Conversations With Andy Murray: Savoring the Victory

By BEN ROTHENBERG

Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesAndy Murray returned to Arthur Ashe with his girlfriend Kim Sears and said he would need some time for his championship to sink in.

Within hours of winning the United States Open, Andy Murray had done nearly a dozen interviews, posed for thousands of photographs with his trophy, held a news conference, and had done several additional television and radio interviews. He caught up with Straight Sets at a unique moment, after he walked back onto the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since his victory. As he stood in the now empty stadium where he had made history, he looked back at what he had just done and looked ahead to what comes next. (All of Murray’s interviews during the tournament can be foundhere.)

Q.

I saw you talking to Ivan Lendl between a few of your interviews. What do you say to him after all this?

A.

Well, I just said thank you, for all of your help and support. And yeah, and he said well done and congrats, and that I deserved it. And then, yeah, we just had a chat now because I won’t see him for a little while, but, you know, I’m gonna discuss all the things we need to work on, and try and keep improving. Because obviously right now it feels great, but you want to try if you can to keep getting better, and he’ll be the guy to bring that out in me.

Q.

You get introduced in tennis every time you walk on a court, and from now on you’ll be “Andy Murray, U.S. Open champion, Grand Slam champion.” Does that make you feel fundamentally different in terms of your career?

A.

Um, I mean, right now I’m just very happy, I haven’t really thought too much about that. But I know how difficult it is to win one of these tournaments, and yeah, I think it will help me, and hopefully take a bit of the pressure away from me.

Q.

Greg Bishop had asked you about the last time you cried, and you said it was in Toronto when you finally had a chance to be alone and reflect on the Olympics. When do you think you’re going to have a chance to reflect on this, adding this title to the Olympic gold?

A.

Yeah, I think when I go home, and just get to be in my own bed, my normal surroundings. And be around my dogs, and just do all the normal stuff that I always do. That will be the time where I have the chance to just reflect on everything that’s happened this summer, not just here but Wimbledon as well, and how tough that was. And, you know, it’s been up and down emotionally for me the last couple months. [Laughs.] So I’m glad it finished on a high.

Q.

You had talked about dreaming about winning Wimbledon, losing Wimbledon earlier this week. When that ball went out [Murray points to spot on court where Djokovic’s final return landed long], how did it feel different from what you dreamed?

A.

It’s hard to describe. I mean, for me, when I’ve had big wins before it normally takes a few days for it to sink in, and for me to start getting quite emotional about it, and thinking about all the hard work and stuff you’ve put in. The moment it happened I was in a bit of shock, and then just pure relief. I feel just like the weight has just dropped off my shoulders now, and I can relax for a few weeks, for sure.

Q.

Every time you’re back on this court, you’re going to see that spot over there and know?

A.

Yeah, exactly. [Laughs.] I actually thought the return was in, when he hit. And then I don’t even think he challenged it, but it was very close and he hit it so hard. So yeah, I was just glad it was out. Yeah, I’ll remember that part of the court for a while.