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August 26, 2006
US Open Pre-Event
By ASAP Sports
An interview with: ROGER FEDERER
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. How important is the Nadal rivalry with respect to the growth
of your career given the fact that the rivalry now exists on all the
major surfaces?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I think we've had good matches, you know,
especially this year. I thought the battle on clay was very
interesting, you know, going from Monte-Carlo to Rome to the French
Open and everything, playing each other in all the finals and then, you
know, just after that in Wimbledon, too.
So I think it's been interesting not only for us but for the entire
game. The two of us being 1 and 2 in the world, I think that
always is a bit more interesting.
Q. Do you think that hard courts represent the most neutral
surface for you?
ROGER FEDERER: I would think so, yes. I guess.
They can play I'd say hard and flat or aggressive, but you can also
stand back and spin the ball. I think it gives you an
opportunity.
Q. Is there a friendship yet between you and Rafael, or do you
still not know each other well enough?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, by now we've done plenty of
appearances together, you know, to promote Monaco or Rome or here in
New York for Nike. We've seen each other many times off the
court, too, at the Laureus award and everything.
So you get to know each other better. It's been always, like
with all the other players, too, friendly atmosphere. Fair
matches on the court, so it's been good.
Q. If you were told by the Tennis Gods that you could work on
just one aspect of your game to improve, what aspect would you most
likely improve?
ROGER FEDERER: I would like to be able to serve and volley first
and second serve.
Q. Is that something that you'd like to try?
ROGER FEDERER: No, it's more something I look, you know, to
maybe do in the years to come, but not just now. But you never
know. I think it's pretty hard these days, you know, to kind of
do that. I mean, conditions have really slowed down over the
years, I think. So there's no secret that I went down in
tensions, too, you know, by about four or five kilos over the years,
try to get the power back through a looser string.
Q. Are you trying to shorten the points in some matches?
ROGER FEDERER: No, not at all.
Q. Since Cincinnati, what have you been trying to get right?
Did you have a rest for a couple of days?
ROGER FEDERER: Since Cincinnati?
Q. Yeah.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I had days off, took enough rest, had
enough practice - it rained out a little bit yesterday, but so far it's
been good. You know, I feel obviously mentally fresh because I
haven't played much since Wimbledon. But, physically, I feel
fine, too. I have no injuries I need to tweak or anything.
Things are looking good for a good start here to the Open.
Q. What do you think about the way Andy has been playing
recently since he hooked up with Jimmy Connors as his coach? Do
you think he sort of catapulted himself back to make a run here?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I think not winning or winning Cincinnati
didn't matter much for him. I think he was gonna be one of the
favorites here for the Open, you know. He's won here before.
It's in the States, this is where he usually plays his best.
He lost here in the first round last year so he's got only
positive results to do.
Of course now by, you know, winning Cincinnati, I think things are
looking very good for him. I always said Andy's not gone.
People were laughing at me when I said, you know, I think he's one of
the dangerous guys in Wimbledon, you know. Just a lack of
respect sometimes, you know, to a great player. So he's proven
himself he's back, and I was very happy to really see him win
Cincinnati.
Q. Does this year feel any differently for you especially coming
off last year playing Agassi in the final?
ROGER FEDERER: I think it's easier to come back the third time,
you know, when you come around and try to defend a title. When
you come around the second time, you're defending that title for the
first time and you feel a lot of pressure, everybody's talking about
you. By now I've gotten used to how to defend big tournaments,
and I don't look at it as a big pressure, I just try to prove to myself
again that I can do it all over again. I played such a terrific
final against Andre last year, you know, that really excited to be back
and hopefully playing well again.
Q. Your thoughts about the fact that Andre has drawn so much
attention? Does that change anything in terms of how people will
be focusing on what you're trying to do?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, it's obvious he gets the attention.
