Press Conferences : 2006


Press conference of Andy Murray



Q.What are your thoughts on that, Andy?
ANDY MURRAY: I thought it was pretty good. I started really well. He's quite tricky to play against because he's got really a big first serve. First of all, he is pretty good. And from the baseline he hits the ball very slow, and he stands quite far back.
So on your service game it's a completely different kind of match to when he's serving. And that makes it difficult, but I protected myself pretty well. He only had one break point against me, which is good. Obviously I managed to win in two sets, which I was happy about.

Q. What did you know of him before, Andy?
ANDY MURRAY: I knew quite a lot about him. He's beaten some good players. He beat Gonzalez last year in Valencia. He lost to Gasquet in Nottingham 7 5 in the third. He won a couple of challenges out of his last three tournaments. He plays well on quick courts. He's had good results against some good players. And I knew it was going to be difficult. He's been around a long time. If I wasn't on my game, it was going to be a really tricky match.

Q. People talk about how the ball flies a lot more here, slightly trickier to control. Are you pleased with how you've dealt with that so far?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. I think maybe passing shots is a little bit maybe harder to keep the ball down in returns. I think you kind of get used to it. It's like any court.
On the grass now the ball seems like it's coming to you at a completely different speed from going to the clay. I played indoors a lot last week in practice, and the ball does come a bit quicker here, but there's not really a major difference.

Q. 75 percent first serve in the first set, that's pretty good. You're serving at a good percentage and a good rate today. Is that as good as you've served for a while do you think?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. I can only remember losing four or five points in the match on my first serve. I probably lost more. But the ones I can remember. I volleyed well today, which is something I've been working on.
Obviously, I didn't play as well in Asia. I practiced a few things before going there and with the Davis Cup and I'm trying to work on my game a bit, and I thought I mixed things up pretty well today. I did everything good, so I was happy with the way that I served. Obviously it was the first time I haven't dropped my serve in a match since maybe Nottingham against Tursunov. So I'm pretty pleased with that. Actually Mirnyi, I didn't lose a serve against Mirnyi in Nottingham, I think.

Q. It goes without saying just to get a win under your belt again feels good, doesn't it?
ANDY MURRAY: I wasn't really worried about having not won. Any win is pleasing. I obviously enjoy winning much more than losing. I wasn't much happier than I have been in any of the other matches that I have one.

Q. Good preparation for Ljubicic. How do you feel about the prospect of facing him?
ANDY MURRAY: I played him in Zagreb this year and set in the break up against him on a probably slightly quicker court than this. The best part of his game is obviously his serve. He made final here last year. He won in Vienna last week having not lost a serve. Return is the best part of my game. It should be an interesting match up. If I play well I've got a chance, but he's playing really good tennis and has done pretty much all of the year. I'm definitely not expected to win.



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