DUBAI // Remember Joe Btfsplk, that character from the satirical American comic strip Li’l Abner, who always had a dark storm cloud hovering over his head? Andy Murray must be feeling a bit like him these days.
The Scot went to Rotterdam earlier this month, hoping to play some doubles with James Ward, but the British No 2 opted out because of an injury. He was then hooked up with Gilles Muller, but then the world No 34 from Luxembourg fell ill and Murray ended up not playing the doubles.
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Greeted by severe sandstorms and a sprinkling of rain since his arrival in Dubai, the No 4 had planned a hitting session with Fernando Verdasco for Sunday morning, but the Spaniard pulled out at the last moment. Later in the afternoon, he was supposed to have a hit with Feliciano Lopez, but the No 6 seed is apparently ill as well.
“I don’t know what’s happening just now, but everyone I’m close to seems to be [falling ill],” said Murray, who opens his Dubai campaign against left-hander Muller and hence wanted to hit with Verdasco and Lopez, both southpaws. “Hopefully I can get another day tomorrow [Monday] to try and find a lefty to practice with.”
Murray’s preparations have also been hampered by the absence of a coach as Amelie Mauresmo is not been available for this month due to her other commitments.
“Obviously, in an ideal world, it would have been good to have had somebody for these last couple of weeks,” Murray said. “That hasn’t been the case, but I have spoken to a few people so I’m going in the right direction.”
Murray, however, would have preferred to have a coach with him here in Dubai, as he revealed at the pre-tournament media conference. He also talked about the upcoming Davis Cup clash against United States in Glasgow and why he chose the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel to the ultra luxurious Burj Al Arab.
Preparations for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships:
“It has been a tricky couple of days. It also rained a little bit this [Sunday] morning during the practice. When the sand is on the court, it’s incredibly quick and today [Sunday], when the sand is off the court, it’s back to kind of normal. I think for everyone it might take a little bit of time to get used to the conditions because it was a very tricky couple of days to practice and very windy too, so it’s been tough.”
Consulting other coaches in the absence of Mauresmo:
“I’ve spoken to a few people and made some pretty good progress with that. Nothing for this week. Obviously, during Davis Cup week, we’ll have people obviously around there that can help and that I know very well and then Amelie [Mauresmo] will be back for Indian Wells. Obviously, in an ideal world, it would have been good to have had somebody for these last couple of weeks. That hasn’t been the case, but I have spoken to a few people so I’m going in the right direction.”
How has he managed without Mauresmo:
‘Beech’ [Colin Beecher] in Rotterdam he was there with my brother [Jamie]. I know him very well and I’m good friends with him too, so he came along to watch my match and was able to warm me up for my matches. But this week he’s not here. Leon [Smith] is coming. He arrives this [Sunday] evening. I think obviously with my brother being here, Dom [Dominic Inglot], ‘Wardy’ (James Ward) and myself, I think he wanted to just come and spend a few days before Davis Cup next week, so he’ll arrive this evening.”
How has it been without a coach:
“It’s different. I think having someone there with you, for me anyway, is better. I just think for practice. Like today [Sunday], for example, I was supposed to hit with [Fernando] Verdasco this morning and he cancelled like last minute, so then it’s like what do you do?
The tournament managed to sort out someone who warms up some of the players if the players don’t have anyone. He was a French guy who coaches here, who was fine, so I could do some drills with him and stuff. But, it’s just if you have a coach around, it’s a lot easier to do basket drills or work on specific things and you can get constant feedback with what you’re doing, whereas when you are on your own, if something like that happens, you have to come up with a trainings session really yourself. It’s not perfect. That’s why most of the players try, when they can, to travel with their coach.”
Choosing to play Dubai:
“I think, for me, the reason for me wanting to play [in Dubai] was with the Davis Cup, Indian Wells, Miami stretch, it’s an important few tournaments and if I wasn’t to play here, you end up practising indoors basically for four weeks and then play the Davis Cup and then arrive in Indian Wells late and only have sort of three or four days in the heat there really. It can be quite challenging conditions and obviously Miami is the same, so I wanted to basically come and hopefully get some good matches in warm conditions and play outdoors because all of the major events are outdoors and there’s Indian Wells and Miami coming up as well.
This is a very strong field here as well, so you’re going to get good matches. Whereas, if I stay at home and practise, there’s not many players around to play with really, so it made more sense for me to come and play here.”
Thoughts on the Davis Cup clash against the United States:
“It should be a great atmosphere. We were told that the tickets sold out in 10 minutes. Whether that’s true or not, I have no idea, but that’s what the players were told. So I’d imagine the atmosphere will be great. It’s a tough match obviously.
“I think the teams have to be picked in the next couple of days, so it will be interesting to see who the States choose. I know, in terms of their No2 spot, Donald Young is doing well; Sam Querrey isn’t the second highest-ranked. I think [Steve] Johnson is maybe the second highest ranked [player], so it will be interesting to see who gets picked there. It will be a tough, tough match for us to win, but it’s possible for sure.”
“[John] Isner wasn’t able to play [last year]. Also it was on clay, which, I did say at the time, I thought was a strange surface choice as I think it favoured us really. Obviously, an indoor hard court is quite a neutral surface I would say for everyone. It will be tough and if they’re all fit and well, it will be a very tough one for us to win.”
Wanting to play doubles in Rotterdam:
“The Rotterdam situation actually ended up being quite a strange situation because I wanted to play qualifying doubles in Rotterdam and then James Ward got injured that morning really and I was flying over to Rotterdam and found out when I landed that he didn’t want to play and then I tried to actually sign in with Colin Beecher.
I didn’t know how many teams had signed into the doubles qualifying and then, four hours after the sign-in closed, I ended up walking on to practice with Gilles Muller and there had been a miscommunication with the tour manager there and they asked: ‘Do you want to play doubles with Gilles?’ and I said, ‘Sure’. Then, unfortunately, Gilles was ill and I ended up not getting to play.
And then here, I was thinking about again playing the doubles qualifying with James Ward, but he was still having some problems with his arm and that was like: ‘Okay. I’m just going to leave doubles for the next few weeks’.
Muller’s coach Jamie Delgado is a good friend:
“I obviously know Jamie. I’ve been very good friends with him. We spend a lot of time together [they played snooker together on Monday].
Well, we were playing together and we won against Ross [Hutchins] and his brother. I know him very well. I’ve spent a little bit of time practising with Gilles obviously since he [Delgado] started coaching him as well, so it should be a tough match. Gilles is playing very well this year. The conditions here are quick, which obviously suits his style, and it will be tough.”
Missing out on practise with lefties:
“Well, I also arranged practice with Feli [Feliciano] Lopez this afternoon and he’s ill. So I don’t know what’s happening just now but everyone I’m close to seems to be…
He [Lopez] said he’d practice this afternoon for only like 30-40 minutes, so hopefully I can get another day tomorrow [Monday] to try and find a lefty to practice with. It does help most of the players that are coming up against lefties they’ll try and find one to practise with because it’s just a bit different.”
Choosing to stay Jumeirah Creekside Hotel instead of te ultra luxurious Burj Al Arab:
“Because it was convenient; Very close to the courts. It’s a very nice hotel. I don’t know where everyone is staying, but it’s a very nice hotel here and you don’t waste any time. Sometimes, getting to the Burj [Al Arab] can take 30-40 minutes and, here, I can literally walk out of the hotel to the courts, practise, go to the gym and everything is very easy, so it saves time. That was why. I’ve stayed there [Burj Al Arab] a couple of times, but I’m fine here. Absolutely fine.”
arizvi@thenational.ae
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