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November 17, 2004
Masters Cup Houston Round Rubin
By ASAP Sports
R. FEDERER/L. Hewitt
6-3, 6-4
An interview with: ROGER FEDERER
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English for Roger, please.
Q. Roger, another awesome display tonight. You seem to have
developed this aura of invincibility, and your level of play is
unbelievable. Do you think you can get much better?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I thought, you know, the match was good,
you know. I played a good match, obviously not as good as at the US
Open. It's a tough second match after a long time, you know, to be at
the same level like at the finals of the US Open. I thought Lleyton
played a good match. I always have to play well to beat him. I think we
had better matches against each other. But, obviously, very pleased to
be through again in straight sets. I always feel like I have room for
improvement, you know. I think the best players, you know, up there
with the best athletes in the world, they always have the desire to
become better. I have the same, so...
Q. After such a difficult day, a long wait, how determined was everyone to get that match finished when the rain came at 4-2?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, you have to ask Lleyton as well what he
thought, if he would have preferred to continue tomorrow. But I think
for the whole tournament, it's better if these matches are played.
That's the reason why we waited a long time on court, also. Really
tried to -- because once you go in the locker room, the fans leave, you
know, because they think it's only two games to go, "Let's go home,
let's go to sleep," if you stay on court, they stay there for at least
a little longer, then the chance that we can resume play is much
bigger. Because once we go in the locker room, it's a long way out
there, and then the whole thing gets messed up. So we are happy to be
through, that's for sure - me especially.
Q. How difficult is it to refocus again, when you have a couple
hundred people in the stadium, you know it's almost over, how hard is
it to get in the groove?
ROGER FEDERER: I kind of expected that, you know, that there's
not going to be too many fans anymore, even though it's one of the best
matchups you can get right now in tennis. You can hear yourself much
better, you know, after points, breathing and stuff. You can hear every
fan who says something to you. You hear everything. So you have to be
really even more focused. I think for me, it was difficult especially
because I was so close to win the match and because you never know.
Once it gets tight again, you know, 5-All, there's only so much crowd
left, it's kind of a very strange and awkward feeling. We're not too
used to that, especially me now that I've been playing center court
basically every match since I'm No. 1.
Q. In that atmosphere, early morning, those were some of the
best rallies of the tournament so far. How were you doing that? Were
you struggling to keep your eyes open?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it was a good game, you know, the last
one. I was very, very happy to get through that one because every time,
you know, the guys who follow me, they know how tough -- the tough
times I've had against him serving it out; today once more. But I came
through. That was most important.
Q. What do you think was the best part of your game tonight?
ROGER FEDERER: I thought, you know, I was serving pretty well.
My forehand was working great. My backhand could have improved, could
be a little better, I thought. But that's just my own feeling. Maybe I
look at the match and I think, you know, I'm totally wrong. But I
thought, you know, I'm not getting broken. That was the key today.
Q. Do you think you forced Lleyton to go for a little more than he's accustomed to?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, for him it's difficult as well. He comes
off a very tough US Open loss against me. And it's not the easiest
thing, you know, just to come out and play a game if he lost two sets
out of three 6-Love, you know. So, again, you have to ask him how it
was for him. But I just try to play my game. And for the moment, that's
enough against him and that's going to also hopefully continue in the
same way the next few matches. But it's always nice to play him. We
have good matches, you know. Fair play. Everything is enjoyable.
Q. As you say, Roger, two straight sets, you're in the
semifinals. Dare you take your foot off the gas against Moya? Is it
difficult to come back the next night and play again?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know if I'm through.
Q. They said on the TV you were.
ROGER FEDERER: Tough to comment, you know. I hope I'm through (smiling).
Q. I'm getting nods.
ROGER FEDERER: I'm a happy man (smiling). I didn't know I was
going to play tomorrow. I thought I had a day off. I heard that just
when I walked off the court. So two surprises for me, you know - good
ones. You know, tomorrow I play, that's okay. I've got a good record
against him. I hope I can keep it up. He's got a lot to play for, I
guess. But, you know, there's still a lot at stake - points, honor, I
want to keep a clean sheet on the Round Robin matches in the Masters
Cup. I have to give 100 percent, that's for sure.
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