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ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 11, 2019

Roger Federer

Shanghai, China

A. ZVEREV/R. Federer

6-3, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Will you come back to Shanghai next year? Are you prepared to come back?
ROGER FEDERER: I hope so, yes. I hope so.

Q. Was today the first time you ever received a point penalty?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I have before. Long, long time ago.

Q. Actually, Sascha was telling us after the game saying that actually when you saved five match points, in the process he thought he could have lost the third set and he was very nervous, he said, actually. Tell us a little bit what was going on when you saved five match points before the third set began?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it was a crazy end to the second set, no doubt about it. I think it was 6-5, 40-Love maybe? I mean, at that point you're anyway halfway home, but I defended well, attacked well, hit some great shots, came back and then also the tiebreaker was tough the whole time. Maybe saved some more match points there, I'm not sure anymore.

But was definitely great atmosphere at that point, and I was able to maybe get a bit more balls back on his serve, because I thought he was clocking his serve really well all match today. It was really impressive.

I think second set he just, he had more opportunities probably, so I think he deserved to win that third set.

Q. How did you feel on the court? Did you feel that you were getting the shots you needed, or did you feel you were somehow maybe a bit off rhythm, off tempo? Did you feel like you were really playing your best game out there?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I thought I played all right. It's tough when you're serving 220 average and you're down within a couple of shots 30-Love on the return games.

So I don't know. I mean, look, I tried. You know, I definitely had some moments I felt like it was more maybe on my service games where the rallies were taking place which was tough for me. I hoped I was going to get more second serves. I was maybe hoping beginning of games of Sascha's serve I would maybe be more in the games. But credit to him he didn't allow that to happen too frequently.

And then naturally maybe missing some rhythm, you know. Normally lack of rhythm is not an issue for me, but the court plays quick, so you don't have much time to think about, you know, you serve, he returns, maybe you attack and you hope that attack lands decent and you're not going to be stranded once you come to the net, you know.

He's got a backhand that's gold, so sometimes of course, you know, he made me pay there.

Q. Can you just explain why you were unhappy with the umpire's decision to award you a point penalty?
ROGER FEDERER: So you could write on Twitter, you mean? No, it would be nice to write something nice once also about the game.

Next question.

Q. The other quarterfinal is not finished. The tournament will witness a new champion other than you, Andy, Novak for quite a long time, maybe for 10 years. What's your take on that?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, they're knocking on the door big time, the young guys. It's exciting. They're great. It's really open now, I think, for the finish of this tournament.

I think it's also quite exciting that, how do you say, the speed of the court is fast. So you see some different rallies played. Guys have to maybe come into the net a little bit more, as well. You can throw in the serve-and-volley if you want to.

But, yeah, it was definitely surprising to see Novak lose a little bit, even though Tsitsipas has played great so far. Maybe I was still the favorite going into this match, also, but Sascha came out and had no serving issues today and really was able to produce a great game like he did against me already in London.

Yeah, it's an exciting time in tennis. Nothing new there. So it's good.

Q. I was wondering if, during the match, Laver Cup ever came back into your mind when you were coaching Sascha, you know, through tough times and telling him not to think negative? Did it at all cross your mind today?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, sometimes, you know. I told him at the net that he showed great character, you know, that he was strong and he didn't -- I thought he didn't show any frustrations or too much negativity.

I don't know. I don't see much of my opponent, to be honest. I turn my back very quickly, so I see maybe 10, 20%, but I didn't see him very often being extremely frustrated except the one time when he hit three let cords in a row, the last game I think it was.

No, that was impressive, because he has tendencies to get a bit down on himself, especially this season he hasn't been playing maybe so well, so that impressed me the most.

If I can get 1% of that, I'm happy too that I may be happy today on the court. Who knows?

Q. Obviously you will come back to Hangzhou at the end of this year. I'm wondering, did you talk to Jack Ma in person? Can you share any details?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, look, I'm very happy to come back. It's an exciting announcement for me, and today again the crowds were unreal. Great crowd. They were going for it.

So I hope I'm also going to produce some good tennis and we can excite the crowd. Partially entertainment, so it's all good that the umpire got involved too (smiling). There you have it. It was good fun today, and I hope Hangzhou is going to be fun too.

Q. We hear the news, biggest typhoon will arrive in Tokyo. Will that be change to your trip to Japan?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it's definitely no good to hear this news about the typhoon. Now I think it should pass by Sunday maybe, from what I'm hearing hopefully, or Saturday, Sunday, I'm not sure.

So I hope everybody is safe, and I hope everybody is good there. I'll fly whenever I can, and I hope that the match takes place Monday afternoon. Yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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