Posted: 13.05.09 22:14. Post subject: Madrid: Bolelli reac..
Madrid: Bolelli reaction 13 May, 2009 | 19:05
Q. Considering how hard you had to work for the first set was that a particularly satisfying win?
I felt really good on the court; I hardly mishit a ball in the whole match. The first set was tough. I was very very sure the serve I hit was in but when I went round and saw the mark I was even more certain. So it was tough to come back from that but I played some good points. Overall, I was very happy with the way I played and especially the way I moved.
Q. Do you think there is a case for having hawk eye on clay courts?
No, it doesnґt happen very often where thereґs mistakes. Thereґs the odd time where there will be two marks very close to each other like on one of his serves in the first set where you donґt know which one it is and the referee has to decide. That sort of stuff doesnґt happen too often. If itґs costing money to do it I donґt think that itґs that necessary but the TV normally has that option. I watch matches on the TV and theyґll have the hawk eye on clay and what not so I donґt know if itґs already there for the television so if it is they might as well use it for the players, I guess.
Q. In the early stages of the match you were way behind the base line and he was really attacking you standing on the base line; do you feel comfortable back there or were you forced back there?
From being on the court the guy is hitting the ball huge. He hits the ball harder than most guys and itґs tough on new court conditions to be playing right up on the baseline as the start of the match and towards the end of the start I got to work my way closer and closer to the baseline but thatґs kind of the way, if you watch someone like Rafa at the start of matches on clay, youґll see him a long way behind the baseline making a lot of balls, trying to play solid and the more confidence he gets heґll move closer and closer to the baseline and thatґs what I did today.
Q. Robredo is up next. What more can you tell us about him? What are your preparations going to be like tomorrow?
Practice for an hour and a half or something. It was a relatively long match and a late finish so I will try and recover properly. He is one of the top ten clay court players, for sure. He won a couple of tournaments on clay in South America and he is playing at home so heґs going to have good support but itґll be a very good test for me but hopefully I can play like I did tonight and give myself a good chance.
Q. Is your knee ok? You clearly whacked it on the board where you put your name and everything, you appeared to be holding it a bit in the second set?
The thing is that with my knee, because of the thing I was born with, the bipartite patella, I canґt go past 90 degrees and thatґs not good when my knee goes over my toe; if I am standing up and I fall forward and I hit whatever it was, the name board that caused my knee to go forward and that gives me some sharp pains. Itґs a little bit sore, on clay itґs worse than on other courts because there is more sliding and what not. You get much lower to hit the balls and youґre having to hold in wide positions especially when you slide out to your forehand and stuff so Iґm going to have a bit more pain on clay that on other courts.
Q. Where we were sitting is considerably closer to where we normally get to on a clay court but that ball did seem to be quite close in. Are the courts, the run-off, as wide?
Actually, when were playing football tennis, when we got here the first day, the chairs are very close to the side of the court, so when we were heading the ball off to the side we couldnґt get the ball up because it was pretty tight. So yeah, maybe it is closer and the name boards were a good 3/4 ft in front of the chairs.
Q. There has been some talk about the Sun reflecting off the metallic executive boxes, you know they are all metallic rather than the wood, it was quite late in the day but did you notice any of that?
It was tougher when it got dark and the flood lights were on for me. I found it harder to see, the plastic seats and stuff as well reflects the light; a lot of people got up and left at the end of the first set so there was more seats free and it tougher to see but I wasnґt playing when the sun wouldґve been making a huge difference.
Q. The courts, there are a few iffy bounces on it. Is it just because they are new?
Yeah I think so, itґs just around the lines. Normally on clay courts the ball doesnґt bounce particularly well when it hits the lines but itґs very extreme here when it does hit the line. I hit one return where the ball hit the back edge of the line and it just started rolling and if you hit it in front of the line it really jumps up high. I think just because they are new the lines sit a bit higher than normal. The tournament has obviously got a lot of potential, I think that because itґs the first year it just takes a bit of time to get everything right, not just the courts but all the other bits and pieces.
Posted: 14.05.09 08:54. Post subject: Мышь про скоттинку с..
Мышь про скоттинку состряпала материал, а Дисулька нафоткала: Маррей: на грунте можно скользить 13 мая 2009 года, среда. 15:20 Автор: Светлана Штейн из Мадрида, Андрей Скачковский, "Чемпионат.ру" Фото: Екатерина Солдатова, "Чемпионат.ру"
Новая третья ракетка планеты и действующий чемпион турнира серии "Мастерс" в Мадриде Энди Маррей (правда, в прошлый раз это соревнование проходило не на грунте) одержал свою первую победу в розыгрыше-2009 над итальянцем Симоне Болелли – 7:6 (11:9), 6:4. Внимание к шотландцу сейчас повышенное, и среди тех, кто выслушал признания нового игрока топ-3, были и корреспонденты "Чемпионат.ру".
— Учитывая ту работу, которую вы проделали в первом сете, можно ли сказать, что вы удовлетворены победой в матче? — Мне было комфортно играть, я едва ли пропустил хотя бы один мяч. Первый сет был тяжёлым, особенно мне было трудно, когда не засчитали подачу, которая точно попала в корт. Я даже пошёл проверить след и убедился, что подача попала.
— Может, это тот случай, когда бы на грунте не помешала система Hawk eye? — Нет, судейских ошибок на грунте не так много. Иногда случается, что на корте остаются две отметки близко друг от друга, причём совершенно непонятно, какая из них правильная. Тогда решение принимает судья. Но ещё раз повторю: это не частое явление. Если на установку системы нужны деньги, я не думаю, что она нужна, тем более что по телевидению показывают повторы. Если они есть на ТВ, можно использовать их и для игроков на корте. — В начале матча вы больше играли на задней линии, вернее сказать, Болелли оттеснил вас далеко и постоянно атаковал. Вы нормально себя чувствуете, находясь так далеко, или это была вынужденная мера? — Этот парень очень сильно бьёт по мячу, возможно, он один из самых мощно бьющих в туре. Входить в корт при такой игре соперника невозможно. Но если вы заметили, с самого начала матча я старался с каждым геймом подходить всё ближе. Например, Рафаэль Надаль, если вы вспомните его игру на грунте, также начинает далеко от задней линии, но в процессе матча он продвигается вперёд. Сегодня я делал то же самое.
