Posted: 22.03.09 14:52. Post subject: СМИ о скоттише

ПК, интервью, статьи, новости, высказывания

 Posted: 25.03.09 15:55. Post subject: Света погоди ты с с..

Света
погоди ты с солеными огурцами , Верда или Налб по нему проедутся, будем читать другое... а др. нет, я самые карамельные не тащу

лучше посмейся

When the Spaniard complained to the umpire about the smell emanating from Murray's end of the court at 2-2 in the second set, the British no. 1 lost complete control - of his temper and of his bowels - and released an air biscuit from his Chamber of Horrors that had spectators in the front row gasping for breath.

 Posted: 25.03.09 16:38. Post subject: Из обзора зарубедной..

Из обзора зарубежной прессы на спортс.ру.

quote:

О причинах того, почему Мюррей стал так опасен для Федерера, мнения экспертов расходятся. Бодо считает, что причина именно в некоторой схожести их игровых стилей: «Когда вы смотрите на великолепные теннисные навыки Федерера, его опыт, его талант бойца, вы задаетесь вопросом – почему же у него возникают такие проблемы с Мюрреем. Моя теория состоит в том, что Мюррей как бы приводит в замешательство и раздражает Федерера тем, что покушается на территорию, которую все – и особенно Надаль – считает принадлежащей Федереру. Потому что игра Мюррея кажется немного волшебной. Она артистична и непредсказуема. Мюррей, возможно, не умеет двигаться и махать ракеткой так легко и без видимых усилий, как Федерер, но он очень часто так же приводит оппонентов в замешательство разнообразием и искусностью своих ударов». Мюррей как бы приводит в замешательство и раздражает Федерера тем, что покушается на территорию, которую все считают принадлежащей Роджеру Стив Тиньор же, напротив, считает, что в чем-то Мюррей ближе к Надалю, чем к Федереру: «Шотландец, с его высокой скоростью, интуицией и высокой способностью принимать разнообразные удары, не нуждается в том, чтобы так же ходить по высоко натянутой проволоке, как Федерер. Его талант, заключающийся в том, чтобы понизить игру, приземлить ее, делает эффектность бесполезной. Мюррей провел большую часть третьего сета выполняя скучные резаные удары и неуверенные свечки и при этом демонстрировал вещи в десять раз лучше – косой форхенд крюком и бэкхенд по линии – только, когда Федерер выходил к сетке. Это была тактика предложенная Мухаммедом Али 35 лет назад – он позволял оппоненту бить себя, пока тот не устанет, потом наносил один нокаутирующий удар. Как и Али, Мюррей, кстати, большой поклонник великого боксера, знает, что это атакующая тактика, замаскированная под защитную. И с самого начала пресс-конференции он хотел, чтобы все поняли – это он выиграл матч, а не Федерер проиграл. Энди Мюррей с самого начала пресс-конференции хотел, чтобы все поняли – это он выиграл матч, а не Федерер проиграл Мюррей закончил утверждением, которое я никогда прежде не слышал ни от одного игрока – что Федерер не играл в умный теннис. «Он много бегал», – сказал Мюррей, – «И выполнял много рискованных ударов. Когда ты делаешь это, ты непременно ошибешься». Он не испытывает трепета перед Федерером, никаких привычных мантр, типа «неважно, как он сегодня играл, он все равно самый великий игрок в истории». Ничего подобного, просто недоуменное пожимание плечами, которым Мюррей говорил нам: «Это был мой план, что вас так удивляет?» По словам Мюррея существует больше, чем один способ диктовать розыгрыш. Существует больше, чем один способ выиграть борьбу. Существует больше, чем один способ для теннисного художника, чтобы нарисовать матч».

Отсюда

 Posted: 25.03.09 16:51. Post subject: Алёна мы эту статью..

Алёна
мы эту статью обсудили на 1-й стр.

 Posted: 25.03.09 16:56. Post subject: Fanka When the Span..

