Stuttgart & Wimbledon 2017 Press Conferences

Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Roger Federer: First Round

Roger Federer speaks to the media after the 6-3, 3-0 (ret.) win against Alexandr Dolgopolov


Q. What explanation did Alexandr give to you at the net for his withdrawal? Obviously there have been other withdrawals in the first round.

ROGER FEDERER: How many?


Q. Five. Which seems to have damaged the first few days of Wimbledon. Is there a feeling for you that there are maybe some players starting games that shouldn't and doing it for the money rather than real physical reasons?

ROGER FEDERER: Tough call.

So his explanation to me is that he felt too much pain on the serve, maybe on the jump. That's what he told me. I don't know what he told the press, if he has been in yet or not. That's what he told me. It's getting worse.

At that point obviously when you're down a set and a break, it's getting worse, he's in pain. I see the point. If you feel like it's getting worse and you can hurt yourself even further, it is better to stop.

The question always is, should they have started the match at all. That only the player can answer really, in my opinion. You hope that they would give up their spot for somebody else, even though they deserve to be in there, but fitness not allowing them.

I don't know how much of that has something to play with it. On the ATP level we have a different sort of situation, whereas if you can't play, you still get your prize money twice in the year. Maybe the Grand Slams should adopt some of that, then maybe we would eliminate maybe half of the players.

Some of them, maybe something really did happen. Now you're thrown in the same basket, so that's rough. But I see your point.


Q. Novak said he joked with you that maybe you should play a practice set or something on Centre Court. Do you remember that happening ever before, where the match following you also had a similar retirement?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, not really, to be honest. When I went out, I felt like there was a bit of a letdown from the crowd. They couldn't believe that it happened again, exactly the same situation. Called the trainer after the set, pulled out at 3-Love, the same thing.

When I walked up, the chairman said, You guys should go and play for another set and a half.
I said, Yeah, let me go try to find Novak.

I found him in the locker room. I told him, Maybe we should go out and play another set.
It's not going to happen.

I feel for the crowd. They're there to watch good tennis, proper tennis. At least they see the two of us who gave it all they had. They saw other players that tried at least. They put in another match right now at Centre Court, I believe.
Yeah, it's unfortunate that it happened today like this.


Q. Since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002, the big four, led by you, have won every Wimbledon. Why do you think at other majors there have been occasional breakthroughs, and here not one during that period?

ROGER FEDERER: Stan. That's it. I mean really. He broke down that statistic, if you like. He won the other three tournaments. It's that simple to answer your question.


Q. Cilic and del Potro.

ROGER FEDERER: Sure, but that was the US Open. But it's really Stan who stands out to me. That is the problem with the statistics overall. It remains that way.

I think it just happens to be that Wimbledon it didn't happen. I don't think there's an obvious reason why Wimbledon has been protected by the best four since 2002.


Q. What to you is the reason for the dominance across the board of the four of you?

ROGER FEDERER: I think mind, fitness, tenacity, then talent as well. Put them all together, it's hard to crack us four consistently down. If you beat one of us, you might not beat the next guy.

Plus we play all very different. I don't know, pick me, Rafa, Novak, how different we all play for one another. For a player to run through the three of us is extremely difficult. If you're ranked lower than us, that's who you have to beat maybe on the way to win the tournament. It just seems pretty rough.


Q. It's always a joy to see you play.

ROGER FEDERER: Thank you.


Q. But to you, what is the most enjoyable, is it to play as the No. 1 in the world or is it to play tennis trying to become No. 1?

ROGER FEDERER: It's better to be No. 1, yes (smiling). If I could choose.


Q. Why?

ROGER FEDERER: Because it feels better to be No. 1 than No. 5. I mean, I'm happy right now in the situation I find myself in. I'm healthy. I'm happy. I'm back at Wimbledon. I just won my first round.

The times when I was world No. 1, it felt great. It's sort of achieving the impossible, showing up when everybody feels you're the favorite, everybody believes that you should win or have to win. I don't know, I kind of enjoyed that part of playing.
But then again, it's secondary to the love for the game I have, how much I love winning. Rankings get shoved a little bit aside for me at this stage of my life.


Q. Do you think if Grand Slams tournaments were like most ATP tournaments, best-of-three, maybe players in the situation your opponent today found themselves in, they might keep going and try?

ROGER FEDERER: Yes, of course.


Q. What do you think about that idea of one day perhaps changing the Grand Slam tournaments to best-of-three?

ROGER FEDERER: I hope it doesn't happen. But I believe that more players clearly would finish their matches. Looking at best-of-five, down two sets to love, basically for you the match starts if you're down. The other guy, you're a set away. It's a long way to go if you're carrying an injury.

Best-of-three, it's more of a sprint to the finish line, whereas best-of-five is more of a marathon. It's a completely different mindset.


Q. £35,000 a player receives for being in the first round. Can you understand why a player might take to the court when they're not fully fit and take the check?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I think I answered the question. No, a player should not go on court if he knows he should not finish. The question is, did they truly believe they were going to finish. If they did, I think it's okay that they walk on court. Otherwise, I feel they should give up the spot.

In the process, I think maybe the tour -- well, the ATP has adjusted its rule. But maybe the slams should maybe have a look at what they could do for the players to make it just a little bit easier.

Like you said, it's a lot of money. For some it's more, for some it's less. It doesn't matter. For some, they just want to be out there because they feel like miracles happen: maybe the other guy retires, or maybe the other guy is carrying an injury. If I win, I have a day off, maybe I will feel better on Thursday. All these things play into the equation as well. Don't forget those things as well. Could be rain, come back the next day. You never know what the player's motives are.


Q. Again on this topic again.

ROGER FEDERER: I love it (smiling).


Q. Do you think guys are sometimes too willing to quit? If you're far from the finish line in a best-of-five match, it looks like too far to come back, they're too willing to throw in the towel? We see more retirements in men's slams than women's.

ROGER FEDERER: Is that the question?


Q. Yes.

ROGER FEDERER: I'm sure best-of-five sets has something to do with it. Then, of course, I mean, I would only personally pull out if I felt like my injury is going to get worse and I'm taking a chance, otherwise I'm not pulling out.

I go back to the point, miracles happen, and you never know if you hang around, you start dropshot-ing the guy, twists his ankle, you move on. You have to look at these things. Maybe a big cloud's coming in. We're here in Britain, so...
There's always the big, thick cloud that moves through. You have to look at these things. I'm sorry. But best-of-five doesn't help the case if you're not feeling great physically.

That's why when we talked about Murray a few days ago, if he feels he's ready to play, that to me shows he can play seven times five sets, otherwise I don't think Murray would have stepped on court yesterday.


Q. Last year you left here after your battle with Milos and took the rest of the season off. Clearly there were immense benefits for you health-wise. Taking that much time away from the game, perhaps the first time ever, were you able to gain a sense of perspective, and did you play some psychological games when you were off?

ROGER FEDERER: The thing what's nice about when you're not playing tournaments is that you're in charge of your daily routines. If you're carrying an injury, well, you don't have to practice. If you don't feel so well, you're sick, whatever, you don't have to play through it. That's nice about it.

But, of course, at the end I'm a tennis player, I'm a match player, that's why I want to be. Sometimes you have to reset to come back there.

I just think for me to have this sort of really, like, big distance to actually playing matches and understanding that I won't be around for a long time, really put me in a place where I could really relax and do other things, not think about tennis day-to-day.