— Следующий ваш соперник – Робредо. Что можете сказать о нём? Как будете готовиться к матчу? — Потренируюсь час-полтора. Сегодня у меня был тяжёлый матч, который поздно закончился, поэтому мне нужно правильно восстановить силы. Робредо – один из топовых игроков на грунте, он выиграл пару грунтовых турниров в Южной Америке, поддержка мадридских трибун ему гарантирована. Для меня это будет хорошая проверка. Надеюсь, буду играть так же, как сегодня, и у меня будут шансы.
— Как ваше колено? Вы налетели на табличку с именем в первом сете, и казалось, что берегли его во втором сете? — У меня проблемы с коленом с рождения, раздвоенная коленная чашечка, я не могу согнуть ногу до 90 градусов. Если я резко и сильно сгибаю ногу, налетая на что-либо или нет, я чувствую боль. На грунте это не так опасно, как на других покрытиях, потому что есть возможность скользить. Но играя на песке, приходится подсаживаться под мяч, особенно под удар справа, поэтому я буду испытывать немного больше боли, чем на других покрытиях.
— Некоторые отскоки мяча на корте были довольно странными? Это из-за того что корты новые? — Да, думаю, именно поэтому. Вообще отскок на грунте не очень высокий от линий, но здесь он вообще экстремальный. Я играл на приёме такие мячи, они были кручёные и, наоборот, имели высокий отскок. Думаю, корты новые, и из-за этого линии не идеальны. Но у турнира есть огромный потенциал, он проводится первый раз, и нужно просто немного времени, чтобы всё пришло в норму, не только корты, но и другие мелочи. — Что скажете про теннисный комплекс? — Корты имеют раздвижные крыши, и её можно закрыть во время дождя. Это прекрасная возможность в первую очередь для болельщиков, которые собираются посмотреть теннис. У этого турнира большой потенциал.
— Вы довольны тем, что стали первым британцем, который вошёл в первую тройку мировой классификации? — Дело в том, что если вы будете фокусировать своё внимание на рейтинге или том, что делают другие игроки, то перестанете концентрировать своё внимание на мяче. Нужно сосредоточиться на собственных матчах и постараться выигрывать их как можно больше. Важна концентрация и хорошая игра, а не рейтинг.
— Раньше из британцев только Тиму Хенмену и Грэгу Руседски удавалось занимать 4-ю позицию в рейтинге, а сегодня перед вами остались только Федерер и Надаль. Но у них на двоих – 19 титулов "Большого шлема", а у вас только выход в финал US Open в прошлом году. Сможете ли вы их обойти? — Чтобы приблизиться к этим двоим игрокам или вклиниться между Роджером и Рафой, нужно решить непростую задачу. Они, вероятно, являются двумя лучшими игроками за всю историю, но я не буду удивлён, если они когда-нибудь подвинутся вниз.
— Что для этого нужно предпринять лично вам? — Необходимо найти тот баланс, который бы позволил найти правильное решение – тренироваться не слишком много и не слишком мало. Его надо правильно находить каждую неделю, а это сложно. Например, на неделе перед Мадридом мы провели на тренировочном корте гораздо больше времени, чем перед предыдущими двумя турнирами. У меня была пара выходных дней после Рима, а потом пришлось работать кое над чем на тренировках, чтобы вернуть чувство уверенности в своей игре. А это лучшее из того, что можно сделать. Поначалу у меня была задача выиграть свой первый матч, а затем уже можно думать о последующих матчах, шаг за шагом. Приехав сюда, я получил сложную сетку. Здесь совсем другие условия, и пока нет никакого смысла говорить о финале или полуфинале. Думаю, что пока я не играю достаточно хорошо на этом покрытии, чтобы заглядывать дальше ближайшего матча.
Post №: 647
Joined: 22.03.09
Location: Киев
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Posted: 14.05.09 11:08. Post subject: Стихийное бедствие ..
Стихийное бедствие Вика, я эту статью выложила двумя постами раньше (тема на ней закрылась). Но постеснялась афишировать имена авторов (вдруг деуки хотели остаться неузнанными ).
Posted: 14.05.09 21:01. Post subject: хруня не могу, хрун..
хруня не могу, хруня, не могу, рука не поднимается - ни на твой пост, ни на Бедствия... к тому же Света написала
а чего ты такая экономная, скоттинка и так меньше всех места занимает я англ. статьи размещаю, даже не знаю - читают, не читают , а по-русски от своих людей пусть два раза будет
Posted: 15.05.09 15:30. Post subject: Madrid: Robredo reac..
Madrid: Robredo reaction (ПК после матча с Робредо) 14 May, 2009 | 17:05
Q: Up in the stands where we were sitting it seemed like there was a whirlwind blowing around the court, was it actually as bad on the surface as it seemed from upstairs? And if it was as bad as it seemed, how please are you with how you coped with it today?
It was windy but it wasn’t swirling, you know, a lot of times like in Indian Wells and Miami, it can get very windy as well but it kind of swirls… from the end where I won the first set it was a tough end to play because the wind was blowing right into your face and Tommy was dictating a lot of points from that end in the first set, I was just a little bit tense when I had my chances, I had a lot of them in the first set, I didn’t take them and then I played a little bit too passive and in the second set it was much better, I started to dictate a lot of the points.
Q: Do you feel being aggressive is the way for you to go in clay? I mean, whenever you do start being more aggressive and positive you seem to get good results.
It’s very easy setting from the side to say “you should take more chances” and whatnot, I mean, a lot of it depends on who you are playing against and the situation, like against someone like Tommy, who normally puts a high percentage of the first serves and on this surface he plays with kick, it’s difficult to attack and if he gets the first hit with his forehand he can make you run, so, I’m not going to start trying to slash winners from behind the base line but on my own service games I gave two break points right at the end of that set. I was serving well and played some more on my serve but the returning could be a little bit better but I broke the only ones in the match and even though in the first set I was struggling to make the breakthrough I managed to play aggressively on the second set, but it’s easier to do that when you’re ahead in the match.
Q: It’s a pretty close match between your two prospective opponents for your next match. Could you just talk about the prospect about talking against either of them?
Well, Del Potro, I think he is number 5 in the world right now, so he is obviously playing very well. He’s starting to play better on clay even though he was obviously brought up playing on it but because of his height and because of his game style he’s played better on hard courts on the tour but he’s a tough player on all courts. Wawrinka, this is probably his best surface, he had a good tournament in Montecarlo and a close match with Djokovic there. I’ve lost the two times I’ve played with him on clay, so, it will be a good test for me.
Q: You said that Tommy was in the top ten on clay and he’s won eight clay court titles this year too, so how satisfying is it to have won pretty comprehensively in the end?
