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XXIX OLYMPIC GAMESAugust 15, 2008Roger FedererStan WawrinkaBEIJING, CHINA FEDERER-WAWRINKA/Bryan-Bryan 7-6, 6-4 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Roger, you finally won your Olympic medal, whether it's silver or gold you don't yet know. Can you describe how you feel about the achievement? ROGER FEDERER: I think at the moment really the emotions winning the semifinals, sort of being excited being in the finals. Obviously the medal is an issue right now. You're like, you know, we've sort of made it, but you want more, right, if already you've got the opportunity. Yeah, so just very excited. I think we played fantastic tennis. Yeah, we deserve to be in the finals. Q. How do you think your game was so much shorter than the game before that your opponents played? ROGER FEDERER: It's quite unusual to have such long matches obviously. You know, but that's what you get when you have long sets sometimes instead of tiebreakers. Makes it obviously very intriguing, you know, for fans to watch that type of matches. But it completely throws off the schedule. I mean, it's an unbelievable effort by the Swedes to get through. Should be great finals. Q. Can you make a difference between the gold medal in doubles or singles? Is it the same value for you to win in doubles as it would be in the singles? ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I guess a medal is a medal. I don't know where you get it from, right? Same in swimming, you know, athletics, where you get it. It's a gold, silver, or bronze. I'm already very, you know, proud of our achievements. I think it's almost more fun to win together on the court because you can celebrate it nicely and everything. But, yeah, I mean, singles would be awesome for my career. But the doubles, it just proves to myself, you know, what a great doubles player I am, even though I haven't played much lately. I think now having beaten the best in the world really and going for gold, it's an incredible scenario. So this is a big moment in my career. Q. You're one of the few people in the world who can sort of understand what Michael Phelps is going through in terms of chasing history. Have you paid attention to what he's doing? Can you explain what it's like to have the pressure that he's going under. It's a bigger thing than just trying to win a swim meet. ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I follow it a little bit, as much as I could. They're usually in the pool in the morning. This is when I'm sleeping. We're having rough days here, you know. I haven't been able to really watch a whole lot of the Olympics. I've been quite disappointed with the scheduling actually this week. That's a different issue. But what he's been doing is great. You know, no doubt he's been the best under pressure, but I have the feeling he's so much better than the rest. I don't know how much mentally it is. He's just better. I think then maybe it's not a whole lot mental. I think now when it comes down to the last couple, I guess one of them, he can't really control because it's relay. That makes it obviously very difficult. It's sort of for us doubles. You never know what's going to happen. But no doubt he's writing history. I think it's great to follow it right at this moment because it's happening right now. Q. Stan, when you're on court, people are asking Roger to marry them. They ask for his autograph when you leave the court. Do you feel like you're just the other guy? Is that pressure on you? STANISLAS WAWRINKA: No, I don't care. It's normal, you know. Roger for me is the best player ever in the world. I am just the No. 10. That is good for me. But, you know, it's normal all the people wants Roger and not me. Q. You're not one of these regular doubles pairs. Are you surprised to be in the finals? Are you surprised that the Swedish players are in the final? They haven't played a lot together either. ROGER FEDERER: Well, my guess would have been, you know, before the Olympics anything was possible for any team, you know, because we see unusual doubles teams. I think without a doubt the seeding helped us. I didn't expect to be seeded, but I think we took advantage of that. I think obviously Thomas and Simon coming through their section of the draw. They beat a very good team today. It shows they're in great shape, as well. But I always believed in my chances, you know, especially having a fellow top 10 player next to me who's been playing so well this year. It's obvious that, you know, if we heat up a little bit and we play well that this is something that could happen. That's why in a way I'm positively surprised, but, I mean, I had high expectations in singles and doubles. I'm really there, where I was hoping to be. Q. I think you said last year of the Open, you knew you were playing for history, trying to go for that record. It's a completely different position than most players are dealing with, to deal with that. Is it a media thing or is it actually something you carry out on the court or have in your mind at any time? How do you deal with that, or do you not deal with it, you just let it flow? ROGER FEDERER: The whole history thing? Q. Yes. ROGER FEDERER: No, it's something that sort of builds up, I guess. You've got to win a lot to get there and to be able to talk about it really. I mean, I've enjoyed it, you know, talking about it, being compared to the greatest. Something, you know, I've worked really, really hard for. It didn't come overnight. It's something I had to work for basically in five years. So for this reason I'm very, very, you know, pleased with my career. I think once then you get on court and, you know, you try to achieve maybe those things, I don't know, it gets pushed behind and you just focus on the moment itself. At times I guess there's flashes, you know, where you think, Okay, it is possible. But it's not disturbing in any way to me anyway. It's a nice challenge, actually, trying to -- it's like beating the next generation, trying to play for a long time, trying to stay healthy, trying to beat records. They're all different parts and they all motivate you. That's why I cherish the challenge really. Q. You are already an Olympic medallist. What is the main difference between this Olympic medal and another tournament, maybe a Grand Slam? ROGER FEDERER: Well, this only comes around every four years. Big surprise. Nobody knew that (smiling). Otherwise, I guess playing for your country changes. You know, it's just a different feeling out here. I mean, this is, I guess, the biggest sporting event in the world we have. It's so massive, the organization is so huge, that you feel special to be part of something so important. Because there is only that many times you can play in the Olympic Games, it's only my third, you know. I played my first at 19. This is such a big moment that you don't want to miss the opportunity to play and do well, so you put a lot of pressure on yourself. That's sometimes why it's not so easy to play in the Olympic Games for us. End of FastScripts |
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