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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 8, 2019

Roger Federer

Wimbledon, London, England

R. FEDERER/M. Berrettini

6-1, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. At the start of the tournament, you said your legs felt a bit frozen. Have they fully defrosted now? You looked in fiery form today.
ROGER FEDERER: Yes, yes, no, I felt good today. I mean, it's also been a week. Important is that those legs started moving eventually in that first-round match. Now we're two weeks into Wimbledon essentially, with one week of matches having been played. I think the performances start going up naturally. We know how the surface reacts, how the balls are flying, all these things. We can play closer to the lines.

Obviously today was excellent. I was very happy. I was expecting a tough match and a close one with not many chances. It was actually quite the opposite, so that was great.

Q. A tough match on paper, for sure. What does that say about the state of the men's game now that you, Novak, and Rafa had easy wins today? These wins are coming relatively easy, it looks like, even in the second week of a tournament.
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, look, you always have to look at also what the matchup is, is it just a coincidence that it's right now the way it is.

I think it's also partially like what I mentioned before. I think the best guys now are fully engaged, they know exactly what to expect from the court and the conditions. That helps us to play better. I think with experience, that's good. We haven't dropped much energy in any way. It's not like we're coming in with an empty tank into the second week.

All these little things help us to then really thrive in these conditions. I don't know what else it is. I forgot who Novak played today.

Q. Humbert.
ROGER FEDERER: He's new to the scene there. Joao maybe on the grass was always going to be a long shot to beat Rafa, especially after his match against Dan. Berrettini also was the first time this deep. Naturally we're going in as favorites into these games. This is maybe the wrong time to look at this kind of situation.

Q. You're incredibly fit and healthy, winning matches easily. Here is a guy who is out there, young guy, complaining about not being able to see the ball. Here you are 37 years old, no problems. Is there any way at all that you feel like you have to manage any aspect of your game because of your age?
ROGER FEDERER: Not really. I mean, I just think I have to warm up much more than I used to, which is not the most fun bit, to be honest. I liked jumping up and down for a minute when I was 21 or 19. Now we go through this entire routine. I'm like, Really, do we really have to do it?

I guess it helps, so I'm doing it. When I get bored of it, I'll stop playing tennis completely or I'll stop that routine first before I stop playing (smiling).

No, I think again experience helps. I've played in all sorts of conditions. You look back at the French Open against Rafa, how windy it was there. I've played in dark conditions in the past here, in Wimbledon, or in other places.

When you're older, it doesn't really have a huge impact on you. It's as hard this side of the court like on the other, switching sides. I think that's where maybe age helps you a little bit.

Fitness-wise, I would say I take things a little differently than I did before. I would say it's more the quality than the quantity because I have to rest the body when I can.

Q. Next up is Kei Nishikori. This will be your first matchup in Wimbledon. I think you have advantage on grass here. You have a good record here. You have many, many experience here. What do you think about Kei's match?
ROGER FEDERER: I think it's going to be tough. Plus he's getting into quarters with a lot of energy. I remember some of the slams recently he arrived into the later stages of slams with maybe some tough matches going into it. So far it's been really easy for him.

I think he's ready. I'm a big fan of his game. I think he's got one of the best backhands in the game that we have right now. He's a great return player. Solid mentally. I always thought he was a great talent. I know him since he's probably 16, 17 years old. So it's been nice to see him grow there.

Yeah, I mean, I've played him on grass before, maybe never here. I know what to expect. I think there's going to be no surprises from either one of us. It's definitely going to be very different than today. We'll see many more baseline rallies with some different shot-making than we saw with Berrettini today.

Q. I need your help this time because I saw Berrettini winning a tournament, semifinal in Halle.
ROGER FEDERER: I didn't see you in Halle (smiling).

Q. I saw it.
ROGER FEDERER: You took the easy route and took the TV, in your bedroom, just relaxing (smiling).

Q. Correct, but still I saw it. This morning I wrote, I don't believe that Berrettini can beat Federer, but he will not lose 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, which is exactly the score that came out.
ROGER FEDERER: If you should change your job or not, is that question? Think about it (laughter).

