Thursday, May 28, 2009

Roland Garros Second Round

By Roland Garros Official Site

R. FEDERER/J.Acasuso 7-6 (10-8), 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2

An interview with: ROGER FEDERER

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. How pleased were you to be able to cope with all the emotional highs and lows of that match? Looked like you should have lost the first set, you lost the second, should have lost the third, and you won it in four.

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, could have won both, first three sets. Could have lost them, also. Of course, I'm thrilled, you know, to be through. It was sort of a fun match to be part of, you know, with so many ups and downs. It's not the usual, you know.

I thought Jose played well, and I started to struggle a little bit throughout the third set after sort of being up a break in the second set and things were looking like things were under control. I was mistaken.

I'm happy to have come through such a tough match, you know. Those matches are good, you know, knowing that physically it wasn't a problem. I'm excited about the next match, that's for sure.

Q. Do you think that during the most difficult moments of the match, especially the first three sets, you took advantage of your mental toughness, which is maybe even more than Acasuso's?

ROGER FEDERER: Sure. I mean, I guess in such a match it comes down to details, you know. Mentally I've always been very strong, but I'm not being put in a position like this very often, you know. So it was good to win both breakers. I mean, I definitely think he didn't play agood tiebreaker in the third set, but I had to get there first after being so bad.

I thought he made it really difficult for me today. I was looking for my game, you know, midway through the third set, just trying to get the rallies going my way. It was hard, because he was playing so well.

Definitely it was a sign of mental strength, and, you know, the physical abilities I have.

Q. Did you start to have any problem with your shoulder?

ROGER FEDERER: Shoulder?

Q. Yeah.

ROGER FEDERER: No. Not that I know of. (Laughter.)

Q. Was that a good kind of fighting match to get out of the way in this round as opposed to later on? And then perhaps, you know, something more about your clay game now.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, absolutely. I think conditions made it definitely hard today for the players, you know. It was slow, so you had to really be very patient and that might have played in his favor.

But, you know, coming through such a match is always a great feeling. Like I said, I'm not part of such close matches that often, you know. So when they happen, you know, it's great to put in the fight when you can. I was happy with my performance today, you know, because the stats actually looked pretty good. I just had to stay calm with all the ups and downs there were in the first three sets.

Q. In the last set, and when he got behind, he started to look a little discouraged or tired. Did that allow you to relax at all?

ROGER FEDERER: Sure, a little bit. But at the same time, you don't really relax until you have maybe double break, especially after seeing what happened one set before, you know, even with double break. You're not that relaxed anymore because conditions were kind of slow,and there was always a chance he might get back in it.

He definitely looked a bit tired to me. I was just trying to really tighten up my game, and I was able to do it and close him out. It was a good feeling.

Q. As fatherhood gets closer and closer, have you thought at all about how that's going to change your approach to tennis, or perhaps even to life?

ROGER FEDERER: Um, not a whole lot, but I'm very excited, obviously, about it. You know, we talk about it with Mirka on a regular basis, and I'm sure it's going to have a very positive impact, you know, for my personal life, obviously.

I think for my tennis life, too, it's just going to make it more exciting, trying to find the best ways to balance both things. I know from my side I'll be as professional as ever, you know, even when the baby is there. It's something I'm really looking forward to, and, yeah, I'm excited.

Q. Do you have any kind of plan laid out for the first few weeks?

ROGER FEDERER: No. I mean, Mirka would like to travel with me as much as possible, you know. But we'll see how it goes. I mean, honestly, I'm kind of in the French Open right now. I'm trying to, you know, mentally also be with Mirka as much as I can, obviously.

Q. It looks like you do not have so many options on clay as on other surfaces. What's your thought about when one doesn't work? It's more difficult on clay?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, there's always going to be different types of games, you know, in all different surfaces, you know. Then you also have different opponents making it more difficult for you.

I think a player like José suits me definitely better on a faster court where I've played him a few times. But when you play him on clay, you've never played him there, that makes it more difficult than today. Conditions were very slow, extremely slow. It was even raining in the beginning.

So of course that takes away game plans, because you can't just attack the net blindly and try to bluff your way through a match like this, especially best-of-five set match.

Clearly it does take away options. Not just for me, but for anybody. I still feel I have plenty of ways to try and beat a player. José played me well today, and it was a close match.

Q. You've had a lot of success in Shanghai at the Masters Cup, but what do you envision it as you go there as a Masters Series? What kind of tournament is going to shape up?

ROGER FEDERER: I think it's going to be very exciting for the fans to see, you know. A ton of players all of a sudden, you know, after just seeing sort of a handful, and I think that's going to be nice.

