Andy Murray: The Courts At Indian Wells Are Very Slow, They’re Also Very Slow Here In Miami

by Tom Gainey | March 22nd, 2012, 1:30 am
  • 47 Comments

Speaking to the press this afternoon at the Sony Ericsson Open Miami, Andy Murray addressed the ever-changing speed of the courts at the tournament.

Indian Wells was said to be extremely slow, and according to Murray, the courts in Miami are even slower thanks to the humid air.

“The courts at Indian Wells are very slow,” Murray said. “They’re also very slow here, too. I mean, the ball, because of the dry air in the desert, is faster than it is here, so the court plays a bit slower here.”


Murray suffered a second straight shock opening round loss at Indian Wells. Last year it was Donald Young with the upset. This time Murray fell in straight sets to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

But Murray, who’ll have new coach Ivan Lendl by his side in Miami, is looking ahead to a successful rebound in South Florida.

“Tthere’s only a few things that, you know, after last week you need to look forward and then look at all the positives,” Murray said. “That’s another thing, is the few extra days to sort of rest the body. It’s quite a long start to the year with the training I did before Dubai, as well. Good to just get a few days to let things settle down and get ready.

“Conditions are very different the last week in Indian Wells, so the only positive about playing badly there is that I got an extra few days to get ready for the tournament here, get used to the conditions a little bit longer.”

Murray will meet Alejandro Falla in his first match on Friday.


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Sadly, Here’s Who Won’t Be At Indian Wells

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47 Comments for Andy Murray: The Courts At Indian Wells Are Very Slow, They’re Also Very Slow Here In Miami

Ajet Says:

speed or slow doesn’t matter, one has to try to win, end of story.

March 22nd, 2012 at 4:13 am


alison hodge Says:

yeah ajet i agree the courts are the same for every player,some adapt some dont,tough luck,no bs,no excuses,put up or shut up.

March 22nd, 2012 at 7:04 am


Colin Says:

Ajet and Alison, both your comments seem to be critical of Murray’s remarks. What did he say wrong? Oh, I forgot, since it’s him, it must be everything.
By the way, Ajet, the popular phrase “end of story” isn’t an argument. It’s mere bluster.

March 22nd, 2012 at 7:12 am


alison hodge Says:

colin no not at all,i love murray actually,i meant it as a generalization to all players,no offence was intended sorry.

March 22nd, 2012 at 7:49 am


Ajet Says:

Colin:

what’s your problem man?? why your rant?

and speaking of english phrases, it’s enough that i’ve a working knowledge of english for people to get my drift.
don’t expect the perfection of an englishman/american from me w.r.t. english language!

March 22nd, 2012 at 7:55 am


Nirmal Kumar Says:

Sometimes we get to hear only the answers, not the questions being asked. If there was a direct question to Murray whether the conditions here are slower, probably he would have explained the difference in slowness between IW and Miami. I’m not sure if he is complaining.

Same question is being asked to Roger too. He had a similar answer last year. Even in IW, Roger answered the same. As per him, courts were slower there.

March 22nd, 2012 at 9:10 am


ckr Says:

You know what is slow…your second serve and forehand….Please work on those two and you will be allset on every surface…

March 22nd, 2012 at 9:16 am


the_mind_reels Says:

Nirmal is right. Murray was asked the following question:

“Are you finding the courts here faster than Indian Wells? What’s your take on that?”

As always, it’s very easy to take what people say out of context, but Murray here was simply responding to a question asking him to compare the two speeds.

Murray’s performance in Miami has been pretty erratic over his career — 4 first-match upsets to players outside the top 50, 1 semifinal appearance, and 1 title in 2009. He’s obviously a great hardcourt player, but speed certainly seems to be a big factor for him (much better results on quicker courts like Cincy and Flushing). People know this, so it seems like an entirely fair question to ask him.

Murray’s first up against Falla, who had a nice run at the AO this year (for a guy ranked in the 70s) taking out Fish. Falla has proven he can play on hardcourts and with the big guys, so it’ll be interesting to see how Andy starts.

