Saturday, July 2, 2005

Wimbledon Pre-Final

By ASAP Sports

An interview with: ROGER FEDERER

Q. Live 8 has just started. We just wondered what you felt about the whole project, Bob Geldof's efforts?

ROGER FEDERER: I really don't know much about it. I don't know what to say. Really, honestly, I heard it yesterday for the first time, what it is. I didn't know it before. I don't know the person you just mentioned.

Q. Trying to get rid of world poverty.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, obviously it's good. Obviously, I support it. I don't know what to say.

Q. We think of you as very charitable yourself, sponsoring people in South Africa. You may have a lot of compassion for what's happening. Second biggest event of the day.

ROGER FEDERER: Obviously, I heard about it just the other day. I would think it's good. I heard great musicians come together, which I think is great. It's for a good cause. Is it for Africa?

Q. It is.

ROGER FEDERER: That's fantastic. Anywhere in the world we need help, let alone in Africa. It's definitely always a start. I think they do it once a year?

Q. Once every 25 years, once a lifetime, when it's needed.

ROGER FEDERER: Okay. Great. I only support it.

Q. Can I ask you about the foundation. In March you went to New Brighton, said it was an emotional experience. Does that put into perspective what goes on there and your status as a millionaire, one of the top sports athletes in the world?

ROGER FEDERER: Definitely, yeah. I think when you see poor areas in the world, it always makes you -- you wonder sometimes and you realize actually how lucky you are, to be able to travel the world, be in hotels. Maybe all the traveling is not that bad. For me it was very emotional because it's really where my help goes to. It's not just something that really for me is I know I will see it one time and then never see it again, it's something I will be keeping in touch with. That's why for me it was very emotional, nice to see actually the people were very happy down there, as well, because you might think they're only miserable, maybe not so happy. But it was actually the absolute different.

Q. You visited an AIDS hospital as well, did you? Probably quite an experience as well.

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, that was difficult because, you know, that maybe in a few days' time there's a kid less there or so. That really touches you very strongly, of course, too, yeah.

Q. On the subject of tennis, are you pleased to see the semifinalists are still out there?

ROGER FEDERER: No, not really. I would be happy if they would be over and done with, too, so they could also have their rest, their fair share of rest. Also for me mentally to be able to prepare for the opponent, I think that would be better, too. But it is the way it is. As long as we get the semis through and the women's finals, then I think everybody's going to be [](inaudible) happy here.

Q. Do you have a preference who you meet?

ROGER FEDERER: Maybe I would like to play Johansson just because he's got less experience. But I think Roddick will be the classic match-up, something that I would be looking forward to even more than to play Johansson.

Q. There's some debate on what your greatest strength is. If you had to step back and single out one or two of the aspects of your game that have given you all the success, what would you say?

ROGER FEDERER: I think, you know, my consistency now over the last few years has been definitely something that's been incredible for me, where in the beginning I was really struggling to be consistent. But, you know, my favorite shot will always stay the forehand shot, you know. I consider that my biggest strength of my game.

Q. And your consistency has been built on what? Your conditioning? Your confidence? What two or three aspects really have given you that conditioning?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I think mental, mental strength. I believe very strong. It's basically impossible to break down my mental part now these days. Doesn't matter how many matches I've lost or won, you know, I feel like I always go into every match knowing I can win it if my form is there. And also if I'm not playing so well, sometimes I know that I can sneak through and just wait for the big moments, that I can play my good tennis right then. I think knowing that is very important because tennis is quite a mental sport.

Q. How will you spend the day today?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I'm happy the practice is through because it's something I don't really enjoy so much, the practice between the big occasions. There's not much you can practice on. There's basically nothing. I want to change to the next match. Today was sort of difficult because I was watching the live scores, you know, it drove me crazy. I'm happy the practice is over. For now I'm just going to relax and do some stretching, stay back, and maybe go and drink a coffee or something.

Q. Will you draw from last year either mentally or tactically?

ROGER FEDERER: I think I will look at the last two matches here in Wimbledon I've played him, but also try to remember the other matches I've played against him, what worked, what didn't work. I'll definitely have sort of a game plan against him. I think he came out really hitting the ball extremely hard last year, which was a surprise for me. But even though I had my chances to get back into the first set, I had a Love-40 game... That was a different Andy Roddick than I expected. I also wonder how he's going to play me in case he wins today.

Q. You're creating your own legacy here every time you play. What would it mean you to join two other legends like Borg and Sampras by winning Wimbledon three times in a row?

ROGER FEDERER: Something very special. Sampras was one of my favorite players. Borg, only sort of got to meet him once. What he achieved is something for me almost beyond something possible, the five in a row, plus the sixth, plus the six French Opens he's achieved. To be in the same group as these two guys, that would be absolutely special to me.

Q. Can you remember when you met him?

ROGER FEDERER: In Monte-Carlo. Must have been in the year 2000 or so.

Q. Did he say to you he thought one day you might go on and threaten his record?

ROGER FEDERER: Not really back then, no. He called me after I beat Sampras in 2001 because he was going for the fifth, wasn't he?

Q. Yes.

ROGER FEDERER: To tie Borg. He was thankful that I beat Pete.

Q. You've beaten Lleyton eight in a row now. Is there any player, going back in your career, even Juniors, where you had that kind of hill to climb against them? I'm wondering how you sort of got out of it.

ROGER FEDERER: I guess a few guys who I've beaten many times in a row, but from the top guys, I think him and Andre are the ones I've only really beaten, Andre also seven in a row, if I'm not mistaken. I mean, that is fantastic. I never thought the record would turn out this way because in the beginning, they were both up in the records head to head. For me this is a great tournament. It definitely brought me the No. 1 position in the world.

Q. What I meant was, have you ever had a situation where the situation was reversed and you were down with that many?

ROGER FEDERER: Not seven or eight, no. Maybe four or five. Nalbandian, Henman. Henman, Nalbandian maybe.

Q. What is the plus of Tony Roche on grass especially?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, for me if grass or clay, it's not a difference. He just helps me out to get to know my game a little bit better, little things I could maybe improve and change and adapt to certain players on certain days. I definitely think I work more intense, especially between matches, before tournaments than I used to. I pay more attention to what I really work on. Okay, today is special because we know the situation I'm in. But other than that, you know, we just go through a match sometimes very brief. We don't spend hours talking to each other. Obviously, I know how to adapt to the grass, as well. I had the record before he came on board. But he's definitely a big help for me.

Q. Having done so well last year on your own without a coach, now you have Tony, if someone said, "Why have a coach," what would you answer at this point?

ROGER FEDERER: No, I think also traveling maybe too long on your own - I'm talking for myself because everybody's different - but for me maybe traveling too long on my own, eventually maybe it's going to also backfire me let's say maybe in two years' time only, or maybe in three years' time, I don't know, or maybe in two months' time. I thought it was the right moment to really work with somebody again. I was in the end lucky to get Tony because he told me no in the first place and then changed his mind. I was happy about that. I wish I could have started to work with Tony earlier. My plan wasn't to be on my own for 12 months. It was more maybe the first three months of the year and then we'll see what happens. Quite quickly I realized it wasn't that easy to actually find a coach.

Q. How long between when you first asked him and when he said yes?

ROGER FEDERER: What was it? About October and November.

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