Fanka

quote:

When the Spaniard complained to the umpire about the smell emanating from Murray's end of the court at 2-2 in the second set, the British no. 1 lost complete control - of his temper and of his bowels - and released an air biscuit from his Chamber of Horrors that had spectators in the front row gasping for breath.

 Posted: 25.03.09 19:56. Post subject: Fanka лучше посмейс..

Fanka

quote:

лучше посмейся

Я вью Тони Надаля в тему Рафы утащу, ладно?

 Posted: 25.03.09 20:38. Post subject: хруня тащи-тащи htt..

хруня
тащи-тащи
я хотела у рафы тоже запостить, но с тайм проблемы. Не хотела повторять, а просм. есть ли там, уже времени нет.

 Posted: 26.03.09 10:37. Post subject: Federer-Nadal Rivalr..

Federer-Nadal Rivalry On the Ropes

There was much to be learned from the recent tournament at Indian Wells, one of the most prestigious non-major events on the tennis calendar. The women's game is absolutely lost without the Williams sisters. Novak Djokovic seems to have lost his fire. Andy Murray is without question the No. 3 player in the world (трепещи, Джокер). And the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, while remaining the best matchup the sport has to offer, may be on life support.

The two didn't get a chance to meet at Indian Wells, not after Federer went down so quietly against Murray. There's no other way to say it: Murray simply owns Federer right now. He's 6-2 in their lifetime matchup, including four straight wins, and as Federer faded away in the third set (6-1) Sunday, the spectacle bordered on mismatch.

It was Federer's third loss of the year, and each time he has melted down in the final set. "I'm old. He's young," Federer said in a brief, uncomfortable press conference. But as longtime tour insider Joel Drucker wrote on espn.com. "Flip as that comment came off, more disturbing was the subdued manner in which Federer competed once Murray grabbed the lead. It's one thing to lose; it's another to seemingly stop competing."

Federer has all the shots in the book, but so does Murray, the Scotsman who plays such a fearless, imaginative game. And yet, when it came to Sunday's final, Murray was powerless against Nadal, whose drive to compete seems more ferocious than ever. At 22, and on top of the world, Nadal has noticeably improved his volleying, serve and sliced backhand. As he said earlier in the year, "I love the competition, not only in tennis but all aspects of life. When I compete, I love to be there and fight for the win. Maybe I more like fighting to win than win."

The result is a player now eminently comfortable on all surfaces and virtually guaranteed to win the first major of the year, the French Open, in May. Federer still doesn't have a coach, and right now, against the stiffest competition, he doesn't appear to have a clue. I wouldn't write off this man. I personally witnessed all of his titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and his utter command of the game had people calling him the greatest of all time. You don't hear that kind of talk now. But I'd like to think Federer's crunch-time malaise is temporary.

The sport could definitely use a revival from Djokovic, one of its most engaging characters. He defaulted in the fourth set against Andy Roddick at the Australian Open, and he was strangely vacant in losing to Roddick 6-3, 6-2 at Indian Wells. Those in attendance said it was as if Djokovic -- the real Djokovic -- wasn't even there. "I just didn't have any momentum on the court," he said. "No feel for the ball, no movement, no solutions. It was just something else...some other reasons. Just hard to explain."

Posted By: Bruce Jenkins (Email) | March 25 2009 at 08:24 AM
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/threedotblog/detail?entry_id=37449

 Posted: 26.03.09 10:42. Post subject: Jamie Murray turns D..

Jamie Murray turns Davis Cup ire on captain Lloyd

•Being dropped felt like a "kick in the teeth", says Murray
• Murray still believes he is Britain's No1 doubles player

Digg it Simon Cambers and Richard Jago The Guardian,
Thursday 26 March 2009 Article history

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/mar/26/jamie-andy-murray-davis-cup-britain-omission-john-lloyd

 Posted: 26.03.09 10:50. Post subject: MURRAY EYES NADAL TH..

