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N. DJOKOVIC/A. Murray 7-6, 4-6, 6-0
An interview with: ANDY MURRAY
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Congratulations on getting to the final game. Seemed as if you were up to par with Novak all throughout the game, but the last set something changed in there.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. Well, I struggled physically. I mean, yeah, I played very well for a couple of sets. Maybe I could have done a little bit better in the tiebreak in the first set, but, yeah. I mean, yeah, that was it.
Q. How brutal was the sun? Obviously from that one side you guys kept getting broken; you were serving 94, 100, both of you.
How difficult were those conditions from that one side?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well the first -- I would say until the end of the first set really, yeah, it wasn't an advantage serving at that stage, because it's one thing obviously hitting the serve significantly slower the first serve, but then also if you sort of try looking at bright light, you till -- you know, like the first shot of the rally, when it comes back, you're still a little bit, I don't know, your sight is a bit off.
Then after the first set that was fine.
Q. You always said that you kind of felt you have a little advantage here because you trained here for several years and you're used to the conditions. Today seemed like Novak had a little bit of an advantage physically. Is that because you're still not 100% back from your issues a year ago with the back surgery and all that?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't think so, to be honest. I don't know exactly why that is, but I've trained as hard as I can. Maybe I could have hydrated a little bit better or whatever, but I don't think that I can do a whole lot more physically to get in much better shape.
So, you know, just to have try and keep working hard and see if there are a few things I can do differently which might help. You know, it's
tough, because it was obviously pretty brutal conditions out there. Yeah, he was stronger than me at the end for sure.
Q. It was much closer than in Indian Wells against him. Did you get out of this match feeling maybe more hopeful for the next, or was it tough this time because it was so close and you thought it was a good time to beat him?
ANDY MURRAY: Obviously there was a lot more positives than the match in Indian Wells. I felt like I did many things better. I made the match
a lot harder for him. I made it -- I mean, I don't know, he might say otherwise, but I think I made it physically a much harder match for him.
I felt like I was going for my shots a little bit more. I did pretty much all of the things that I wanted to do tactically on the court, so I felt like I played a good match tactically. Yeah, that was it. It was a much better match for me than the one in Indian Wells.
Q. Tough to go down a break so early in the third, but then sort of the killing one seemed to be that long game. I think five break points; you finally came through. What did that take out of you?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, yeah, I mean, the game was obviously a tough game. I think at that stage obviously you do start to -- you are starting to feel fatigue. Unless you've really played much under those conditions, it's kind of difficult to describe.
Yeah, I mean, it was obviously clear I made a lot more unforced errors. I wasn't getting into the right positions to hit the ball in the third set. Yeah, was quite clear why.
Q. Besides the weather factor, do you think especially in the tiebreak of the first set that you got a little distracted, out of concentration?
ANDY MURRAY: No.
Q. Because you missed two easy forehands at net and one backhand in the net, and that also tiebreak make a difference at the end because of the whether condition also.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, but that's not down to being distracted or losing concentration. I mean, that can happen. You can make mistakes.
When you're playing a lot of long rallies and maybe having to hit seven, eight shots to win points, you can make errors.
That's going to happen. I definitely could have played a bit better in the tiebreak, but it wasn't down to concentration as to why I missed those shots, I don't think.
Q. Obviously there are commercial considerations with the timing and so on, but as you mentioned, brutal conditions. Do you think it's right that two of the top players in the world should be made to play in intense heat when there is all day that could be chosen to play?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I don't really know. I don't know the reasons for the timing of the matches. Yeah, I've played a bunch of matches over the last two weeks during the heat of the day. Yeah, obviously here more than most places it's draining because of the humidity.
I feel like when I play well against Novak the matches tend to be pretty physical, long, grueling matches. It's tough, but, I mean, that's what part of being a professional athlete is, is dealing with those different conditions and making those adjustments.
Q. Seems like the first set you were playing more aggressively; third set not so much. Was it because of the physical conditions and the way you were feeling that contributed to that?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. Well, even when I was trying to play more aggressive, I think if you check the stats, I made a lot of mistakes in the third set I think because I wasn't getting my legs in the right position to hit the shot.
Yeah, I don't know. I don't really know always when people say play more aggressive means.
Q. (No microphone.)
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, to come obviously forward and come to the net you need to be making the sort of approach shots or the balls that you're going for. I probably made, I don't know, 15 to 18 unforced errors in the second set.
Q. How difficult is it playing Novak? He seems to have those kind of waves of energy where he'll dip down a bit and go up a bit. Third set you were extremely fit, and he just seems to be getting stronger and stronger.
Is that something that's always in the back of your mind when you're playing a deciding set, that he just seems to push through in a way that other players can't?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, look, I don't know exactly why that is. I know from my side that I'm training as best as I can. I can try to do more,
but I do push myself hard. I obviously know that Novak is a very fit guy, and sometimes in these conditions has struggled a little bit in the humidity. He handled it extremely well today and deserved to win the match because of that.
Q. For this particular winter, how much time did you spend here and how much time do you spend here on the these courts at this training center?
ANDY MURRAY: This December I spent like two and a half weeks area. Some Decembers I've spent three and a half weeks here. Depends really what my schedule is at the beginning of the year. But then I normally come back after Wimbledon, and then also sometimes I've come over after Australia as well. Yeah, I mean, the last few years I've definitely spent always over two months, between two months and three and a half months. Every time I'm here I practice on that court.
Q. The issue that you're having against Novak, what's the most challenging thing that
he does?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't know. I mean, I felt like I was there for a couple of sets. I mean, look, there is no -- you guys watch the matches.
He serves well, he runs well, he moves exceptionally well. Physically he's in great shape; he hits the ball well off both sides.
So, yeah, he does most things on the tennis court well. That's why he's the No. 1 player in the world just now.
In terms of game-wise, I feel like in a couple of the matches we played this year I feel like I've been able to hang with him, but just not
quite for long enough unfortunately.
Yeah, I need to try to work out why that is. Like I say, I can't do loads more than what I'm doing to get myself in the best condition possible.
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Photo Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America
