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August 8, 2007
Montreal AMS Second Round
By ASAP Sports
An interview with: ROGER FEDERER
R. FEDERER/I. Karlovic 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-3)
THE MODERATOR: Questions.
Q. Do you think Karlovic could be a top player if he could return
better the serve from his opponent and play better from the baseline?
Against you today he didn't make one point from the baseline rallies.
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know if that's right. I remember I missed a couple of shots from the baseline, as well.
I know in the locker room, we all feel -- we feel he has improved from
the baseline. I think we all feel he volleys pretty well now, whereas
in the beginning he was still very much up and down. His serve was
always incredible.
Look, I mean, he's two meters tall. He's never going to be as quick as
Lleyton Hewitt on the court. He's never going to return as good as some
of the best returners. His big strength stays his serve. He has to
really make sure his attacking game is very good.
I mean, he can be without a problem in the top 30, top 20. Then what
comes after, that's a tough call. I don't know how it feels to be two
meters tall. Must be hard, as well. You don't dominate the baseline
points as you like, but you do have your control on your own service
games.
It's hard for him as well, like it's hard for us, too. His serve is
very impressive. It's definitely the best serve in the game, yeah.
Q. What did you think when you saw your first match coming back was against him?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, it was either him or Mirnyi. It's about the same
thing almost. Just a Mirnyi is a bit more dangerous from the baseline.
He moves slightly better. He's played more matches like from the
baseline. Whereas, Karlovic, I knew anything could happen, I could
still play good tennis and lose.
I wasn't very happy with the draw, to be honest. Now that I'm passed it, I'm very relieved and happy.
Q. How pleased are you with the way you played? ROGER
FEDERER: I think I played very well actually. I didn't give many
chances on my own service game. From the baseline, I hardly missed a
shot. I played aggressive. Yeah, I mean, I tried my best on his serve.
But I had maybe a couple of chances, 30-All, deuce points. Came up with
some good serving and, you know, I couldn't read his serve at all. I
was happy the way I played tiebreakers, both of them. So for this
reason, I think it was an excellent match.
Q. Did it take you long to come down from the high of Wimbledon?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, you know, when you know you have three, four weeks
ahead of you without any tournament, you kind of just relax, you enjoy
the moment. After you start practicing again, you kind of forget what
happened, you look forward and you arrive here, all of a sudden
everybody talks about Wimbledon again. For me it's already kind of in
the past.
It's obviously very nice that the players haven't forgotten and they
remind me. But, no, it goes fairly quickly. Sunk in. Already the fifth
time. It's not like the first one.
Q. Was it more of a relief with all the pressure building up?
ROGER FEDERER: No. It was a very happy moment for me, very proud moment.
Q. The gale you played Andre in the US Open a few years ago, how were the windy conditions today?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't think it was that crazy today. I think, you
know, those flags up on center court, they make such a noise that you
feel like it's a hurricane inside. I'm serious. So it's a tricky thing.
You think it's crazy wind, but it's okay actually.
It was windy, but not some crazy wind. How it was against Andre, that was out of control. Today was nothing like it.
Q. You knew he was a great server. What strategy did you have in mind before playing him?
ROGER FEDERER: Not much of a strategy really. I tried to get the ball
back and try to take your chance when you get it, just don't blow it. I
was trying to practice with guys who like to come to the net as well,
like Fredric Niemeyer, my doubles partners, they like to come to the
net, I could practice my passing shots. You can never really prepare
against guys like this because they take the control away from you.
Q. What do you think of the way the draw has opened up with Blake, Gasquet...
ROGER FEDERER: Honestly I only know that Fognini is my next opponent. I
don't know if Roddick is there, Blake is there. I have to check the
draw. If they were all in my section, that's good if I come through.
I'm not there yet, we'll have to wait and see.
Q. How difficult was it to play on your birthday? The public started singing "Happy Birthday" at 5-4 in the first.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it's okay. I enjoy it, of course. At the
same time you're like, you know, I'm struggling to get a ball back
against this guy and they're singing happy birthday. Are they seeing
the same match as me, you know (smiling)?
But it's okay. I kind of expected that after having a very warm welcome
four years ago here. I remember they sang also very wildly for me. I
kind of expected something in the end, but not from the start and not
during. I guess times have changed. They were very happy to see me. It
was okay actually in the end.
Q. Pete Sampras used the same model racquet throughout his career.
Contractually do you have to change when they come out with a new
model. Is that difficult to adjust? ROGER FEDERER: I really
changed from one big -- from the smaller head racquet. Pete played the
bigger. It wasn't a drastic change like you might think, just because
of the color change. I mean, look, it's not my obligation having to
change racquets. That is in my control. What Wilson wants first of all
is that I have success. That is the same thing with Nike, all my
sponsors. They want me to have success. That is the good part about
having good sponsors like them.
Pete wasn't even ready to change any color or anything. I don't mind
that. Little changes like the K factor, technology, I don't have a
problem. For me I'm happy working with Wilson very much.
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