wondering, do you subscribe to that theory? If so, what in your experience has brought you to that conclusion? ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, I mean, it's a tough one. I think you do learn a lot from losing. I'd lost enough big matches to want to win one and learn from how I managed to win a major event. But I think that saying is just kind of a way of maybe trying to motivate you or try and find ways to improve from losing tough matches. The one thing I would say from having experienced it is just, yeah, I kept trying to work harder and harder, try and keep improving my game from losses. That's why I eventually managed to sort of get over that final hurdle. But I think you can learn a lot from both, from losing and from winning big matches. Q. What is your perception of the current British men's tennis? ANDY MURRAY: Well, there's not too much depth just now. That's pretty clear. That's really it. I don't really have any more thoughts about it. I would like there to be more players, you know, in and around the top 100, playing in the bigger events, but it's just not the case just now. Q. Novak said after his last match that he thought it was good for the game that we've seen different people coming through, there will be different names in the quarterfinals. Do you agree with that? ANDY MURRAY: I mean, I don't know. It's what everyone else wants to see really. I think in the last few years people have enjoyed seeing some of the matches between some of the best players that have ever played the game. So long as the quality of tennis stays the same, it's not like the level of tennis is going down, then, yeah, it can be good for the game because the more players competing for the major tournaments, the better. Q. You're the last Brit left in. I know this is a familiar thing for you at a tournament. It means that the whole nation, there's nobody else to deflect the pressure from you as we enter the second week. Is that something you actually enjoy all the extra pressure being heaped on you rather than rebelling against it? ANDY MURRAY: No, I think I've dealt with it well over my career. I mean, I've played well at Wimbledon. It's been consistently my best slam over the course of my career. So, you know, that's partly down to the surface and partly down to, yeah, enjoying playing in front of a home crowd and being able to kind of block everything else out. But, yeah, there is pressure there. Yeah, it's a stressful few weeks. You know, it's one of the biggest tournaments of the year for us. I work extremely hard to give myself the best chance to do well here. Q. Outside of your circle, do you think there's an assumption out there that you will make the final and possibly a lack of understanding of the hard work that you have to do to do first? ANDY MURRAY: I don't know because I don't read everything that's getting said. You know, obviously I'm not out and about on the street speaking to people about the tournament. You know, I'm with the guys that I work with. I talk to them about each match individually. We don't get ahead of ourselves because you can't afford to do that. That's why there's been so many shocks here, because the level of tennis is high. There's a lot of tough, tough opponents left in the draw. Mikhail was one of them today. He's a tough, tough player. I was very close to losing the second set there, and it can be a completely different match, so... I don't know what everyone else is saying, but I'm not getting ahead of myself. Q. Speaking to one former player who said to me at the start the tournament that if you told Andy Murray he'd be facing Verdasco in the quarterfinals, he'd be happy. Would he be right? ANDY MURRAY: Who was that? Q. Barry Cowan. ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I don't really know what to say about that, to be honest (laughter). Verdasco is a very, very good tennis player. Very good at tennis. He's playing very well this week. He's extremely dangerous when he's on his game. Yeah, that's it. I mean, Verdasco's a very good tennis player. Q. Can you talk about the particular challenge that Verdasco poses and where you're going to turn, I presume, for practice against lefties? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, we were actually talking about it a few days ago. I haven't played a left‑hander the whole year, which I think is pretty amazing six months into the year. So, yeah, I'll try and get a lefty in to serve at me tomorrow. I don't normally mind the way the ball comes off the racquet from the back of the court. I grew up playing with my brother. So that almost feels a bit more natural to me than a righty. But it's just the serve is what's different and the way you move on the return that's different. I'll have to make sure I hit a lot of returns tomorrow. Q. Who do you think will be the No.1 at the end of the year? ANDY MURRAY: I have no idea. I mean, it depends on a lot of things, you know, if everyone stays healthy. This tournament I would have thought would have a pretty big impact on that. But, you know, Rafa's very, very far ahead in the points. Well, he's much further ahead of me. I think he's got over double the points that I have this year. So, yeah, I mean, I would say Rafa and Novak would be the favorites, you know, because the last couple of months I had, unless I was to win here and the US Open, then I don't have much chance of finishing at No.1. Q. I think this is Verdasco's first Grand Slam quarterfinal for about three years. Are you surprised that he's maybe had the dip that he had? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, a little bit. I lost to him at the Aussie Open a few years ago in the fourth round. He went on to have that great match with Rafa there. He was playing unbelievable tennis. Then, yeah, I think he made the Masters Cup. I played him in the Masters Cup, as well. He can play well on all the surfaces. It's just the consistency hasn't been there. Yeah, it isn't easy to stay at the top of the game for a long time. It's hard. It takes a lot of concentration, hard work and focus, also a bit of luck as well. He's had a few injuries. He's changed racquets quite a few times. That will have had something to do with it. Q. Can I clear something up, please. I noticed you holding your side during the match. You seemed to wince a couple of times. Is that anything to do with the back injury you have had, or is there any cause for concern? ANDY MURRAY: No, there's no cause for concern. My back is what it is. It's felt way, way better than it was a few weeks ago. Yeah, I mean, there's a few times on the court where you feel things. You just have to find a way of managing those issues and getting through them 'cause, you know, a lot of guys have had problems during this slam especially. A lot of guys have had trainers on court and whatnot. So everyone's got little niggles and stuff. You just have to manage them and get through it. Q. How much pain would it take to put you out of this tournament? ANDY MURRAY: I wouldn't stop. Now that I'm playing, there's no chance I would stop, I mean, unless I couldn't hold the racquet. Q. Is this the most domineering you've felt at Wimbledon? ANDY MURRAY: No. I mean, I played well in the first week of Wimbledon before. You know, even last year, as well, I felt pretty good during the first week. In other slams, as well, I've got through to semis before without losing a set. But, yeah, I mean, each day's different. I felt good so far. I played some good matches. Today was a tough one. It was the toughest test for me, and I came through it well. It will be a different challenge on Wednesday. I'll get myself ready for that and hopefully play well. Q. One of the first things you mentioned when you came off court was that you saw Serena lose, that sort of got you more thinking that everyone has to be prepared. How much in general do you think what happens on the women's side, players on the men's side, and vice versa, does it affect the atmosphere of a joint tournament like this? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I don't know how much it affects. It certainly doesn't affect the results on the men's side. You know, upsets and stuff can influence results on whatever half of the draw, certain players getting through that you may not have expected to. But, yeah, I mean, when someone like Serena loses, she's won, what, 37 matches in a row or something, I don't know, but she hasn't lost for a long time. So for her to lose at Wimbledon in the fourth round, especially a match where she'd sort of come back, had a lot of chances, it's surprising. When those sort of results can happen to a player as good as her, there's absolutely no reason why it can't happen to me. That's why I'm not getting ahead of myself, and no one else should. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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