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Thursday, September 7, 2006
US Open Quarterfinal
By ASAP Sports
R. FEDERER/J. Blake 7-6 (9-7), 6-0, 6-7 (9-11), 6-4
An interview with: ROGER FEDERER
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Got your night match. ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it was good. Q.
Maybe an environment that, aside from say Davis Cup, you're probably
not accustomed to, so sided towards Blake. How did you feel? There was
some cheering for a couple double faults, things like that. Did that
bother you? ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, it happened at times, I
guess, when they were really wanting to root him back into the match. I
understand it in a way. They want to see more tennis, and I thought it
was a fantastic match, you know. Was unbelievable high quality. For
me, it takes a lot, you know, to come out and say like this match was
unbelievable, you know. But I really thought that we were hitting the
ball so hard. I was so happy with the game today of me, you know. I was
solid. Didn't make many unforced errors. I could actually pretty much
rely on my serve, except, you know, a couple points here and there. But I thought it was a great match, and I thought James definitely took a had a lot to do with the whole thing. Q.
James just said in his press conference that he was reading an article
recently where it was stated that Tiger Woods was exceeding Michael
Jordan as the greatest athlete of our times. He said, quote, unquote,
"That's a joke." He said he thought that title belonged to you. He went
into great detail as to why he felt that way. How does that make you
feel when peers speak of you in that way? ROGER FEDERER: It's very
nice, obviously, to highly talk about a fellow player, you know. I
think he is fantastic for the game, as well. But, you know, that he
says something like this, puts me ahead of basically my own idol,
Michael Jordan, that's something very special, of course. For me, it's
impossible to say if it's true or not, you know, because it's so hard
to compare sports. But it's definitely nice to be all the way up there,
that's for sure. Q. You looked like a relieved man when you
finally wrapped it up. Would you say Blake gave you the toughest match
you've had here so far? ROGER FEDERER: Absolutely. I think the score
says it all. The match could have gone could have been easier, could
have been tougher, you know. We both missed our opportunities once here
and there. But that's what was kind of expected because we took so many
chances on our shots and everything that it turned out to be a
thriller, really, because it was so back and forth. Crowd got into it. They loved it. In the end, you know, I won, which was even better, so (smiling)... Q.
Who has the best forehands in the game now? You faced them all.
Obviously, James has a big one. Flat and heavy. Could you say who has
the best ones and how James's compares? ROGER FEDERER: I guess James
is all the way up there. I guess Nadal, too. He's got a very nice one,
as well. Other than that, there's a few of the, you know, lower ranked
guys with an excellent forehand, as well. I think always have to look
at the top guys, you know, who they obviously have the best forehand
when it really counts, you know. Most variety and everything. So I would put them very high up the rankings. Q. How important was winning that first set tiebreaker? Seemed like it had a lasting effect on James into the second. ROGER
FEDERER: I mean, I knew the importance, for sure. I was extremely happy
the way I came out and hit the ball, because I knew conditions gonna be
tough with the crowd, getting used to the night session, night session
on Ashe and everything. So the tiebreak, obviously, was vital, you
know. That gave me I found another gear in the second set, you know,
which I was very surprised to find because I was playing already so
well in the first set. Maybe he, you know, let his head hang a little
bit, but I took advantage of every chance I got there and actually
raced through. Maybe that second set was more important than the first.