MURRAY EYES NADAL THRONE

Wednesday March 25,2009
By Alix Ramsay

Andy Murray has thrown down the gauntlet to Rafael Nadal – he wants the Spaniard’s world No 1 spot and thinks he knows just how to get it (громко чересчур )

Despite the beating he took from Nadal on Sunday in the howling gale that battered the Indian Wells final, Murray believes he has the game to beat the Spaniard and the serve to dethrone him.

Murray is regarded by everyone in the locker room as having one of the best return games in the world, but now that he has improved the accuracy and consistency of his service game he feels he can challenge for the top ranking.

“If I’m breaking serve around 40 per cent of the time and getting broken 14 per cent, then I’m going to win pretty much every match I play,” said Murray. “If I win that percentage of my service games throughout the year, I’ll finish No 1 in the world.”

Murray has lost only two matches this year – like Nadal – and he has won 20, just one behind his rival. Both men have won two titles and reached another final, although one of Nadal’s titles was the Australian Open.

But Murray’s serving stats are impressive, with 86 per cent of his service games won and 76 per cent of his first-serve points won. Nadal’s figures are 86 and 66 per cent respectively. As for his return game, no one has broken serve more times this year than Murray, who has a 38 per cent strike rate.

In the past, Scotland’s finest has claimed that his only goal is to win a grand slam title, but after spending six months as world No 4 he is closing in on Novak Djokovic, the man immediately above him.

Indeed, having beaten all the top three – and in the case of Roger Federer, on a regular basis – Murray’s ambitions have broadened. A major title is still his ultimate goal but dethroning Nadal is, he thinks, within his reach.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/90909/Murray-eyes-Nadal-throne

 Posted: 26.03.09 10:52. Post subject: Энди о себе “My con..

Энди о себе

“My consistency has been very, very good since Wimbledon last year,” said Murray. “I’ve been winning matches consistently in tournaments, not having too many early losses.

“My ranking reflects that and I want to keep moving up. This year has been very good so far. I started well in Doha, the Australian Open didn’t go as well as I would have liked but the last two tournaments, Rotterdam and Indian Wells, have been very good. Hopefully I can keep it going.”

 Posted: 26.03.09 10:56. Post subject: и это всё о нем On-..

и это всё о нем

On-song Andy eyes a No1 hit

Published: 25 Mar 2009

ANDY MURRAY believes he is on track to become world No 1.

The Scot is pushing Serb Novak Djokovic for the No 3 spot after reaching the final of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells at the weekend, where he was beaten by No 1 Rafa Nadal.

No British man has ever been ranked in the top three — but Murray reckons he can push both Nadal and world No 2 Roger Federer, whom he beat for the fourth straight time in the semi-finals in California.

Murray, 21, said: “It’s definitely the best start to a year I’ve had.

“Looking at the matches I’ve won and the win-loss record since Wimbledon — I think if I’d played like that the whole year then I would be close to finishing No 1.


“If I can improve in the clay-court (все-таки о грунте он думает серьезно) season then I can definitely move up.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/tennis/article2338698.ece

 Posted: 26.03.09 12:01. Post subject: “My consistency has ..

quote:

“My consistency has been very, very good since Wimbledon last year,” said Murray. “I’ve been winning matches consistently in tournaments, not having too many early losses. “My ranking reflects that and I want to keep moving up. This year has been very good so far. I started well in Doha, the Australian Open didn’t go as well as I would have liked but the last two tournaments, Rotterdam and Indian Wells, have been very good. Hopefully I can keep it going.”

Пусть сначала грудь накачает, а потом её выпячивает ыыыыыыыыыыыыыы

 Posted: 26.03.09 13:16. Post subject: статья о брате скотт..

статья о брате скоттинушки

MURRAY’S ANGER AT CUP DISLOYALTY
Thursday March 26,2009
By Alix Ramsey

Jamie Murray has accused Britain’s Davis Cup captain John Lloyd of disloyalty and claims being left out of the team that lost to Ukraine at the start of the month was “a kick in the teeth”.


At the time, Murray was Britain’s No1 in the doubles but Lloyd dropped him in favour of Ross Hutchins. He and Colin Fleming lost the doubles rubber in five sets as Britain crashed 4-1.