I’m very happy with the result, I mean, he’s one of the top clay court players, He’s made the second week on the French Open cay quite a few times, he’s obviously not at the same level as Nadal, but not many guys are, you know, he gives lots of guys tough matches and I know he’s stopped working with his coach for the last few weeks, so maybe he’s struggling a bit with that but at the start of the year he was playing very well on clay. So, it’s a big win for me.
Q: I didn’t understand you well, do you consider the court part takes from a windy day or was there a strange wind inside the court because of the architecture?
I don’t know about the architecture or what difference it makes to the wind but it wasn’t swirling, it was kind of going in the same direction the whole time, it was much easier to get into the rhythm when it’s windy like that than when it’s swirling, you lose a lot of confidence in your shots when its swirling.
Q: How much are you enjoying working out the complexities of playing on clay?
Well, it’s not… obviously I have to find the right sort of game style; I’ve been watching guys like Djokovic and even Federer, to a certain extent, when they play on clay it’s not like their games changes a lot, it’s just the movement that’s important and being patient, I need to try to play, I mean, a lot of times when I’ve played my best tennis has been on slow hard courts so some of the clay, especially this week, can be a bit quicker so it’s just getting used to the moving and choosing the right shots to play but I need to play similar to how I play on the hard courts.
Q: Yesterday Djokovic said that the ranking system is cruel, that you have to fight to defend points but you can only earn a few and then Rafa said that it could be better if it was a two year ranking. What is your opinion, do you agree with this system? Would you prefer a change?
I mean, there always seems to be a problem, whether it is with the schedules, the calendar or whatever, now it is obviously the rankings. Rankings have been like this for however long, 37 years, I don’t know, it wasn’t a problem two or years ago, I don’t think that nobody disputed when Federer was number one in the world, I think that now nobody can dispute that Nadal is the best player in the world. I think the ranking systems are absolutely fine, I think that Nadal is the best and I think that the rest of the rankings reflect who has played best in a 12 month period, I mean, it’s great that Novak has done very well the last few weeks but the first three or four months of the year I played a lot better than him. I think that they reflect very well how the guys are playing. I understand what Rafa’s saying with the two year thing, it’s kinda like in golf, it’s not like there is so much pressure every single week to play and sometimes guys can be carrying injuries and you need to go to the tournaments because they are mandatory and it forces you to play and sometimes you’re not in the best shape. I must admit that, overall, I like the ranking system, you could just extend it a little bit more but I don’t think it was a problem for the last few years, I think that it has only become a problem for Novak in the last few weeks.
Q: Don’t you think it’s necessary to change it?
No, until this week I’ve never heard anyone complain about the ranking system. The only thing is if they want to make it in to a longer, more extended period. You have your ranking and I’m happy with that, I don’t think that it is necessary to change the point structure anymore; they do new things with it all the time, so just leave it how it is for a while.
Q: You mentioned all those chances on the first set, particularly, the high four hand volley at the 3-3 but you coped with it, is it part of the maturing process? Do you feel more in charge of your emotions? Are you better at dealing with things when they are not going your way these days?
I could have been better at dealing with them, like I said I had my chances, I didn’t really change the way I playing when I had them, you know, I was still waiting for him to miss and the conditions didn’t necessarily help. I just need to learn that when you do have a few chances… if I’m not winning because is because I’m playing too defensive or too aggressive to get that sort of balance right and knowing what shots to hit at the right time, on this surface that is something that I need to improve on but I’m definitely getting better, it just takes a little bit of time.
Q. With the time you spent here, did you get in to any of the of playing in high altitude, that the speed here is slightly higher?
I increased my tensions, I put on a few, on some of the clay courts, especially when they are wet, the balls get kind of heavy and you have to make sure that yo use enough spin to keep the balls Your timing needs to be spot on here, and the courts have a few bad bounces here.
Posted: 16.05.09 12:25. Post subject: ПК после матча с Дел..
ПК после матча с ДельПо:
Q: Maybe you could reflect on the first set and maybe about serving for the set and how you’ve played not one of your best games there. Do you think that that was the significant turning point?
A: Well, I still had chances after that. In the tie break, I just got away from playing my game, I mean, I started taking balls on that weren’t there to be hit and I was hitting the ball with not a lot of height over the net, so therefore I made more mistakes but, yeah, I didn’t play my best game. I bust a string at 5-2 and then I pretty much lost eight points in a row. It was a bit disappointing but, I mean, from the back the court I’m hitting the ball well, it’s just that my returns weren’t good today and that sums it up. I need to improve before the French starts.
Q: But would you say it’s been a positive week for you?
A: Yes, it’s been great. Juan’s a very good player, I should have probably taken the first set and in the second set I had all the chances at the beginning and I didn’t take them. I came to the net like three times in the one game where I got broken and lost a point, so that’s means that I need to find the right balance between being aggressive and not getting away from my game style, I mean, I don’t play like Federer plays, so, I need to make sure that I stick to my game and I plan on having a good French Open. This week was good I had, probably, my best game on clay against Robredo and I thought I was hitting the ball well, it’s just that my tactics weren’t great.
Q: If you looked at the clay season at the start, would you have settled for going to the French Open for one quarter final or one semi?
A: Yeah, I wasn’t expecting to be making finals every week, I mean, there’s definitely been an improvement compared to last year. I wouldn’t have beaten someone like Robredo last year, and I beat him comfortably yesterday. I feel confident going in to the French, better than I have done in previous years, I just need to work in a few bits and pieces but my game is definitely better on clay this year than last.
Q: Are you at the stage where you would consider yourself a potential winner in Paris?
A: No, I think that Rafa’s a definite favorite and there are a few guys ahead of me. I think I’m behind the very top ones and they can do well, you know, Juan’s five in the world and I didn’t feel outclassed or like I wasn’t holding my own at any point in the match. It’s just a matter of getting that confidence when it comes to playing matches on clay and taking my opportunities, which he did and I didn’t and that’s the difference between winning and losing matches against the top players.
Q: Andy you once had a 3-0 against Del Potro. What was different about him today? What did he do different compared to Miami and other situations you have had?
A: He served well, he hit a few aces and served quite a lot from the line, especially in the second set and in the tie break. You know, but from the back of the court he’s always been solid, he’s movement is still the same and just before when I played against him I played more solid. I think I made too many mistakes today, and that’s what I need to cut out to make sure that I play like I played at the beginning of the match the whole way through.
Q: He said yesterday that he’s the best of the bad ones, meaning that Novak, you, Roger and Nadal are in another league, in another level. Do you agree with him? Is he the best of the bad ones? Or is he already as good as you four?
