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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2015

Roger Federer

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

R. FEDERER/S. Bolelli
3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
An interview with:
ROGER FEDERER

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Were you surprised about the first set of Bolelli, who never won a set versus you? Are you also surprised he never beat a top-10 player in 33 matches, and now 34?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I thought he played two really good sets against me in Davis Cup, so I felt like he was really, you know, imposing his strength at the baseline. I could sense there that he had a good forehand; committed, you know, on the return; solid backhand with the option to hit the slice. I wasn't that surprised, to be honest, you know. I was just surprised how well, how consistently he was doing that, and especially how well he was serving actually. But then again, conditions were fast, which made it easier to serve well and harder to return. Maybe the break, I shouldn't be broken, but he was really playing very well from the baseline. I guess in these conditions sometimes a break can be a set. That's when I was under pressure for a while in the second set, but I'm happy I fought my way out of it.

Q. How is your finger and how is the blister?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know if it's a blister. I don't know what that thing is. It's the weirdest thing. I don't know. I feel it on the tip of my finger. Just felt really odd starting after the break, and for three, four games, it was the funniest feeling I have. I feel like it's numb and swollen. So, I don't know, I just wanted to have a chat with the...

Q. When you touched it, it was weird?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I don't know what it was. I still don't know. I just wanted to have a chat with the -- what is his name -- the physio just see what we can do. I know there is nothing we could do. I knew we couldn't tape it up because then it would be even bigger and more weird. I just said, I hope it doesn't get worse or stay like this. Actually it went away, but now I feel again. I don't know what the feeling is.

Q. Might be a bee sting, you were saying?
ROGER FEDERER: I was thinking it could be that.

Q. Physio didn't know what it was?
ROGER FEDERER: No. You can't see anything (laughter). But it is definitely swollen and it's funny. I don't know what it is. As long as it's not getting bad, it's okay.

Q. You didn't like the cameraman when he came too close. You said, Do you need to come that close?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, the guy is like in my ear. No I don't like it because I think there's a bit of privacy. In that space I'm just discussing the options of what we can do, and you feel like the guy is sneaking up on you. It's not the best feeling, yeah. So I asked him if he needed to be that close. He clearly didn't, because he backed off (smiling).

Q. What are your feelings about these easy rounds? Is it better to be tested than have things your own way?
ROGER FEDERER: Look, it was good playing a match during the night and now a match during the day. Happy I'm still in the tournament, because there for a while today it wasn't looking very good because Bolelli was playing very well. But it's always a good feeling fighting your way out of a match, like now, and winning the last three sets convincingly and actually playing really positive tennis. I served very well. So, you know, important is that you play the right way early because it's not always that easy. Today I had to do some adjustments because he was doing things very well. By figuring things out, it's a great feeling to have once you've got it. Then you're able to play consistently well, because actually he didn't have many opportunities on my serve. You always expect yourself to create opportunities, which I was finally able to do. Conditions were playing fast, and it's not so easy if you serve well to break.

Q. Russia has become one of the main organizers of sports events. It's also a country that's involved in all sorts of political problems. Do you think professional athletes should go to any country a federation sends them to, or do they have a personal responsibility playing in countries that are involved in war or human rights violations?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know. I mean, in tennis we can do whatever, I guess. It's up to us where we want to go. We don't get sent by the federation or anybody. It's our call if you want to do it or not. Then whatever your beliefs are, it's going to get you there or not.

Q. Have you ever considered boycotting an event for political reasons?
ROGER FEDERER: I've never been in a position like this, to be honest.

Q. You haven't played in Russia since 2002. Is that a coincidence?
ROGER FEDERER: It's not a coincidence. It's just because it didn't fit in my schedule.

Q. Can I ask you a question about age?
ROGER FEDERER: I'd love to talk about that (laughter).

Q. Do we lay too much emphasis on it? Do you feel like you're the same guy in the same body as you were a couple years ago, or do you actually feel you have to adjust a little bit because you are no longer the youngest?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I mean, I feel fine. I don't feel any different to let's say four years ago. I really don't. You maybe pay attention a bit more and listen to the signs of your body a bit more. By now I know my body even better. Clearly as the years go by I guess you also want to try out new things. But that's not really necessarily always down to age. It's simple just to say, Okay, you did that because such and such. But actually it was just to make it different, make it fresh, make it new, try something else. That may be whatever the decision it was, but clearly you have to listen to your body. I think the mind also becomes important. How badly do you want to be out there? How badly do you want to play and win? Why are you still doing it? Are you doing it for the right reasons? I think that becomes, in my opinion, more important than the whole body talk that everybody puts emphasis on.

Q. To shorten the points, to go more to the net, has nothing to do with worry that, Maybe I should play less longer matches, no marathons?
ROGER FEDERER: Nothing at all. And I hope you believe me and I hope you understand.

Q. I know you're a fan of a lot of sports. What do you think of rugby? Who would you be supporting in this year's Rugby World Cup?
ROGER FEDERER: I'll be supporting South Africa, of course. Yeah, I honestly don't see it very often. I don't know why. I don't know where we are in the world when it's happening, why I keep missing it. I was talking to somebody, maybe some -- I don't remember. But I see cricket frequently. When we go to the States and we follow the American sports over there. In Europe it's more of the football, soccer, all that. With rugby, for some reason I don't see it enough. But I'll be supporting South Africa.

Q. Do you choose to, on your days off, attend some of these sports? While in America, do you go see the L.A. Kings?
ROGER FEDERER: I've been to the Heat and the Lakers. Never been to a cricket game or a rugby game. Never been in Formula One. When we're in town or they're in town, there's no other event happening. It's the same for us. Yeah, I mean, Moto GP I've gone to see. There's clearly many things I would like to do. I went to an Arsenal game during the World Tour Finals now. That was good fun. I try to, but it's not always that simple, you know.

Q. What are your thoughts on how Mandela used the South Africa rugby team to change the course of history in South Africa?
ROGER FEDERER: I think it's wonderful how he brought the country together. It was a big, big moment in sports for everybody, more so for the people in South Africa. It was an amazing moment.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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