Q. Did you really, because it was your first time in Ashe this
tournament, did that mean a lot to you? I know a lot had been made of
it. Did it mean a lot to you that you hadn't been there yet, and
because the atmosphere was what it was against you, did that give you
the extra gear perhaps? ROGER FEDERER: I doubt that it's because
of, you know, being the first time at Ashe at night. I played my first
few matches on Ashe, so it's not like I haven't played on this court
forever. I've been practicing the first week all the time. I know how
it feels. I remember how the crowd was last year, you know, with
Agassi. I thought it was even more extreme than tonight. Not like this
was nothing, but, I mean, it was pretty tough. But I knew that from the
start. I didn't have the feeling they were rooting against me; they
were rooting for James. That's a big difference. It's absolutely
acceptable for me. Q. You rarely have problems closing matches
out, but you had chances in the third set. You served for it. Chances
in the tiebreak. Even in the fourth. Was that his level raising a lot
or were you not doing what you wanted to do there? ROGER FEDERER: I
definitely think I could have served way better, gotten more first
serves in. I had this one game, I think in the third set maybe, when I
served for the match. I didn't on the deuce side I hardly made a first
serve. When I did, it was right in his hitting zone. So definitely
myself to blame, because on my own service game, I should be the guy
dictating play and everything. That's what I couldn't do. He was taking
huge cuts at the second serve. Gave him too many opportunities. Again,
he took them. I think that is where you see most the home
advantage really, you know. Nothing to lose. You play maybe with more
confidence. You believe stronger. You know that the ball is in the back
of the line instead of being out. That's just how it felt all the way
through. Q. James is obviously a fabulous talent, a fabulous
player, top player. Can you say what you think he might have to do to
take it to the next level in terms of Slam results? ROGER FEDERER:
I mean, he's right there, I think, you know. He got unlucky last year.
I mean, he should have beaten Agassi, I think. Then tonight again, I
think it could have gone either way really. So he's been really
improving a lot over the last couple of years, I think. Returns so much
better. His backhand's so much more steady. His forehand has always
been good, you know. It's amazing how far he's come. It's not like he's
19 or anything where you see guys improving by the week. I think he's
got a great chance for the years to come. And I hope that he's gonna
play well, you know, because I really like to play against him and I
really like to see him play, as well. Q. If you could choose a player to play the final, who would that be? ROGER FEDERER: Uhm, who's in the semis (laughing)? Q. Youzhny and Roddick. ROGER
FEDERER: Yeah, of course. Probably like to play Andy, I guess. But not
quite there yet for both of us. So we'll have a day rest and see how it
goes Saturday. But, uhm, you know, we look like the big favorites,
you know, me and Andy. But we've seen what happens to favorites
sometimes, you know, so we've got to be very careful. I've had some tough matches with Davydenko, so I'm very well aware of that. Q. Talk about Davydenko. He played you very, very tough in Australia. Took a set from you. How dangerous is he right now? ROGER
FEDERER: I think he's playing excellent, you know. He's proved he's
really improved a lot on hard courts. We all knew he could play on clay
and everything. But him similar to James. All of a sudden he kind of
found another gear, more confidence from the baseline. Also incredibly
fit, you know, never breaks down. Has the much bigger belief now than
he used to have. Every part of his game has kind of improved
because his serve was pretty dodgy, was switching from one racquet to
the next, not sure exactly how to play and everything. All of a sudden
he's found his game. It's being very steady from the baseline. Making
you run a lot, making you work hard. And he returns obviously
excellent, you know, with double hander and everything. So I think
I have to have great variety in my game, and try to play aggressive.
Serve well, you know. Make it easy for myself. So see what happens. Q. Why would you rather play Andy? Biggest match? ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, obviously, yeah. Q.
