|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
WIMBLEDONJuly 1, 2014Roger FedererLONDON, ENGLAND R. FEDERER/T. Robredo THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You've had straight‑set wins up till now. Do you feel you've been challenged enough heading into the quarters? ROGER FEDERER: Rather have it this way, you know, that I feel physically in tip‑top shape. Especially now I got to back it up tomorrow, which now clearly is absolutely no problem. But I'm very happy with my game, you know, in these first four matches I think it's been. I've been in control throughout almost all the matches. Some tougher moments to go through, which is normal at certain stages of sets. But today, again, I was very happy with my performance. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to Stan's match tomorrow. Q. What can you say about your service game today? ROGER FEDERER: Well, my serve has been working well for some time now. Also last week in Halle. Maybe there I had some more letdowns just from time to time because it was the beginning of the grass court season. But now I feel I'm really able to focus well and serve well throughout. That's what I'll need moving forward, as well. I have the variation; I have the power. Yeah, I need to keep doing that. Q. Is there a dynamic change now that Stan has that slam and has moved up a level, the dynamic between the two of you? ROGER FEDERER: Which dynamic? Q. He now knows how to win a slam. ROGER FEDERER: Well I think for him the dynamic has changed a lot. Definitely, you know, showing up for the big moments, believing he can come through them, because he did lose a lot of close matches against many of the top guys. I think it actually all started before the Australian Open. People clearly only put a mark down on the Australian Open on him, but it already started at the US Open and prior to that. Then also the World Tour Finals he did really well in London. Now he's backed it up and played well in Monaco, at the Australian Open. So I'm really happy for him that he's been able to keep it up even though he's had some ups and downs, but that is inevitable after a big win like that in Australia. Q. How would you describe your journey as a player since the last time you won a major? ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, what exactly do you want to know? Q. What has it been like for you to pursue another one? ROGER FEDERER: Nothing special. You know, trying to defend last year; couldn't do it. That's been frustrating. And chasing other ones. Especially last year was just frustrating overall. I think Australia went well for me. I played some good tennis there last year and again this year. After that, the other three majors for me probably were not really feasible to win, to be honest. Especially the US Open. That was the last of the slams last year where I had most problems. So I'm happy I'm sort of physically back where I can put myself in contention. So it's been, you know, a tougher last sort of couple of years in terms of the slams, but I feel like I'm back where I want to be. I feel like the game's there, so that's the most important. Q. How close are you now to the form in 2012 when you last won here? As a supplementary, the bookmakers have you at fourth favorite. Do you think perhaps we're slightly underestimating you given you have won here seven times? ROGER FEDERER: Doesn't matter one bit to me what people say, to be honest. Last year was a tough year, like I explained, on so many levels. I don't talk much about what's going on in the background. I put my head down and try to win, try to play. This year things are clearly going better. Results show it on the court. I'm getting used to the racquet more and more as every week goes by. I think the reaction after Paris was an important one, because Paris wasn't all bad, to be quite honest. So I took the positives out of Paris, used them for Halle, and played well there and won it. Now I'm confident again and not fighting with any confidence issues, which is huge in sporting terms. I'm happy I got through the first rounds here rather comfortably. I don't think I've lost my serve yet and I'm returning well. I'm in command of the points. That's where you need to be early on to then also be able to perform against the best players. Q. The average age of men's players in the singles draw have been rising. Today there were two of you 30‑somethings. Do you think that might change soon? We have young players breaking through. Also, do you think it's good or bad for the game that that's been happening? ROGER FEDERER: I think it's good and bad, to be honest. I think it's good to have all the guys around. It shows as tough as the game is, it's still possible to last, you know. It's not like guys are just dropping out at 28, 29, 30 years old just because it's too physical, it's too demanding, too many tournaments having to be played, the rallies are too long, everything is too stretched, it's too extreme. I don't feel it's that way, even though the points are taking longer. We see more of these lateral points, which are rough, you know. But then again, there is a factor of many things. More teenagers are coming through. Now with Kyrgios, there's finally somebody again. Back in the day it was just normal. I mean, Becker won the tournament here at that age. It's been quite interesting just to follow that. I would think it would be great for the game if we had more teenagers, seeing guys sort of come through the tournaments on the biggest stage at a young age. I always think that's so interesting, like what Rafa did or Murray or Djokovic or