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May 22, 2009
Roland Garros Pre-Event
By ASAP Sports
An interview with: ROGER FEDERER
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You're here in Paris. Everybody in the world would like to be in Paris. It's everybody's dream as a tourist. How do you feel about it?
ROGER FEDERER: I'm happy, too. I only get here twice a year, you know, for big events, you know. I hope one day I can come back as a tourist, too.
Q. Right now your morale is good? I know you've improved the morale of all your fans from my e mail messages anyway.
ROGER FEDERER: Have I? That's good to hear.
Q. How's yours?
ROGER FEDERER: I feel fine, you know. I'm in a good mood. My game is doing well. I feel like I'm practicing well this week.
I didn't have any problems to, you know, adapt to the different conditions here than in Madrid. But also important is that I'm, you know, mentally and physically fresh at this stage, and I feel like I am.
Of course, it's important I come through the first round and find my way through the tournament. But of course the tournament victory in Madrid was a big boost for me.
Q. Just a bit like Bud's question, but the fact that you speak French, how much more do you think it helps you sort of appreciate Roland Garros and just feel at ease here, compared to a player, say, who doesn't speak French just in the organization, being in the city?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it definitely helps. I felt like it's hard to get around sometimes in Madrid, for instance, where I don't speak the language. I don't go to many countries where, you know, I don't speak the language. And if I do, they do speak quite good English. Spain is a bit more difficult because Spanish is a such a big language in the world. It made it a bit harder.
Here everything here is very natural, very easy. They're helpful. It's a nice tournament. I like coming here.
Q. What is the key point of training for this tournament on a clay court?
ROGER FEDERER: Getting used to, you know, the conditions again here in Paris. It's been a year, so you've just got to, you know, feel your way into Chatrier Court, Suzanne Lenglen Court, the bounce, the sliding, how much does it slide and everything. That takes a few days and everything.
I felt everything happened very, very quickly for me. For instance, today I'm only going to hit for an hour because I already played so much the last few weeks. At this stage, it's just about, you know, pacing myself, as well, and doing the right things.
So it's resting up quite a bit, you know. But at the same time, when I'm on the court, it's more quality than quantity this week.
Q. You played some offensive tennis in Madrid. Do you think it's a style of play you could repeat at the French Open, even though the surface is different than in Madrid?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I kind of always feel like I play offensive. I'm not the guy to wait for an error from the opponent, except if the scoreline suggests that I have to play differently.
But, no, I mean, I tried, you know, last week to play as good as I could. I decided for the finals to play a bit more offensive than what I usually so and it worked, so that was a good thing.
But other than that, you know, the rounds before that I just tried to play my game, and it worked. I was happy the way I played.
Q. What do you expect from Alberto Martin, your first rival?
ROGER FEDERER: I think we played once before, I'm not 100% sure. In Monaco, I think we played. Yeah, I mean, we know each other since a while. We've been on tour for quite some time. You know, he's one of those Spaniards who's gonna to make it hard for you. It's important for me to be able to take control from the baseline and play aggressive in such a player, not let him get too much rhythm.
But that's definitely a test in the first round. I guess we'll see.
Q. You said you miss the Spaniards, playing the Spaniards on the clay.
ROGER FEDERER: Here we go. First up.
Q. You're one of the few people who knows what it feels like to dominate a particular tournament the way Nadal has here. Your success, for example, at Wimbledon year after year, or the US Open. Is there a difference when you arrive at a tournament like one of those where you have had a lot of success? Do you arrive with a different mindset or feeling coming to a place that you've had a lot of success?
ROGER FEDERER: You mean compared to this, or...
Well, sort of. Maybe a little bit, I guess. You know, just because especially if you come back to Wimbledon or US Open when I won three, four, five times in a row, sure. Nothing else is acceptable than a victory, I feel. You know, everything else would be a big loss.
But at the same time, you take every tournament round by round, you know, just because you don't want to get ahead of yourself because you know the road is long to victory.
For me, being so long on tour now, I take every tournament very, very seriously. I'm as professional as ever and I'm working as hard as ever. I'm not underestimating any opponents, no matter if I had had success there or not.
But it maybe gives you a slight edge knowing you've been successful at a certain tournament.
Q. Besides tennis, which sport do you like to play?
ROGER FEDERER: Um, I used to do all sports when I was younger. Now, obviously the time being short for plenty of other sports. I still like to follow soccer as much as I can. I like to go skiing if I get a chance. You know, play maybe basketball with my friends if I've got a little bit of time. Table tennis, squash, you name it, you know. I like all sort of ball sports.
It's good for coordination, I think. It's good to free your mind sometimes. And other than that, I just like to also relax a little bit.
Q. What's your perspective on this: You won in Madrid and kind of the global buzz is, Roger's back. You've been saying all along you've been feeling pretty good and you've been ranked No. 2 in the world lately, No. 1 before for a long time. How do you put that in perspective? Do you feel that's a positive thing, or is it too much of a knee jerk thing and you try and put it in perspective.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, for me, it doesn't really change a whole lot from one week to the next. I always look at the big picture: this year, next year, the next five years. So of course I'm interested how I'm playing and if I'm winning tournaments, you know. But I don't think just because of one tournament or, you know, one first round loss or one tournament victory everything changes.
You know, I know I've been doing the right things trying to get back in shape after the problems I've had with my back, you know, just regaining the edge, you know, against my fellow rivals, you know. It's just important that I played well when I had to, and I was able to do that last week in Madrid, which I wasn't before just because, you know, something was lacking in my game, just lack of practice maybe.