“I felt like it was a bit of a kick in the teeth,” said Murray. “I felt that I hadn’t necessarily been playing the best tennis but still felt I was more than capable to play a match for the team and win a rubber.

“For John to not really back me to go out there and play a good match was more disappointing than not being in the team.”

Britain must win their next tie in September in order to avoid relegation down to the third division .

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/91090/Murray-s-anger-at-cup-disloyalty

 Posted: 27.03.09 10:29. Post subject: From The TimesMarch ..

From The TimesMarch 27, 2009

Rejuvenated Andy Murray ready for Miami bid

Neil Harman

It is symptomatic of Andy Murray’s desire to squeeze every last bit from his reservoir of talent in the four-man race for supremacy that a spare room at the apartment that he purchased here last year is being occupied by Jez Green, who devised the physical programme by which all other standards in the British game should be measured.

Green’s presence is a constant reminder that if Murray wants to succeed in his quest to win grand-slam events and become an ever more aggravating thorn in the side of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, he has to be at or as near to his physical peak as often as possible. The pounds he lost while suffering the virus that ruled him out of the Davis Cup tie against Ukraine this month, are slowly being replenished and he is almost back to his optimum weight.

The devilish gusts that bedevilled Murray’s attempt to defeat Nadal in the final in Indian Wells last Sunday have been replaced by the balmy breezes of Florida, conditions in which he is well versed.

“My legs and my energy levels are fine,” the world No 4 said before his second-round match tomorrow in the Sony Ericsson Open against Juan Mуnaco, of Argentina, or Marc Gicquel, the Frenchman. “I had some reserves last week I didn’t really know I had and I’m much better prepared coming into this week.”

While Nadal is becoming almost as consistent on hard courts as he is on clay, Federer is feeling his way back after six weeks off and still has the thrashing by Murray in California to rid from his system. The pressure on Novak Djokovic, the world No 3, has been turned up a notch by the arrival of his entire family here, leaving Murray well placed to eat into the deficit between himself and the Serb in the rankings.

Djokovic is talking about “making things look right”, which are hardly the words of a man who believes in everything that he is doing. “I wasn’t myself last week,” he said. “So I have to turn the next page. I just have to prove to myself again that I have the quality to be one of the best players in the world. I just need to be confident.”

It will not be easy for the 21-year-old. He plays Frank Dancevic, a difficult opponent from Canada, in the second round and could then meet Marcos Baghdatis, the Cypriot who needs a victory over a top-five player to get his career pointing in the right direction again.

Jamie Murray is another in need of an injection of confidence. He has talked about being “kicked in the teeth” over his rejection from the previous Davis Cup squad and in the next breath has said that it could have been the best thing to happen to him. He is teamed here again with Simon Aspelin, the Swede.

When the Murray brothers return to the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, southwest London, next month, there will be a couple of familiar faces missing. Kevan Taylor, the LTA’s director of finance, left the governing body yesterday — the second person in that position to do so since Roger Draper became the chief executive — and the head of food and beverage has also departed. What is it in the water there?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article5983275.ece

 Posted: 27.03.09 11:29. Post subject: ПК Марри в Майами: ..

ПК Марри в Майами:

ANDY MURRAY

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You said at Indian Wells that you were a little bit surprised that you'd gotten all the way through to the final, given that you hadn't been well before that tournament. It's sort of four hard weeks. How would you an assess your physical state and your approach to this tournament?
ANDY MURRAY: I feel much better, much better prepared this week than at Indian Wells. I obviously played a lot of matches there. Probably four days of practicing on these courts before my first match. You know, it's been pretty blustery on the courts and whatnot.
Yeah, I've had a couple of hours each day. Physically, I feel fine. A little bit jet-lagged, but in terms of my legs and, you know, energy levels, I feel fine.

Q. It's almost kind of a home from home here. How comfortable do you feel at this particular tournament?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it's nice. First year that I will be able to stay in my apartment. I've spent a lot of time here in the last year and a half or so, obviously training, you know, taken a couple of holidays here as well.
I know Miami relatively well. Obviously nice to get to sort of stay in your own bed at the tournament. That doesn't happen too much throughout the year.