I think that was good, too, even though I think I'm really good at, you know, when I'm on-site playing, I'm really into tennis. The moment I will leave this room, I will get in the car to go home, I'm in a different place. I'm family, I'm a husband, I'm a dad. I don't know, I'm easy, I'm a friend. I see that.

Then I watch tennis on the TV as a fan. I think I've done that always really well. But I think this really gave me that distance and that time to really just reset. I think it felt great.

I didn't work on my mind or anything like that. My idea was just when I do return in January to Australia, I'm refreshed and rejuvenated and happy to be back, not sort of worn out from practice, worn out from doing all sorts of things. I was able to achieve that, which was big.

Thursday, 6 July 2017

Roger Federer: Second round

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Roger Federer talks to the media after the 7-6(0), 6-3, 6-2 win against Dusan Lajovic


Q. Obviously a bit of a tough first set. Can you just walk us through the match and how you managed to...

ROGER FEDERER: Well, yeah, like you said, I think I just struggled early on. I was feeling nerves for some reason. Not sure why. But, you know, I was able to come back in the set breaking at 2-Love. I think it was big for me.

Yeah, I think the courts were playing quite fast today because of the heat. Then I played a great breaker. I think from then on I never looked back. Got early breaks in sets 2 and 3 and was able to protect my serve in a good way. Never really found ways to get into my service games on first and second serves.

That obviously relaxes you, and then you can go for more on the return.


Q. If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what kind of advices would you give to yourself?

ROGER FEDERER: I think the advice that I received from my coaches way back when. I think they did a great job of trying to improve me as a player and a person. Also let me be, you know, myself up in the public eye to some extent.

Yet I did feel I could live an anonymous life to some extent. You know, I was just traveling with my coach way back when in the very beginning on the tour until later on I got a massage therapist and so forth.

It was pretty simple, and just learning by doing, really. Making mistakes, trying to not make those again. I really had good advice all the way through.


Q. You have Mischa up next, who you have had a lot of success against in the past, especially on the grass. I guess that will give you a lot of confidence. He can be a tricky customer on this surface and not give you a lot of time. How do you prepare for that sort of match? Do you practice differently playing against that sort of style?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, yeah, look, the rallies are going to be totally different. I have played him on several occasions now, and he's played me different every time. In Australia he played me really close on the second serve and would try to attack me, everything that he saw that was short he would come. Whereas in Halle when I played him he played from way back, which is highly unusual on the grass. Especially second serve -- I try to remember if he did it as well on the first serve. He might have. I think he did.

So I guess I don't know quite what to expect in the match on Saturday. But, yeah, because he serves and volleys, points are played differently.

Tomorrow and the next day I will train and warm up with left-handed players. I think that's the biggest switch always when you play against an opponent who is left-handed, that whole swinging serve, kicking serve, especially getting used to the returning, you know, is most important.

On your own service games, I mean, you're in charge usually, so it's really just a mindset, again getting used to a lefty.


Q. A few of the players have complained about the courts and saying that the conditions have not been great.

ROGER FEDERER: In what sense?


Q. In that there isn't enough grass, and they felt it's dangerous for them and they are slipping a lot.

ROGER FEDERER: Okay.


Q. Mladenovic said in her match both her and her opponent didn't want to play even from the very beginning. Even in the warmup she slipped. I was wondering if you have practiced on any other courts, if you felt any different? And also in a situation like this, both players are saying if they feel it's unsafe, should they play?

ROGER FEDERER: Oh, tough one. I don't know. Well, I mean, what happens with the grass, in my opinion, and I saw it in Halle too, because we had a good, warm, nice week and here it's the same now. When you go on the practice courts you should go see for yourself, but like where we stand the most, the grass gets beat up and used and sometimes it's not attached anymore. You know, it's like dead grass. It changes color. And that bit can be slippery.

So it makes moving hard. I don't know if that's tougher than just green grass, you know, when it can slip out of nowhere, in my opinion. At least with the other one at least you know it's a bit different. I mean, it's always been like this.

Now, is it more this time around? Possibly, because it's been extremely hot today and yesterday. So that's why maybe -- that's what we are hearing. It's not a good sign, and you should always take the players' opinion serious, especially when both say it.

But to postpone a match because of slippery grass, I have never heard that. It's a tough one. I don't know what to say.


Q. Towards the end of the period when you were off the tour for an extended period, you made an interesting comment when you said that you missed the fire of the tour, the whole roller coaster.

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah.


Q. Can you say what you find so compelling about the tour? Is it the competition, challenges, traveling circus?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I think it's the competition. Even though today when I was walking out on court, I was like, oh, another match where I feel nervous before the match. I don't love it. It is what it is. It's going to feel better once I'm out there. It took me a while to get rid of the nerves. I always say when I'm nervous, I care, which is a great thing.

When you're only practicing, you never get nervous like this because it doesn't matter if you miss breakpoints or play bad or whatever it is. As long as you train well, it's supposed to be all good. Eventually you miss the competition of those nerves, but also just seeing my fellow tennis players, friends on the tour and, you know, there are so many people that go with it, you know, tournament organizers, tournaments, fans, and you name it, so I think you start missing that, of course.


Q. I wanted to ask you a little bit more about the courts not related to injury but how it changes over time through the whole event. You know, it gets to be, it's darker and obvious. Do you have to adjust there and do you mind it or how do you adjust to it?

ROGER FEDERER: So I feel like the second week is easier to move, funny enough, but I think, you know, how do you say? I think especially after the week one, because they have Sunday off where they can work on all the courts, they really get rid of all that, you know, laying around, sort of dead grass. Then it becomes easier to move around, especially in that, you know, sort of, that area where you serve and in the middle court. That's where you spend most time, split-stepping and moving in a direction.

I feel like it's easier to move from there on and I feel it's easier to become more aggressive with your movement whereas the first week, especially the first two matches, in my opinion, you have to be a bit more careful that you don't slip away. Yeah. So that's my opinion.


Q. Yesterday Victoria Azarenka was asked if the way you have handled parenthood has been an inspiration to her, and she said, not really, because things are so different. When you see what she's done, come back so quickly, et cetera, what are your thoughts and what do you imagine it must be like for her?

ROGER FEDERER: I can't (smiling). It's unbelievable. It's a totally different ball game what she's going through than what I did. I was just there supporting my wife, whereas I didn't go through it myself. Even though that would be quite an experience, I guess (smiling).

I always admire what they have to go through and, you know, just imagine going into practice right away shortly after that. It's what she knows best. The body tells her when she's ready to do it again. I find it unreal, you know, that she's back playing. I admire her courage and her, you know, like desire to wanting to be there and being successful at it.

I wish the same with Serena when she comes back, that she's strong and loves it and has, you know, the family life next to it, as well, which is most amazing. I can speak for myself there. Having family and playing at the same is possible. I show it. And I'm not the only one. In the top 5 we have other guys who do it exactly like I do, as well. Maybe they don't have as many kids as I do. But it doesn't change. One kid can scream as much as four kids sometimes (smiling).

It's an amazing experience, and I'm happy for her. And I met the little boy, as well, which is cool.


Q. Can I just ask you again just to come back to the nervousness that you felt at the start of the game? Was it perhaps more acute than you usually feel? Is it perhaps because you have invested so much I suppose emotional capacity in this grass court season and in this Wimbledon?

ROGER FEDERER: I don't think so. It was definitely more acute than I normally felt it, but not because of the second bit you said. I think it was just like all of a sudden I was walking up to the locker room after my warmup and I was just, you know, feeling excited and nervous.

