Saturday, July 31, 2004

Toronto AMS Semifinal

By Tennis Masters Canada Official Site

An interview with: ROGER FEDERER

R. FEDERER/T. Johansson 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

(partial transcript)

Q: Roger, why did we have to wait until the third set to see the real Roger Federer we love to watch?

A: Because he is not always there. It is not an easy thing to do. But oh, no, I thought Thomas played good in the first set. You know, he was really hitting the ball very well from both sides, you know, and not making a lot of mistakes and I had trouble finding my rhythm.

So I really really had to work hard today. It was a real tough match for me and, you know, I didn't come on natural today, you know, my movements, my game and everything, and, you know, once I got ahead in the second set, I knew that things are looking better and I was also serving better, which was very important. And obviously you never know what is going to happen at the beginning of the third, but it was important to get the lead first.

Q: Roger, sorry I missed the first question but—

A: That was the first.

Q: Okay, good. Your backhand looked pretty shaky, in the first set, you want to tell us what was happening— You tell, me I don't know. It is just some of those days you don't know what happens, but it was a little bit more windy today than the other days but that is not an excuse or any reason actually for my backhand not to work.

A: But I think it, you know, I didn't quite know if I should play back and cross with him or I should go up the line. So I was not quite sure about my game plan, and I think that was maybe a little of problem. And plus, you know, he was really hitting the ball well on both sides, you know, and didn't give me any kind of, how you say, show of his weaknesses. So I was maybe a little bit confused. And but as the match went on I started to feel better and my serve got better so that was important.

Q: Roger, because you weren't feeling great physically did you use your emotions to get you into that match?

A: Well it was again, you know, a little frustrated and disappointed that I didn't, you know, make more out of my chances, you know, I was love‑30 up on a few occasions, I had a lot of great points, but I thought I could have definitely returned much better because every time I returned I was under pressure right away and I didn't like that that theme, you know. It was always going the same way, and I try to change it up and as soon as I was taking chances, you know, I would miss easy balls like forehands, a few of them, and I was just getting, you know, wondering what was going on. So I guess it was combination of not feeling well and the wind right away, him imposing his game on me, and you know, and then missing a few of the important shots. And then the match goes on and you have to try to change it and I lucky I reacted in the right way at the right time, so it was good.

Q: Roger, can you talk to us about your finger injury and whether it bothered you in the match?

A: No, it didn't. It happened today when I opened the can of balls, you know. I sliced up my finger, not badly. Don't worry, it sounds worst that it is. It doesn't bother me, it is just the tape was coming off. So that is all, that is not important.

A: When was when he was getting some treatment on his—he was massaging on his left leg, what were you—what was going through your head at that point?

Q: Well a little surprised, you know, obviously because it was going well for him and he was about to serve for his set, so it was an unusual time to take a time out, you know. But I guess it was bothering him in that case, I don't know. I haven't spoken to him after the match what his problem was. But you know sometimes there is one movement and then you feel pain somewhere. And so he probably considered it is better to massage it and keep it warm and not make it get really tight, you know. And I don't have a feeling it was bothering him too much actually, so it didn't play a big role.

Q: How much have you seen of both Kiefer and Roddick and what do you think about either of them if you were to play one of them tomorrow?

A: Well first Kiefer, I haven't seen much of him really, honestly. I know he has been in the finals twice now here in North America so he must have played well. You know, I have played him in, in Paris it was and I had a very tough match with him there, he was taking the ball very early on both sides, especially on the return. He has a good first serve, he volleys pretty well. So he has a got an all‑round game and the only thing that, you know, that works against him is his final record, I guess. You know I heard he lost the last seven, you know, which is not good coming into a finals, you know, if he would play me because I won the last nine, so. But we will see, first he has to beat Roddick.

Q: What about Roddick?

A: Roddick, you know, well it would be very nice to play him again. I look forward to that, I think a lot of people are and trying to build it up. You know, it is normal especially since we have been, we kind of, you know, dominating the tour a little bit since, I would say after the French open, you know. So that would be nice again after especially to have a rematch after Wimbledon, you know, because I thought that was a great match.

Q: Roger, you said it didn't come natural for you today. How do you work your way out of that?

