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Sunday, October 22, 2006
Madrid AMS Final
By ASAP Sports
R. FEDERER/F. Gonzalez 7-5, 6-1, 6-0
An interview with: ROGER FEDERER
Q. It's unusual for a nonSpaniard to get the kind of
reception you got at the end of the match today. Was that right
up there? Spaniards standing on their feet giving an ovation is
rather unusual. What do you make of it?
ROGER FEDERER: I was curious myself to see how they were going
to react when seeing me. After all the matches I've had with all
the Spaniards, not only Rafa, but especially not having been here for a
few years.
The reception was great on Tuesday when I played Massu. That
kind of calmed me down and I thought, okay, this is actually going to
be a fun week, an enjoyable week.
In the finals I actually expected them to be obviously 50/50 because he
had a great match yesterday as well. Obviously he's also Spanish
speaking, so that helps. But people here took my win very
nicely, and I appreciate that very much. It's not always the
usual. To have so many fans around the world, now I can count
definitely the Spaniards in that as well. It's a nice thing for
me.
Q. In terms of back to back performances to win a championship,
how good is that, your performances against Nalbandian and obviously
today?
ROGER FEDERER: Obviously excellent. Two 6-0's against
players of that caliber is always a bit surprising. I played
well the entire tournament, didn't drop a set. Only got broken
once. There's not much I can say about that. I really
turned it on when I had to from the semis on. So I'm really,
really happy.
Q. Your injury in your right ankle is serious enough to keep you
out of Basel?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I can walk now, so it's okay. And I
could continue to play. It happened to me in Toronto. It
happened to me at the U.S. Open against Blake as well. It's the
third time it happened. Every time I could get up, continue to
play. I definitely will have to see how it reacts tomorrow
morning to know exactly how I feel. I'm confident, you know.
As usual, I'm a positive thinker. I don't have pain now.
That's a good sign.
Q. You don't have pain?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't.
Q. Are you happy that -- also what he's been telling you for a
couple of years that you're the best in history. He knows a
little about tennis.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah. It's very nice to hear. After
last year being upset that the top guys didn't come, I'm happy I could
make it up and come and win this year. We're on good terms
again.
Q. You don't feel like it yet?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't feel?
Q. Like the best in history.
ROGER FEDERER: I don't understand.
Q. You don't feel like you are the best tennis player in
history?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I am the best right now. But in
history, I guess we'll never know except I break all the records there
are.
From that I'm still away of keeping everything. There's
definitely a long way to go. I'm definitely in the fast lane
right now. That's for sure.
Q. How confident are you to be able to play at that level to the
end of the year? Do you feel steady enough?
ROGER FEDERER: The tough thing now is different balls, different
surface for Tuesday. That's a bit of a problem that go like
about some seasons, that they change it up too much. I think it
would be easier for all the players to keep it all the same instead of
having to adjust, having to -- it takes time to get used to different
circumstances.
I feel like I can play a solid match in any given day. It's
definitely going to be tough. A lot of tennis. I hope I
get over this little issue with my ankle so I can play Basel.
And then I hope that I feel fine also after that tournament so then I
can play Paris. That's the plan. I have a week anyway
between Paris and Shanghai. We'll see what happens. At
the moment I feel great. I I'll try to carry the confidence over
to the next two tournaments.
Q. Will you travel with your coach again every week?
ROGER FEDERER: I'll see him in Basel. He won't be in
Paris. And then he'll come to Shanghai again. And then
I'll see him in December.
Q. Roger, there were lots of fine things about his performance.
What pleased you both? You served particularly well as
the match went on. And just like before your movement was very
good. What did you like best?
ROGER FEDERER: I knew the match would be dangerous and difficult
from the start, because I know he has an excellent serve, a great fore
hand. He's improved his back hand. He can volley.
He plays a lot of doubles. So I know that the first set was
going to be crucial against a player like that.
For me, even though I might lose a first set, I always try to stay
poised and everything. It wasn't needed this time around.