And then when I walked to the court it was still ongoing and after the warmup it was still there. And down 1-0, Love-40, it was still there, and then it was still there at 7-6 in the first set. Just took a while to shake it off, to be honest.

But I was not nervous at all for the first round. So I think in the third round I will feel better again. And it's weird how sometimes you can be way more nervous for a second round than, say, for a finals, believe it or not. It's like you wake up every day the same, and I'm happy I got through this one feeling the way I did, because in a way it's strange playing this way when you're so tense. Yet you have nothing to lose or in a way that's what I'm telling myself, just play freely. It's not just that simple once you get out there.


Q. You were just talking about nerves before the game. You played so many incredible matches on Centre Court. Can you sort of explain to us what the emotion is like standing in the tunnel, waiting to walk out and when you finally walk out on to the Centre Court?

ROGER FEDERER: Like I explained, sometimes it's like a piece of cake. Sometimes you just stand there and, okay, what's happening? Can we go or not go? How much longer do you want us to wait? Do we have enough time to put our bags down or not? Because the bags are getting heavy, nine racquets I have strung. That's all going through your head.

Sometimes you walk out, oh, finally, we're outside. How is everybody looking? How is the weather? Sometimes you feel that way. And sometimes you're in this tunnel, oh, I hope I hold my first service game. You can't explain. It really depends on what your mind is telling you.

Then tennis, you know, like in a match, you have tons of time to think about other things and just the next point. Sometimes you forget about everything else and all you think about is the next point. That's where you get into this, like, great mood and concentration and focus. But it's hard to get there. For that, you need to play a lot of matches and you need to win a lot and become super ultra confident. I think the more confident you are the less your mind starts wandering, I guess, if that makes sense.

Saturday, 8 July 2017

Roger Federer: Third Round

Roger Federer talks to the media after his 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-4 win against Mischa Zverev


Q. Should we put the clock back because the Fab Four are all in the second week the first time since 2011, and Murray is the only one who has lost a set? A comment on that. How do you explain it?

ROGER FEDERER: I think it's great. I'm not that surprised because I thought that everybody this week was going to find their form, especially speaking about Andy and Novak. So I thought they did it very well.
With me, I hoped I was going to be there. Whereas with Rafa's confidence, I thought he was also going to be there.
So I'm not that surprised, but it's great. It's obviously hard to make all second week for us, you know, when I'm not playing. So sometimes it's in your favor these statistics (smiling).

Q. You made it to middle Monday now. It's an incredibly special day for the fans. All the remaining men and women are playing that day. What is it like for you as a player to be part of that?

ROGER FEDERER: Today?

Q. Middle Monday.

ROGER FEDERER: Oh, middle Monday? It's nice, I guess. I don't know.

Q. The fans get to see everyone participating.

ROGER FEDERER: Right, yeah, but I don't know. I don't even know who plays on Monday. I know the men's all shift to the same day. But I don't know, women's matches as well?

Q. It's everyone remaining.

ROGER FEDERER: Okay. So it's a great day to play (smiling).
I would be happy to be a fan. I'll be enjoying some of the matches that I will be watching on TV, I'm sure.

Q. Sounds as if you've had a bit of a head cold. Can you tell us a bit about that?

ROGER FEDERER: Not really.

Q. Are you on the paracetamol to try to get better?

ROGER FEDERER: How many times I have to sneeze, you don't want to know that stuff.
I'm feeling better. I'm definitely feeling better. Today I feel 50% better than I did two days ago. I'm happy things are progressing well, and I hope that on Monday I'm back to 100%.

Q. I also understand it's the first time ever that seven of the last 16 men are over 30. Is this a question of old guys rule?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, honestly, it's been, I don't want to say like this for a while now. Is Novak over 30 or not yet? I don't want to put him there if he's not. Is Andy over 30, too?

Q. Yes.

ROGER FEDERER: I did congratulate him, I remember (smiling).
Anyways, I mean, obviously, it's been happening for some time since they turned 30, even more so, that we just seem to, you know, not go anywhere. Not just us, but my generation of players, there's still a ton of players, like Lopez who won in Queen's, and Youzhny who gave Milos a run for the money.
I came through the juniors with all these guys. It's nice to see them still hanging on, still enjoying the tour, still being tough out there, making it difficult for the youngsters to break through.
There is a bit of that clash right now, the young ones trying to push out, especially the 35-plus guys. But then there's a strong, strong team as well around the generation of Rafa and Murray and Djokovic obviously, as well.

Q. Does it not worry you when you get a cold at your age that this could be the end?

ROGER FEDERER: It's extremely scary times for me right now (smiling).

Q. Correct me if I'm wrong, you swapped your racquet in the first set, then you swapped back again.

ROGER FEDERER: Not to the old one, I don't think.

Q. Maybe it's my older eyes then.

ROGER FEDERER: You were seeing very strange things out there today (laughter).
No, I switched the way I normally would. I think I didn't make any mistakes, but I'll double-check it with my coaches.

Q. Get back to me.

ROGER FEDERER: I'll get back to you.

Q. How important is the serve? You're not serving 135 like Raonic. The placement, how important is it, especially on grass, the accuracy?

ROGER FEDERER: I think it's very important. I think accuracy is almost as important as pace once you get over 120, yeah. I think especially also what comes with a good serve is concentration, focus.
I think today I had really good focus on my serve, on the first shot. It was also avoidable not to be broken in the first set, but then I had to hang on to it with being down one breakpoint or two breakpoints maybe at 5-All in the first set. That was definitely a key moment.
But I thought I had great focus. The serve is clearly important. I mean, good servers do usually quite well here on the grass.

Q. How would you describe the progression and the style of play of your next opponent?

ROGER FEDERER: You know, good shot-maker. One-handed backhand always brings a bit of a different feel to the match because of the slice, coming over. You know, which shot is he going to choose? He always has two options. Not that a double-hander doesn't, but the double-hander will most likely come over, and will only slice as a mix-up. Maybe he's in defense.
So with him it's different.
Yeah, he's in the prime of his career you would think right now. I expect that every time I have played him he has become better. I expect the same on Monday.

Q. The US Open qualifying tournament are bringing in this thing where the player can talk to their coach in the stands throughout the match. Wonder what you thought about that idea?

ROGER FEDERER: I only heard vaguely.

Q. If you're on the same end of your coach, you can talk between points. If you're at the far end, you can sort of gesture, but you can't actually speak to them.

ROGER FEDERER: For 20 seconds you can go in the corner quickly and check it out?

Q. There's a shot clock, as well.

ROGER FEDERER: That's in qualifying at the US Open?

Q. Yes.

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I'm not all for it. I find it kind of cool that in tennis, you know, you're sort of on your own out there. Not everybody has the same amount of resources for coaching, as well. So I'm not sure if it's that beneficial.
But, you know, might be interesting for some people to see. I know that some parts of the world coaching at junior level and all that stuff is totally normal, that the coaches and the players speak.
I'm sure it's not going to make that much of a difference because I'm sure there's hand signs going on as we speak. It's not that difficult. It's not rocket science out there sometimes. We tell maybe play more to the backhand side. The guy is like... It doesn't take much to understand that message.
I'm not really for it. The shot clock is an interesting one. But how do you judge, you know, when you finish after a dropshot, it's been a tough rally, the guy has to run back to the baseline?
Sometimes we need to have some leeway. But I do believe we should enforce the rule at some stage, somehow, because maybe too many players have gone over the limit. That's where we are now.
I'm not sure if it's good, but give it a try, I guess.