A: Well you have to be mental tough on yourself and try to move more than you normally should you do or whatever, I don't know how to say it. But you have to just be tough on yourself, you know, go for maybe in the beginning take less chances, you know, play it more safe. But the same thing you are going to go into longer rallies, so you have to work harder luckily for me my serve always kept me in match and that was important. Because in the first game, you know, that let me down a little bit. You know, he surprised me on a couple of returns, so I changed, you know, my second serve, I was much more aggressive. And at the same I wasn't double faulting, so that was good for the rest of match.

Q: Hey, Roger, 2-1 in the third you had an extended rally think you were done 15-love or love-15 and you hit that forehand winner—Hum. do you say that might have been the turning point in the match there?

A: Was that third set?

Q: That is third set.

A: Well that is—the match already, it didn't turn to my favour but, you know, it was leveled again. So but I guess, you know, such long rallies sometimes are very important to show the opponent, hey listen, you know, you have to hit some really good shots to actually beat me. And I saw his frustration after I hit that winner and, you know, looking back that was maybe a very important point. That is the points I wasn't winning in the beginning. I was losing all the longer rallies and that was, could call it a little bit of a turning point but, I was already feeling much better at that time thank in the first set.

Q: Roger, how often do you feel the way you did today, struggling a little bit, not feeling that game was quite there?

A: Well that happens occasionally, you know, it is something very normal. I mean, I can't come out every time and be up a break and be up a set and a break, then you don't have to think too much. You just play with the confidence and, you know, you get through a lot of matches especially the way I am playing now. But, you know, in semifinals it is a different story again. You are playing against opponents who are very confident and it is a different match. So for me it was important to actually get a good start, and I didn't. And from then I had to work hard so it has been a real battle out there to today.

Q: You were talking to yourself after you won the match as you were walking to the net, can you remember what you were saying?

A: Bad things. No, it was—

Q: In what language?

A: It was Swiss/German, it was a big relief and I swore to myself and I finally came through it, you know, it was a big relief, it was, yeah.

Q: Would this be the kind of a match where maybe if you had a coach it would be useful to have a guy to think before this match that maybe you didn't have a game plan or you didn't follow it, would that be sort of where it would be useful?

A: Yeah, might have been. What can I say, the coach story, you know we have spoken enough about it, so.

Q: Roger, back in the mid ‘90s Andre and Pete would come on the court and there was some talk that they would have such an intimidation with the other players that they would almost have a set won before they even got on the court. And Roddick has been quoted as saying that there is a certain aura about you now in the locker room. What is your feeling about coming on the court now with some of the other players and if you think you have advantage before you even walk out there?

A: Well, hmm, that is well—it is tough for me to say, you know, how it feels. But I know quite surely what I have to do, you know, during the match and the way I have to approach a match, you know, I am very secure in everything I am doing. And I know that if it goes according to plan, you know, I will get my chances on the return. If it goes according to plan I will hold my serve, all those kind of things, you know, make you very confident. And I think it is a little bit the same for him. If I see him playing, you know, he never gets in a hurry because he knows he has got his serve, he knows he is going to get chances on return. So it is a same thing for me.

I guess, you know, players feel that as well, you know, that they will have to, they are going to face a tough challenge here, especially with record streaks three‑one sometimes me and Andy. That can be very intimidating for certain players but this you should ask the players, I don't know really.

Q: Do you even think about the streak? Do you put it out of your head or do you use it to motivate you to keep going? Like do you want to keep this thing going?

A: Well it is more you, you know, who remind of that streak and all those things because you are looking at stats very often so. I know I haven't lost since the French I know, but I would have to sit down and think how many that is in row. But I am not trying to break anybody's streak, you know, like Sampras, you know, what is it 24 or something. Like I have said before, I am here to compete in this one tournament and hope obviously then that the streak keeps on going. But I am here to play well first of all and then once I get the chances to win the tournament. I am in this position again, once again, you know, for the fourth time in a row to actually win a tournament. And I hope I can keep more important is actually the finals winning streak because that is really the one that matters to me.

Q: I know that Andy still has to win tonight, but do you feel like you are developing a bit of a nice rivalry with him that is kind good for the game?

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