Obviously I tried to jump on top of him in the second set. He
didn't swing his serve any more as hard as he did. I took
advantage of that. I got into more service games, and I kept up
my good work and my own serve. And that put the pressure up on
him.
And right away it was two sets to love. And then obviously
things were getting really difficult for him. He couldn't keep
up the pace. I found another gear and played great tennis.
I think it was one of those matches I actually kind of prepared
early on in the match to then take control later on.
Q. Winning straight sets all the time, would that help when
you've got three weeks of tennis?
ROGER FEDERER: Obviously. I actually didn't know it was a
48 draw here when I came here. I was actually prepared to play
six matches if I had to. Like the usual Masters Series.
Then I heard I had a bye. I was actually very happy about that.
Again it's kind of dangerous, too, because Massu comes in with a win
against another good player and so forth. It was just important
to get over the first and second round. And I'm happy that
actually the Masters are all a 48 draw. That gives me a better
chance of playing them all.
Q. Not to bother you, but the people in Spain, they like you.
But do you think you would play against Spain in the Davis Cup
because of Switzerland because of this? Or is it still too long
a period of time to February of 2007?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, it's still a long way. I'm, of
course, trying to clear my head before making a decision, because I
want to let my fans know, I want to let my team know, if it's a good or
less good decision for the people. I'm talking to my team right
now to try to make the schedule for the beginning of the season to see
what's best, if it fits in or not. I'll probably know the news
in the next couple of weeks.
Q. Your game is going up and up. Is it too easy?
Perfection can be boring? Because we don't get tired watching
you.
ROGER FEDERER: If you're not getting tired, I'm definitely not
getting tired either. I'm also very happy with the progress I'm
making. It's bit by bit. I know that eventually you reach
a certain level or standard. You're not going to change much in
your game. There's little details that in the end make quite a
bit difference. I really feel over the last couple of years now
I've become a much more steady player with more choices in my game.
I can vary really great now. I can rely on my serve.
That wasn't always the case. And physically I've improved
so much that I'm not scared of any five setters, of any tournament
anymore. And also I've really come a long way in the last four
or five years. And I hope to stay healthy, to keep winning.
Because I like it.
Q. On just a slightly different tact, Roger. Britain has
just announced that Peter Lundgren is becoming our Davis Cup coach?
ROGER FEDERER: There you go.
Q. Hopefully that will spark a major improvement in our
fortunes. Could you just give us a little idea of his qualities
and maybe a little bit of what he can do for us and what sort of a guy
he is.
ROGER FEDERER: What's his position?
Q. Coach. John Lloyd is the captain.
ROGER FEDERER: He's got experience for that. He was in
the Swiss Davis Cup team for a couple of years alongside me and
everybody. Actually the plan was that Peter Carter becomes the
captain eventually and Peter stays the coach. And then obviously
the tragic accident happened, and he stepped down as well. And
then Mark took over actually because we asked if he could do, it and he
said, "Okay, I'll do it." Be a playing captain, which is very
nice. Peter has experience. Obviously for a job like
this, he's especially good in a team. He brings great spirit to
the team and obviously as a Swede, Davis Cup is a huge motivation every
time. I think he's a good guy to have and the team. I
guess for him it's just a matter of getting to know the players.
Q. What is more important for you? To win the title in
Basel or in Paris? If you have to choose?
ROGER FEDERER: It's obvious the win in Basel will be much more
emotional because I went through the whole system of being a ball boy,
my mom doing the credentials there, and having so many people and
friends there. But Paris is a bigger tournament. It's a
tournament that I haven't been able to win yet.
Q. So the answer is --
ROGER FEDERER: Probably Basel right now.
Q. How dangerous is the champagne?
ROGER FEDERER: It's dangerous for my eye. I thought I
lost it. I was looking for it on the ground. It was just
rolling away. He got me good, Fernando. Good fun
actually.
Q. It's okay now?
ROGER FEDERER: It's fun. In five seconds it was
okay.
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