March 22nd, 2012 at 9:40 am


skeezerweezer Says:

^yeah he just said they were slow, and in fact they are. Posted this on another thread but Miami surface is rated “2” by the ITF, second slowest surface on tour. Btw, he didn’t give any excuse as to it may cause a problem with his game, just said what it is.

March 22nd, 2012 at 10:00 am


Nirmal Kumar Says:

the_mind_reels ..I think Falla is the same player who tool Roger to 5-sets in Wimbledon. He looks a pretty decent player. It would be an interesting contest in the 1st round.

March 22nd, 2012 at 10:01 am


RZ Says:

Re: the courts – yes, every player has the same conditions, but slow courts “help” certain playing styles, whereas faster courts help other styles. If all these tournaments had been on slow courts to begin with, I don’t think there’d be much complaint. But it seems like in the past few years, many tournaments have slowed down their courts. And with such a short grass court season and a brief year-end indoor season, there aren’t many tournaments left with fast courts.

Nirmal, yes, Falla is the player who was leading Fed 2 sets to love at Wimbledon but eventually lost in 5.

March 22nd, 2012 at 10:23 am


Ajet Says:

yup, falla is dangerous!

March 22nd, 2012 at 10:41 am


Humble Rafa Says:

You know what is slow…your second serve and forehand….Please work on those two and you will be allset on every surface…
—
Mr. Lady Forehand absolutely needs to improve the FH, especially under the pressure.

Getting a new brain will help him not choke when it matters.

March 22nd, 2012 at 10:44 am


jane Says:

It’s still amazing that with such a slow hard court, the champs have been Sampras three times, Fed twice, Nole twice, Lendl twice, Roddick twice, Agassi six (!), Murray once. Some of these champs seem like more fast court kind of players, but maybe the surface changed at some point? Or has it always been slower?

Ajet would love to hear what you meant on the other thread re: Delpo/Djoko “match up problem”.

March 22nd, 2012 at 10:55 am


RZ Says:

Jane, I’m guessing that the surface changed at some point, though from that list above I’d say that Sampras, Roddick, and Murray have/had the most trouble with slow courts.

March 22nd, 2012 at 11:14 am


Nirmal Kumar Says:

jane, the general understanding is that the courts have been slowed down in the recent past. So, I’m not sure whether the courts were slower during Sampras period. I believe they were slower probably during Roger’s time.

March 22nd, 2012 at 11:14 am


jane Says:

RZ, Nirmal Kumar, thanks for your thoughts.

RZ, it’s true that Lendl Nole, Fed and Agassi have all had their share of success on slower surfaces like clay. I just thought the list of winners interesting, for example, no spaniard has ever won the event, though a few have reached the finals (Moya, Brugara and Rafa).

Nirmal, you’d think there’d be some disclosure when the court is changed, i.e., that a date could be pin-pointed as to when it actually became slower. For example, we know that the grass was changed at Wimbledon in a certain year (2001 I believe) so that is very specific. I think when courts are changed, it should be made transparent to the public. For example, didn’t we learn that last year (or the year previous) the courts at the Paris Masters were changed/sped up? I am pretty sure I recall that.

March 22nd, 2012 at 12:56 pm


nadalista Says:

really, really slow tennis news day………explains this boring slow-surface “debate”..

March 22nd, 2012 at 1:01 pm


Andre Says:

I guess it depends on how well your game is on slow or fast courts. Im thinking Andy is at his best on a little fast type of court.

March 22nd, 2012 at 1:50 pm


alison hodge Says:

falla is a dangerous player that took fed to 5 sets at wimbledon,on the opening day two years ago,so i wou;d like to wish him good luck in his first match,i think ill be glad to get this one out of the way,go andy.

March 22nd, 2012 at 2:01 pm


skeezerweezer Says:

@nadalista re 1:01 post….L……..O………L………;)

March 22nd, 2012 at 2:20 pm


Nirmal Kumar Says:

jane, you are right in the sense there is no specific period or year which could be quoted for these changes. But when players like Murray, Novak and Roger start repeating that the courts are slowed, it’s fair to assume it was fast in the recent past. Else this talk of slow would not have cropped up now if it’s been slow for past 20 years. No one talks about clay being slow because it’s always been like that.