Becker or Chang did. I think it's always good for the game. But then again, it's also good to keep all the guys in the sport. So it's been good and bad, however you want to see it. Q. Was that the first breakpoint you faced in that last game? ROGER FEDERER: Of the tournament? Q. Yes. ROGER FEDERER: I don't think so. I think Lorenzi had a few, for sure. Two? Yeah. I've had to face breakpoints, yeah. Q. You went to the net today quite often like a man determined to protect the art of serve and volley. Would it be better if the balls and courts were speeded up to preserve serve and volley as an art? ROGER FEDERER: I'm not sure if guys would start doing that. If guys start doing that, then I think it's a good thing. You don't want everybody to serve and volley, like everybody is standing back now. I think it would be good to have 30% of serve‑and‑volley players on the tour so you see those matches more often where the baseline needs to come up with the sick passing shot or the flick of the wrist or where the game is played on a few shots here and there. Yeah, so I don't know what it's going to take. Tournament directors turning everything around. It's also not the way to go forward. I think it's just good to have some variation. I think it's going to take some time for serve and volley players to come through. Even seeing the biggest guys, like Isner or Karlovic, for them it's even hard to serve and volley on a daily basis, because it also takes its toll, always that sprint going forward, and guys returning and passing so well. I don't know what the future holds for serve‑and‑volley players, to be quite honest. Q. You are going to play a pretty good server and a pretty big hitter in Stan. Against a player like that, do you prefer to start aggressive yourself and not let him set up his big game, or would you rather get in the rallies with him and see how the match progresses? ROGER FEDERER: Honestly, on grass, especially when he has a big serve and a big first strike, I try to do the same. We're not going to see that many rallies. But if we do, you just try to manage those points as well as you can, you know, either with variation, with power, with high‑risk tennis, or maybe not, depending on how well he's playing or how well I am playing. But important is that you first focus on your own serve, and that's it. The rest sort of takes care of itself. Q. You may not think about it in these terms, but you put behind you two of the tougher moments from last year. You're past the second round here. You beat Robredo who got you in New York. How does that make you to feel? And also, could you mention Davis Cup for a second? ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it's been a good tournament so far, no doubt. The loss against Stakhovsky crossed my mind. No doubt the loss against Robredo at the US Open crossed my mind in the last couple of days. So I had time to think about that. I must say I kept it in check throughout the match, and also before. I was able to impose my game and play well. I must say I was very happy with today's performance. Then Davis Cup, honestly, it's so like on the side right now. Focus is totally elsewhere. But clearly I'm happy, you know, for Stan and for Severin, the captain, that we are in the semis, that we have another opportunity to go one step further after the US Open. It's going to be a big crowd, 18,000 people, indoors, in Geneva. Not something I get to experience very much at home, playing in front of such a big crowd. So I'm looking forward to it. Q. Roger, you play good tennis. Everything perfect. The most important thing today is Argentina/Switzerland. ROGER FEDERER: Where are you from (laughter)? Q.  How are you going to prepare for that match? A beer, some cookies? ROGER FEDERER: No, good question. I don't know. We got one and a half hours, huh? Yeah, I might just watch the match while having treatment because I'm so tense. I'll loosen up at the same time, or I'll do it all afterwards. I haven't decided yet how to do it. Clearly I'm excited for it. I'm excited I could watch this match. In Halle I was playing the doubles final during the first game against Ecuador. I missed that. Clearly I want to see Argentina play with Messi. They have incredible fans. Switzerland, nothing to lose. Just go out there and give it a go. I think that's why we all watch sports. We don't know what's going to happen. I hope it's going to be one of those days where Switzerland can cause the upset. Q. Novak talked last night about Wimbledon should rethink the middle Sunday. Do you have any thoughts on that? ROGER FEDERER: I mean, it's been historically so. They've never done it except when they had super rain here over a lot of years and no roof back then yet. Clearly it could be burned like Stan could have been now. The last couple days he's been really good and tough to get through in straight sets to feel in good shape now for Wednesday. It was always going to be rough for López or Isner who were going to go into a lot of breakers and all that stuff. It's totally a tournament's decision, I think. It has some positives, as well, to have Sunday off completely for everybody. Just sort of shut down, no tennis. Everybody is just relaxed. But I see what he's saying. You know, it really does put a lot of pressure on a few guys. I got sucked into it as well having to play today and tomorrow again. I mean, we clearly train sometimes three, four, five hours a day on a daily basis, so we should be able to handle that. Clearly if you're carrying an injury, you could get unlucky in the process. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|