A: He plays well, obviously. I think in terms of ranking points and stuff he’s quite a long way behind but he’s played consistently well in the tournaments. He just hasn’t had a breakthrough where he’s made semi finals of the slam or made finals of the master’s series but he’s got a chance this week.
Q: Are you happy with the Alex work and why?
A: I’m feeling better on clay this year and we haven’t had that much time together but the time we have spent is good and I looke forward to the practice week before the French open, you know all the thing that we’ve discussed I’ve tried to do, these weeks have been a learning process I wasn’t expecting to play final
I’m going to paris on Tuesday so I’ll go back and take a day off and celebrate my birthday and go back to Paris as soon as possible.
Posted: 17.05.09 15:42. Post subject: May 16, 2009 Andy M..
May 16, 2009
Andy Murray unable to take bull by horns as Del Potro ruins birthday party
On the feast of San Isidro, Madrid’s patron saint, the Spanish bullfighting season officially opens. An extremely tall, very powerful, exceedingly sharp-horned species from the Argentine pampas struck last night and Andy Murray, the nearest thing that Britain has to a tennis toreador, was dutifully speared.
One of these days he will more than likely win a clay-court championship but not just yet. He came close — not as close as in Monte Carlo, much closer than in Rome, but not close enough.
Murray will be kicking himself at losing to Juan Martнn Del Potro, a player whom he had beaten in their three previous matches. Even more so because Roger Federer, who is not completely settled on the surface and who Murray relishes playing almost more than anyone else, awaited in today’s semi-finals.
There is one championship remaining of this particular part of the campaign, the daddy of all clay-court events, the French Open, with its five-set, hour upon hour endurances — two weeks of sheer brutality. If Murray’s 7-6, 6-3 defeat by Del Potro in the Mutua Madrileсa Masters embodies his Paris expectations, it may not be a long campaign for him, for it will not be possible to let so many break points slip, or fritter away 5-2 leads, serve for a set and not win a point, haul yourself back into a tie-break and then make routine errors.
Every time Murray threatened to make a decisive move, Del Potro clawed him back, striking out in the manner that brings him so many rewards: thumping forehands, aggressive double-handed backhands that, when he is in the groove, are exceptionally deep and very difficult to pick.
Del Potro has described himself as “the best of the bad ones”. He thinks the world’s top four are streets ahead and that he, ranked No 5, is not in their class. Perhaps he should reassess.
Once he realised that Murray was having one of his off days — the Scot, 22 yesterday, has not enjoyed the best of fortune on his past three birthdays — the Argentinian pounced with nerveless assurance, though he choked a little on his first three match points. The 20-year-old often gives the impression of being a bit of a plodder but, at courtside, you can get a real sense of how hard he clubs the ball and he is much better than that. Murray simply could not measure up to his zeal. There is plenty of work to be done with his team these next few days.
There may not be many folk who follow tennis with a passion who would say, hand on heart, that Federer has any more chance of winning a French Open singles title than Amйlie Mauresmo. Yet, nine days before Roland Garros opens its doors and the spring clay-court season reaches an engrossing climax, it would be hard to find a couple of more contented folk.
Between them, they have played 24 French championships, Federer’s three runners-up plates in the past three years edging Mauresmo’s quarter-final brace, the last of which was five years ago. Swallowing their pride, enduring their frustrations, they have scampered to the grass, in the certain expectation that their opportunities for success are that much greater. And so it has proved.
When it all flows, there is little in the women’s game to beat Mauresmo’s utter grace. The same can be said of Federer. He was having a ball yesterday but he might have expected little else considering Andy Roddick, whom he defeated 7-5, 6-7, 6-1, had won two of the previous 19 matches between them, is just back from his honeymoon in Costa Rica and this was clay, not a surface on which he would consider laying a tennis court should he build one in his back garden in Texas.
Posted: 17.05.09 15:44. Post subject: MURRAY SEES PARTY PO..
MURRAY SEES PARTY POOPED
ANDY MURRAY has probably had better birthdays than this. On the day that he turned 22, he was dumped out of the Mutua Madrilena Open by Juan Martin Del Potro 7-6, 6-3.
From playing the best clay-court tennis of his life on Thursday – and continuing that form for half a set last night – the Scot was frustrated and outfoxed by the tall Argentinian.
It was not the sort performance Murray wanted to put on in front of his family.
His mother, Judy, and grandmother, Shirley Erskine, had made the trip to the Spanish capital in the hope of a night out with the birthday boy. Alas, the schedulers put a stop to that idea and the Scot did not get on court until 10.45pm. Once there, he had his work cut out, too.
The presents – a day out go-karting with his friends, and a boxed set of the American TV thriller ‘The Wire’ – would have to wait for the moment.
Del Potro is still only 20 but in the past nine months he has muscled his way up the world rankings to the No5 spot and won five tournament titles.
Tall at 6ft 6in, he is big, powerful and, these days, extremely confident. He had never beaten Murray before but he had caused the Scot problems.
For the first half a dozen games, it seemed as if Murray was going to sprint into the last four as he skipped into a 5-2 lead. Leaning into his backhand, he was bossing the Argentinian around and making him look flat-footed and clumsy.
But then, in the space of a few seconds, all the momentum changed.
Murray began a losing run of 11 consecutive points, a miserable spell that cost him his lead and forced him into a tiebreak. Once there, he was backed into a corner as Del Potro took the lead. And all the while, Murray was becoming more and more frustrated.
Posted: 18.05.09 17:35. Post subject: ANDY: I'LL BE PE..
ANDY: I'LL BE PERRY GOOD May 2009 By Mike Donovan ANDY Murray last night revealed he will be inspired to win Wimbledon this year by the late Fred Perry.
Perry, the last Brit to lift the men’s crown in London SW19 73 years ago, would have celebrated his 100th birthday today.
And the current British No.1, who was at the testing of Wimbledon’s retractable Centre Court roof yesterday, believes it will be appropriate if he can end the long wait for a home hero at the Championships.
Murray, the world No.3, said: “The fact that it would have been Fred Perry’s 100th birthday makes this a special year to win Wimbledon. вот такие заявы
“I’ll try not to put too much pressure on myself but I will give it my best shot.”
Posted: 19.05.09 19:03. Post subject: Andy Murray: World N..
Andy Murray: World No. 1 or British Obsession Gone Mad?
Andy Murray is a fantastic tennis player.
