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XXIX OLYMPIC GAMESAugust 16, 2008Roger FedererStan WawrinkaBEIJING, CHINA FEDERER-WAWRINKA/Aspelin-Johansson 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You had the ball in your hands to serve for the gold medal, how is your heart beating? What are you thinking? ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it's not the first time this tournament or in my life I had to serve for a big match. But it definitely changed a little bit in doubles where sometimes you don't control that much yourself because guys usually go for huge returns. You know, when Stan held his serve easily, you know, going up 5-2, I knew it's basically all up to me if we don't break. It's basically the moment you dream of being in, even though there is so much pressure to it. But it's exactly where you want to find yourself, facing the pressure and doing it. I had to go through quite a few second serves to win the game. That made it even harder. Played fantastic. It's a dream come true. I mean, it's almost disbelief to some degree. Q. I asked Michael Phelps what it was like to embrace the relays, where it's more than simply yourself. I wanted to ask you the same question. We know you as a singles player. It seemed like you were showing passion and emotion being a team player tonight. Can you talk about that. ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I really grew up being a team player. Always have been. Love team competition: basketball, soccer. It's always something I've enjoyed doing. When I was in my first Davis Cup, I got my first Davis Cup nomination when I was maybe 16. It was for me the greatest thing. What I tried to do today is, when I play Davis Cup is that atmosphere in the team is important. It's best, you know. It's really key to having a good atmosphere in the team. That's what we really have. That's why also we had such a good understanding of each other today on the court and throughout the whole week, two weeks. It's something we've been trying to build up for many years, and now especially the last month, talking a lot about how we would like to play doubles. In the end, that it all comes together, it becomes such a sweet victory, you know, it's obviously fantastic. But, I mean, I've always enjoyed playing doubles. I haven't played it that much lately because obviously the focus was singles and Grand Slams and No. 1 in the world. But it's still something I enjoy doing, especially at the important stages. It's a great feeling, especially celebrating it together. It's way different to celebrating it alone in the pool. I guess Michael Phelps knows that, too. When he wins alone in the pool, it's not the same as when he wins it in relay. And I think you could see it when he won, I think, his third medal, how happy he was. When he wins the relay, it's just a different feeling. Q. As we're constantly reminding you, this has been a rough year for you by your standards. In that context, in the moment when the last ball floats out, you've won the gold medal, what was that like for you? ROGER FEDERER: Well, tough moment, second serve. I was just hoping the guy would miss the return. I told myself, you know, let me try for a big second serve because I know I have it in my game, otherwise I'll have Stanley at the net finishing it off himself. I was just thrilled. Big moment. Sort of dream-come-true moment. You know, maybe comes around once in a lifetime. You know, after that, the celebration starts. It's crazy. I think he did very well handling the situation, playing with me, because that's not always an easy thing. The way he played, he really played great. He really played the way I was hoping him to play. I think it's great for the future. Q. Stan, all the questions are to Roger, but how is it for you? In particular, have you had to go through a process of going from being in admiration of this man to being his equal on the court? STANISLAS WAWRINKA: Yeah, but since many year I know Roger. We practice together. Of course, for me, it's the best player ever in the world. When he told me we gonna play the doubles in the Olympic, it was a dream for me. Now we win the tournament. I tried to do my best all this weeks. Of course, now we won today. We was playing great tennis together. I'm very happy. Q. Stan, what were your emotions like? What was your feeling as the match progressed? STANISLAS WAWRINKA: During the match, I just tried to be focused on the game. You know, it's never easy to play the final. But we was playing very good. I tried to stay focused on my game, on his game, to stay in the game. After the match, of course, for me, it's a dream come true to win the Olympic gold medal. It's unbelievable for me. Q. After more than four years you on Monday won't be No. 1. What is your feeling about this? ROGER FEDERER: This feels good (holding up the gold medal). That's my feeling right now (smiling). I have known that for over a week now, you know, about No. 1 rankings. But it's fine. You know, Rafa played great to get it. That's what I expected and hoped for, you know, many years ago when I got to No. 1, that if ever somebody were to take it away for me, he would have to play an incredible tennis schedule, you know, win the biggest tournaments, dominate the game basically, and then like this he can take No. 1. I didn't want it to happen that I would play completely bad and somebody would pick up No. 1 in the world. So I think Rafa totally deserves it. Q. I'd like to know why normally in the slams you don't play doubles, and you wouldn't care that much to win doubles. Here it's more important. Is that true or not? ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I guess Olympics is different. It's like Davis Cup for me. If I enter this event, I mean, it gives me two opportunities to win gold really. At the same time it's something you just do. When you have the chance to play an Olympic doubles, you do it. In the Grand Slams, the problem is if I were to lose at the Grand Slam in singles because of my doubles, people would take me down. You know, You're playing bad. They wouldn't understand that I maybe played the doubles the night before or whatever it is. I just want to take any kind of disturbance out of the equation, you know, going into a Grand Slam. I used to play, you know, Grand Slam doubles. But it's just too much. I'd rather be in the city, take it easy, or go and practice nicely for singles, instead of maybe, you know, having it there as a disturbance to my singles. Unfortunately, singles has become too important. The tour is too professional to make mistakes like that. Q. Until now you didn't play so many times Davis Cup. ROGER FEDERER: I've played every year since I was 17. Q. I'd like to know now if you think Switzerland has a chance to win the Davis Cup and you would definitely play more consistently? You can win singles, you can win doubles. And Wawrinka is No. 10 in the world. ROGER FEDERER: I agree with you. I think chances are better than ever. I think last time we had two such high-ranked players, we go way back, Rosset and Hlasek were both No. 10 in the world at one stage, but I don't know at the same time. It was not at my level, but I think we definitely have great chances because we cover all surface: clay, indoor, grass, hard court, you name it. Doubles, we always knew that we had some options with Allegro or with Stan. You know, I think we just proved it this week that we can play very good doubles. I never had to prove to myself, that I'm a good doubles player. I did that when I came on tour and dominated good doubles teams. I would beat them easily. It's just a matter of playing a little bit more doubles. You know, I haven't made up the plan exactly yet for next year, but I think I'm definitely going to play the first round next year, and that hopefully will be in the World Group after beating Belgium in the relegation round. Q. How do you value this gold compared with all your other achievements in tennis? ROGER FEDERER: It's quite different. It's quite unique. I mean, I guess since '92, you know, when Marc Rosset won Olympic gold in tennis for Switzerland, it's something I quite remember. Who knows, maybe a little bit deep down in myself I was hoping to equal that one day or be part of the Olympic Games, seeing the great athletes being part of the Olympics was always something I looked forward to. Right now this is quite a surreal moment. The joy of sharing this victory with somebody else who I like very much, who we had a great two weeks with, we've mentally been preparing for hopefully this moment, it's quite different to anything I've ever gone through. I could only maybe compare it a little bit to some incredible Davis Cup victories I've ever had. Other than that, it doesn't really compare a whole lot to Grand Slam victories. Q. How old were you in that moment when you were so happy on court, embracing him, kissing everybody, laughing? In my opinion you were coming back when you were very young. It was someone completely different. Do you agree with me or not? ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, the thing is, I can't just hug a stranger when I win singles (smiling). I could, I guess, but it's just not something you do. The guy would go like, Are you crazy or something? I would just rather not do it. I think that's the difficulties, you know, I guess in singles play, that you're all alone on the court. You win, you sit down. Going through the ceremony is quite different. I'm not the type of guy that's going to run up into the stands and start hugging my family and all my people who came. I never did that; I will never do it. It's a different approach to winning. In Davis Cup we've had some crazy moments, you know. People who know me, they know I'm very open and outgoing. It showed today. That's usually how I really am. End of FastScripts |
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