Q. It's good to see you looking so strong and fresh here.

ROGER FEDERER: Thank you.

Q. In Australia you told your fans you were feeling tired there.

ROGER FEDERER: Did I? When did I say that (smiling)?

Q. Some of your fans quoted.

ROGER FEDERER: I was tired, I'm sure. I had a lot of five-setters.

Q. How do you feel different between Australia and now?

ROGER FEDERER: I feel probably I'm fitter by now. I've gotten used to more matches. I didn't have five-setters, like the one against Nishikori, which was a tough one to catch Kei early, then have the tough match. Hard courts are usually more tougher on the body than the grass.
So I feel better, even with the cold.

Q. For a very, very old man, you're moving beautifully.

ROGER FEDERER: More compliments. Thank you. It's a nice press conference today (smiling).

Q. My question is about movement. In the past you've said that the flow of your going fast and slow on court is very important to your movement and gaining acceleration and power. Could you explain that? What do you mean by that?

ROGER FEDERER: I don't remember what I said, when I said it. I probably was talking about maybe the transition game, going from defense to offense. I think those few meters behind and in front of the baseline are crucial.
I feel like with the eye and with the quickness of the reaction, you know, of the body, understanding which balls can you attack I think is really important. I think I did that very well when I was younger. I was able to build on that by working on my fitness.
My eyes have always been there for me to help me out in that regard. You know, especially even more so where I tried to finish the points earlier today. I think that explosiveness is crucial for me to be successful.

Q. There's quite a few players complaining about the courts. How do you feel the court this year compares to previous years?

ROGER FEDERER: I feel it's the same, you know. I think when it does get very hot, the sun beats down on the court for the entire day, I do feel the courts do get a tad slippery, you know, just because there's all this dead grass, in the middle in particular, because it's not attached any more. I feel like that's sort of the slippery place sometimes.
I mean, I also slipped today one time, you know, on a reaction that I had. But I didn't feel like it was unsafe. Maybe you don't want players to feel that way, because the moment you become scared of moving properly, it's really difficult to play, I must admit. The last thing we want to see is horrible injuries, you know.
Yeah, I think it's going to be interesting to see what they're going to do with the courts tomorrow. I would like to find out what the greenskeepers are going to do because tomorrow is no play. They have time to figure out how they're going to prep them for Monday.

Q. Can you tell us how important the support of Mirka is at this stage of your career.

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, without her I couldn't do it. If she said, you know, I don't want to travel no more, I'll say, Okay, my career is over. It's as simple as that.
So she's the key to a lot of this. But she's happy to be doing it, not on a weekly basis just because the traveling gets too much with the four. But, you know, I went to Stuttgart and Halle on my own. Now here we're together. We're having a great time.
So she's been amazing support for me. She's the best. I'm happy she allows me to chase our dreams really, because she's in it as much as I am, even though she's more on a different side right now. She's not as invested in the whole tennis bit like she used to be.

Monday, 10 July 2017

Roger Federer: Fourth Round

Roger Federer talks to the media after the 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win against Grigor Dimitrov


Q. You faced Grigor, he doesn't serve and volley at all, he hasn't done it all tournament. Does that simplify your mission as a returner? Put you in a comfort zone from the start?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, possibly. I am a bit surprised he wouldn't even attempt it once, maybe not even at 40-Love, just one time, just to see how it feels. Then, you know, you plant the seed maybe to let your opponent know you might do it, even at 15-40 once because you might feel better at net than from the baseline.

So I think it's quite extreme not to serve and volley ever, especially we are on the grass. The grass is playing on the faster side.

I chose to do it myself personally today, not as much as I could, but a lot. I was rewarded for it.


Q. Looking back to a year ago, despite all the injury problems, the match you played against Cilic really seemed to show you had top-level tennis still in you. Was it important for you to have a match like that going into the layoff to know it's still there?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, not really. I felt that if I felt, you know, really good, I could play very well. The thing is just for three, four months I never really got up to that level. I thought that match was amazing for me to win under the circumstances because I thought Marin played great. Of course, I got super lucky to get through somehow. I also came up with some great shot-making.

It was a great match overall, and to experience that on Centre Court was a thrill.

It's more regrets maybe having lost the semis after, and then the layover. Maybe I would have been in the finals, could have done well there, too. Who knows. But it was too much for the body. Milos was better.

I don't know. At one point you're only focused on the knee, how it's going to get better, not what was your recent results, how you feel about that. All of a sudden, it moves super far away, and all you hope is that one day you're going to come back and be able to play at a high level again, so...


Q. With all you've done here from your first Championship forward, to what degree has this year's Australian Open, if at all, become the most gratifying of your Championships because of the wait to get there and all you did to win that?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it was one of the most special ones. I definitely put it in the top five at least, if not top three, of my best feelings I ever had after winning, what it meant to me, under the circumstances, like you said, on the comeback, in the finals against Rafa, having had the five-setters throughout the tournaments as well, against Kei, Stan, then also against Rafa.

You know, I had some tough battles against Rafa over the years, but that came totally unexpected I think for both of us to make the finals. Every match after, even with the Berdych match, from the third round on, was like a super bonus.

I really just had a wonderful time in Melbourne. It felt, yeah, I was on this amazing journey. I was happy to bring it all the way home. Maybe what I was most happy about is so many people were happy for me, that I actually was able to experience that feeling one more time to win a Grand Slam.


Q. What are the others in that top three?

ROGER FEDERER: French Open '09, then probably one of the Wimbledons, like the first one here maybe, going for the fifth, going for the all-time Grand Slam record when I beat Roddick in the epic one here, and then US Open when I beating Agassi. Those are the ones floating around (smiling).


Q. How do you feel at the moment? Do you feel in form, how strong you feel, how good your game is? Do you feel in a position that you can win Wimbledon? Do you also feel that your form is as good as it's ever been?

ROGER FEDERER: That is always a hard one to answer just because it's always very dependent on who you play. If you play a baseliner, and you rush him off the court from the baseline, usually then you feel your very best. But to beat a big server is a different kind of match. It's more of a penalty shootout. That's what's going to come my way with Raonic or Zverev. From that standpoint, that's what I'm looking at right now.

I feel like I'm rested enough. I've had, you know, not the most toughest matches. I can look at this quarterfinal in a totally relaxed fashion. Physically I'm not fighting anything like last year with my knee. I'm ready to go this afternoon if I have to, which is great, but I don't have to. I think that's a great bonus.

Then again, the best players are left in the draw. It's going to be a tough one. I'm aware of that. That's why I can't think too far ahead. I think it's going to be a tough finish to this tournament.


Q. You finished today's match cleanly, quickly. Right now Nadal is 8-All in the fifth set. Raonic-Zverev 4-1 in the fifth. How much do you pay attention to those matches? How much will you after this session?

ROGER FEDERER: I prefer to do the press rather than watch tennis right now (smiling). No, no, I would rather be there and watch it, but I have to do what I have to do. I hope it's going to say two minutes left here on this screen (laughter).

No, I like good matches for the crowd. Personally I get very excited just watching it, when Muller has match points, to see what Rafa is going to come up with, what is Raonic going to do at the end of the fourth, is he able to push it to the fifth. I think that's super exciting. Plus if you have it over multiple courts at the same time, you almost don't know where to watch any more. Before my match, I was switching around between all the different matches trying to catch as much as I possibly could.

