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INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA (MEN)

May 2, 2009

Roger Federer

ROME, ITALY

N. DJOKOVIC/R. Federer
4-6, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did it get away from you after the rain delay, if that's the case?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I was in good shape. Maybe also a little pity that I didn't get the break to go 3-0 before the rain delay.
But after that, actually I started okay. I thought he came through with a bit more energy, you know, after the rain delay. Before that he was pretty flat.
So that was maybe -- you know, all of a sudden it became a different match and he played better, you know. Should have held once, you know, to not give away one of the breaks at least. Then I would have had a better opportunity.
No, I thought he was playing better. Definitely had the win on my racquet today, so it's pretty disappointing.

Q. If you compare with the match in Miami, are you more dissatisfied by this match, or the same feeling?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, Miami was a difficult one just because I played pretty good in the first set. Thought I was actually playing, you know, sort of in control, and then I completely lost control.
You know, so this time around it was different. I was in the match obviously all the way through. Feel like this is not a match I should have given away, you know, because break up in the second, break up in the third, and I usually don't give away opportunities like this.
So it's bad, but I still have some work to do on the clay. I think I'm playing better obviously than Monaco. The hard work has been paying off. But just got to fix my serve a little bit. I have the feeling that maybe since I had the back problem, my serve is just not working there where I want it to be.
I think then -- I feel that in the tough it maybe could have saved me a few times and it didn't, so that's something I have to make sure I can fix for Paris.
Other than that, there was some good moments, sure, which is a good thing. Also some bad ones. I have to make sure they don't happen as frequently, obviously.

Q. You had some problems with your backhand, and you made a lot of backhand errors towards the end of the game.
ROGER FEDERER: I thought the ball was definitely flying more when we came back after the rain delay. Things kind of got warmer, and there was more bounce in the ball. Yeah, maybe I was just miss-timing them a bit. That's the reason, I guess.
You know, but I wish it would have been a bit more solid. But, honestly, I don't think I lost the match because of my backhand.

Q. Would you actually like to play Nadal on clay before you get to Paris? I know you can't do it here. It can only happen once more, and that's in Madrid. Would prefer to go in to Paris having tested yourself against him on clay, or does it not matter?
ROGER FEDERER: Doesn't really matter to me. I mean, I think the last few years it's helped Rafa playing me before Paris. Just that he knew maybe a bit more what to expect from me, whereas you know exactly what you're going to get with Rafa. So I think it maybe worked more in in his favor the last few years.
We'll see how Madrid turns out. If we have to play each other, I still think it's a great match and I would look forward to that. But the focus is elsewhere right now.

Q. From the stands it seemed that the second and third set when you lost your serve you rushed a little bit in these games. Is that the feeling you have, or is it something else?
ROGER FEDERER: Not really. I mean, I tried to take my time and focus on my serve and make sure I start off the point well. Potentially, you know, I try always not to rush too much. That's what he was doing as well when it wasn't going his way in the beginning of the second set. It's always something you try to slow down a bit, you know.
But I didn't have the feeling I was particularly rushing. Points were just going quickly, you know, because he would hit it close to the baseline and I was made an error and not get my first serve in.
Obviously at Love-30 things are not that easy anymore, you know. No, but you try to take your time and go step by step. But sometimes it just goes quick when you play bad.

Q. How will you prepare now? Will you go Italy someplace, or back to Switzerland?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I'd like to go back to Switzerland. I've been on the road again for a few weeks here, so I'd like to go there and make sure I get early enough to Madrid and get used to the altitude. Just make sure I'm in good shape over there.

Q. You said at the start of the week that you thought getting to the semifinal would be kind of satisfactory. You might have an idea where your game is. With the circumstances today, is that kind of a disappointment now that you haven't gone all the way and gone to tomorrow?
ROGER FEDERER: At the end, it's always disappointing for me when I exit a tournament losing a match? I've gotten used to winning tournaments, you know, and then leaving a tournament having lost just leaves a bitter taste, obviously.
It doesn't take me long to get over it, but in the moment itself it's just not really fun. Because it's just these kind of matches I feel like I should have won here and I end up losing them, so it's just not a good feeling.
It's just a matter of getting back in shape and, you know, playing good hopefully in Madrid again.

Q. You think we would have seen a different match if it wasn't raining? Not to find an excuse; you don't need that.
ROGER FEDERER: Speculation. I mean, I think things were going well for me. You know, I was playing him well and serving well when I had to and putting him under pressure. So it kind of definitely changed the momentum.
I mean, the rain delay came at a perfect moment for him, because he came through a tough service game at 2-0 down. Instead of going 3-0, he goes 2-1 and then the rain comes, so he's got something positive to look at.
Then when he comes back conditions changed, so, sure, it helped him. But then again, who knows. He might have come back anyway and beat me in the end. He did well today to use the rain delay in his favor, that's for sure.

End of FastScripts

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