He plays with excellent variety, his serve has improved in leaps and bounds, he has become a master of the drop shot, and he can hold his own from the back of the court. When he is playing well, he can be an absolute joy to watch.
He started 2009 by saying he could be World No. 1 by the year's end. And yes, technically he could have. But realistically? Not a chance. Not with Rafael Nadal's iron grip over men's tennis.
Despite this, the British media all too happily jumped on the bandwagon, and ever since I have regularly heard Murray described as "the future World No. 1 hope"—by commentators, news reporters and fans alike.
Rafael Nadal has stated that he believes Andy Murray will, at some point become the World No. 1. He did not, however, specify when.
There is a high possibility that Murray will, at some point in the future, get to that coveted top position. Whether that future is near or distant, is difficult to say. Particularly with Murray's difficulties on clay, and Nadal's complete dominance on every surface.
Really. It's a tough one to call.
Murray has improved in ways I could never have predicted. There was a time when he was almost embarrassingly bad on the red dirt, and now he goes deeper into those clay court tournaments than he ever has before.
His prowess on hard courts has been incredible, and lifted him to No. 4 in the ATP World Tour rankings last year.
Now he sits on the position of No. 3. And if we're being honest—he got there by default.
His hard court points from the end of last season and the start of this season have carried him thus far. Despite being knocked out in his first match in Rome, because Novak Djokovic did not retain his title, the pair swapped ranks.
Novak Djokovic has reached the finals in Monte Carlo and Rome, he won Belgrade, and reached the semifinals in Madrid.
Andy Murray reached the semifinals in Monte Carlo, went out in R32 in Rome, and reached the quarterfinals of Madrid (He did not play in Belgrade)
Murray has never reached a clay court final. To be a World No.1, you must be versatile enough to win on all surfaces.
Had it not been for Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer would long have been the best clay court player in the world. Perhaps not the best ever, but the best of the generation.
Novak Djokovic is currently playing like the World No. 2, yet has been bumped down to fourth in the world because of Murray's previous successes on hard courts.
So yes—Murray may well become World No. 1 one day, but it will only happen when Rafael Nadal releases the world of men's tennis from this lockdown, and Murray improves his own game further on clay.
The British media, however, has different ideas.
Blinded by patriotism and the fallen dreams of previous tennis players from our country, they pile all the broken hopes and unfulfilled expectations of past generations onto the shoulders of whichever poor soul happens to be talented enough to make people outside of Britain see the potential they have.
Of course, because of this we get second-to-none tennis coverage on the TV, but that is not the point.
The obsession of the media in Britain extends far enough that they do not mention the epic encounters between two champions in their daily news reports—namely Nadal and Djokovic in their Madrid semifinal—preferring instead to talk about Murray's hopes for the French Open.
The way Andy Murray is talked about in Britain, you would think he already was the World No. 1. Higher even, if that is possible, because it would be insanely difficult for anybody to deserve the kind of praise he gets.
And this is without even winning a Grand Slam.
It's not fair on the British people who are loyal fans of other players, it's not fair on the people who have to play against Andy Murray in front of a home crowd—and it's not fair on Andy Murray, because that kind of pressure is not something anybody ever wants to have to deal with.
Posted: 19.05.09 19:06. Post subject: Scot is looking for ..
Scot is looking for A grades at Roland Garros, not for feet of clay
17 May 2009 By Alix Ramsay in Madrid IT IS exam season and not even tennis players are exempt.
A week today a hopeful Scottish bloke will begin the first major assessment of his career development since he took up residence at the No 3 spot in the world rankings – subject: clay-court progress; candidate: Murray, A. The venue will be the French Open, the ultimate test for the kings of the clay courts.
Murray completed the last of his mock-exams on Friday night, losing 7-6, 6-3 to Juan Martin Del Potro, the world No 5, in the quarter-finals of the Mutua Madrilena Open. It was a disappointing end to what had been a good week for the Scot. To get to the last eight, he had beaten Tommy Robredo, a vastly experienced clay-court specialist who had already won 21 matches on the slow surface this year, and he had showed every sign that his crammer course with Alex Corretja had served him well.
For the past month, Corretja, twice a French Open finalist, has been trying to pass on all the tricks of the clay-court trade to his charge. So far the Scot has proved to be an A-student, reaching the semi-finals at the Monte Carlo Masters in his first outing of the season and the quarter-finals in Spain, but there is still some work to do.
When it came to facing Del Potro, a man Murray had beaten on three previous occasions, Scotland's finest could not quite keep up the delicate balancing act between being patient and being aggressive, the combination that had allowed him to play his natural game on the alien surface in the previous rounds. From a 5-2 lead, Murray started to press too hard and that gave Del Potro the chance to pounce.
"I just got away from playing my game," Murray said, cutting himself no slack. "I started taking balls on that weren't there to be hit and I was hitting the ball with not a lot of height over the net, so therefore I made more mistakes. I didn't play my best game. I bust a string at 5-2 and then I pretty much lost eight points in a row. It was a bit disappointing but, I mean, from the back of the court I'm hitting the ball well, it's just that my returns weren't good and that sums it up. I need to improve before the French Open starts."
Murray had made a rare mistake – he actually lost 11 points in a row from 5-2 up and that rapid change in momentum changed the match for good. But at least Murray had done his homework – he knows what he has to do to win on clay and now it is just a case of doing it instinctively.
The French Open is the ultimate goal for the hundreds of men who grew up on the slow red clay courts of Europe and South America. It is an event that requires lung-bursting stamina, super-human strength and infinite patience. For Murray, who thrives on the faster surfaces where the footing is secure and he can clatter his ground strokes for clean winners, the new discipline is a complex challenge. He can cope with the physical demands of clay, but mentally he is still adjusting to the surface. A rally that Murray could polish off in six shots on a hard court will take 15 or 20 shots on clay and, at times, that is not so much frustrating as just damned annoying.
"I wasn't expecting to be making finals every week," he said on Friday night. "There's definitely been an improvement compared to last year. I wouldn't have beaten someone like Robredo last year, and I beat him comfortably here. I feel confident going in to the French, better than I have done in previous years, I just need to work in a few bits and pieces but my game is definitely better on clay this year than last."
In order to give himself the best possible chance in Paris, he will head to France in the next few days. On Friday he was supposed to be celebrating his 22nd birthday but the family knees-up had to be postponed as his match dragged on until the small hours of Saturday morning. Instead, he will allow himself a couple of days at home and then it he will be off to Roland Garros for practice, practice and yet more practice.
