Post by Annie on Apr 19, 2006 14:02:23 GMT 3
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
J. Lisnard/ A. Murray
4-6, 7-6, 7-5
An interview with: ANDY MURRAY
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Could you tell us about the cramping. Obviously, you seemed to have got over it relatively quickly.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, I mean, I knew I wasn't a hundred percent fit coming into the match. You know, I played ?? since my match in Miami, I had very little time to practice because of the ankle injury and then the sickness.
Obviously, this is my first match on clay, so I wasn't expecting to play great and feel great on the court. But, you know, I had a lot of chances to win the match. You know, he's a really tough player. He beat Johansson, Tom Johansson, here last year, and he's been ranked around a hundred for pretty much all his career. So I knew it was gonna be tough.
Unfortunately, I got cramp. But it's just one of those things that happens.
Q. Do you think you got the cramp because you were compensating for the ankle? Was that the reason?
ANDY MURRAY: No, no. I think the reason for me cramping was having not been able to practice. You know, I didn't ?? before Davis Cup, I played three ?? I hit for three hours before I played the doubles match, and then I had to take three days off after Davis Cup.
And, you know, when I came here, I was not able to practice as well as I wanted to but, you know, I still felt this was a good opportunity for me to get some clay court experience. You know, I decided to play and, unfortunately, I lost. But I didn't get beaten comfortably, and I had a lot of chances to win.
Q. Is that one of the stranger days you've had, having gone out with a cramp and suddenly you go out there and they default after? Bit odd, to say the least.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, it obviously ?? it happens quite a lot with singles guys not wanting to get injured, you know, for the doubles. He obviously had hurt his abdominal muscle and, therefore, wanted to get some massage on it and get some rest before he plays his singles tomorrow.
But, yeah, it was good to kind of get off the court so I can get rested, and I look forward to playing with Tim again in the next match.
Q. Did you consider pulling out of the doubles yourself?
ANDY MURRAY: I could have done but, you know, I wanted to play. You don't get an opportunity to play doubles with someone as good as Tim every tournament.
Yeah, I felt like I could go out there and give it a good go. I wasn't obviously going to move as well as I can when I'm fully fit but, you know, it was good to get a few games practice because we got a tough match next.
Q. How did that come about, you playing with Tim?
ANDY MURRAY: Tim asked me on maybe Wednesday, Tuesday or Wednesday of last week if I wanted to play. Obviously, I said yeah straightaway.
Q. Did you actually have a massage between the singles and doubles when you came off?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I had massage, I stretched a lot, I had a little bit to eat, went on the bike. Just tried to do as much as I could to try and get my legs feeling good for the doubles.
I can't -- I just don't understand why I get cramp because I don't feel tired at all. Like going on to play, I didn't feel, you know, like, "I don't want to go out there." I feel fine enough to play. But when your legs cramp, you just can't do anything. I don't quite know what it is.
Q. Can you just clarify to us what the umpire actually said to you when he came down.
ANDY MURRAY: Well, obviously, he gave me the time violation.
J. Lisnard/ A. Murray
4-6, 7-6, 7-5
An interview with: ANDY MURRAY
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Could you tell us about the cramping. Obviously, you seemed to have got over it relatively quickly.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, I mean, I knew I wasn't a hundred percent fit coming into the match. You know, I played ?? since my match in Miami, I had very little time to practice because of the ankle injury and then the sickness.
Obviously, this is my first match on clay, so I wasn't expecting to play great and feel great on the court. But, you know, I had a lot of chances to win the match. You know, he's a really tough player. He beat Johansson, Tom Johansson, here last year, and he's been ranked around a hundred for pretty much all his career. So I knew it was gonna be tough.
Unfortunately, I got cramp. But it's just one of those things that happens.
Q. Do you think you got the cramp because you were compensating for the ankle? Was that the reason?
ANDY MURRAY: No, no. I think the reason for me cramping was having not been able to practice. You know, I didn't ?? before Davis Cup, I played three ?? I hit for three hours before I played the doubles match, and then I had to take three days off after Davis Cup.
And, you know, when I came here, I was not able to practice as well as I wanted to but, you know, I still felt this was a good opportunity for me to get some clay court experience. You know, I decided to play and, unfortunately, I lost. But I didn't get beaten comfortably, and I had a lot of chances to win.
Q. Is that one of the stranger days you've had, having gone out with a cramp and suddenly you go out there and they default after? Bit odd, to say the least.
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, well, it obviously ?? it happens quite a lot with singles guys not wanting to get injured, you know, for the doubles. He obviously had hurt his abdominal muscle and, therefore, wanted to get some massage on it and get some rest before he plays his singles tomorrow.
But, yeah, it was good to kind of get off the court so I can get rested, and I look forward to playing with Tim again in the next match.
Q. Did you consider pulling out of the doubles yourself?
ANDY MURRAY: I could have done but, you know, I wanted to play. You don't get an opportunity to play doubles with someone as good as Tim every tournament.
Yeah, I felt like I could go out there and give it a good go. I wasn't obviously going to move as well as I can when I'm fully fit but, you know, it was good to get a few games practice because we got a tough match next.
Q. How did that come about, you playing with Tim?
ANDY MURRAY: Tim asked me on maybe Wednesday, Tuesday or Wednesday of last week if I wanted to play. Obviously, I said yeah straightaway.
Q. Did you actually have a massage between the singles and doubles when you came off?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I had massage, I stretched a lot, I had a little bit to eat, went on the bike. Just tried to do as much as I could to try and get my legs feeling good for the doubles.
I can't -- I just don't understand why I get cramp because I don't feel tired at all. Like going on to play, I didn't feel, you know, like, "I don't want to go out there." I feel fine enough to play. But when your legs cramp, you just can't do anything. I don't quite know what it is.
Q. Can you just clarify to us what the umpire actually said to you when he came down.
ANDY MURRAY: Well, obviously, he gave me the time violation.
wow 
Quite a combination oh characters 
I have to say, I couldn't understand the empty seats either. I tried to get my tickets on the day they went on sale - they were 'sold out within 2 hours of the hotline opening'. The LTA are obliged to keep a percentage of seats available for the opposition - think the figure is around 400. If these weren't sold, then this would have an effect on the numbers in the arena. I got tickets for the 3 days via hospitality - but didn't attend Sunday (I got deafened by the eejit sitting next to me with a horn). I still say that the crowd on the first day were great for Greg's opening rubber. I had to get back to work after that, so didn't experience what the crowd were like with Parmar's match. Maybe the numbers dropped off again with that.
He IS a delight to watch though. ;D I can honestly say - sorry guys - I have never seen a more graceful player. I love how he makes every stroke look so easy. He just feeds off the power of his opponent. In many ways, he's pretty 'old-fashioned' in his play. He's so graceful. A privilege to watch. Happy to be around to see him at his peak. 