Q. Are you enjoying a little bit the fact that the first four or five top spots in the national world rankings are really up for grabs, and everybody is in position to be the best player on the circuit? Are you enjoying that?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah. Well, I mean, the last couple of years I think it's been much, much better for tennis. Obviously Roger was so dominant before that everyone just sort of expected, you know, him to win everything.
Now it's obviously a lot more open. But Nadal, he holds three of the four slams. He's strong on clay. Right now he's starting to, you know, sort of gain a bit of ground on everyone. I think he's quite a bit in front.
But I still feel, like you say, on any given day -- it's not just the top four or five guys. I think it's going up to sort of 10, 15, where they can beat the top players. It's definitely more interesting for tennis now.

Q. What gave you the most encouragement last week to draw on coming into this event?
ANDY MURRAY: I think physically, you know, I was very surprised, you know, how, I mean, lucky I only had to play once back-to-back days before the, you know, the final. But Robredo pulled out there, so obviously I was recovering decent after the matches because I had some time.
But, you know, I was expecting to feel pretty rough on the court and struggling with my breathing whatnot. I obviously put in a lot of hard work in December and stuff and obviously had some reserves there that I didn't necessarily know I had before. I feel this week coming in I'm much better prepared.

Q. Did it come as a big relief that you didn't have glandular fever or mono or anything like that?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it was tough, because when I had the first batch of sort of tests done, I got told it's not glandular fever, and then the next morning I got a call saying this it could be. Then I was starting to panic a little bit.
You know, I think Ancic has had to go home again this week because he's struggling again with, you know, illness and stuff. Those things can drag on for a long time. Especially for sports people, it takes even longer because we're doing a lot of exercise and it comes back.
Yeah, I was obviously pleased it wasn't that, because it's a pretty debilitating illness. I'm just happy I'm feeling good again.

Q. Does it affect the way you practice here and prepare for the matches, the wind?
ANDY MURRAY: No. I mean, at Indian Wells, it was totally calm pretty much until the finals there. You know, when I've been practicing it's been windy, but it's -- I mean, there's some wind that's tricky and some wind that's strong and changes the way you have to play a little bit.
But it's always going in the same direction, not swirling around and changing every, you know, couple minutes. Just from one end you're obviously hitting into the wind, and from other, you're with it. You can adjust your game for that.
The thing that was tough at Indian Wells was that it was changing every couple of minutes and even during some of the points. It was tough to control the ball.

Q. Safin was saying in Indian Wells that he thinks, or at least he was, a bit surprised by Nadal's hands. They were better than he expected. Is there anything about the way Rafa's improved technically stroke-wise that's taken you by surprise, or does it all make perfect sense to you?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I mean, he has been very close to being -- he was 2 in the world for three or four straight years. So he's always been unbelievable. But, you know, he's starting to play a bit more aggressive than he used to on the hard courts. When he's closer to the baseline, he's a bit -- he's more comfortable than he used to be.
I just think when he won his first slam outside of clay, I think that's, I don't know, he just seems a bit more comfortable on the quicker surfaces.
With his racquet head speed and how sort of heavy he can hit the ball, he would have always been able to play well on hard courts. Just mentally sometimes it takes a little bit of -- just winning a big event like he obviously -- that match at Wimbledon was so close to going the other way. Never know what might have happened had he lost that.
But since then, if you look at his game, not a whole a lot has changed. He's able to keep the ball much lower off the net, and I think that's why he's playing better on the quicker courts.


Q. You are one of the fewer players that have beaten Roger. Rafa is a lefty player so it helps him. What helps you against Roger? What is the key to your successes against Roger, do you think?
ANDY MURRAY: There's obviously not just one thing. You know, I have to play very well to win against him.
But if you watch the matches when I played him, you know, I'm not trying to hit winners on every point. I'm not trying to finish points early. Just keeping myself in the points and trying to keep to the ball to a good length, and when I'm in trouble, sort of keeping his ball low on his backhand because he's not so dangerous from there.
Each time I play against him, you have to change little things, because he adjusts his game as well. When you play against any of the Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, you need to keep changing little things because they're going expect you to do what you did in the last match, especially if you won against them.
So it's not just as easy as Nadal being a lefty, why he beats you.