I'm a huge tennis fan personally myself. So this is great for tennis. Mondays here at Wimbledon are very special. So we're getting to see that.


Q. Will you watch these matches at all from a strategic standpoint?

ROGER FEDERER: The Rafa match, it's not going to give me very much because there's two lefties playing against each other. It's just a whole different ballgame.

The Zverev-Raonic match, I haven't seen anything at all. I think that's more the coaches who are watching that probably right now. Maybe they'll show me some highlights because they think it's important.

But I can lean back on the Zverev match in Halle. I can lean back on the match from last year that I played Milos here, and even once before in the semis here.

I feel like I have enough information going into the quarters tomorrow or on Wednesday.


Q. You spoke about the two possible opponents for you. Separately, describe specifically with Milos and with Zverev what you think the keys to the match would be.

ROGER FEDERER: I think it's pretty much the same. I got to bring the intensity, the focus that I've shown throughout this tournament, the mentality on the serve, first and second serve. Very few wrong decision making. Understanding what to do at what stage.

Then on the return, keep going for it, keep staying aggressive. Positive attitude. I do believe good things can happen. I think because as they're both big servers and big hitters, it's pretty much the same against either one of them.

Wednesday, 12 July 2017

Roger Federer: Quarter-final

Roger Federer talks to the media after the 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(4) win against Milos Raonic


Q. After the match, Milos said he thinks the difference between you last year and this year is that now you're mentally stronger and moving better. What are your thoughts about that and what is your level of confidence in your game right now?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I'm much better prepared for Wimbledon this year than last year. Last year I had a hard, hard time practicing through the clay court season. The grass court season was difficult because of the back issues I had, and the knee issues. I was really lacking practice really.

Then the matches, I could never really play quite so freely last year just because, you know, I'm more focused on how the knee's behaving rather than how I need to hit my forehand or backhand, or what's not going to be good for my opponent.

This year I'm just a normal tennis player again where I can focus on tactics. I think that's the difference.

I'm playing very well. I'm rested. I'm fresh. I'm confident, too. Then great things do happen. Confidence is a huge thing.

I thought he was exactly in that zone last year. He's had not the easiest of years himself. He hasn't had enough matches as of late. I felt I could see that in Milos' game, as well, he was not playing as well as he was last year.


Q. For sure you have to think about yourself first. What is your feeling at the end of the day, looking around to what happened to Murray, to Djokovic, who are not any more here, injuries? What do you think?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, you wish them well right away as a rival to them and a friend. You want them to be healthy again. It does happen, you know. Novak's not missed any slams basically. I don't want to say sooner or later these things unfortunately happen, but he's played a lot of tennis in recent years. For him to be hurt at some stage is only but normal. That's why we want him to recover quickly.

Andy, I hope by playing he didn't make things worse. Yeah, it's big for him to step out on court and give it a go, even though maybe knowing, like me last year, that chances are slim he was going to defend this title.

I have a lot of respect for him doing that. I just hope that he comes out on the other side now not having to miss much later on. I just hope he can recover quickly and get ready for America really, or Canada for that matter.

But, of course, I'm surprised to see them going out - also Rafa. But the other guys are playing well. Grass court, margins are small. Still remains a great, great tournament.

Of course, I wish them the best, that they come back strong again.


Q. Your decision to take some time out looks like a good one in retrospect. Wear and tear injuries, it looks like, with the others.

ROGER FEDERER: It's normal. Once you hit 30, you've got to look back and think of how much tennis have I played, how much rest did I give my body over the years, how much training have I done, did I do enough, did I overdo it or not enough. It's always calibrating the whole thing.

For me it worked out. Doesn't mean it's going to work out for everybody. But sometimes maybe the body and the mind do need a rest. Who knows. You just want to take that decision early enough or see it coming and anticipate.

The problem is you can only play with a certain injury for a certain amount of time, because what you don't want happening is that it becomes chronical [sic]. Then even a surgery can't help you that much any more. That's why I'm happy I've had to take my first surgery really only at 34, 35 years old. That was a blessing. I'm happy about that.


Q. Returning his serve on grass, what was your plan ahead of time? How do you think it worked out?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I think he didn't serve as well as he did last year. I think he was hitting much bigger second serves as well. Last year he must have hit 10, 20 second serves at 130. This year he probably didn't do any of those. Had a different mindset going in. I don't know if it was tactics or feel, as well.

Then returning second serve, I just felt like I could somewhat get a read on his serve maybe. Today that was like this. Probably the next match, it's going to be just whistling past me.

I think I was very clear and I saw things very well. That helped me returning his serve, as well.

From the baseline, I felt like I had the upper hand, which wasn't necessarily the case last year, which helped me to stay more calm.


Q. What is your reaction that you're now nailed-on favorite to win this on Sunday? Could you let us know, those weeks you took off during the clay court season, what did you do to rest? You don't strike me as the sort of guy that can sit with his feet up for very long.

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, being the favorite or not the favorite doesn't matter. These other guys are all big hitters. I feel like they will have their word to say of the outcome of the matches. They've got big serves, big forehands, big hitters really. All three guys are taller and stronger than I am. I got to figure out a different way, carve my way through the draw somehow with my slice and my spins, my consistency maybe.

I'm looking forward to do that.

Really, I mean, things went by very quickly after Miami. I only had, like, five days off before I had to get back and play The Match for Africa with Andy in Zurich. After that I went to Dubai and trained there. Did a lot of fitness actually. I prepared myself basically for the clay court season or for the rest of the season. Then I went to Seattle to play another Match for Africa for my foundation. Then I came back to Switzerland at some stage.

The plan was to then go to maybe Madrid. But at some stage I said, We don't do that. Then to Paris. Once I decided I won't go to Paris, that's when I for the first time had time. Until then I was still in the tunnel to get ready for the clay court season.

I didn't actually have, like, a break like I did have last year, where I really knew I will not play for six months. This time I just thought it was going to be maybe six, seven weeks. It ended up being 10 weeks. The last three weeks were actually quite relaxed. I could practice.

I always managed my schedule. If I felt like practicing more, I could do that. Sometimes when I did practice and the weather was nice, we turned it down again.


Q. Do you feel supercharged now?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, that was the idea, that the second week of Wimbledon is that I would feel my best. I feel like it's coming along nicely, to be quite honest.


Q. Would you have thought two years ago that being 35 years and a half you could have been better than you were in the past? All players more or less are saying this, that you play better, you are quicker, agile. Everyone seems to be, I don't say surprised, but almost. What about you? Everyone is saying that grass is slower, but we have Cilic, Querrey, so it's not that slow.

ROGER FEDERER: No, it's not that slow. I think today was the first day again where it felt a bit slower just because of the rain and the moist we've seen in the lasts few days. And it's cooler, too.

But the first 10 days I thought was fast. The ball was traveling through the air quick, on the bounce it was taking off. I think the grass was really accelerating the game.

Like you said, the big guys, the big servers are coming through. It's nice to see that's paying off for the bigger hitters, not just the grinders from the baseline like we know it. A certain different style of play gets rewarded, as well.

I don't see myself playing better than a few years ago. But I always hope to improve every year. Think it's definitely different ever since my injury. If I'm playing better this year than I have in '14, '15 when I had great runs at Wimbledon here. I just ran into Novak, who was red hot. Honestly, was difficult to come past him for anybody, especially in the big matches.

I'm just very happy that I'm still doing so well. Am I surprised? Maybe a little bit. But the plan was always to hopefully be strong also later on in my career.


