|
October 16, 2003
Madrid TMS Third Round
By ASAP Sports
An interview with: ROGER FEDERER
R. FEDERER/M. Fish
6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Roger.
Q. Satisfied or a few things you think you might want to sort of sharpen up on today?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I still don't feel as good like in the end
of Vienna. I just think it takes some time. Still holding back on a few
shots. Even on the serve I feel a little bit. But I think for the next
match and hopefully the other match that comes, you know, I'll feel
much better. But I think also was a little bit his game which puts you
on the back foot. He's a little dangerous. You're reacting more than
you're acting. He's got a good first serve, you know, dangerous return.
You always got to watch out.
Q. Is this something that's quite common? If it was a semifinal,
you said yesterday you'd be going for the lines more than you have been
doing. Is this a common trait that you build up through a tournament?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, it's just because you're more used to the
conditions, you're feeling the balls better. Then you have more courage
to just go for the lines. Right now maybe you're playing a little bit
inside, you know, giving yourself more margin so you don't miss. If it
goes on the line, if you hit it not right, you still have some margin.
I mean, it's not every time like this. But here I feel like the balls
are quite difficult to control. Maybe it takes a little longer.
Q. Sorry to remind you of a match that you lost, but could you
take us back to Australia and how you recovered from that match. Those
of us who weren't there just saw the result and saw how that match
played out, how you got that one out of your system.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I think it must be one of the toughest
losses in my career, you know. I've never lost I think leading two sets
to love, plus a break, serving for the match, 30-All. I was really,
really playing well. I was basically dominating him for two sets. First
set was tight in the beginning, but then I started to really play well.
Two forehands on the line that game to get back. In the end, obviously
he deserves it. Still I had a chance also in the fourth. I was down a
break. I came back. I lose the set anyway 7-5. In the end, I was maybe
a little tired from the doubles the day before the singles. But, no, he
really didn't miss a ball anymore. I wasn't serving as great anymore.
To actually come to the end, actually I forgot this match very quickly,
to my surprise. But I think that has something to do that I wasn't in
the position that he was in. You know, he could decide the rubber and
the tie for him and for Australia, and I couldn't. I was just keeping
ourselves alive. Plus, you know, I was part of a great team. So, I
don't know, it was actually very easy to forget. Came back to
Switzerland, you know, didn't even think about it, what happened.
Q. Is it the altitude here that is bothering you a little bit about the balls? Are they flying a bit?
ROGER FEDERER: I really don't know. I think, first of all, the
surface is pretty fast, you know. If you're serving well, you know,
it's very difficult to control. I don't know if there's any bad
bounces. The balls seem quite heavy, but they're still flying. I mean,
if I just compare to Vienna, I remember the practice sessions was like
ping-pong, like nobody was missing, you could hit full swing, spin the
balls. Here you have to be very much more careful. Sometimes you're
struggling to hit three in a row. It's just a really big difference to
last week, for me anyway, for those who come from Vienna, I guess.
Q. Assuming it is Carlos Moya next, it's going to be quite an
atmosphere in that hall from what we saw last night. Do you enjoy
playing in that sort of very hostile atmosphere?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, we cannot see the matches anywhere, so I
just heard it was a little loud. They were clapping, you know, first
serve misses of Ferreira. That wasn't nice, I heard. But that's how it
goes. I'll definitely play a Spaniard. So a good atmosphere is going to
be there for sure. That's okay.
Q. I know you're not allowed to bet on tennis, but what would be
the odds for your chances to finish the year No. 1, compared to Ferrero
and Roddick?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, first of all, I don't know what I need to
do, you know. Obviously, you know, if I go further than they do, that
increases my chances. But I think, you know, I'm the guy who's got the
smallest chance maybe because I am third, not first or second. I think,
you know, as we look at the rankings, I know Roddick hasn't been at The
Masters, I think he's got the best chance - as soon as maybe Ferrero
loses, he's going to be No. 1. He deserves it. I think he's got the
best chance, then me maybe second, because I like the indoor season a
lot. Ferrero has to defend his title at The Masters. But I don't really
know what it takes.
Q. There was a little bit of a shaky spell for both of you in
the middle of that second set. You played one poor service game, then
you broke straight back. Was there anything special sort of going on
there? Was it a bit of nerves, tension?
ROGER FEDERER: Because of the warning?
Q. Well, you had a poor game to lose your serve. Of course, it
was very well timed for you to break back. It was a very odd couple of
games there.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, the whole thing started early.
First two service games from Mardy. I think twice, three breakpoints
ahead, he just served unbelievable serves. That would have been the
perfect moment to break, you know, to lead a set and a break. But he
kept himself alive with his serve. Suddenly I'm under a little pressure
and I get broken. For me, it was very important to hang in that game,
to break right back because I knew it was going to be new balls the
next changeover. That even makes the whole thing faster, better for
Mardy. You know, it was a good moment to break back. After that, we
saw, it was very quick service games, like three, four in a row.
Q. Since you have beaten Andy Roddick in the semis at Wimbledon,
he's had an incredible summer. What is the biggest improvement that he
has made during this month?
ROGER FEDERER: He was already improving his incredible season
since St. Polten, same as me, since French Open where he lost first
round. What he has improved? I don't know. Maybe he's mixing up his
serve a little better. I feel like he's maybe not missing as much as
before. His forehand has increased. He's not shanking as many balls as
before. I don't know. On hard courts, it seems he's moving much better
than on the other surfaces. But, you know, I'm not playing him enough
to really tell, so...
Q. Do you have any preference for your quarterfinalist opponent, Moya or Feliciano?
ROGER FEDERER: No, not really, no. Whoever comes, I think it's
going to be difficult. They're both Spaniards. Carlos, okay, I beat him
in the final in Vienna. But, as I said, it's different here. I'm not
playing as well as in Vienna, but I'm still in. I feel like every match
I'm going to come through and I'm going to play better. Lopez is
totally different. He's a lefty. He has a great serve. Probably serve
and volley. So it's different styles. Whoever I play, it's going to be
difficult, I think.
|
