Andy Murray: "I wasn’t good enough, I will need to improve"

Andy Murray lost to Andrey Rublev in the second round of the 2021 ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, but despite the loss, there were many positives for the Scot.

Former world number 1 faced Andrey Rublev after he defeated Robin Haase in the first round. The young Russian is one of the strongest opponents that he could have faced these days and so it was a big challenge for Andy Murray. He was showing a really high-level in the first set when he also had 3 breakpoints.

However, he didn't convert any of those. On the other hand, Rublev converted one of his 2 breakpoints and won the first set 7-5, to later win 6-2 in the second set and advance. It was obvious that Murray improves every day as he also explained why it's important for him to play matches like that.

“I want to be playing at this level because I learn a lot from a match like tonight,” said Murray. “The issues and the mistakes that you make get amplified more at this level… It is getting that balance right between getting enough matches and then also playing at a level where I am able to learn and pick things up as quickly as possible. I do feel tonight there were some good, positive signs there. Just when it mattered, I wasn’t good enough. I will need to improve.”

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“I lost my serve from 30/0. I hit two double faults and a bad forehand. To me, that is just not good enough,” said Murray. “When you are playing one of the best players in the world in those moments, if they come up with something great to win those points you come off [the court] and say it is understandable. I felt in that moment at the end of the first set that I blew it a bit. I had 15/40 in the next game to break back and I think I messed up a little bit there as well.

“In the second [set], he was much better than me. No question about that. I think at the end of the first set, I messed up… I am not used to making those errors in those moments and I am finding that quite frustrating and I am finding myself mentally looking back on those moments a little bit too much, which maybe affected me a bit in the second set. There were some good things in there and I am disappointed because I messed the end of the first set up. I probably should have won the first set.”

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“I thought I moved well for the first hour or so,” said Murray. “He is one of the bigger hitters on the Tour and, in the first set, I didn’t feel like he was getting too many free points from the back of the court. He was having to work hard to get the ball through me. I thought that was positive.”

“I just want to get out and compete and just enjoy doing what I am doing. I imagine Roger would be the same,” said Murray. “I am sure he has been training hard and is excited to get back out there and compete. I am sure in time, providing that his body is good, that he will play top-level tennis again because he is that good. Even if there is a slight drop-off physically for him, I would back his skill against most players. I am sure he will be fine."