"There are a few guys ahead of me at the French Open," he said. "I think I'm behind the very top ones. It's just a matter of getting that confidence when it comes to playing matches on clay and taking my opportunities – that's the difference between winning and losing matches against the top players."
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Posted: 23.05.09 15:56. Post subject: Энди Мюррей: «Я пере..
Энди Мюррей: «Я перестал воспринимать грунт как другое покрытие, из-за которого надо полностью менять свой стиль игры»
Британец Энди Мюррей в преддверии «Ролан Гаррос» рассказал, что постепенно обретает свой стиль игры на грунте.
«Что я сделал правильно в этом году, так это перестал воспринимать грунт как другое покрытие, из-за которого надо полностью менять свой стиль игры. Против грунтовиков нужно стараться играть, как на харде, более плоско, с выходами к сетке, стремиться к тому, чтобы розыгрыши были как можно короче.
В этом году я чувствую себя намного комфортнее, я прибавил в физическом плане. В прошлом сезоне отрезок перед «Ролан Гаррос» был не очень удачным для меня, так что уверенность много для меня значит. Но есть вещи, которые я мог бы делать лучше, например, игра на приеме», – цитирует Мюррея TimesOnline.
Posted: 25.05.09 08:21. Post subject: Sunday, May 24, 2009..
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A. MURRAY/J. Ignacio Chela
6-2, 6-2, 6-1
An interview with:
ANDY MURRAY
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You're obviously pleased with that?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, no, it was a very good win. Like I said before, he's a tough player, and knew I needed to play well. I didn't make too many mistakes, and I think I hit over 60 winners, which is a lot,considering it wasn't the longest match.
Q. What do you think about the reception you got both at the start and theend? Seemed like the locals were really warming to you?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, a lot of times I've done interviews with French journalists that said they enjoy my game style. You know, I fancy they like it when guys play with a little bit of flare. I got a great ovation when I got on to the court and played really well, and they showed their appreciation afterwards. That was nice. Q. Very contrasting experience, Andy, to this time same day 12 months ago when that was a struggle, wasn't it?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, it was. But different player now than I was then. Physically much better, way more focused. You know, I understood, you know, what I had to do today. I didn't take Chela lightlyat all, and I had to play very well.
And I did that pretty much right from the start, although I lost my first service game, but after that, I was very happy with the way I played. Q. Were you surprised how comfortable it was, seeing as Chela was a claycourt specialist?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, but, I mean, I guess, but I wasn't expecting to play that well on the first match.
You know, I got, like I say, hit a lot of winners, you know. I dictated most of the points and when the rallies went long which he normally likes. I was coming up on top of a lot of the rallies, and if I played that well in all my matches, I've got a good chance of winning comfortably, but I wasn't expecting to play that well, and it was a bit surprising. Q. You talked a year and a bit ago about tanking and match fixing, and how everybody knows that it goes on.
ANDY MURRAY: I didn't say that. Q. I just listened to the interview an BBC podcast. That's pretty much exactly what you said. What do you feel about it now? Do you feel that's still the case? Do you think the sport's efforts have had an effect?
ANDY MURRAY: What I was saying at the time was basically I was asked whether, you know, whether or not there's, you know, people tank matches and match fixing goes on, and I was saying, you know, after there was four, maybe four or five times that week people, players had come outand said they had been offered money to lose matches and what not, and I was saying, you know, whatever.
Maybe I used one wrong word. I was saying, everyone knows what's going on just now, because everybody, every day there was a new player that had been coming out and been offered money to lose matches. I don't necessarily believe players are accepting money, but there is people out there that are, yeah, probably going to try to make players do it, but I don't necessarily think that there has been a huge, huge problem in tennis. I don't think it ever will be.
Q. I'll just explain why I asked you. Today we had a French lucky loser in here, Mathieu Montcourt, who is about to start a five week ban for placing small online bets. This was in 2005, but the ban is just about to start. He feels he's been hard done by it, he's being made an example of. But he's also said that betting by players is fairly common, especially online betting, making a few bets here and there. I guess all of that is the fine for himand the five week ban for him is part of trying to keep tennis integrity.
ANDY MURRAY: I mean, the one thing I will say about that,I'm not saying betting in tennis should be tolerated. I don't think it should be. But there is a difference between a guy actually doing it to make money, you know, placing, you know, £100,000 on himto lose a match and going out and tanking and putting a £10 bet on a match,which is not really making a whole lot of difference to his bank account.
It's more to have more fun watching the matches, I guess, but I don't think that it's right. I would never do it, but all of the guys that have been fined and suspended, hasn't been, you know, for making huge bets onthe game. It's been, you know, making like, you know, 5 Euro bets, 10 Euro bets. It's not like I think tennis is one of the few sports where you're not allowed to bet on your own sport. Q. Could you just say a few words about your potential second round opponents, Starace and Zverev?
ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I haven't played either of them on the tour before. Zverev, I've known him since we're very young. We're the same age and played a lot as juniors. They're both very different players. Zverev is lefty, plays a lot of serve and volley. Likes to come to the net.
Starace is a righty and plays a long way behind the baseline, but both are top players. They're probably more of a clay court specialist, but should be an interesting match. Q. There was one game today when I think you hit three of those forehand cross court passes in the same game, and you obviously liked that shot a lot. Have you always played that pass in that particular way?
ANDY MURRAY: Ah, yeah, well, I had my racquet strungvery my racquet's weighed very heavy in the head, so it's much easier to control that shot cross court, and if I'm a long way behind the baseline,you can kind of swing as hard as you like and provided you time it well, good chance it's going to go in.
In doubles, I used to play all the time on the deuce court, and all the time it was my second shot, was like a forehand angle. So, yeah, I played it a lot since I was young. I haven't used it as much in the seniors, but it worked well today.
Q. Looking at the draw in general, do you think you've had a kind draw when you look at it overall?
ANDY MURRAY: Ah, I mean, I don't really focus that much on the draw. I mean, you know, you look at somewhere like Australia or in, you know well, the last two years in Australia, you know, guys can play great matches they haven't expected to. It's happened to me a couple of times in Slams.
Zverev is 22 years old and he could come out and play great and take off this week. I don't know. So I just focus on each match, and especially on this surface. It's not like I can take anybody for granted, because my results don't really merit me doing that.
Posted: 26.05.09 09:10. Post subject: Andy Murray closes i..
Andy Murray closes in on world number two slot May 25 2009 Alix Ramsay
ANDY Murray yesterday made a blistering start to his French Open challenge.
The Scot clobbered Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2 6-2 6-1 to reach the second round at Roland Garros in Paris.
