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WIMBLEDONJuly 2, 2015Roger FedererLONDON, ENGLAND R. FEDERER/S. Querrey THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Are you playing better than you were this time last year? ROGER FEDERER: Is that a question? Q. Yes. ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, so far so good, you know. Sometimes you can only play as well as your opponent lets you. Sometimes the feeling is good out there. Today was definitely a good day. I sort of returned well. Served okay. I definitely think I can serve a little bit better. I didn't check my match stats, but I feel like things are definitely good out there. Querrey can definitely be dangerous. He's got a big game, especially on the grass. He was going for his shots today. It was important today to move well and be clear in the important moments. I felt like I was. It was a good match. Q. You said you feel like it was a good match. On a scale of 1 to 10, would you say it was an 8 or 9? ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, look, I don't really rate performances like that. At the end, you know, it comes down to a few shots here and there. Your overall feeling, your overall performance, probably across the board I was really rock solid and really happy. If you want to rate it, I don't know, you can do that, but I'm just pleased I didn't have any hiccups. I had a good 10 minutes at the end of the first set. I think that was the key moment to go from 4‑All to 6‑4, 2‑Love. That was the moment that I took control of the match really. Q. After the match, Sam said you have an aura about you, you hit amazing shots. He said sometimes you have the feeling as an opponent that you want to go over and give you a high five after one of your shots. ROGER FEDERER: He said that, okay (laughter)? That's cool. Why not, he can do it. I'm happy to do it, too, you know. I mean, we joke around a lot with Sam in the locker rooms. He's a super laid‑back, nice guy. I really like him a lot. You know, I do feel like that with him, too. When we look at each other, I feel like we know when somebody hit a good shot. We know what the other guy is thinking. He knows when I got lucky. I feel the same with him. It's good spirit out there, very fair. You know, I really like Sam for that. That's the kind of guy he is, a super nice guy. Q. Do you feel as though you have an effect on your opponent psychologically because of the shots that you hit? ROGER FEDERER: Not really, to be honest. You know, I feel like a lot of work goes into just trying to focus, trying to win, trying to do well. It's not that simple and that easy. The thing is with Sam, we know each other that well. But the thing is we haven't played each other in a long time. This is only the third time we played against each other in our entire career. I think that's maybe also the reason he feels that way. I won't say I've gotten used to playing on Centre Court, but I just really try to focus and enjoy it out there and not think so much about the opponent, not what he might be feeling or thinking. Q. A while ago you said that you had trouble earlier in your career getting inspired. Then you went to certain art galleries, listened to certain music, talked to certain people, and that helped. Can you talk about that. ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I don't think I said it that way. It sounds a bit odd to me. It's like grabbing bits and pieces, trying to create a puzzle. That doesn't seem that it fits, you know. What I probably said is, like, you always have to, you know, keep searching to improve as a player, as a person anyways, but as a player because I'm sitting in a press room for tennis right now, not like a life school. So I feel like you always have to be on the lookout for what can inspire you. It can be music, could be kids, could be an art gallery, a theater. Whatever it is, you can draw bits and pieces from things, from people, whatever that may be. I definitely feel like the last sort of six, seven year, I've been more aware of those things, whereas in the beginning it was just trying to be more comfortable on the tour, understand what the tour is about, its history, the tournaments, the traveling, how to understand that all. After a while you know what it takes, then you can actually search in different areas. Like, I mean, having Stefan Edberg onboard is a classic example of how you can get inspired, as well. Q. What makes you go for a shot like the one that you did, through your legs? Do you just want to have fun and entertain the crowd? ROGER FEDERER: It all happens very quickly. I can't put it on super slow and go, All right, what's best? 'Cause I guess so many things shoot through your mind like, Well, what's the score? Is it 30‑Love? Is it Love‑30? Love‑30, I wouldn't have hit a shot like that, no chance. I probably would have adjusted, changed my grip and tried to hit a normal forehand or gone around and hit a normal backhand. What the situation was, I had the grip in hand. It was an open grip, you know, one for a slice I would think, or one you scoop it. But then I was like I feel better almost shuffling my feet and giving myself, with the right grip, without changing that anymore, to hitting a lob. Easiest way for me was somehow through the legs rather than coming to a complete standstill and then hitting a lob, which he would have seen where it was going to go. Through the legs, you're not sure if it's going to come short or high. I got lucky. I hit it perfect. Yeah, I felt like there was a chance, legitimate chance, to win the point. And it was fun. It just happened to be the right thing. I picked the right side. Like I said, I got lucky also to be there. Q. The issue of the famous all‑white clothing here has come up again. You've been quoted as having called that rule ridiculous. We don't know the source of that quote. ROGER FEDERER: Hmm. That's interesting. Q. Would you like to tell us right now what you do think about the rule. ROGER FEDERER: I mean, that it's all white, we're all for it. We don't want to play that color. We get that. I just find it quite extreme to what extent it's gotten to white. We're talking white like it was in the '50s. If you look at the pictures then, it was all white. The thing is, when I came on tour, when I was watching on TV, I still have the pictures in my mind where Edberg and Becker and all those guys, they had more color. There were iconic T‑shirts, iconic moments, I thought. Then when I came on tour, I still had some color. You could have some light blue, back when I beat Sampras, all that stuff. It was different. But it was still 90% white, for sure. Which I'm totally in favor for. But then it got to a point where stripes here would be borderline here. I find that a bit of a pity because you can't do anything with it. No cream color, no this, no that, fine. I would still be in favor for loosening it up a little bit. But then again, it is what it is. You know, I'm happy, I'm proud to be here. So whatever, it's okay. Q. The British crowd are desperate for you to get your hands on that trophy, even if it is one more time. What is your message to the supporters out there for you? How determined are you to do that? ROGER FEDERER: You know, as determined as ever. You know, I've always loved playing here. Clearly last year was a great tournament. It was tough, you know, not getting it at the end. I was so close, having had breakpoints in the third first. But Novak did great. So one year goes by and here you are again trying to go all the way there to the finals and then hopefully playing even better than I played last year. I think it's possible. But then again, many players are playing well. You know, Andy is playing better than he was last year. The younger guys have gained a year of experience on the grass. Clearly it's not going to get easier. At the same time, I feel like when my game's going well, like it was now, this week so far, and also last year, at the level I was playing, I feel like there's a good chance for me as well. Of course, I'm determined. I hope for the best. I hope for good matches, good support, then we'll see where it's going to go. But I'm excited to be healthy and playing well here now. Q. The other day you spoke about Serena's pursuit of a Grand Slam. What chance have you had to watch in golf, Jordan Spieth and his possible Grand Slam? What are your thoughts about him? ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, don't know. What was the first one? Augusta? Was that the first one? Q. Yes. ROGER FEDERER: I saw a bit of that.  Then nothing until today. So I am the wrong guy to ask. But what he did is great. He's young, up‑and‑coming. Has a great demeanor about himself. I wish him the best. Clearly I always hope that Tiger comes back strong, wins a major, keeps things interesting there. But, yeah, I haven't watched much golf as of late. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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