NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 29, 2002

Roger Federer

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Roger?

ROGER FEDERER: Oh, yeah. I mean, it's nice to play again so well like I did the previous match against Pavel. So I'm really happy. I played a consistent match again and got it through all the way. So this is why I'm working hard for.

ROGER FEDERER: Exactly. It's something special. I've never beaten a No. 1 player before. I've beaten players who were No. 1, but not exactly the time. Plus, I've broken his winning streak and all this. So it's quite a special moment for me, obviously. First Masters Series final, gives me a chance of winning it. So, I mean, it's very nice (smiling).

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I think we both have a day off tomorrow. So that already reduces the - how do you say - the difference for long or short matches. I mean, also this event is played over nine days or eight days more, I don't know, ten. It's best-of-three. Grand Slams are best-of-five so it's different story. I think now in the finals, physically nobody has an advantage.

ROGER FEDERER: Okay. Wow... I also played a three-set of doubles after. So, I also had a late finish last night.

ROGER FEDERER: You hull. Well, first of all, I'm just happy to give myself a chance to win the tournament. Andre, I've never beaten him, I played him twice, once when I was a junior back in my hometown. Last year at the US Open. So I'm very excited. He's, for me, one of the best hardcourt players around next to Lleyton. And I'm just really looking forward. I'm happy I have a day off tomorrow just to get my mind free again of this victory, to forget a little bit and focus on Sunday.

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, in the beginning was tough just in the dark with all the lights. It's strange to come to net, obviously you're already a little bit more nervous coming to the net than against other players. You know it's going to be a tough volley. Sometimes you get an easy one and you get overexcited. The second set, I really picked the shots to come into the net. As I told you already, I worked on my volleys. They got better. I'm more disciplined. It's paying off. It's great.

ROGER FEDERER: I think I'm -- I found my rhythm again on my serve. I was somehow missing it the last few weeks. I just felt like I didn't get enough free points or maybe also my baseline game was not as it is now. I didn't really panic from the baseline, I could stay with him when I wanted. I just mixed my game up really well. I think I really found the good tactics in the last few matches against different players I played, and, yeah, I just have to find the right one I guess against Andre, otherwise it's going to be tough.

ROGER FEDERER: I don't think I should tell too much, because, I don't know. It's never good. I better keep this as a secret (smiling).

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I really thought I had a chance beating him because I had my first three matches, all won them in straight sets to come to the fourth round. But then the problem was I started the match pretty badly. He started off very well. He was up 6-1, 5-1 in 30 minutes. So, obviously, I had the back against the wall straightaway. And I tried to fight back in the third, but it was just not enough that day. I felt like from the baseline he was really dominating me, and this has to change for Sunday. Because otherwise, I hope not be the same, but similar.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I quit football or soccer very -- quite early, when I was 12. So it's tough to say. Still had a long way to go. I always had a lot of feel for any ball; doesn't matter if it's... Whatever.

ROGER FEDERER: Because in tennis, okay, first of all I had more success just -- I was playing, I was traveling international already. Then soccer just takes longer that you can play big events. And I -- in tennis, I felt like everything was in my control. On soccer I could blame it on the goalkeeper, I could blame it on whatever. In tennis I didn't have that problem. It was only myself to blame.