He deserves it over the 21 years he's played here at the Open,
and this is his last. He had a great run here last year on top
of that, you know. He's had a bit of injuries now through the
summer, but it seems like he's gonna be ready for this one. So
I'm happy to see, you know, he's gonna play and hopefully have a great
run, you know. He was a very important person, you know, in
tennis for all of us. He inspired many of today's generation,
and he was an inspiration also in terms of his foundation and his
results, you know, winning all four majors. That's something
hardly anybody's ever been able to achieve. I was lucky enough
to play him more than 10 times, which is nice.
Q. What do you think of the instant replay statistics?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, the stats I think are totally wrong anyway
because usually you save them towards the end of the set and then you
might as well just challenge for the hell of it. That's why we
lose many calls on statistics because we know probably the ball is out
but might as well take a chance, you know. I would think that
stats would be much higher if we really used it on each and every call.
What's the point sometimes challenge at 40-Love down and the
other guy's serve, and risk a call? It's not really quite right,
those stats.
Q. You're 3-3. The ones you lost, were they ones you knew
were out or in?
ROGER FEDERER: One, you hope, you know, that it's gonna be in
but you think it's gonna be out, it's just so close. Other ones,
usually I challenged I think -- the ones that were right is because I
was really -- I was sure I was right, for sure. The other ones
came probably towards the end of the set where I took a chance.
Q. Are you more in favor of it now that you've used it a bit?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't think it makes a difference at all, so...
If it's there, it's there. If it's not, it's not. I don't
mind it anymore.
Q. You weren't very happy with Montreal, Cincinnati back-to-back
Masters Series?
ROGER FEDERER: Toronto.
Q. Toronto, sorry. Will you try to have any input down
the road when the ATP revises the calendar?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, they know my point of view.
It's been a subject since a long time. It's just unfortunately
they have not been able to do some little changes by maybe giving the
top guys some seeds, you know. You know, this one is actually
easier, Toronto, Cincinnati, than Rome, Hamburg because you have a
best-of-five finals on Sunday, and that you didn't have in Toronto.
So, yeah, I mean, I guess it requires maybe a bit of a change, but, I
mean, I was able to play in Cincinnati this time around; I wasn't that
tired. It is possible, but definitely tougher.
Q. Would you prefer to see tournaments ending with five-set
finals, these other tournaments, the ones that are three sets through
the week and five in the final?
ROGER FEDERER: I think it depends a bit on how exactly you
promote the whole tour, you know. I think you have to take a
choice on if you're gonna make all five sets or all three sets.
But then again TV has so much to say about it, too. They give
you bigger windows, smaller windows, you just take what you get.
It's kind of difficult. There are many different promises that
have been made. That's why it's hard to change such things.
But, look, we were always willing to talk, the players, with the tour,
the ATP, ITF and everybody. I hope we can work it out in the
future.
Q. You spend a fair amount of time during the year in North
America. What is it you like best about coming to America, and
what do you like least?
ROGER FEDERER: What was the last thing?
Q. If I could ask, what you like least.
ROGER FEDERER: Oh, least. I like to come here every time,
I'm really excited every time I leave someplace to come to the States.
It's kind of always a relaxed environment, usually always good
weather when I come, you know. I like California, I also like
New York, Miami is really nice, too. So three places I usually
go to are nice. I wish I could see also some other places, but
it's kind of tough and the schedule doesn't really allow me to do so.
The city of New York, the beaches of Miami, the relaxed
atmosphere of California is really what I like.
Q. Have you been able to get out of Midtown at all to see other
parts of New York?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I move around quite a bit - walk around,
drive around, I even had a helicopter ride the other day, so I got to
see the entire city from, you know, the top. That was exciting.
So, yeah, I get around a lot here.
Q. You've seen quite a lot of Andy Murray recently. How
do you rate his chances here?
ROGER FEDERER: You know, it's an interesting challenge, you
know. I think the juniors have been -- the youngsters have been
a bit disappointing in Grand Slams so far this year. This is
their last Slam of the year, so they'd better play well here.
It's a bit of pressure, and the focus is gonna be more on him now that
he's ranked and got another coach and everything. I think it's
gonna be interesting to see how he plays. I still don't think
it's gonna be the total breakthrough for the youngsters here at this
year's US Open, but then again I think next year will be much more
competitive in each and every Grand Slam.
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