There is a long way to go between now and the semi-finals but if Murray can claim a place in the last four and remain one round ahead of Roger Federer he will overtake the Swiss as the world No.2.
Even Murray was shocked at his early form.
He said: "I wasn't expecting to play that well so maybe it's a little bit surprising. If I play that well in all my matches then I've got a good chance.
"It was a very good win. Chela is a tough player and I knew I had to play well. I didn't make too many mistakes and I made nearly 60 winners, which is good.
"The difference between me now on clay and last year is that I'm physically stronger and I understand what I need to do. I knew today that I had to play well and I pretty much did that from the start.
"The crowd was great. In France they like when guys play with a bit of flair and I got a great ovation when I walked on the court and when I won the match."
The fact the current world No.3 beat the world No.205 was no surprise.
Yet the manner of his victory over a man who until last year was a regular fixture in the world's top 30 and who had had his greatest moments on clay was still impressive.
At 29, Argentine Chela is not the player he was but, until he picked up a serious back injury last summer, he was still able to unsettle anyone on a slow court.
Now on his way back to fitness from the herniated disc that forced him to miss six months of last season, he has a reconstructed service action that takes any sting from his first delivery.
Murray stated before the tournament began that he had to be "switched on" from the very first ball to achieve his goals.
Against Chela, he took a couple of games to assess the quality of the opposition then set to work.
What will have pleased him most is that he did not appear to concern himself with the court surface - he simply played his game his way and took Chela apart.
The serve was both accurate and powerful, his touch was as deft as ever and his ground strokes were rattling into the corners and pasting the lines.
Better still, his confidence in his ability to move on the loose clay top dressing appeared rock solid.
Committing just 19 unforced errors, he also racked up 55 clean winners including 10 aces. Apart from dropping his serve a couple of times - and breaking straight back - there was barely a fault to fret over in the afternoon's work.
On Wednesday, he will have the chance to show off his new skills against either Mischa Zverev or Potito Starace who play their first round match today.
With Murray in his current mood, the result should not be in any doubt.
The crowd had clearly taken to him. In the old days, the sight of a Briton on Parisian clay was no more than an oddity and a rarity.
But now that Murray has barged his way up the rankings and shown he can win on any surface, the stands at the Suzanne Lenglen court were full of fascinated French fans who had come to see what the potential semi-finalist could do.
One huge banner appeared to be proposing marriage. "Tell me yes, Andy" the sign read in French.
Strangely, the banner was held aloft by two men, which may have caused Murray to think twice before responding.
Then again, it was this time last year that the Scot was voted the top male tennis pin-up by a gay website in Britain.
Murray's credentials as a potential Roland Garros pin-up, however, are plain.
He has hit the ground running here and with a decent draw to lead him towards the semi-finals, that place at No.2 in the world rankings now seems a very attainable goal.
The conditions in Paris have been hot and humid creating the perfect fast-track for the big men. The story on day one was the massive serving led by none other than Dr. Ivo, who broke his own serving record with 55 aces in his five set loss to Hewitt. But that’s not all, he added his name to the record books for the second time in the day by going 0-11 in five-set matches. It’s interesting that of the 7 serving records that have been recorded only one guy—Philippoussis was able to score a W in his match... Murray played the clay court match of his career against Chela. He has really improved his sliding on the dirt and seems much more comfortable with his game and is playing like his old self. With his Betty Crocker draw he will definitely make it into the second week. Props to 29 year old journey man Robert Kendrick for fighting his nerves and cramps pulling off a gutsy five set win yesterday. Its good draw for “Simon says” first he beat Odesnik and next up is Kendrick….What is it with the French and Roland Garros? It’s sad to see that Mauresmo’s troubles still linger at here…Today we had the same hot track and Safina started the proceedings dishing out a double bagel. Talk about a beat down. Safina took Keothavong to the woodshed, sending a strong message to the rest of the field. I’m expecting Venus to make it to the second week. But I have a few more concerns about Serena, who for the first time in her career in coming into the event with four straight losses. If ever there were a guy that could pull off wearing a pink shirt it’s Nadal. There is only one other man in tennis that can make pink look cool and that was Andre. Rafa looked a like shaky, but I fully expect him to get his form back after a few matches. It’s a great day of tennis when you get to see Nadal and Federer back to back. The weather is going to turn cold and damp for the next few days, which is one of the things I like about the French Open, it’s all part of the luck of the draw.
Posted: 27.05.09 19:12. Post subject: ПК после странного м..
ПК после странного матча с Потито "I found a way to win" 27 May, 2009 | 16:05
Q. What a fight, but what a strange match. You played a really good first set, and thenwhat happened?
It happens a lot in five‑set matches. Momentum makes a huge difference. I got broken at the beginning of the second set when, after a long game, I had a long game the first service game of that set, as well. Maybe if I had managed to hold that game it could have been different. After he broke me, he started playing a lot better. I left a lot of balls in the middle of the court. His backhand in the first set was landing very short, and once he got ahead in the second, he started hitting a lot better.
I was playing further behind the baseline. His big weapon is his forehand, and he managed to make me move a lot with that afterwards. But the most important thing is I found a way to win, and I'm obviously very happy to be in the next round.
Q. The third set was quite something. You go way down, and then 10 points in arow. What was going on there? You seemed to be frustrated about your gripand about quite a few things, and then it all came together.
I was obviously frustrated. I was playing very well, and then let him back into the match. He was obviously dictating a lot of the points. I think that's going to be normal. But, you know, it's very slippery at the end of the sets when they brush it.
I struggled a bit with my balance. He played a lot of good dropshots that I wasn't able to get to at first. It wasn't that great. Obviously I managed to turn it around by playing a little bit more aggressive. I got the ball deep into his backhand and came to the net quite a lot.
I mean,there's a lot of things I've got to be pleased with today, and some things thatI'll work on for the next match.
Q. Already in Monte‑Carlo versus Fognini you were down 5‑1, and then you won.
5‑Love.
Q. 4‑Love, 5‑1. (laughter.)
I think it was 5‑Love.
Q. Anyway, so today was it more or less the same situation. Was it completely different? How did you manage to cancel the two set points? Because one was very difficult.
I just went for my shots. I think I maybe hit ‑‑ I definitely hit one winner on one of the set points. But you just have to try and stay focused. I made him work hard at the end of the third set.
I didn't make as many mistakes, and just focused on every point. I wasn't worrying whether it was set point or not for him. I just tried to serve well and play aggressive, and I did that.