Q. Speaking of your age, you're now the oldest man to make the semis for some 40 years. How proud are you of that achievement?

ROGER FEDERER: I didn't know it, but I don't know. How would you feel?


Q. I'd be pretty happy.

ROGER FEDERER: I'm happy that I won today. But I don't know if I'm happy to be the guy, you know, in 40 years. People talk more about my age because of numbers, of records like this (smiling).

I guess it's great. Yeah, I'm happy.


Q. You've played in 65 straight slams before you made the conscious effort to skip some. How hard was that?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, it wasn't that simple. It was simple in the sense that I went to Paris. That was the first one I missed last year. I went there and I was doing fitness with my fitness coach. After like 10 minutes, I looked at him and said, I don't know what we're doing in Paris seriously. My knee is swollen. I don't feel ready to go. It's maybe the toughest tournament out there. My back is funny. My knee is not well. What are we doing?

Instead of doing fitness or warmups, whatever we were trying to do, we were talking for an hour and a half until we got kicked out of the room because somebody else had booked it.

That's when I went to practice that afternoon or that next day. I was like, Actually, I don't feel so bad. But I was like, No, this is not going to work out.

As a team, we just decided that it's best to skip it. So it wasn't should I or shouldn't I. The body didn't really allow me to play, in my opinion.

It was hard. The first moment I felt relieved taking the decision. Then when it went official, people knew around the world I was not going to play in Paris, I got a little sad, I must admit, because I felt like it was a great record for me to keep going, 65 slams in a row.

But health is so much more important than trying to hang onto some sort of a record.


Q. You won the toss, I believe, opted not to serve. Why would you do that against such a big server as Raonic? What was going on?

ROGER FEDERER: I just wanted the other side to start. So I won the toss. I elected the side, which was more important to me than serving or receiving.

I know it's a bit of an odd choice, but I've done that sometimes in the past. It's more for me, when I walk on court, see how the sun is standing, the wind is blowing, I feel like that's where I want to be, yeah.

I don't know if it makes sense. For me it makes sense, yeah. It's not only the beginning, it's also later in the match it makes a difference.


Q. A little bit of a different topic. Having listened to you in press for a long time, it seems like you're speaking a little bit differently than you used to.

ROGER FEDERER: In what sense (smiling)?


Q. Just using different phrases, more variety, things like 'we're going to party like rock stars', things like that. Just wondering if you can think of any reason for that?

ROGER FEDERER: No, I don't know (smiling). I guess I'm trying to keep it different for me, too. I don't know. Maybe I've been asked the same questions also for too long that I feel like I need to bring in some variety. That again gives you something to pick on, then we actually have a good time rather than this being sort of ping-pong that it always is.

No, nothing really different, in my opinion. But...


Q. In terms of your coaches, can you talk about the relationship, what it's like amongst you all, what they've brought to your game?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, we're good friends. Spending time together is not a drag. It's nice. Feel like in the beginning obviously you always got to figure things out a little bit. What is Ivan going to bring to an existing team already. Same thing with Stefan Edberg as well.

I knew Ivan very well beforehand. I felt like he could be really, you know, inspiring as well in the sense that he really wants me to win. He's a close friend to our family. We're close to his family. He's been a player that has played on the tour with me for the first time. He's actually the only coach that ever did that. I thought that could be quite interesting.

Him and Severin, when they talk about the match with me, or beforehand when they go through things, I feel like I get a very clear message of how they would want me to play, what they think I should do or not do, what I can expect from my opponent.

I think it's working very well. I couldn't be happier right now with my team.

Friday July 14, 2017

Roger Federer: Semi-Final

Roger Federer talks to the media after the 7-6(4), 7-6(4), 6-4 win against Tomas Berdych


Q. You've beaten quite a few bigger guys this week. You beat a big guy today. You have a real giant to face on Sunday. Do you feel like you're doing your bit for all us short guys everywhere?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, look, everybody's growing. Everybody's getting taller. I wonder how the game is going to be like in 50 years. It's going to be like we have to raise the net, push the lines in a little bit.

Yeah, no, it was a good match. He's got power, and so has Marin. So I'm in for a tough one. Plus we had a great one here last year. Also at the US Open, he played unreal there against me. So I know it's going to be tough.


Q. You said you were looking forward to the challenge of using different tactics to beat these big guys.

ROGER FEDERER: Yes. Look, Sunday is going to be a different way. We don't know quite the conditions yet. We'll see when we go warm up how things are. That's going to help me to prepare even better.

But, you know, of course I'm going to try to play within myself. I have to play offensive myself. If you give Marin now time on the ball, you know, he can finish points nicely. The court is still playing quite fast. It helps on my serve, but it also helps him. I'm sure it's going to be a close match.


Q. You haven't dropped a set, but did you feel that was the toughest opposition you've had so far?

ROGER FEDERER: I just have to go through the matches. Yeah, I mean, I thought it was close. Even though I feel like it reminded me of the matches I've had this tournament on some occasions, you know, there were chances for the opponent. I was able to come up with the goods when it mattered.

The breakers, I played good in the breakers, or at least used -- if my opponents didn't play well in the breakers, I was able to close it out. Never played with any sense of panic, which is so important when it gets to crunch time.

So, yeah, it was the toughest match. I guess so, yes. It was close. I'm happy I won all these big points today.


Q. You talked about in your post-match interview on court how proud you were to have been given a Centre Court billing each match that you played this tournament. Do you think that has given you some sort of an advantage? If you were in the shoes of, say, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic, do you think maybe you would be a little bit disappointed that that situation had taken place?

ROGER FEDERER: It is what it is, you know, really. No, you know, you take it, you accept it, and you move on with it. I'm always ready that they put me on the second-best court or any other court they want. They decide, not you.

The only thing you can do is try to get your ranking up, achieve something to hopefully make you a draw card in the tournament.

I also didn't quite understand why Novak didn't play that day, you know, to be quite honest. But then they have their arguments. Security and safety is a huge thing these day, as we know. If that's what it is, you have to accept it and move on with it.

Yes, of course you always prefer to play on Centre Court over Court 1, or Court 1 over Court 2 and so forth. There's a lot of players, demands from spectators, TV, sponsors. We have no clue what is going on beyond those doors. That's why it is what it is.

Q. On Centre Court, you played a ton of matches there. Royal Box has often been filled with a lot of famous people from all walks of life. Anyone you remember particularly catching your eye during a match? Is it something you glance up at when you come on the court, or is it something you try to block out?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, yeah, I guess you try to block it out to some extent. At the same time it is cool to see who is there.

For me, very special is always when Pete Sampras showed up or Bjorn Borg showed up. I still remember that always being a thrill for me because I look up to those guys in a massive way.

When I know they've made a trip here to Wimbledon, which normally they wouldn't do, I know it means the world. Then having, you know, Ken Rosewall and Rod Laver again in the Royal Box, it's great. Then the Royal family, it's always nice when they show up and honor the tournament.

Yeah, that's what I get most excited about.


Q. To win eight Wimbledons would be a better record, but you are the only one who got 11 finals in the same slam. That's another record. Is that something that is important or not that important?

ROGER FEDERER: It's nice (smiling).


Q. Do you remember how many times you made to the final without losing any sets in Wimbledon?

ROGER FEDERER: In Wimbledon?

Q. Yes.

ROGER FEDERER: Never before.

Q. Twice.

ROGER FEDERER: Twice before? You see, I don't know everything about my whole career.

