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Tuesday, June 6, 2006
Roland Garros Quarterfinal
By Roland Garros Official Site
R. FEDERER/M. Ancic 6-4, 6-3, 6-4
An interview with: ROGER FEDERER
Q. Can you talk about the fact
you're not having to spend very much time on court in the first five
matches. Is that going to help you as you go deeper into the week? ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it's definitely going to help because when you go ‑‑ you saw it I think a little bit today with Mario.
Can sometimes cost you like a tournament or a match if you play a very
tough one, then you come out and you can't really feel like you maybe
have to shorten the points and stuff and you have to change your
tactics because of fatigue. That's the worst. I feel like I can back up tough matches now. I got two days now, so I guess fitness won't play a factor any more now. Q. I think in the second set Mario had a couple of breakpoints to go 3‑0 up. What were you thinking at that point and what did you do? ROGER
FEDERER: Well, I mean, I was already very disappointed to be broken,
first of all. 1‑0, break down in the second because I missed the
easiest overhead ever. Just cost me a break in the end. After that, I
was down 2‑0, Love‑40. You can sometimes expect to come out of these. It
was really the first break that really got me angry. Thank God then it
was actually a key moment. You know,I really came back strong, I saved
all those breakpoints, came back in the match and played really well
towards the end of the second. From then on I was really in control. Two key moments: obviously the break to win the set and that turning point in the second. Q. For the next match, do you have any preference, Davydenko, Nalbandian? ROGER FEDERER: Both are tough. They're similar players, too. I had some tough matches with them in the last few months. With Davydenko at the Australian Open, and with Nalbandian in Rome and at The Masters. I think I never lost to Davydenko. Who knows. Maybe that would be better. I don't know. Q. This is just a joke, but will you go home to Switzerland like after the first one? ROGER FEDERER: I could (smiling). Q.
You grew up on clay. It's very soft. You don't stop as fast as you do
on a hard court. Do you find this is easiest on your body? How would
you compare the different surfaces? ROGER FEDERER: I would
think grass is the easiest. It's a matter of getting used to grass. In
the beginning, somehow to me anyway, I always get back pain in the
beginning because many balls are very low, so you always have to go
down and get it. You feel that. Same as maybe the groin areas on grass
affect you in the beginning. But once you're use to it, it's really
easy on the body. It's soft, obviously. It's softer than this stuff. I
would put grass ahead of clay and hard court. Hard court is obviously
the roughest on the body. Q. What is the secret to playing consistently but be a grinder? Concentration, talent? ROGER
FEDERER: I don't know. Talent with hard work: without one or the other,
you're not going to get anywhere these days, anymore. Thank God I
realized in time what I needed to do. I got my game into a position
where I can play aggressive, I can play defense, and I can play
counterattack, which is very good to know. Sometimes it's not easy,
obviously, to make the right choice. I also make errors but at least I
have the option and that is very important in today's game. Q. Did you maybe expect Mario
to go for short points more than he was? He was staying in long rallies
with you throughout the first set, not trying to get to the net. ROGER
FEDERER: I thought he would serve and volley a little bit more, that's
for sure. I expected him to shorten the rallies early on in the match
especially, see how it goes. He took it the other way around where he
was very happy to rally. I mean, in a way, both are dangerous
because you expect the one thing and he does the other thing. So it was
tough. There was quite a wind in the beginning, too, so you had to get
used to that. Yeah, that first set was very close. Both had the opportunities. Thank God I took 'em. Q. The score line is pretty straightforward. Do you feel you were tested in this match? ROGER
FEDERER: Yeah, like I said, the whole first set was tough. I mean, I
had to create a lot of breakpoints for me in the end to be able to
break. Also I had to focus really hard on my serve because he had a few
opportunities. Obviously, the beginning of the second was tough, too. I
think for one and a half sets was very, very close match. Could have
been the other score, actually the other way around, too. After that, I
was pretty much in control. Maybe that's why it looked so easy in the
end. It was a tough match. And I felt like I was tested, yes. Q. I know first you have to play the semifinals, but who would you like to play the final against Nadal after he beat you in the last games? ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I'd like to play him still. Hasn't changed (smiling). Like
you said, you know, let's not forget who's next. That is a tough match
for me. Look, I think we all would love to see me playing Rafa in the finals except two other players. They stand in our way. THE MODERATOR: Questions in French. Q. You are in the semis like last year. Can you compare your level of game, physical condition? ROGER
FEDERER: I would say it's for the most part similar. Physically I will
not have any problems like last year because I hadn't lost any sets
until the semifinal like this year. Last year, after having lost, I
believe that I knew my game was good, but I believe this year it's a
bit better. The feeling is better this year because it's the second
time in a row that I'm in the semis. I have more experience on this
surface. Maybe the draw is not that difficult. Nadal is something different. I don't want to take anything away from Nalbandian and Davydenko. It's similar, but I feel a bit better than last year. Q. What did you improve on clay compared to last year? ROGER
FEDERER: It's a general progression, in fact. I am more use to the
matches now. I found some solutions. This means it's easier for me on
clay than last year. Q. Today against Ancic, it was a typical match, different than usual. It doesn't prepare you for the following matches. ROGER FEDERER: Yes, I agree entirely. Now I have to change my game. Berdych and Ancic liked to play short rallies. It's different from the players I'm going to play now. Fortunately, I have two days ahead of me. I have time to adapt. It's a good thing. Q. About the weather, they say it's going to be very hot. Is it an advantage or a drawback to you? ROGER
FEDERER: It doesn't matter. The main thing is if it's sunny and nice
weather, it's good for the crowd. Personally, I'm fit so everything is
okay. Q. Nalbandian or Davydenko, then Nalbandian. Do you feel the feeling now another tournament is beginning with different kinds of difficulties? ROGER FEDERER: It started already today or maybe yesterday when I was preparing this match against Ancic.
If you can see this match, you can see clearly who is where. You can
see who is going to pass those steps. I'm very pleased that I played
these quarterfinals. I'm happy to be in the semis. It's always good
because it means you made it through the first part of the tournament. Q. Next week the French soccer team is going to play against Switzerland. Do you feel a friendship with some soccer players in Switzerland? Are you going to watch this match? ROGER FEDERER: "A friendship," what do you mean? Q. I mean, do you get along well with some players? ROGER FEDERER: No, I have no contact with those players. Like all Swiss, I'm behind them. I hope not only are they going to play a good match against France,
but also a good tournament. As far as I'm concerned, I have good
feelings concerning them. There are many new young players, several
that I don't know. I know better the Basel team than the national team. But I'll be behind them like everybody else in my country. Q. Can you say a few words about either Nalbandian or Davydenko on clay? What are their characteristics? ROGER FEDERER: Davydenko I played only once on clay in Hamburg
last year in the semis. I lost 4‑3, I think. For me it was very
similar. He played aggressive from the baseline. Both of them have very
good backhands, they're fast. They're both talented. They can beat any
player on this kind of surface. I'm not surprised they're at this stage
of the competition. That's it. Sometimes they won easier than expected,
and sometimes more difficult. I expect anyway a very difficult match and especially a physical match like last time.
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