Now everything is coming together during the phase of this year, which is most important, you know, ahead of the French Open, Wimbledon right behind. So it's good for me to gain confidence, but, still, work's not done yet. It's just only starting. It's important to stay on top of things, do the right things, and work hard and be positive about this great challenge ahead now.
Q. I'm glad to hear you mention the words "five years," because I had so much mail after Australia saying, Is he going to quit the way Borg did? You don't have any plans like that, do you?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I was talking I thought I explained myself clear enough. That I definitely want to play until the London Olympics, and after that I would like to play a even more. I even said that I'd like to have my child see me play, as well. My child is not five yet, so that should answer all the questions.
Q. Do you ever give yourself hell?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I always question myself, you know. I've questioned myself in the best of times when I was winning four, five titles in a row. What can I improve? What can I change to get better? I think it's important to do that when you're on top of your game, but also again when things were not going so well.
There are certain times during the year where you just have to sit down and analyze, are you happy with what's going on? Could you do more? Should you do less? Because some sometimes less is more.
So, yeah, I mean, I always try to find the best ways to get better as a player.
(Translated from French.)
Q Djokovic played a tough match against Nadal, and you defeated Nadal in Madrid. Is it good for you? Does it make you feel it's possible here in Paris?
ROGER FEDERER: I forgot at the beginning of your question.
Q. The fact that Nadal had a tough match against Djokovic and the fact that he defeated Nadal in Madrid, is it good for you from a psychological standpoint?
ROGER FEDERER: The important thing to me is that I won against Nadal, not the fact that he had a tough match against Djokovic. It gives me confidence. Confidence about this tournament. I'm very happy to be here and fit. I feel good.
Then when you have to play like Rafa who has always been very good on this surface, and to see that he almost lost against Djokovic, you realize that if you play him the right way you can beat him. Because each year he wins 40 matches on clay and you never defeat him, you can be a bit pessimistic.
I realize if I play well, there is an opportunity there. But at the end of the day, you need to focus on your game and see what comes out.
Q. This gesture you had at the end of Madrid, was the gesture of a daddy to his son? You were pointing your finger like this. We were not used to seeing you doing that at the end of the match.
ROGER FEDERER: No, I was just happy. It was good winning this tournament. I'm not going to lie down on the court, because that was that wouldn't have been appropriate. It was a quick match. I played well. But that's it.
Q. Nadal never lost here in Paris. 28 victories. No defeats. Isn't it a bit scary?
ROGER FEDERER: No, because he should have played the two years before that, but he was injured. So it's an extraordinary record he holds. Everybody would like to have the same record. But he was a bit more fragile when he was younger. But if he had played, maybe he would have lost a few games.
But, no, since he started, everything went fine for him. It's not all that scary, but I have great respect for what he has achieved.
Q. After Madrid, you said you were happy about the result, because it's also the result of all the work you put in your game. So my question is: What did you work on particularly before Madrid? Did you modify your program or your schedule before you came here?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, yes and no. I had problems in my back in February, so I missed the Davis Cup then. I got married, so I didn't have much time to prepare on clay for Monte Carlo.
But then between Monte Carlo and Rome and Rome and Madrid I practiced a lot; I trained a lot. I worked on my regularity, on my placement, and I had the feeling that I was still a bit slow on some of my shots.
So I wanted to be more regular, to be able to do that for hours and hours. I worked a lot, and it paid off in Madrid. I was a bit surprised to see it paying off that quickly.
I realized I could get much stronger very quickly, so I'm happy everything worked well. Everything is okay to start this big tournament.
Q. Would you consider that compared to last year, would you say that this year you have a better chance to win Roland Garros? And if yes, why?
ROGER FEDERER: No, not really. It's always been the same thing over the last few years. I've always been one of the favorites on the tournament, just like this year, so I don't think I have a better opportunity.
Q. The fact you defeated Nadal, does it give you more confidence?
ROGER FEDERER: If I play him in a final, maybe. But we're not there yet. We have to see how it goes.
Q. After the beginning of your season, the press was having questions; the crowd was having questions. But now we have more faith again. How do you experience that as a champion?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, that was a bit of a surprise. I lost in five sets in Australia, and a very difficult match. It was very high level of tennis. People see it as my losing in the second round, but it's a bit disappointing, you know.
I lose in Wimbledon, and then they say, Okay, he lost a Grand Slam. But if you analyze things a bit closer, I was close to winning three tournaments out of four. I had problems with my mononucleosis, and the problems, my injuries in the back, so you needed to take a bit of time and see how many tournaments I can actually win.
And should I have played them or not is what I think yes, because it was good for my body to win. But I couldn't win the tournaments I wanted to win, one, because of Rafa, but my game was not there at 100%. It was there at 98%, and that wasn't enough.
Then I lost my confidence a bit, but I've always had faith in my game. I worked a lot. I knew I was on the right tracks. Then, you know, having to explain yourself is not always that fun. You start thinking, maybe it's better for me not to play in a tournament. Not out of fear of losing, but just because you don't want to justify yourself.
So you want to practice, do the right things without being monitored and having people watching you all the time.
Q. You play Alberto Martin for your first round, a Spaniard for your first round on clay. Is it a fast track for you?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know. I'm in good shape, so I think if I play well, I should win this first round. But I only played him once, so we don't know each other well. He's been on the tour quite a while, just like me.
When I played him I won very easily 6 1, 6 1, but that was a long time ago. I'm in good shape right now, and I hope I can repeat a good performance against him this time.
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