Blake was saying that he didn't feel any nerves coming from you, that
your body temperature was maybe 60 degrees. Last game of the match when
you were closing it out, were there nerves there at all? ROGER
FEDERER: Kind of (smiling). I mean, I was just worried that it's gonna
go to 5 All and then he's all pumped up, the stadium's all pumped up,
and the next thing I know, I might be in the fifth. The fifth is not
lost yet, so I was still thinking positive. I still wasn't broken. So I
always had the belief that all of a sudden first serve's gonna come
back. But, look, geez, I missed some two forehands which normally
I don't miss. But this is the occasion, you know. It's so big, and a
lot of pressure on you. So I definitely felt it today because of the
circumstances. Q. Does anything bother you? If not, how did you learn to not let anything bother you? ROGER
FEDERER: I used to be very up and down, for those who follow me for a
long time, you know, mentally. Even physically, you know. The whole
game. Now, I focus on each and every point, you know. I try to let
things not get to me. I've realized that that has improved my game by
doubled it up basically because I'm playing so much better since I'm
really kind of concentrated. I enjoy it more, too, you know. Instead of
going through an emotional roller coaster, you know, throughout the
match, it's just worked for me. I feel very relaxed out on the court,
you know, like I am off the court. That works for me very well. Q. How did you do that? Was there some epiphany that happened, a talk with somebody that got you ROGER FEDERER: I needed to smash a racquet in Hamburg to really understand what was going on. Then I finally woke up (smiling). Q. Reaction to Nadal losing and not having to face him again. ROGER FEDERER: What's that? Q. Reaction to Nadal losing and not being in the tournament anymore? What were your feelings yesterday? ROGER
FEDERER: I didn't see the match, so can't say anything about it. But I
knew that it could be a dangerous match for Raf because he almost lost
to him at the Australian Open. Okay, that was maybe before he really
made his breakthrough. But I remember how he had a high backhand or
forehand volley. Used it on matchpoint, I think. I knew with that great
backhand of his, he's gonna cause trouble to Nadal. Plus, on top
of that, Armstrong is pretty quick, you know. For me, doesn't matter
much, you know, as long as I advance in the tournament really. Q. There's no disappointment in not getting another rematch here? ROGER FEDERER: Nope, not really (smiling). Q. It's been a very long season. How do you rate your play now compared to Australia or the French or Wimbledon? ROGER
FEDERER: The whole season has been excellent. I thought the Australian
Open was fantastic for the first section, and then all of a sudden I
got a little bit of a struggle, but still ended up winning the
tournament which was fantastic. I've been in basically all finals
I've played except Cincinnati last week when I came from the win in
Toronto and I couldn't back it up, so... But the whole season's
been my best by far, I think, because I've been in all major finals.
Plus, now here I'm back in the semifinals. I couldn't be more happy. The
only thing maybe a bit disappointing is I couldn't win the French Open
final, but that's okay if I play so well the rest of the tournaments. Q.
You tie Ivan Lendl, consecutive semifinals in Grand Slams. When you
talk about greatness in sport, that is also consistency. Talk about
that accomplishment and what that defines. ROGER FEDERER: Well, I
heard it before, you know, that I broke his record. I didn't even know
about it. I know that I have a good streak going in reaching I think
Grand Slam finals or something. Q. Semis, as well. ROGER
FEDERER: Semis, as well, but finals, too, in a row. So, I mean, it's
great to be so consistent at the highest level. It's the toughest
level, too, with the five setters and so forth. Nothing is allowed to
happen, you know can't be sick, can't be a little bit injured. It's all
gonna you got to pay the price in those five setters. I'm very,
very happy. And, you know, to break records like these, these mean a
lot to me, obviously, because these are I guess the hardest to beat. Q.
First set when you were 5 All, you have zero challenge and he has two.
You enter the tiebreak, you had one and he had three. Does that fact
give you extra pressure? Does this use of challenge prove to be a very
important part of the mental game of tennis? ROGER FEDERER: Well,
if they boo you, yeah, I mean, it has a bit of an effect, you know. I
guess that's the rule we can use now. I'm not a fan of it, so I would
boo it myself. But, look, uhm, it's there to be used, you know. Of
course I feel bad sometimes to use it on a ridiculous point, but might
as well, you know. You never know if the machine is wrong on something.
Q. You don't have any strategy? ROGER FEDERER: Well, when
you feel like there might be a chance that it's in and you think the
situation is useful, I guess then it's might as well use it. But
when at 5 All I have no challenges left, I'm not nervous at all because
this is how it used to be. This is actually how I would like it to
be.
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