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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 15, 2016

Roger Federer

Monte Carlo, Monaco

J. TSONGA/R. Federer

3-6, 6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you react to that defeat? What is your overview of the match?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I think it had definitely some twists and turns. I'm not sure how come. Maybe we were both a bit up and down. We had a couple of games here and there that we kind of gave each other on the serve. Kind of hung onto it, me in the first, him in the second.

Third was close all the way through. Maybe had a small chance the first game maybe. The game I got broken is a tough game to get broken on because I think I had three forehands that I'm in good position, and I end up losing all three points. It'll a tough break to get.

You know, it was a good tournament, a good match, exactly what I was hoping for and more, so I'm very happy.

Q. The (indiscernible) tournament director said he would keep a wild card for you until the last minute. Are you thinking to get there or get to Madrid?
ROGER FEDERER: I definitely won't play the next couple of weeks. And Madrid I'll decide probably like 10 days from now. Rome I'll decide probably in 15 days from now.

Q. In the third, you were two points from the match.
ROGER FEDERER: Was I? I didn't know I was that close (smiling). 15-30? Doesn't matter anyway.

Q. This moment you thought you could have the match?
ROGER FEDERER: Yes, I thought I was going to win the match maybe after the first set. I thought I was going to win the match maybe the beginning of the third. But that doesn't matter really.

It was a good match. It was nice to play an intense match. I'm happy how the body reacted. So many good things this week. It's all positive for me.

I know where I'm at now. I hope my knee and my body is going to be okay the next couple of days. If I'm good, I might go practice tomorrow as well just to get the body into maybe a rhythm of playing maybe four days straight at a very intense level. If I feel like I need a break, the team tells me to rest, I'll do that tomorrow.

Things are really good right now. Of course, it was unfortunate because I had my chances. But this tournament, really doesn't matter at all if I missed or not those chances.

Q. Would you say to play in Rome, it maybe depends a bit on what happens in Madrid?
ROGER FEDERER: No, nothing.

Q. Did you think about Sharapova?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I didn't read about it. I wasn't in the mood really.

Q. Is it more important that you managed to play 2 hours 10 minutes with no problems; that's more important than the results today?
ROGER FEDERER: Number one, it's good to play a tournament after having had surgery. Number two, it was good to play one match. It was good to have a match with a rest, then to play again. Now it was good to play back-to-back, yesterday and today. Then it was good to play 2 hours 10 today.

On top of it, in the pressure situations, because you know you might not be as loose as in practice, so many good things this week, and also the pretournament stuff I was able to do, I trained really hard. My fitness coach was here. We practiced well on the tennis court, as well.

Yeah, it's been a really good last couple of weeks now for me, so I'm very happy.

Q. You told us that you opposed surgery all the way until you had to do it. Have you changed your mind about it now? In case you're forced to make a decision, would you undergo that easily or not?
ROGER FEDERER: I guess it depends what the diagnosis is of the doctor. I think it's always the beginning of the end, surgery. I still believe that. If I can avoid it, I will always avoid it.

Would I have surgery for fun? Not me anyway. I don't see one funny bit about it.

Q. Going out in a tournament where Djokovic is not playing anymore, is the same for you?
ROGER FEDERER: The same, yeah. Doesn't matter.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Can you give your analysis of this week after your injury.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, it depended on the draw very much. In Madrid last year, against Kyrgios, there were not very many rallies. Here there were more rallies against those players. If you're not careful, you lose. If you play well, you win.

So for me it was an excellent test to see where my level was. As I said previously in English, I believe whatever match I could play would be good. So I played twice in a row. It was ideal. Plus a long match today.

Now I'm interested to see how I will feel tonight and tomorrow morning when I get up, how my body reacts, and the knee of course. Immediately we'll decide whether I'll practice tomorrow or not.

I'm very satisfied with this tournament. I didn't believe I could make a comeback like this one. Of course, when I go on the court, I always think I can do something. I believe this week went very well.

Q. Against Jo, do you believe it was also because you were a bit tired?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know. As to Jo, it was difficult for me to assess his game because I was too busy with taking care of my own game.

I don't know if he's happy with his match or not or if he's disappointed with the way he played. But it doesn't change anything for me. I know I had good moments. Of course, it depends on Jo, too.

We know he is capable of being very aggressive on his forehand and backhand, and he can serve well for a very long time.

I believe I could have done better in the third set on the return games. But I will analyze what I did well, the tactics, with my coach. He will have to tell me if I need to make more adjustments.

But I'm very happy the way I played. Backhand is working well. The forehand is there. Maybe my serve is still up and down. Especially on clay, more balls are coming back.

But I'm very satisfied with my performance.

Q. According to what you were expecting this week, what were the good points and what do you need to work on?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, it was good, but I need to spend more hours on the court. I'm returning a lot better. It's better than other beginnings of the clay court season. I don't know if it's because of the new racquet. I'll have to keep that and my serve will come as I play more matches.

I need to be capable to play service games after service games. I don't remember whether I was broken or not, but it was quite good. It's good after an injury. During my two first matches, I was quite aggressive against Bautista and Garcia-Lopez. Today it was good to see also how I was doing in defense. There was a bit of both. It was a bit quicker. It was more difficult to control the ball in the end.

Q. Did you watch Stan's match today? Did you have time?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I didn't.

Q. The draw seems open. Is there a favorite?
ROGER FEDERER: With or without Novak, Stan is still a major reference on clay.

Q. Can you tell us what you will do in the following weeks. Are you going to rest, practice? Can you sum up the situation?
ROGER FEDERER: I will know more tomorrow at noon. I will see how I feel when I get up. I will see how my knee feels, my body feels. It's important to see how your body reacts after 2 hours 10 minutes of a match.

After I'll speak with Seve and Pierre and have a meeting with Ivan. I might decide to practice a bit more here because in Switzerland the weather's not nice. I might go there. I don't know.

I have a few things to do in the beginning of next week. All the practices are already planned with Pierre for the fitness. It will be half fitness, half tennis, I believe. In 10 days I believe I will be able to make a decision about Madrid. I'll see how I experience this week and I'll see what I'll do for Madrid.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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