Q. What about string tension? Was there much difference to the tension that you finished the match with and what you were using in the second set?
No, I played with the same tension. It's just very different conditions today than obviously my first match. It was cold. It was obviously a bit chilly. I mean, also from the stands it's tough to tell, but I was speaking to Djokovic after the match. You know, even when it might feellike a slight breeze, on the big courts it does make a huge difference. From one of the ends it was tough to sort of play aggressive.
I felt like I was getting pushed further and further behind the baseline. It wasn't anything to do with the, I guess, the string tension. It's just tough conditions to play, and it was cold. The court felt quite damp, and obviously my opponent was playing well. So I'm just happy I managed to find a way to win.
Q. I will not ask about Roland Garros, but about Wimbledon. With Wimbledon, which tournament you would like winner in the future?
Which tournament?
Q. Yes.
I'd love to win Wimbledon, obviously . Well, any of the Grand Slams. Ithink that's what I think all of the players would love to win. You know, Wimbledon would obviously be great, being sort of in front of the home crowd.
I've always loved the US Open since I was growing up. So if I had to pick, one of those two.
Q. Which style of game you like between Federer,Djokovic, Nadal if you are like spectator?
I actually loved watching Santoro. (я тоже) I think he just played his lastmatch today. He was probably ‑‑well, I mean, I was watching some of his match on the TV yesterday, and just always entertaining points.
When I watch tennis, that's what I like to watch it for. I think Nadal is also like that. He always has a long rallies; he hits some great passing shots. You know, he has great energy on the court.
So, I mean, Santoro for the, I guess, different style of play and for the entertainment. Out of the top guys, Nadal,I like watching.
Q. I was going to ask about Santoro, too. I was wondering, as a player who has a fair amount of variety, I guess you would even admit you don't have as much as him. What do you admire most about his game?
He's just so different. I mean, he can't hit the ball particularly hard. But he's been around, I think this is his 20th French Open. He's been around the top level for so long and kind of played through a kind of transition in the game where a lot of people thought that it was just power. It was taking over. You have guys like Roddick serving 150. A lot of the claycourters with huge forehands. I guess, he's just kind of a bit of a throw back. He doesn't remind me of any of those guys. He uses slice pretty much off his forehand all the time. Very rarely hits topspin. You know, he volleys great,anticipates the game well. He can do everything. I mean, he just doesn't have as much power as maybe he would have liked. I'm sure if he did have more he could have won Grand Slams, because he has every shot.
Q. Do you identify with him at all because of your variety?
I guess in some ways,but his game style is very different. I was watching yesterday. He was like playing chip charge off first serves, and I've never done that in my life. So he's a little bit more unorthodox, I guess. But some things we do similar.
Q. When you speak about clay court, we all speak about shots, spin, footwork. But whatabout concentration? Is it more difficult to keep concentration on clay with the length of the rallies, or thelength of the sets?
Yeah, on clay, I think that is apart that's very important. Because on hardcourts, when you're ahead, you can kind of just keep serving well, finishing the points quickly. On clay, there's always time for you to get sort of back into the match and find your game, even if you're struggling. Therefore, you kind of expect guys to sort of raise their level throughout the match.
That's one of the things that someone like Nadal does well. He plays very well from the start. You know, he obviously does get a bit better as the match goes on, but he doesn't have many ups and downs.
Obviously I had a bit of a down today. But like I said, you can always sort of find a way to come back.
Q. Starace was No. 27 in the world; now he's104. Do you think he played better than he expected? And also, have you ever played a player who made so many dropshots against you as he did today? This is also because sometimes you are a little bit behind, or only because he has a great touch and he surprised you somewhat?
No, he plays well. I think obviously on clay, it's his best surface, but his results maybe on the other courts haven't been that good. So, you know, I think if you want to sort of have the consistency in your ranking, it's very important to play well on all of the surfaces. So, you know, maybe if he played better on hardcourts, that's obviously going to be better for his ranking.
And with thedropshots, like I say, I was struggling a bit with my movement. I guess he exploited that. He hit a lot and hardly missed any. In a couple of the important points at the end of the third set he hit some dropshots, and I got to them. I think even on the set point, you know, he hit one, and I started to read it a little bit better as the match went on. But he definitely hit it well.
Q. Anybody that made more dropshots against you, do you remember?
I don't know. Maybe Djokovic hit a few dropshots against me the first few times I played him. But,no, as consistently as well as that, I don't think so.
Q. If I could ask you about Wimbledon, if I have right these days, virtually all your matches are on Centre Court. With the coming of the roof, do you think in a way that might help you out a little bit in that you wouldn't have to sit for hours and hours and even days waiting for the weather to clear? Will you miss doing that, just sitting around and killing all those hours?
No, I mean, if you play on Centre Court, I think it's an advantage, like playing indoors, as well. The court, regardless of which surface it is,when you play indoors, it does make a big difference to the atmosphere.
Obviously thereis no wind or anything around you. No sun. So, you know, it makes it a little bit easier to play. I grew up playing indoors my whole life, so I'll be hoping that it's raining more this year than in the past.
Q. And the most important key to getting through all those hours of rain delays when there's nothing to do?
It is tricky. I didn't have to deal with it that much. A couple of times ‑‑ actually, maybe once I had to stop because of light and come back the next day. It is a difficult thing to do.
You know, the rain delays, yeah, I mean, because each time you step on the court, you kind of, you know, I don't know, something feels just a little bit different. It doesn't always feel the same every timeyou step back out there. it's a tough thing to do. You just have to try and maybe take your mind off tennis. Because at Wimbledon, there could be ‑ like the final last year. There could be so many breaks that you need to be able to not think about the match.
Q. What is the main thing you want to improve in order to feel 100% comfortable on clay?
Well, I just want to win more. I mean, it's not like ‑‑ youknow, I played my first against Chela. Go out and hit the ball very well and played a good match.
Today I started well and let my opponent back into the match, but found a way towin. I obviously would like to play at the same level all the time like I did against Chela, but sometimes it doesn'thappen.
Like on the other courts, I normally find ways to win, when I'm not necessarily playing my best. I hope I can start to do that more on clay.
Q. Do you have plans to watch the football tonight?
Yeah. I don't know where I'll watch it, but I'll definitely, definitely be sitting and enjoying it.
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(вдруг деуки хотели остаться неузнанными 
).
, а по-русски от своих людей пусть два раза будет
. Well, any of the Grand Slams. Ithink that's what I think all of the players would love to win. You know, Wimbledon would obviously be great, being sort of in front of the home crowd. 
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