Andy Murray is best British hope to win a Grand Slam since Fred Perry won way back in 1936. But the 24-year old tells DNA that achieving that feat isn’t the reason he is playing tennis. The world No 4 says Rafael Nadal, who has won almost everything under the roof and been triumphant on all surfaces, is the best in business. Excerpts:
A final appearance in the season opening Grand Slam. A good start would you say?
I trained very hard in Miami to get where I have been now. I would have liked to go one further but still I would say it still was a good start to the season.
You and Novak Djokovic are the only players who have thwarted to upset Rafa-Roger dominance. How do you manage to keep up with that consistency?
I think the only way is to work hard and try and as much as possible and improve and keep working to get there. I am sure, we will get there eventually. But they are two of the best players in the world so it is obviously taking a bit of time to reach to their level.
Every Grand Slam has its own difficulties. What is the most difficult aspect of season opener Australian Open apart from the heat?
The traveling part, to get over the jet lag, the time change is very demanding. The conditions there are also very different and also the tournament is a very long way away from home. There are lots of very different things that make things tough there.
Does the pressure of becoming first British Grand Slam winner since Fred Perry in 1936 takes its toll on you?
Not really. It is not the reason why I play. I am not worried about history. Not this one in particular, it has been over 75 years but it not really a big deal. It isn’t easy to play in and out of the year and to spend very little time with yourself.
With very little time to spend with family, how do you deal with living in a suitcase?
That’s probably the toughest part of the job. Obviously, we get to see great cities but being away from family isn’t easy all the time. But that’s one thing we have to deal with. I would rather spend much more time at home then going around the world.
After finishing a tour, what do you do getting back home?
As soon as I got back home I go back to normal life. I take a break for four to five days. I don’t play any tennis, no training. Just stay around the house, buy stuff for house like groceries and other things.
Novak said he won the mental battle with you in the Australian Open final, would you agree to what he says?
I don’t think it was a mental battle. It was more of tennis. I think mentally I was in a good place. In the build up I had a longer semifinal game. So that was something that he had a slight advantage over me. Maybe I think because of that in the 2nd and 3rd set I had little bit of pressure to perform better. I was a bit more tired then.
What did your coach Alex Corretja say to you after the defeat?
Alex was very happy with the way I played throughout the tournament and was good step forward and I have played much better than ever.
If you had to pick between Federer and Nadal, whom would you pick? Why?
I will take Nadal for now. He has won almost everything like Davis Cup, Olympic Gold, and has won on all surfaces and he has age by his side too.
When not playing tennis, what do you do to keep yourself occupied?
Just by doing normal stuff. Play games on computer, do some go-karting, indulge in football. Nothing special to mention.
What about friends on the circuit, whom do you like to hang out with?
I spend my time with lot of the British doubles players on the circuit. I also have my brother on tour. It is good to have more British guys around.
Relive one funny off-field incident during the ATP tour which you would never forget?
Don’t really any off-field incidents to be honest.
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