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U.S. OPEN

September 14, 2009

Roger Federer

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

J. DEL POTRO/R. Federer
3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It's been a long time since we've been in this room with you not as a winner. I know on this end it feels very strange. Talk about the experience tonight and the way Juan Martin played.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I thought it was a tough match from the start. I think even the first set was, you know, pretty close. I think both getting used to the conditions. It was kind of tough starting around the 4:00 time because the shadows moving in and stuff.
I got off to a pretty good start, and had things under control as well in the second set. I think that one cost me the match eventually. But I had many chances before that to make the difference.
So it was tough luck today, but I you thought Juan Martin played great. I thought he hung in there and gave himself chances, and in the end was the better man.

Q. How disappointing is this not to get No. 6?
ROGER FEDERER: Five was great, four was great, too. Six would have been a dream, too. Can't have them all. I've had an amazing summer and a great run. I'm not too disappointed just because I thought I played another wonderful tournament. Had chances today to win, but couldn't take them. It was unfortunate.

Q. What happened in that fifth set, the first three games?
ROGER FEDERER: I thought he served twice, held twice; I got broken; then he got the 3-0 lead. Pretty obvious.

Q. Did he do anything differently today than he did in prior matches?
ROGER FEDERER: Not a whole a lot. I just thought he was more consistent throughout. You know, I mean, he played pretty much the same.

Q. Can you look back five years ago and think about how he must be feeling as he's lying on the court after match point?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, got to compare it to my first Wimbledon. I think the first major is always a big deal. Best feeling on the planet after all the hard work you put in. Especially nice when it comes when you're quite young because it comes kind of unexpected for him as well even though he put himself in a good opportunity and position. But it's great. It was good to see him being so happy and emotional about it.
Yeah, I mean, he should enjoy it. He deserves it. It was a great match for him, too.

Q. You seemed to get disturbed about the length of time he was taking to take the challenges. Talk about what was going on with the conversation with the umpire.
ROGER FEDERER: No, just one time. You know, what I think about Hawk-Eye. Shouldn't be there in the first place. So then second question shouldn't happen. It is what it is.

Q. Was that a lot of distraction for you?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I don't get distracted by that stuff.

Q. How do you look back at the Grand Slam results of this year? You got two titles of Grand Slam, two finalists. How did you look back?
ROGER FEDERER: Unbelievable. Unbelievable run. Being in all major finals and winning two of those, I'm losing the other two in five sets. Sure, I would have loved to win those two as well. Being so close, I think was two points from the match today. That's the way it goes sometimes.
But year has been amazing already and it's not over yet. Got married and had kids, don't know how much more I want.

Q. With all the good that's happened this year, will that eventually help ease the sting of this?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, this one I think is easy to get over just because I've had the most amazing summer. I tried everything, you know. Didn't work. I missed chances. He played well and in the end it was a tough fifth set. It's acceptable. But life goes on. No problem.

Q. You were fully in control early on, and then the match start to change. Was there a moment where you said, uh-oh, I got to get more serious or things aren't going the way I need them to go?
ROGER FEDERER: Not really. I thought I had him under control for the first two sets. I should never have lost so many chances. It was just a pity. I think if I win the second set, I'm in a great position to come through. Unfortunately, I didn't win that and that was it.

Q. Would you say this defeat, looks like a little bit the one you had in Australia with Nadal?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't remember the match almost in Australia. Was I up or down two sets to one?

Q. Down.
ROGER FEDERER: Down. I felt like today I was much more in control. You know, I had many more chances. It's one of those finals maybe I look back and have some regrets about it.
But, you know, you can't have them all and can't always play your best. He hung in there and did well. In the end, he was just too tough. Just the way it is.

Q. Are you at all surprised that he was able to keep his composure and not get sucked up by the moment of his first major final?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I guess, yeah. It's always an amazing effort coming through and winning your first in your first final. Got to give him all the credit because it's not an easy thing to do, especially coming out against someone like me with so much experience. I think it's not easy to have a steel racquet.
Towards the end, of course, up 5-2 in the fifth. That was easy. But he had to live through some really tough moments earlier on in both breakers throughout those sets to come back.
So his effort was fantastic. I thought himself he went through quite a few ups and downs. This is the one I should have used to make a difference, but I couldn't.
In the end, was really good.

