“If we played with our ears covered or with headphones on, it would be a big advantage if your opponent wasn’t wearing them”, Murray explained.
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At one point early in the second set of his 6-4 6-1 6-4 win over Marcel Granollers it was impossible to hear yourself think because of the cacophony of the water crashing on to the roof and of the air conditioning system.
Murray had to contend with the distraction of heavy rain thudding down on the roof of the Arthur Ashe Stadium with play suspended on the outside courts.
“Because we use our ears when we play”.
“It’s not just the eyes”. (The sound) helps us pick up the speed of the ball, the spin thats on the ball, how hard someones hitting it.
Only Roger Federer, with 307, has won more Grand Slam matches than Williams in the Open era, which dates to 1968.
Granollers resistance stiffened in the third set, with the two players staying on serve through eight games.
“But in the beginning, in tennis, normally you are used to play with silence”. It was hard also to concentrate.
Play has been suspended on the outer courts at the U.S. Open because of rain. We are of course talking about Andre Agassi, who along with Pete Sampras was the last truly great American tennis player.
“He’s playing better”, Granollers said, “and with a lot more confidence. and in tennis, that’s very important”. It’s a lot cooler in there than it is during the day; whereas at Wimbledon sometimes it gets warmer when the roof goes on. I feel a little bit calmer than maybe I did in my past about my tennis and how important tennis is in my life.
Rafael Nadal, who completed his second round match with the roof closed for the first time at the tournament on Wednesday, admitted he was surprised by the din. “It’s something I need to adjust to when I’m on here again”.
“The players will deal with it”. “It was tough, you couldn’t really hear the ball at all”, said Murray, who is trying to become just the fourth man to reach all four Grand Slam finals in the same year. “As an athlete, that’s what you do”, said Murray.
The first Mini Murray Day took place in the world No. 2’s hometown of Dunblane, Scotland earlier this summer at the Dunblane Sports Club (where both Andy and Jamie grew up playing).
“It was so loud – I’ve never played like that before, I couldn’t hear the ball”.
Im sure if the feedback is that the TV or the spectators arent enjoying the match as much, Murray said, then they will look into it and try and change it..
Next up for the second-ranked Scotsman will be the victor of the second-round match pitting France’s Gilles Simon against Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi that had been scheduled to start shortly after noon but did not start until the evening due to steady rain earlier Thursday.
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“I served at like 40, 42 percent first serves or something and still won in straight sets”. I must have been doing things well other than serving. I was not feeling like I was hitting the ball right.
