May 10, 2007

Rome AMS Third Round

By ASAP Sports

An interview with: ROGER FEDERER

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Roger what happened today? The crowd, the people, I don't know? What happened?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I had a bad start to the match, no doubt. I got broken twice. Missed my opportunities in the second game, and after that I was always running behind the score.

I mean, I think he played well, you know, but for me it was a disappointing performance. The crowd didn't effect me much because nothing happened. It's just a disappointing loss.

Q. I missed the beginning of the answer, but is something wrong today physically?

ROGER FEDERER: Disappointing. That was the answer. That was more or less it.

Q. Did Volandri surprise you?

ROGER FEDERER: No. I know him and I've played a tough match against him a few years ago. I played juniors with him and I know how tough it can be in Rome, so I was expecting a tough match.

Q. Were you feeling well? Were you okay? Was there a problem?

ROGER FEDERER: No fever.

Q. No fever?

ROGER FEDERER: No injury either.

Q. Was it the heat?

ROGER FEDERER: I practice in Dubai in 45 degrees, so I don't think the heat was a problem today. This was cool.

Q. Do you think you played just one match four days in a row Rome it was so bad for you? Not so much training to have --

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I was the first player to arrive, so I've been practicing more than anybody here in Rome. My preparation was perfect. I played a good first round, so of course it's disappointing to play like this is the second round.

But if it does happen there's nothing I can do about it. I played against a guy that was confident today and knew he had a chance. This is how it is in tennis. When it's a knock-out system you know you're out in a second when you're not playing well.

Q. Do you think that after this match can change something about your preparation for Roland Garros?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, more time to practice. Get back on the practice courts instead of the match courts.

Q. We understand it's difficult for you to accept this defeat in this moment, but for us it's more difficult for us to understand what happened to you. What was the problem, if there was a problem? If it was difficult for you to play for some reason, if you can help us to find out.

ROGER FEDERER: Not going to do it here. Why should I discuss it here with you five minutes after the match? I have to analyze it myself. I'm just here to answer a couple questions and go back to the practice courts. Not much you can say right now.

Q. Did you feel different feeling after the first match? You feel in a different way this morning, or not?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I played very good after the first match, so I was confident. Usually I always play better the first round no matter how well I played, because I'm used to the conditions and I've played a match and everything.

But today was the opposite. I couldn't play my best unfortunately. Filippo played well. Let's not forget get that. He made a hard for me. Everybody's just talking about how I played, but he played very well. He didn't miss much.

He played very well against Gasquet, so I knew it was going to be a tough match. Give the guy some credit.

Q. What was more surprising maybe was that you lost your first three serves always two points for each game. How do you explain that?

ROGER FEDERER: You don't need to do that on clay. You need to be solid and he was and I wasn't, and right away the gap is huge. That's tennis. On clay you don't get many free pontis if you don't serve well, and I was serving horrendous in the beginning. I was giving him second serve all the time and he's a good return player which makes it hard.

So I mean, that's the way it goes sometimes. I've been broken before a few times in the beginning. Important is then to at least react in the second set, and I had a bad start again. It's just over too soon for me today.

Q. When was the last time you didn't feel your shots like that? Was that shocking?

ROGER FEDERER: Happens, you know, a lot, but sometimes I get through because I'm the better player or I played right at the right time. I get more occasions. Today I just couldn't get the teeth into the match at all.

I don't know if I could say I played shocking, I just didn't feel like I was in the match at all today. It was over in no time, and I was always the wall against the back. Then of course it's not so easy to play.

And yeah, that's easy when you're leading, no doubt.

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