TMS - MADRID

October 16, 2003

Roger Federer

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Roger.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I still don't feel as good like in the end of Vienna. I just think it takes some time. Still holding back on a few shots. Even on the serve I feel a little bit. But I think for the next match and hopefully the other match that comes, you know, I'll feel much better. But I think also was a little bit his game which puts you on the back foot. He's a little dangerous. You're reacting more than you're acting. He's got a good first serve, you know, dangerous return. You always got to watch out.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, it's just because you're more used to the conditions, you're feeling the balls better. Then you have more courage to just go for the lines. Right now maybe you're playing a little bit inside, you know, giving yourself more margin so you don't miss. If it goes on the line, if you hit it not right, you still have some margin. I mean, it's not every time like this. But here I feel like the balls are quite difficult to control. Maybe it takes a little longer.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I think it must be one of the toughest losses in my career, you know. I've never lost I think leading two sets to love, plus a break, serving for the match, 30-All. I was really, really playing well. I was basically dominating him for two sets. First set was tight in the beginning, but then I started to really play well. Two forehands on the line that game to get back. In the end, obviously he deserves it. Still I had a chance also in the fourth. I was down a break. I came back. I lose the set anyway 7-5. In the end, I was maybe a little tired from the doubles the day before the singles. But, no, he really didn't miss a ball anymore. I wasn't serving as great anymore. To actually come to the end, actually I forgot this match very quickly, to my surprise. But I think that has something to do that I wasn't in the position that he was in. You know, he could decide the rubber and the tie for him and for Australia, and I couldn't. I was just keeping ourselves alive. Plus, you know, I was part of a great team. So, I don't know, it was actually very easy to forget. Came back to Switzerland, you know, didn't even think about it, what happened.

ROGER FEDERER: I really don't know. I think, first of all, the surface is pretty fast, you know. If you're serving well, you know, it's very difficult to control. I don't know if there's any bad bounces. The balls seem quite heavy, but they're still flying. I mean, if I just compare to Vienna, I remember the practice sessions was like ping-pong, like nobody was missing, you could hit full swing, spin the balls. Here you have to be very much more careful. Sometimes you're struggling to hit three in a row. It's just a really big difference to last week, for me anyway, for those who come from Vienna, I guess.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, we cannot see the matches anywhere, so I just heard it was a little loud. They were clapping, you know, first serve misses of Ferreira. That wasn't nice, I heard. But that's how it goes. I'll definitely play a Spaniard. So a good atmosphere is going to be there for sure. That's okay.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, first of all, I don't know what I need to do, you know. Obviously, you know, if I go further than they do, that increases my chances. But I think, you know, I'm the guy who's got the smallest chance maybe because I am third, not first or second. I think, you know, as we look at the rankings, I know Roddick hasn't been at The Masters, I think he's got the best chance - as soon as maybe Ferrero loses, he's going to be No. 1. He deserves it. I think he's got the best chance, then me maybe second, because I like the indoor season a lot. Ferrero has to defend his title at The Masters. But I don't really know what it takes.

ROGER FEDERER: Because of the warning?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, the whole thing started early. First two service games from Mardy. I think twice, three breakpoints ahead, he just served unbelievable serves. That would have been the perfect moment to break, you know, to lead a set and a break. But he kept himself alive with his serve. Suddenly I'm under a little pressure and I get broken. For me, it was very important to hang in that game, to break right back because I knew it was going to be new balls the next changeover. That even makes the whole thing faster, better for Mardy. You know, it was a good moment to break back. After that, we saw, it was very quick service games, like three, four in a row.

ROGER FEDERER: He was already improving his incredible season since St. Polten, same as me, since French Open where he lost first round. What he has improved? I don't know. Maybe he's mixing up his serve a little better. I feel like he's maybe not missing as much as before. His forehand has increased. He's not shanking as many balls as before. I don't know. On hard courts, it seems he's moving much better than on the other surfaces. But, you know, I'm not playing him enough to really tell, so...

ROGER FEDERER: No, not really, no. Whoever comes, I think it's going to be difficult. They're both Spaniards. Carlos, okay, I beat him in the final in Vienna. But, as I said, it's different here. I'm not playing as well as in Vienna, but I'm still in. I feel like every match I'm going to come through and I'm going to play better. Lopez is totally different. He's a lefty. He has a great serve. Probably serve and volley. So it's different styles. Whoever I play, it's going to be difficult, I think.