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U.S. OPENAugust 30, 2013Andy MurrayNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK A. MURRAY/L. Mayer THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. His level seemed to drop a bit in the second, but then up in the third. Was that how you saw it? ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, yeah. I mean, I think, yeah, that happens over the course of sort of two and a half, three hours. It's very difficult to play at a high level for the whole of that time. He definitely started the match very, very well. Then towards the end of the first set, a few errors started to come. When I got up an early break in the second, I think he started maybe going for too much. Then, yeah, he was still going for big shots at the beginning of the third set, but he started making them for a while. Made it very tough. There were a couple of sets in there. Also beginning of the fourth set I thought was a pretty good level. Q. You've had a lot of tough matches on that court. Is it kind of difficult not to have that in your mind? ANDY MURRAY: I mean, it's a court I haven't played my best tennis on, that's for sure. And, yeah, also, I mean, for me I think the conditions, well, it's day and night, isn't it? It's completely different. The ball is bouncing extremely high out there at the beginning, and he's a big hitter of the ball. He served big, too ‑ bigger than I thought. Big second serve, too. It took me some time to get used to his game. Yeah, I've had some tough matches there in the past, and today was the same. Q. Did you feel focus was an issue at all for you? ANDY MURRAY: Focus? Q. You seemed frustrated at some points. ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I was. I was a bit frustrated at points in the match because, you know, I was doing quite a lot of the running for a lot of it. I wasn't getting much depth on my returns, so when he was serving, you know, I was having to do a lot of running. When I was serving, I served a low percentage today. I served pretty well in my first match, and then today struggled to control the first serve. So I was, you know, playing a lot of points on my second serve. When that happens, you have to do a lot of the running. You don't feel like you're dictating the match. It can be frustrating. Q. We're doing a story about the evolution of racquets. How was it for you since you started to play to nowadays, and how does it help you in your game? ANDY MURRAY: I've been playing with the same racquet for 11 years now. I've been playing with the same strings since I won the juniors here, which was in 2004, I think. So about nine years or so. I mean, the racquets have obviously changed. I've hit balls with wooden racquets before, but that's a completely different game. But I think in the last 10 to 15 years, I personally don't see a huge change in the racquets. But from 25, 30 years ago, I mean, I've watched matches. I saw the racquet that my coach used to play with. It was a very small head, so it's difficult to generate a lot of topspin. You have to kind of hit through the ball a lot more. I mean, it's definitely changed, but not so much in the last 10, 15 years, I don't think. Q. You're the only one of the top seeds so far to play out on Armstrong. Were you hoping you'd seen the back of that court now that you're defending champion? ANDY MURRAY: No, I'm happy to play on any court. Doesn't really make a huge, huge difference. I mean, we got a great crowd out there. It was a really good atmosphere from pretty much the first point through to the last. You know, whether or not I played well on that court, it's always a really good atmosphere. It's normally packed. Same again today. But that doesn't matter which court you play on. Q. Don't you mind all the movement and everything that's going on all the time? Doesn't seem the best stewarded of courts? ANDY MURRAY: Look, at this tournament on all of the big courts it's very different to Wimbledon, for example. It's something that you need to enjoy about the tournament. It's quite loud. There's always noise during the points. There's a constant kind of murmur you hear; whereas at Wimbledon it's pretty much silence. It's a different atmosphere, and one that I enjoy when I came here the first time as a kid playing the juniors. Now, yeah, I mean, you just have to get used to it each time you come back. All of the slams are very, very different atmospheres. Q. You said ahead of the tournament it was your first time coming back as a defending Grand Slam champion, and with that of course being in New York, there were a lot of ancillary things you had to do; those things could be a bit of a distraction. Is that largely behind you now? ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I think, I mean, after Saturday it was fine. Then obviously it was quite a wait to play the first match. You know, I would probably say on Monday or something I was a little bit nervous or kind of anxious to know what it was going to feel like when I went on the court. By the time I got on it Wednesday night, I literally wanted to play. I wasn't thinking about anything else. Maybe in that way it helped me a little bit. But, yeah, I mean, I'm in the tournament now. I play every other day. I'll stick to the same routines pretty much now till the end of the tournament. It's normally the week before that can be the time when you get distracted. Q. How would you assess the way that you're playing right now? Pleased with the way you're playing? Are there things that are of a concern to you? ANDY MURRAY: I thought the first match was very good. Again, very different conditions today. I didn't feel like I served as well today as I did in the first match. You know, different court, different conditions during the day. Look, I finished the match well today. I played well when I needed to. That's a good sign. Yeah, obviously I want to keep improving as the tournament goes on. You don't want to play your best right at the beginning, so I hope I can get better. Q. Another Mayer next. Florian is quite a tricky player. ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, he's very tough.  I mean, he comes to net a bit. He has a good slice backhand, but he hits it with two hands, which isn't how remember normally you're taught to play that shot. He has very good feel up at the net. Hits a lot of dropshots. He's a pretty flat ball‑striker. He has sort of huge, looping strokes. It can be tough to time your split step and know when he's going to make contact with the ball. Yeah, I mean, he's caused a lot of guys problems over his career. I'll need to play well to beat him. Q. Specific challenges to play three such different players back‑to‑back? ANDY MURRAY: No. I mean, I think going from playing a serve‑volleyer to a guy that plays at the back of the court, that can take a bit of time because the points develop completely differently. But, I mean, against Mayer, a majority of the points will be played from the back of the court. He's a right‑hander. I don't think now it should be an issue. Normally going from a serve‑volleyer to a guy that plays from the back, that can take a bit of time. Q. Have you spoken to Dan about Robredo at all? ANDY MURRAY: I saw him today. I didn't chat to him about the match. I have spoken to Leon before all of the matches because I know Tomic fairly well and I practiced with Kei and played him quite a few times, too. They've got most things covered between them. If there's anything I can do to help, then I will. Q. Will you try and watch it? ANDY MURRAY: When is it on? Q. Fourth on Armstrong, so tomorrow night. ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, if I'm done for the day, I'll definitely watch it. I've been able to watch bits and pieces of his first couple matches. I really want him to do well and I want him to win. But I'm not here for Dan. I'm here to prepare as best as I can for my next match. Q. A question about football. I know you like it. What do you expect from the match between Scotland and Belgium next week? ANDY MURRAY: Belgium is a very good team. A lot of good, young players. I mean, I think they're kind of sort of dark horses for the World Cup. I think they're very, very good. I wouldn't expect Scotland to beat them (smiling). FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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