It would have been nice to make this the first one actually. I'm a little bit disappointed about that (smiling).

Yeah, no, I mean, look, it makes me really happy, you know, marking history here at Wimbledon. It's a big deal. I love this tournament. All my dreams came true here as a player. To have another chance to go for number eight now, be kind of so close now at this stage, is a great feeling.

Yeah, unbelievably excited. I hope I can play one more good match. 11 finals here, all these records, it's great. But it doesn't give me the title quite yet. That's why I came here this year. I'm so close now, so I just got to stay focused.


Q. What effect on your feelings is the gap between your last championship here and now?

ROGER FEDERER: The question, excuse me?

Q. It's been a while since you won a championship here. What effect does that have on your feelings about this opportunity on Sunday?

ROGER FEDERER: I feel I'm ready for it. I've played good matches here since my win here in 2012. I played great '14, '15. '16 was special. And '13 because of injuries. But I played great in '14 and '15. I'm happy I'm up to that level again.

Because I've done so well here, you know, grass comes so natural to me, I don't know, I'm just very pleased to be back here. I mean, yes, you make it sound like the gap is huge. I don't feel like it's that long ago, to be honest. 2003 feels like ages ago, because of the ponytail, the beard, whatever, you name it. This one is different. I kind of look the same back in 2012, or at least I hope so.

Q. The US Open semifinal against Marin, is that one of the best performances an opponent played against you?

ROGER FEDERER: Possibly. I mean, if I say yes, it puts all the other great performances against me to shame.

But I thought he played very well. Conditions were fast. He was clocking returns and serves at will. He was doing a great job. I think I had a minor chance at one point maybe third set, I was up a break. I don't remember. Just the way he was playing. He was confident and feeling it and seeing it. I mean, it was very impressive.

To make it the number one great performance against me, it's difficult. At that stage of the competition, late in a tournament, it was definitely very, very impressive, yes.


Q. Do you think coming into a Grand Slam final against someone who is not named Rafa, Andy or Novak can change the mindset or how the nerves will feel on Sunday?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it definitely changes. Thank God I've played also guys who were not called Rafa, Andy or Novak in the past, like Baghdatis and Gonzales and others.

From that standpoint I don't want to say it's more relaxed going into it because I have a good head-to-head record against Marin, even though the matches were extremely close. But it's not like we've played against each other 30 times. You feel like you have to reinvent the wheel.

It's more straightforward, in my opinion. I think that's nice in some ways. It's a nice change, but it doesn't make things easier, in my opinion.


Q. Four of the five top players in the men's game obviously are no longer here. You've won three of the four big tournaments in the first half of the year. In some way, the whole sports world is astounded at this run. Are you surprised or astounded or impressed?

ROGER FEDERER: I'm just totally surprised by Australia, Indian Wells, and Miami. You know, I was hoping to be in good shape when the grass court season came around. Of course, the goal after Wimbledon last year, this time around, exactly today to the day almost when I lost the semis, was to hopefully be back strong for the clay court season and the grass court season leading into Wimbledon.

So the Australian Open was such an unbelievable surprise to me. Then to back it up in Indian Wells and Miami, that part I couldn't believe, you know, that I was able to sustain a great level. Then, of course, I got really lucky in Miami against Nick and Berdych and everything, but played another great finals against Rafa.

The first three, four months were just like a dream really. So this is something I was working towards, you know, Wimbledon, to be in good shape. I'm happy it's paying off here now. But the first bit was unreal.


Q. How many more years are you planning to carry on? Do you plan these things, or as long as your health allows you to play?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, health has definitely a role to play in my decision-making, no doubt about it. As I move forward, I'll be very cautious of how much I will play, how much I think is healthy.

Then, of course, it's just discussions I always have, continuous discussion, with my wife about the family, about my kids, is everybody happy on tour, are we happy to pack up and go on tour for five, six, seven weeks. Are we willing to do that.

For the time being, it seems like absolutely no problem, which is wonderful. Then success to some extent also is key for keeping -- staying out there really. This tournament, again, helps me to stay hopefully on tour longer, to be honest.

But I haven't made any decisions moving forward, how far, am I looking at the Tokyo Olympics or anything like that. I haven't.

Since the injury, honestly everything has been very much reset, that I just go sort of I'm planning till the end of the year, then I know what I'm going to play at the beginning of next year, so forth.

Maybe I think a year ahead, but it's just important to stay on track with the plan.


Q. You've got all this experience, all the titles that you have. Do you still get nervous? Were you nervous today before the match?

ROGER FEDERER: Not before the match, no. For some reason, I was much more nervous, like I said in the press, before my second-round match against Lajovic for some reason. I didn't know my opponent very well.

Today I felt very calm going out on court. Even in the warmups, the first games when I was serving, I was, All right, this is like another match. I'm just really happy it's a semis and not a second round.

Yes, I do get nervous. I'm happy I do get nervous for the big occasions.


Q. How does it manifest itself?

ROGER FEDERER: Sometimes it slows down your legs, your pulse starts racing, your head starts -- not spinning, in the sense that you have a million ideas, you have to take the right one. That can stress you out a tad.

I always say I'm happy I feel that way because it means I care. It's not like going through the motions like careless. That would be a horrible feeling, to be honest.


Q. If you can think back to the guy with the ponytail that you mentioned earlier, does your routine now between the semifinal and the final change much from back when you were first playing in Grand Slam finals?

ROGER FEDERER: I don't remember what I did back in 2003, to be honest. The team was much smaller. I didn't have kids running around, potentially waking me up at night. Today we got to, like, close down the doors, say, Daddy is sleeping.

You know, no. I guess you do the routine you've been doing here during this fortnight. That's what you're probably going to be looking forward to do. I just got to try to rest the maximum now. Just make sure I sleep well, even just tonight and tomorrow, really take it easy, so when I do come out on court or Sunday, I have all the energy and all the resources in my mind to play inspired and creative tennis. That's what I've got to do.

But I think where the past Grand Slam finals, the semi to final days helps me, is just to stay calm throughout the process. The good thing is that I'm not carrying an injury like I did a little bit in Australia, where I had a hamstring problem, or in other years, I don't know what I was having. But this year I'm feeling good, so that really relaxes you in a major way.

Sunday, 16 July 2017

Roger Federer: Final

Roger Federer speaks to the media after the 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 win against Marin Cilic


THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, the 2017 Wimbledon champion, Roger Federer. Questions, please.


Q. Back to 2001, beating your idol Pete Sampras, to this day lifting your eighth trophy, can you imagine ever doing this?

ROGER FEDERER: No, I didn't think I was going to be this successful after beating Pete here. I hoped to have a chance maybe one day to be in a Wimbledon finals and have a chance to win the tournament.

Winning eight is not something you can ever aim for, in my opinion. If you do, I don't know, you must have so much talent and parents and the coaches that push you from the age of three on, who think you're like a project.
I was not that kid. I was just really a normal guy growing up in Basel, hoping to make a career on the tennis tour. I guess I dreamed, I believed, and really hoped that I could actually maybe really do it, you know, to make it real. So I put in a lot of work, and it paid off.
The other question was?


Q. The changes you made to be back on this stage after leaving the tournament here last year with a lot of doubts.

ROGER FEDERER: Honestly, it was all based on health. It wasn't about the game itself, how I should play when I come back to Wimbledon this year. It was all just put myself in a good physical state that I could compete with the best and play seven times five sets. That was my goal.... I achieved that. When I showed up here in Wimbledon, I was actually already very happy.