Q. Obviously you guys are different players. Do you ever look at how Rafa played Roger as any kind of roadmap for you, or can you just feel what you do and made your progression that way?
ANDY MURRAY: Well, I watched. I watched so many of Roger's matches when I was growing up. I had a couple bad injuries when I was younger and watched loads of tennis.
So when I did come back on the tour or get to that level, I knew how I had to play against him. The one thing that I always thought, or it looked like from watching, was that everyone was just trying to play so well all the time to win against him, trying like too hard and trying to hit the ball to the line and playing the game style that necessarily didn't work for them.
You know, I made sure that when I played against him I haven't tried to do that. I haven't felt that just because I'm playing Federer I have to hit every ball on the line and stuff.
So it's not -- I just learned a lot from watching when I was growing up.

Q. The celebrated thing about Rafa is that it's like playing against a wall and he never gives up. You all are in extraordinarily good shape and you're very fast. What's it feel like, you deal with it as a player?
ANDY MURRAY: Before the Indian Wells match I won three times against him, you know, in a row, and started to feel quite comfortable playing against him.
Yeah, he's so consistent and really fast. You know, he has obviously one of the heaviest forehands the game has ever seen.
Again, it's easy to think, you know, I have to play unbelievable all the time. That's not always the case. I have to pick the right shots to go for the lines and play aggressive against him, and then you've got a chance.
It is obviously very difficult, because when you get more tired in the tight situations, you know he's not going to give the points to you. That's where, I mean, you have to be very strong mentally to win against him, especially in the big matches tight situations.

 Posted: 27.03.09 12:06. Post subject: Стихийное бедствие п..

Стихийное бедствие пишет:

quote:

Q. Did it come as a big relief that you didn't have glandular fever or mono or anything like that? обошлось с моно ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it was tough, because when I had the first batch of sort of tests done, I got told it's not glandular fever, and then the next morning I got a call saying this it could be. Then I was starting to panic a little bit.

а остальное о Р и Р., ничего нового
всем трещит, что готов к бою

 Posted: 27.03.09 23:41. Post subject: Murray fears Nadal i..

Murray fears Nadal is pulling away from the pack

• Andy Murray enjoys the benefits of home comforts in Miami
• Scot eyes semi-final with Spaniard with new-found vigour

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/mar/27/andy-murray-rafael-nadal-miami

 Posted: 29.03.09 09:57. Post subject: Murray battles throu..

Murray battles through to third round in Miami

Saturday 28 March 2009 21.05 GMT

The British number one was hoping to build on his run to the final in Indian Wells last weekend but had to recover from a poor start to defeat Juan Monaco 4-6 6-3 6-2.

Monaco, who turns 25 tomorrow, was inspired in the opening set but, having missed a chance to break in the opening game of the second, faded badly as Murray gradually took control in the pair's first meeting.

Monaco created the first opening in the third game as Murray struggled to find his range, and the world number 59 finally took advantage on his third break point.

The Argentinian was playing near faultless tennis and Murray looked frustrated by his failure to break down his opponent, who was frequently taking the initiative in rallies. It got worse for Murray in the fifth game as Monaco claimed a second break to love, although the Scot turned the tables in the next game to at least pull the score back to 4-2.

Murray saved further break points in the seventh game but then failed to take his one chance to break back as Monaco wrapped up the first set 6-4. The 21-year-old was on the back foot at the start of the second set as well, the Argentinian winning the first three points on Murray's serve.

But this time the Scot stood firm and he should have gone a break ahead in the next game. A net cord seemed to have set him up perfectly but Monaco's desperate retrieval landed just inside the baseline.