March 22nd, 2012 at 2:24 pm


alison hodge Says:

off topic but id like to congratulate britains Heather Watson on her victory against Cirstea,rallying from 5 0 down in the 3rd set,going on to win 6 games in a row,and saving 2 match points,and then winning the tie break 7 4,what a gutsy girl,well done heather.

March 22nd, 2012 at 2:30 pm


jane Says:

Nirmal Kumar, true, so they talk about clay being fast. ;) I recall talk that the FO is faster now as well. And of course Madrid is “fast” clay too.

March 22nd, 2012 at 2:35 pm


Sienna Says:

Jane I remember a vivid encounter with someone called Dave who absolutely nailed the exact year Wimbly got slower. I remember it was in the year 2002. Nirmal had absolutely nothing to add to those pearls of wisdom besides foul comments about the poster.

Youre asking the wrong person for court changes.

March 22nd, 2012 at 3:15 pm


Colin Says:

Thanks to those who took the trouble to look up the interview. The trouble is, very many people are totally egocentric, and they assume the players must be too. So, anything said by a player must be “about” his or her own game. Murray pays interviewers the courtesy of listening to the question and answering it seriously, and for his pains is called a boring interviewee or, as here, is assumed to be making excuses if he’s lost.
Ajet, you got me quite wrong. I wasn’t talking about your English prose style at all, only about the specific phrase “end of story”, which amounts to saying “I have given the final pronouncement on the subject, and nobody else need bother arguing”.
Alison, I noticed the Heather Watson result. She has a good work ethic and tries to make the most of her abilities, which are good but not world class. You can’t ask more of anyone. By the way, her pedigree (half English, half Papua-New Guinea)must be quite rare, I should think.

March 22nd, 2012 at 3:29 pm


Ajet Says:

Jane:

There’s something in djoker’s game like his exremely angled shots played to the extreme sides, keeping low, that causes delpo to move from side to side(which he obviously cannot do very well) and bend(delpo can’t coz of is height), and thats why he cannot effectively start his offence imo! that’s his match-up problem, that’s why perhaps djoker has a great record vs delpo and has lost to him just once!

March 22nd, 2012 at 3:46 pm


alison hodge Says:

thanks colin,i love murray and im sorry for what i said about him,at the top of the thread,it didnt come across too well,on this occasion i posted without thinking too much about what i was saying,as he only answered a question and theres nothing wrong in that,heather watson pushed sharapova at the uso last year,a hard worker indeed,and keothavong had a good result taking out cibulkova,in a tourney some weeks ago,some positive signs for our brit girls too.

March 22nd, 2012 at 3:47 pm


Ajet Says:

thanks for clarifying colin. and well, my first comment though seems directed against murray, is actually not. you may never know how much i love murray and how long i have been rooting for him to win a slam!

moreover what i said first here was, ironically, thinking about federer/nadal, as it’s their fans who keep bringing the surface speed issue every other minute here. and if murray might be thinking that his game can get that much effected by variation of some speed in different hardcourts, then that’s a mi9ndset i would like murray to give up, that’s all! that’s what i was thinking! i only want murray to believe in himself, that way he will have good chances to win irrespective of who he faces and when!

March 22nd, 2012 at 3:53 pm


jane Says:

Thanks Ajet. I thought it might be something like movement, but was just curious because you know more about playing styles than I do. With Fed it seems that he moves Delpo forward as well, and uses a wealth of variety, slices, droppers etc. Perhaps Delpo gets exasperated when he doesn’t have pace to feed off of? Not sure.

March 22nd, 2012 at 3:54 pm


Ajet Says:

pearls of wisdom of the ignorant:

federer lost to rafa, so court is slow and bouncier!
federer won against rafa, so court is fast and lower! ;)

March 22nd, 2012 at 4:01 pm


Wog boy Says:

Jane:
“….you know more about playing styles than I do.”

Hmmmmm Jane, not too many people on this blog knows styles and game more than you, nor than can write the way you do, this is not because you are Nole fan. It is just the way it is.
Ajet, this has nothing to do with your comment, it is just my observation. Don’t take it personally, please.