Also, it's an outdoor event now, so the roof is going to be nice and open. It's going to look fabulous. Then the whole feeling on the grounds, you know, I think it's not something you really have during the Masters Cup. It was all based around center court.

So I think that's going to be nice for the Chinese fans to go there and see. I'm excited to go there, and hopefully it's going to be a nice event again. I'm sure they'll put on a beautiful tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for French.

Q. At 5-1 you scared your fans. Were you afraid, too?

ROGER FEDERER: I think it was okay. But the way the game was in the third set, I was not particularly happy. I changed my tactic at the beginning of the third set. It didn't work out well, especially on my return, and that made things a bit more complex. I had to think about my tactics, and at the same time I was losing, so that wasn't fun.

But I tried to make his life difficult, and to come to an end in the game, but that was sufficient for me to be back in the set. That was a very nice match we had, and I'm very happy the way I fought today.

Q. Yes, but you didn't answer. Were you a bit worried at 5-1 in the third set?

ROGER FEDERER: Yes, a bit. But I was not afraid to die, so everything was okay.

Q. That type of match, is that something you have to go through for a Grand Slam, having a difficult match? Does it make your life easier afterwards?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I like easy matches, but it's also nice to fight on these difficult matches, especially when you win. Then it's nice to talk about this match, but I have good experience here in Roland Garros on the center court.

Physically speaking, I was fine. I was fit. I can't forecast any problem for the future, and the work I did over the last month pays off.

Q. You explained your mistakes all along this match. Is it due to lack of concentration and lack of focus? Did it happen in your head, as well?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, it's a combination of many things. He played very well. I was not managing and controlling the match the way I should have. Having him back, allowing him to come back was not a good thing.

Well, many things. My analysis now is different from the one I had at the end of the second set, which I should have won and I lost, but he did deserve a few sets.

Q. You talked about your tactical problems. Do you feel your game has evolved over the last years here in Roland Garros?

ROGER FEDERER: Yes, quite clearly. At the beginning I had many difficulties with my backhand, for instance. For instance, in '03 when I won Wimbledon afterwards, I think I was not very solid from a mental standpoint. After I lost the first set, it was almost impossible for me to be back and win the match.

And I put too much pressure on myself, even before the match. Today I'm much calmer, which is very helpful. I also have more experience, so I know the players more than I used to. Physically, mentally, I'm stronger. I have improved my backhand, so I hope I play better today than I did a few years ago.

Q. On the match point, what was your feeling? Were you relieved you avoided a trap?

ROGER FEDERER: No, I had good feeling. I thought it was a very good match for me.

Many mistakes, but many mistakes in three-and-a-half hours, that's pretty normal. But there were many winning points, as well. I made many aces, no double faults, so statistics were good for me.

What I want to say with the crowd at the end, they -- I had a standing ovation at the end, and that's very moving each time. I have a feeling I'm the grand favorite here in Paris, and that's very nice.

Q. Maybe this is a stupid question, but you won the draw and you decided to receive. Is it a new approach?

ROGER FEDERER: I returned? Okay. Okay. I returned. I was not serving. Yeah, I decided to return, because it was raining a bit. I said, Okay, serve. You first, and we'll see afterwards.

So I chose it. I made that decision because I didn't feel I was capable of scoring four aces in a row.

Q. A double question: Did you look at Mirka and Pierre any more than you usually do? And second question, why do you have to have the people supporting you each time?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I probably did look at them a bit more than during the first match, because -- well, I had more opportunities. When you have a fight like this one, your team is important, and they did support me.

I said to Mirka, It's important you remain calm in difficult moments. Well, it's better for her right now. No, but it's fine with Pierre, Gary. They all supported me. That was important.

With the crowd? Honestly, I do nothing. Maybe this is what the people like. I'm not trying to seduce the crowd. I just try and play beautiful tennis. If they like it, great. If they don't like it, nothing I can do. I also think being a fair player with regards to your opponent, with regards to the game, with regards to the people there, it's very important to me, and this is something people seem to like.

Q. Between 30 Celsius your first day and a humid atmosphere today, has the court evolved? Is it more of a problem? And if yes, do you look at the weather forecast?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, yes, of course. It has to do -- the weather has to do with the tension I decide for my racquets because the ball bounces more and the surface is faster. The kick was not going very high, and the ball remains lower.

Then there are advantages linked to the conditions we had today. But the way Acasuso was playing today, maybe that was not a great advantage. But that's also the way I won in Hamburg, so that's why I like this surface.

When you know it's going to be wet weather you can adapt. I've been playing on wet clay courts since I was a young kid, so I know this surface.

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