Q. Your play is pretty much revered across the sport. The vibe inside the stadium was to pull for the underdog. Do you notice it and how did to feel to be on the other side?
ROGER FEDERER: Had it lots in my career, so this wasn't the first. I thought there was many Argentines there singing away. That's what I think you heard. Other than that, I thought the crowd was pretty even, which is a nice thing.

Q. Could you talk about his forehand, just talk about it and how it compares to other big forehands on the tour.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, it's different. I guess he hits it well on the forehand side. The inside-out is good, too. But I mean, there are some better ones out there. He definitely strikes it with great pace and good margin, too. Sometimes he hits crazy ones, too, but that's what happens when you go for it a lot. He has a great technique at backhand. Rock solid.

Q. The other ones, you've spoken highly of GonzÃ¡lez's forehand. Who are the others, the better ones?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, his is different. I don't know if I could put it up to GonzÃ¡lez and Blake and Nadal. He's got a very good forehand, but I don't know if it's the best in the world right now. I don't think so. But it doesn't matter. He won the match, right? Doesn't matter if you have a great backhand or forehand.

Q. So far Rafa is the only one to defeat you in a major final. How do you feel about this other name coming into that list?
ROGER FEDERER: No problem. He deserved it. He played well. I don't know what to say. Rafa, we've had some epic ones, sure, great ones over the years. Who knows, maybe Del Potro is gonna to join that as well. I wish him all the best for the future. That's for sure.

Q. Seemed like a little turning point in the second set, there was that call on the line that was challenged. Seemed look you thought it was maybe another mark there. Can you talk about that?
ROGER FEDERER: It was only one mark. That mark was out. But apparently in. I mean, I don't know what to say. This thing is so ridiculous anyway. I see the ball landing, I see the ball hanging, and then it's called in.
I mean, I should have made the difference earlier so I'm not in a position where a challenge like that is gonna make a difference. Still, I'm -- whatever.

Q. It's very tough to lose a Grand Slam final, but looks to me that maybe this one you didn't express your feelings of losing. The last ones were Australia, Wimbledon, you didn't take it so sad.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. I can't push a button. I don't want to. I want it to be natural. Today I'm okay with it. I'm tired. I was tired in the other ones, too. Sometimes they hit you more than other ones.
Maybe here with the whole music thing, it's maybe different. I don't get hit emotionally as bad as maybe in Wimbledon and Australia where it becomes super quiet at the end of the finals and you have a lot of things going through your mind. Here it's music, so your mind goes to the music instead of the match, which is a good thing I guess.

Q. You mentioned before the US Open that you probably will have a better idea how it is like to travel with a family on the tour. Have you got a better idea now? Have you got time to think about your approach to next year?
ROGER FEDERER: Next year, not really. I mean, I have sort of a plan in place obviously. I only look more or less to Australia, and after that, you know, I don't know.
No, traveling was not the most difficult part here. It was just nice that they were with me every day. That's what we're gonna try to do in the future. Now we'll see what's gonna happen the next few weeks and months. Right now I'm just tired. I want to get a rest.

Q. When you look back at this, how will this strengthen your resolve now?
ROGER FEDERER: "Resolve" meaning?

Q. To get back and win the Aussie.
ROGER FEDERER: There's a lot of time between now and the Australian Open. We have some big ones, you know, along the way. So I hope I can keep it up because I'm playing great tennis right now. I'm confident and I think I'm hitting a good ball. This doesn't take away anything from how much I've achieved this year, so I've had a wonderful season in terms of Grand Slams. Next to that, I also got back to No. 1 in the world. I hope I can defend that until the end of the year and then hopefully win the World Tour final in London. Along the way, I hope I can get some other titles like my home tournament in Basel. We'll see how it goes.

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