Q. I'm trying to think what you told him before going on court. You were his idol. Did you say something to him that he was shocked? How do you explain, honestly?
ROGER FEDERER: Honestly, I just said hi to him walking to the court. I didn't do any games or all that stuff.

Q. I think he told you thanks for the lesson at the end.
ROGER FEDERER: Is that what he said? My Italian is not good enough.

What was I going to say? The guy is serving on average 130 miles and second serve 105 or 110. He gets three aces.

Q. Something wrong?
ROGER FEDERER: Not wrong, but it's just slow. Especially tonight, conditions are a bit cooler. I just felt like, you know, it's not really going through.

If you're almost clocking 140 serves, you should be rewarded a little bit more probably. There is definitely an issue with the speed of the balls or the speed of the courts.

Q. The mental?
ROGER FEDERER: Maybe he was nervous in the beginning. You still hit aces. I mean, if you're serving that kind of speed, how tall he is, all that...

He didn't have his best day. I know that, as well. I was dialed in. I was able to get a lot of balls back, again I think because of the conditions as well. I think if it would have been faster, then again we would have seen the match that I was expecting with few chances here and there.

I was just able to maybe outmaneuver him with my slice. He couldn't hurt me enough with his forehand, which I thought was going to be maybe tough to manage today.

Everything seemed to go easier. Then eventually you know how it is, when you're down two sets to love so quickly, I mean, it's hard to figure things out. It's hard to change. I just think the conditions also didn't allow him to do that today.

Q. Should I resign?
ROGER FEDERER: Not yet. Give it another couple of days (laughter). Then we'll speak again.

Q. Berrettini said in his growing world, coming up, this would be a lesson which will be helpful to him. The frustration was very, very high. Do you remember one match which was very useful for yourself when you was growing up, first matches, someone who beat you very, very hard like you did today which was useful for you?
ROGER FEDERER: His coach congratulated me and thanked me almost. I was like, Why? He was like, It's good for him to get a lesson. You guys are a bit tough, but I get it. I like the Italians (smiling).

Important is that he's not too disappointed, because he's had a great run. It's important for him to look ahead. There's so many great moments coming in his career. Also I lost sometimes the hard way.

I remember US Open against Agassi, I guess it was also 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 I believe. I thought like, Oh, maybe I was going to take Andre out, all that stuff. Nah. You get smashed, go home, don't understand what happened. You realize, Well, I just got to work harder. It's that simple. Maybe got to have a different tactic, maybe got to have a different mindset going into that.

Another day US Open when I played Max Mirnyi, I waited 10 hours at the court to play, it was raining all day. They sent me out at 11 p.m. I believe, Court 8, lost in straight sets, went to McDonald's at 2 in the morning. You're like, What happened?

Some losses you can't explain. Important is that, especially in those moments when you lost extremely hard, had high expectations, you really get taken down, is that when you take a major step forward. It's okay to take a step back, but then you have to take two forward. I hope that's what he does exactly from today on.

Q. When you step back and look at your game, big picture, there's a bunch of things to feel good about. The beauty of the strokes, technique, mental toughness, maybe the grace...
ROGER FEDERER: You need to travel with me more often. You make me feel good.

Q. What aspect of your game gives you the most satisfaction or you feel the best about?
ROGER FEDERER: Like in a game today where you almost start feeling whatever you're going to do is somehow going to work out. You almost can't explain what it is. Am I reading the opponent well? Am I just feeling good on the day? I have no other thoughts than maybe the next point. Enjoying the crowd support. Everything is just sort of pink, it's just happy out there. It just feels nice.

Then you rock up to a ball. You're like, I know I'm not going to miss one. You hit a winner. Then you do the same again and again. That's probably one of the best feelings you can get as a tennis player on a tennis court.

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