27/06/2011 22:17 CEST - INTERVISTE

Andy Murray (27-06-2011)

Q. In previous matches obviously it seemed much tougher. Today you were very assertive. Looked pretty straightforward in the end.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, the second and third sets were much better. First set I returned poorly, so I wasn't able to get into any of his service games at all. I definitely didn't get to deuce. I had no breakpoints in the first set, but managed to string a few good points together in the tiebreak. I served well throughout, which helped.
But, yeah, first set was tough 'cause I hardly made a return in the court.

Q. Were you struggling to get a read on it at the start?
ANDY MURRAY: No, it wasn't that. I was reading it fine. I just was making bad contact with the ball. Puts a lot of slice on his serve. It was very different conditions also today. It was very quick compared with a couple days ago under the roof.
So it took a while to get used to that, too.

Q. The third set, the way you played, that's what you need to go all the way?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, you need to hold on to your own serve on grass when the conditions were playing like they were today, when it's quick. I've been told it's meant to be hopefully warming up a bit.
But you need to serve very well. The court gets quicker, too, the more it's played on, so serve becomes more important as the two weeks go on.
But, yeah, I need to play my best tennis if I want to win.

Q. What was it like playing in front of the Royal couple? Do you feel any extra pressure when you have such high profile guests in the crowd?
ANDY MURRAY: No, you don't. You have to try and, you know, focus on what your job is. That's trying to get the job done on the court. You can enjoy it afterwards.
I didn't know they were coming. I wasn't told. So as I was walking to the court I don't know if he's, someone from the Evening Standard told me. Is he here? Yeah, he told me that Kate and Pippa were coming. I didn't know if it was true, because no one else had heard anything. Yeah, obviously I saw them when I went out.
Yeah, it's obviously great to get the chance to play in front of them. But when you're playing the match you're not focusing on that.

Q. You had the wherewithal to make a bow.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. Well, I was obviously very happy after the match. I think that was the right thing to do.

Q. It came across as very funny. William and Kate laughed; you smiled. It was an amusing thing. Was it something you planned before?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I hadn't planned on doing it before. When the queen came to our match last year we were told she was coming and that we would bow when we went on and off the court.
But today we weren't told anything, so it was just, yeah, sort of off the cuff. Yeah, didn't think too much about it. If it was funny, that's fine, but I wasn't intending it to be funny.

Q. Did you get to meet them afterwards?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I did. If I'd known they were coming, I would have shaved (smiling). I was thinking to myself as I came off I was sweaty and very hairy. I said to them, I'm sorry, I'm a bit sweaty. But, yeah, it was really nice.
Like for me those things are always quite difficult because there's a lot of people around, so it's not the most natural way to be introduced to people.
But it was very nice to get to meet them.

Q. What did they say to you?
ANDY MURRAY: Just, Well done on the match. Asked me how it was out there. That was it. Wasn't a long conversation.

Q. Given the unreliability of Royal arrivals here, do you think you should shave every match just in case they turn up?
ANDY MURRAY: Uhm, yeah, I've been told to shave by a few people the last five or six days, and I just haven't got round to it. It's at the length now where it actually hurts a little bit, so I always put it off a wee bit till I have a bit of time.

Q. Until you're brave enough?
ANDY MURRAY: It hurts around here. My hair is starting to get more manly now. It hurts a little bit. (Smiling.)

Q. If you have to play Deliciano next, do you think your mum would be bared from the box?
ANDY MURRAY: No, I don't know what the score is. I think it was two sets to one. I'm not sure if he's going to come through. Looks like a tough one.

Q. What do you have to do to win the tournament in terms of improving your game from here now?
ANDY MURRAY: You just need to keep improving each match. I think the match in the third round, for me, was a really good test. It was a tough match. I thought both of us played well. You just need to just keep improving a little bit each round. It all comes down to taking your chances when you play against the best players.
When I played against Rafa at the French Open I had many breakpoint opportunities; wasn't able to take them. So, you know, get yourself in the right position in the match and take it.
For me, serving is very important. If I serve very well then I'll have a chance 'cause my return is normally consistent. I normally give myself quite a few chances to break during matches.
If I can be solid on serve, that will make a difference.

Q. How was the heat?
ANDY MURRAY: It was really hot, yeah. It was really hot the first set and a half, and then the clouds came over and it was fine. Yeah, it was maybe the hottest weather I played in at Wimbledon, I think. It felt quite humid, too.

Q. You may not want to answer this, but if Rafa and Roger were to meet each other on a neutral surface, slow hard court, both at the peak of their games, who do you think is a better player?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, that's a tough one. I'd have to take Rafa because he's beaten Roger maybe double the times that Roger's beaten him. You know, I think the one court where I favor Roger a lot is indoors. I think he plays better on an indoor court than Rafa. But on all the other surfaces, I think I give Rafa a slight edge.

Q. Just a better matchup?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. I think so. I think, yeah, he has a good game to play against Roger, and I think that showed, you know, once he learnt how to play better on grass courts. He's obviously one of the best grass court players ever. Rafa, as well.
Yeah, I think they're very close. I mean, if Roger plays his best tennis then he can obviously beat him, but I think that Rafa is so solid throughout the match he doesn't give him many errors. I think Roger hasn't returned Rafa's serve as well as you might expect.

Q. Does it add pressure when you face somebody you weren't expecting to face at this stage of a Grand Slam?
ANDY MURRAY: No, there's always pressure. I mean, in every round there's pressure 'cause the first round you're expected to win. That can obviously add a bit of pressure. I think once you get to this stage of the tournament, whoever's getting there is gonna have confidence in their game. They're going to have been playing very well.
You know, Kubot came through the qualifying, I think. So if he wins that match, he will have won seven matches in a row on grass. So he'll be comfortable. You just got to go out there and play, have the right game plan, get the job done.

Q. What are you going to do this evening?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't know. Go home, have a nice bath. Do, yeah, just normal stuff. I don't know. Haven't thought about it that much.

Q. Is this the best you've ever felt here in terms of your tennis?
ANDY MURRAY: I don't know. You never know. I mean, I played well today. I felt like the last match I played well. First two rounds could have been better. But you need to just try and keep improving, like I say, with each match.
It's, you know, when you go behind in matches, when you're pushed, is when it's important to up your game and play your best tennis. I'm sure I'll get challenged a lot in the next round. Just got to be ready for it.

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