TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN – 25th of January 2015. A.Murray d. G.Dimitrov 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 7-5. An interview with Andy Murray
Q. That match had a little bit of everything. Can you possibly try and sum up how it went for you, your performance overall?
ANDY MURRAY: I thought I played well. I thought he started the match extremely well. He came out very aggressive, very explosive. But, you know, it’s tough to keep that sort of level of intensity up. And then, yeah, once I got myself into the match, I felt like I was able to dictate a lot of the points. I thought tactically I played a good match. I was disappointed with the 6- 5 game I played in the second set. Also the tiebreak I made a few bad decisions. Third set was good. And fourth set, I just fought hard at the end and he played a loose game when he served for the set. That was it.
Q. What was the crucial factor in turning it around? You were 5-2 down and then went on to win 7-5.
ANDY MURRAY: Well, momentum.
Q. Was there one point?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I won quite a long game at 5-2 on my serve, and often, you know, if I win that game to love the momentum doesn’t really change. But sometimes if you can have sort of a long game, you know, where maybe he feels like he had some opportunities to win the set there, then that game where he goes to serve it out becomes a little bit harder. And, yeah, I think that that maybe helped. Yeah, that’s really all I could think of. But he didn’t play a good game at 5-3, and then after that, I barely made an error really. From really 5-3, I didn’t make any mistakes at all.
Q. You talked about your physical shape after the training block. Did that come through with how accurate you were at that stage?
ANDY MURRAY: I felt like he, in the fourth set, was trying to shorten a lot of the points. If you went back and watched it, especially when he got ahead, he was trying to come forward a lot. Then on my service games he was going for broke a little bit off my serves. First and second serves he was going for big returns. So I felt like maybe he was tired. I don’t know if he was, but that was the feeling I got with the way he was playing at that stage. So I tried to, towards the end of the set, extend the rallies. And physically I felt completely different to how I felt at the US Open last year or even here last year when I played a long match, especially in cold conditions. It was like night and day.
Q. There’s going to be a groundswell of support for Nick; Australia Day today. Does that come into it at all how it might play out on Rod Laver, 15,000 people?
ANDY MURRAY: I think it obviously will change the atmosphere. Obviously the crowd will be right behind him. Understandably so. They’re going to watch him play a lot of matches like this over the next 10, 15 years probably. And, yeah, that’s just something that I’ll have to deal with in my way. I’ve played a lot of matches. I’ve played in French Open against French players where the crowd can be very difficult. I’ve experienced it before, so hopefully I’ll deal with it well.
Q. In terms of sustained quality, might that be as good as you’ve played since the back surgery?
ANDY MURRAY: It’s very difficult for me to say right now. But in terms of how my body felt, if it was the best I played, my body allowed me to play that way for the whole duration of the match. I didn’t feel tired. I felt fresh. My back felt good. I wasn’t feeling stiff at all. I don’t normally say stuff like this, but for me the compression garments that I’m wearing just now are genuinely exceptional. In these condition over the last couple years I struggled a little bit, and I felt absolutely fine this evening. Whether or not, you know, it was the best match I played is definitely — for a match that went three and a half hours, physically I felt way better than the last year or so.
Q. Have you seen much of Kyrgios’ matches over the last week, and are you able to relate to what he’s going through as a 19-year-old at a home slam?
ANDY MURRAY: I’ve seen a little bit of his matches. I watched the whole of his match last week in Sydney. I saw him a little bit at the IPTL. I played against him last year after Wimbledon. Saw some of his matches at Wimbledon, as well. I enjoy watching him play. I think he’s entertaining. And, yeah, I obviously didn’t see loads of today’s match, but he’s done extremely well to turn that match around.
Q. A young player playing his home slam, you’ve been through that. Can you relate to that when you see him this week?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I don’t know. Maybe it’s a bit different when I was 19. I would say maybe he’s more confident than I would have been at that age. I didn’t feel like I was going to win these events when I was that age, but I read that he felt like he could win the Australian Open this year a few weeks ago. So he obviously backs himself a lot. Yeah, when you have the crowd behind you, obviously helps. You know, makes a difference. Especially if you’re tired and a bit fatigued, you know, the crowd can give you that extra lift and help, as well. Yeah, he’s obviously handled everything very well so far.
Q. Can you explain at what point when the crowd started cheering during the second set that Kyrgios had won?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I asked my box why they were making the noise. They said that Kyrgios had just finished. So it was immediately — not immediately – but about 10 seconds after they started making the noise. Then obviously when we sat down at the change of ends, which was only a few points later, and it came up on the screen. So, yeah, pretty soon after.