Murray looked somewhat ill at ease, which was surprising given he trains in Miami over the winter and bought an apartment in the city last year. However, he was gradually getting the upper hand and secured the break in the fourth game.

Murray began to play with authority and a shanked Monaco return saw him level at one-set all. Monaco was up at 14th in the world last January but has slid down the rankings considerably since then and struggled to rediscover his form of the opening set.

Murray duly broke again in the first game of the decider but Monaco showed he had some fight left by levelling immediately. A third successive break gave the British number one the advantage again and from there he eased to victory.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/mar/28/andy-murray-sony-ericcson-miami

 Posted: 29.03.09 12:40. Post subject: Andy Murray struggle..

Andy Murray struggles in his match at the Sony Ericsson tennis tournament
The matchup between the No. 4 player in the world and the 59th was closer than anticipated Saturday.

BY BILL VAN SMITH
Miami Herald Writer

Andy Murray is the fourth-ranked tennis player in the world. Not bad. But in the world of professional tennis, being No. 4 means -- well, not as much as you might think, particularly in the era of Nadal-Federer.

There is a steep drop-off in name recognition by the casual fan after those two -- so steep, it's like jumping off a cliff.

Murray, 22, is accustomed to dealing with the lack of acclaim. And he certainly can find consolation in the nearly $4 million he won in 2008.

What he isn't so accustomed to is struggling against the world's 59th-ranked player, which is what happened Saturday in the Sony Ericsson tournament against Argentina's Juan Monaco.

There was a sigh of relief from Murray after his 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.

Murray, who recently moved to Miami and has an apartment on Brickell Avenue, knows the type of performance he demonstrated Saturday was not indicative of his No. 4 ranking, nor will it get him far in the tournament. да, с таким перформансом вчерашним пройти далеко в турнире - только если толстые фамилии с турнирной сетки самоудалятся ранее

''I definitely need to step it up,'' he said. ``It was the same last week [in Indian Wells, Calif.]. I didn't play my best early in the tournament.

``But, like I say, the only important thing is winning по сути дела прав поганка . I found a way.''

His serve was what brought him back after the dismal first set.

''I don't tend to think the match is finished when you lose the first set,'' the Scottish player said. ``But I knew it was going to be tricky. I was struggling to get into a rhythm

``I knew I needed to change something, and I started going for my serve more. My serve is something that has improved. I have to work on the rest of my game, but I'm just happy I've got the chance to do that. I could have lost.''

Tourists flock here for the sunshine. Murray was wishing it would just go away. заметила, он не любит острого солнца

''I was struggling with the sun,'' he said. ``It's been the first time for a while I've had that problem.

``From one of the ends I was having to slow my serve down a lot because the sun was right in my eyes.''

During the match he even asked for a cap, which he usually doesn't wear. Murray, who won five ATP events in 2008, has worked relentlessly on his conditioning since moving to Miami.

He has used University of Miami training facilities for the most part. However, he downplayed the workouts.

''I don't think it makes a huge outcome in the matches,'' he said.

What he does think is helpful is living less than 10 minutes from the Tennis Center at Crandon Park.

''It's nice away from the court, just to be able to sort of go back to your own place and just relax and not have to stay in hotels,'' he said. ``You can kind of just get away from the tennis a little bit more than normal.

``Sometimes when you stay in hotels you see the players at breakfast, obviously at lunch you'll see them and at the courts. If you can just get away from things, it's a bit easier.''

Next opponent for Murray is Chile's Nicolas Massau, who should have strong fan support in South Florida.

That's OK with Murray.

''It's just me and him that are going to be playing,'' he said.

 Posted: 29.03.09 22:19. Post subject: §±§¬ §б§а§г§Э§Ц §Ю§С..

ПК после матча с Монако

29 March, 2009

When you lost the first set, how worried were you?

Well, I was finding it difficult. I don't tend to think the match is finished when you lose the first set. But I knew it was going to be tricky. He was playing very well. I was struggling a little bit to sort of get into a rhythm. From one of the ends I was having to slow my serve down a lot, because the sun was right in my eyes. So, I was having to slow it down. He was getting into a lot of rallies and hitting the ball better than me from the baseline. I knew I needed to change something, and I started going for my serve more and won a lot of free points. My serve was really the difference between winning and losing the match.