March 22nd, 2012 at 6:58 pm


Wog boy Says:

“…nor they can write…” should say

March 22nd, 2012 at 7:01 pm


jane Says:

You’re very kind Wog Boy; do you play much tennis? As I have only ever played the game of tennis on outdoor hard courts for fun at local parks I don’t have the acumen of many posters here who play a lot and on various surfaces too. I have watched tennis, though, for many moons, back to Mac and Lendl days, (though I remember the Steffi Graf and Sampras much better), so in that sense, I can blather on with others who love to watch tennis for its drama and athleticism.

March 22nd, 2012 at 7:43 pm


I AM Says:

DJOKOVIC RULES!!!!!!!!!!! BREAK THEM ALL!!!!

March 22nd, 2012 at 7:59 pm


Wog boy Says:

Jane, I don’t play tennis (Ping Pong doesn’t count, does it), basketball was my game but I didn’t play that one for more than 20 years, due to my work commitments. My job is monday to sunday, 12 hours day, days off can be any day. My friends stoped calling me for a game of basketball long time ago ;(
They have normal jobs monday to friday, 9-5 .
I don’t think you have to play any sport to be qualified to talk about that sport and consider yourself knowledgeable poster, not talking about me but you:)
You are just being yourself, modest and very diplomatic:)

March 22nd, 2012 at 8:09 pm


Wog boy Says:

Back to Nole, does anybody has link for story in 60 minutes that was aired in USA these days and is about Nole, I tried to google it but it didn’t work.

March 22nd, 2012 at 8:50 pm


jane Says:

Wog Boy, the show hasn’t yet aired here in Canada; it is scheduled to air this Sunday! :) But, here is a link about the show for your reference:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57402461/war-helped-shape-tennis-star-novak-djokovic/

March 22nd, 2012 at 8:53 pm


Wog boy Says:

Jane thanks, I will check it now:)

March 22nd, 2012 at 8:57 pm


Michael Says:

I think the Tennis Authorities should do something about this and make the courts fast. We saw recently in Dubai as to how fast courts makes the game more attractive and rewards the aggressor and those who are willing to take risk. Such a move will bring to light the tremendous variety in the game instead of it being one dimensional where the two are playing from the back end of the court. That might make Tennis a dull affair in the future. It is in the interest of the sport that courts are speeded up and this might make the game more glamorous and popular.

March 23rd, 2012 at 2:24 am


Ajet Says:

Agree with michael..

March 23rd, 2012 at 2:51 am


Nirmal Kumar Says:

jane, the FO is considered fast last year not because of the courts, but because of the balls being changed for the tournament. Rafa has a concern before FO, since they played with different balls in other clay masters and changed to new lighter balls for FO. Apparently the balls used for Wimbledon were much heavier than the ones used earlier.

There are many factors involved in the conditions getting slower or faster, and court is one of them.

March 23rd, 2012 at 5:25 am


Nirmal Kumar Says:

Sienna.. I always pity u as a poster here. You sound so much like a clown, who can put down yourself in front of others by your words of wisdom.

I never got into an argument regarding the court surface. Also it’s quite evident in the wiki’s when the court surfaces have changed at Wimbledon. As always you have a brain f###. I can’t help it, since it seems to be a chronic problem for you.

March 23rd, 2012 at 5:32 am


Sienna Says:

Nirmal Kumar
The way you sound and in youre posting youseems to be very aggressive and hostile person. Probably a jealous type of person with a lot of anger and frustration. You should try to calm down and get a life of youre own. Maybe you can become a more loving oerson and not such a person who is full of hatred.

March 23rd, 2012 at 9:11 am


Nirmal Kumar Says:

Sienna.. I’m happy that you have become a loving person now, when you had to call me stupid and name calling in other posts when you did not have any valid response.

Also you are calling my name in topics where I have never involved with. You may have to look at your mirror, before asking others to stay calm.

March 23rd, 2012 at 9:52 am


Sienna Says:

Fact is that you lost a discussion about a week ago and you lost it big time about when Wimbly exactly got slower. And now youre again trying to push your view in a sort of backstabbing way.
I remeber you could not bring anything else to the tabe and then the screaming and trashing comes out.

March 23rd, 2012 at 5:30 pm

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