How much of it was due to the fact you had not played him before?

I mean, a little bit, but we know each other pretty well. I practiced with
him in Spain. He went to the same academy, and we had the same coach there. Obviously when I play someone for the first time, especially when the conditions are tricky, it's going to be tough.

Did you summon for a cap at one point?

Yeah.

Did you forget one?

I haven't worn a cap for a long time, since before Wimbledon last year. You know, each week it can be a little bit different where the sun is at certain times. Today I was struggling with it. It's been the first time for a while I've had that problem.

You're living down here and you did major training down here. How much of a help has that been?

I don't think it makes a huge outcome in the matches. It's nice, away from the court, just to be able to sort of go back to your own place and just relax and not have to stay in hotels. You know, you can kind of just get away from the tennis a little bit more than normal. Sometimes when you stay in the hotels you see the players at breakfast, obviously lunch you'll see them, and at the courts. If you can just get away from things, it's a bit easier.

How pleased are you with the way you dug that one out? You had to dig deep when you weren't playing well initially. You had to come through this one. Is that a good thing for you?

Like I said, only thing that matters really is winning. If I played great today and lost, then I'm sure everybody would be pretty negative about it . But when you win it's a bit different. I was really happy with the way I served. I thought that was just the key. I served a high percentage and got a lot of free points when I really needed it in the second and third set. I found a big serve. It's something in my game that's improved. I have to work on the rest of my game, but I'm just happy I've got the chance to do that. I could have lost today честно признался .

There's likely to be a pretty boisterous atmosphere against Massu. Are you ready for that?

The Chilean supporters are great. Obviously they get right behind their sportsman, Massu and GonzЁўlez are probably two of the most famous people from there. They've both got incredible records in the Olympics. I think GonzЁўlez has a gold, silver, and a bronze. Massu obviously won the double gold. So, yeah, I'm sure it's going to be a great atmosphere. At the end of the day, it's just me and him that are going to be playing. I hope I can come through.

Do you enjoy that atmosphere like when it's a crowd that probably should be against you? Does it fire you up? Do you revel in it, or are you just able to block it out?

Oh, it helps. I mean, sometimes if the crowd is kind of neutral, you know, it's just a nicer match. If you have someone against you or for you, yeah, it just makes it a little bit easier to get fired up sometimes. The crowd were getting behind Juan at the end the second set. It helped me a little bit to sort of focus and, you know, realize that I'm in a fight here and, you know, I'm going to have to think my way out of it. So I think it helps.

If you play at the level you did today, do you think you can go far in this tournament, or do you have to step it up more?

No, I definitely need to step it up. It was the same last week: I didn't play my best early in the tournament. But, you know, like I say, the only important thing is winning. I found a way today, and I hope I can do it on the next match as well.

How critical was that first game in the second set to you winning the match today?

Yeah, it was obviously key. You know, I don't want to go behind early. It was sort of after that when I started to return a little bit better. I played sort of closer to the baseline. If I had gone behind early there, he might have got some confidence. I had a chance, and he was a little bit nervous at the end of the first set, and I had a chance to break him and didn't take it, and then, you know, it kind of stopped the momentum, you know, going with him. So it obviously made a difference.

Dan Evans has reached the finals of a challenger in Jersey. Of the young British players that you've seen, where would you rate him amongst our talentedjuniors/almost seniors?

He's the best one. I think everybody knows that. He's obviously starting to win matches. Challengers is obviously a step up. I guess he beat Boggo today, which is obviously a good win for him. If he can win a challenger, I mean, you're a good player. It's not like the depth in tennis has got worse; it's got better and better. He's obviously had some good wins this week. I saw him beat Simon Stadler who's been around a while and been a tough player. Dan's got a chance to be a good player. He's just got to make sure his mind is in the right place and that he works hard and focuses. He might get there. But it's a tough thing to do now.