Q. In your on-court interview, you said, I hope to be back, I hope this is not my last match. What assurances can you give, barring any bath-related incidents?

ROGER FEDERER: We never know what happens (smiling).


Q. Is it your intention to be back next year? Or do you get to the end of this year and see how the rest of it goes? What's the process?

ROGER FEDERER: Honestly, ever since I had the year I had last year, I do think probably like a year ahead of time, you know, with my schedule, fitness schedule, tournaments I would like to play. So I totally see myself playing here this time next year.
But because it's far away, because of what happened last year, I just like to take the opportunity to thank the people in the very moment, and make them understand, yes, I hope that I'm back. There's never a guarantee, especially not at 35, 36.
But the goal is definitely to be here again next year to try and defend.


Q. You often have spoken about not worrying about records. That's not what motivates you.

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I didn't quite say that like that, like I don't care. I said it was a great extra motivator. It was.


Q. Is there something particularly special about getting to eight at Wimbledon, where it was your first, that no one has ever achieved that number for the men's championship?

ROGER FEDERER: Yes, it is very special. Wimbledon was always my favorite tournament, will always be my favorite tournament. My heroes walked the grounds here and walked the courts here. Because of them, I think I became a better player, too.

To mark history here at Wimbledon really means a lot to me just because of all of that really. It's that simple.

Funny enough, I didn't think that much of it throughout today, throughout the trophy ceremony. I was more just so happy that I was able to win Wimbledon again because it's been a long road, it's been an exciting road. It's been tough at times, but that's how it's supposed to be.
So to be Wimbledon champion for an entire year now is something I can't wait, you know, to savor and just enjoy. So it was super special.
Number eight obviously means a lot to me because at that level, to be part of Wimbledon history, is truly amazing.


Q. You said you're not looking too far ahead. In terms of this season with how things have gone, do you perhaps now reassess your goals in a different way, whatever goals you had before, and maybe change them?

ROGER FEDERER: I don't think so. I was always going to play more the second part of the season. I wasn't going to skip entire swings. I wasn't going to skip Asia, the American tour, whatever it was, the European indoors. I was always going to play as much as I possibly could. So I think I'm going to stay true to that.

Now we have to sit down tomorrow and decide what we're going to do with Canada or not. But most likely I'll definitely play Cincinnati and the US Open, Laver Cup, Shanghai, then go back to the indoors. That's the plan for now.


Q. Your former coach Stefan Edberg always said you could get the Grand Slam title again. Did you continue to believe getting Grand Slam titles, Wimbledon title again?

ROGER FEDERER: I truly believed, you know. For me it was also important that my team believed it, as well. It wasn't like just me trying to carry the team; I need the team to carry me most of the time because that's the few percent that the team makes a difference... Maybe when you're doubting yourself, they reassure you. If you're feeling too good, they make sure you come back to planet earth and put you in your place. That's where I think I have a wonderful team.

I did ask them the question sincerely, to everybody on my team, if they thought I could win majors again or if I could win the biggest tournaments or if I could win against the best on a regular basis... Basically the answer was always the same from them:

'That they thought if you're 100% healthy and you're well-prepared, you're eager to play, then anything's possible. But if those things, those components are not working, it's going to be extremely difficult.'

That's how it also played out, so they were all right. I believed them. I had the same feeling. I think that's why the break last year was necessary to reassess and get back to 100% physically.


Q. A question that might be difficult to answer. I'm sure you can talk about your opponents, how great they are, their abilities. Can you take a step back and tell us why you have been so great in your career. What are the physical abilities, the mental abilities you have that you feel allow you to achieve these great records?

ROGER FEDERER: I think at this stage it's really consistency. I'm not shying away from the big stage. I've always been a big-stage player. I always felt like I played my best on the biggest courts... I struggled on Court 18, to be honest, because of whatever reason it was. I just didn't feel I hit the ball as good there than on Centre Court. That was always going to be a good thing, if I played the best players, or in the bigger matches, that that would serve me well.

I felt like I dreamed pretty big as a kid. I believed that maybe things were possible that maybe others thought were never going to be achievable. That helped me... Then I just think I trained really hard and really well and very clever over all the years. I go back to my first coach, to my coaches today, and the same thing with fitness all the way to today: I think every step of the way I always had the right people... Then I had a wonderful, you know, amazing people around me in my wife today, my parents, who always kept me very grounded, you know, kept me the person I am still today.

Then in the game, I guess, yes, I was blessed with a lot of talent, but I also had to work for it. Talent only gets you that far really.


Q. You always had very high standards even when you were young. You said when you were 15 you should be able to play a perfect match. Strictly speaking that's not going to happen.

ROGER FEDERER: Not at 15 anyway. Also not at 35 (smiling).


Q. Talk about what's been happening this year and this tournament, where you didn't lose a set. There's a level of excellence that's just incredible, especially for where you are in your life. Does it surprise you?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, honestly I'm incredibly surprised how well this year is going, how well I'm feeling, as well, how things are turning out to be on the courts, how I'm managing tougher situations, where my level of play is on a daily basis. I am surprised that it's this good.....I knew I could do great again maybe one day, but not at this level. So I guess you would have laughed, too, if I told you I was going to win two slams this year. People wouldn't believe me if I said that. I also didn't believe that I was going to win two this year... But, yeah, it's incredible. I don't know how much longer it's going to last. I have no idea. But I just got to always remind myself that health comes first at this point. If I do that, maybe things are actually possible I didn't think were.


Q. You'll be 36 in a couple weeks' time.

ROGER FEDERER: That reminder again (smiling). It's all good, no problem.


Q. As you said, health permitting. Health permitting, is it possible you could still be playing here when you're 40?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, you would think so, if health permitting, and like you say, everything is okay. You could take 300 days off beforehand, just prepare for Wimbledon, put yourself in a freeze box, then you come out and train a bit, you know you're not going to be injured.

Yeah, playing Wimbledon and winning Wimbledon are two separate things. Don't forget that. The problem with not playing, you take a chance on your health, too, in some ways, because matches actually are the real - what do you call it - the measuring stick.

Because you can practice as good as you want, you can feel as good as you want in practice, but when the pressure comes in the matches, the nerves, the stomach, how you feel it, everything that happens like today before the match, you can't recreate that in a practice.

You don't know how your body is going to react to that kind of pressure when you're moving, you're not free, you're tense. That's why you always need to have the right balance between practice, matches and vacation.

At some stage you have to play a minimum of matches, otherwise you're just not going to be successful any more. That's going to be the interesting thing moving forward, how I'm going to be able to manage that.


Q. On today's match, was it a slightly strange atmosphere at times because of the struggles on Marin's part? Did you change your play or your mentality because of what was happening on his side of the net?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I didn't really feel -- I couldn't tell you right now, and I don't know what his problem was really, to be honest. I couldn't tell you if he was struggling moving to his forehand or to his backhand. Because he was serving big. He was serve and volleying. So I guess movement for that reason wasn't the biggest problem maybe. I thought when he called the doctor first, I thought maybe he was dizzy or something.

Because I couldn't tell what it was, it actually made things easier. If I saw him limping around, or if I saw him pull up hurt in some place, I would start to think, Okay, maybe I'll throw in a dropshot to really check him out, then want more, because that's what you do (Roger smiling and general laughter). You need to hurt him, you know, where it hurts already.

Because I didn't know and I couldn't tell, I just said, Focus on your game, focus on your match, keep playing. The good thing is I was already in the lead... But, yes, the atmosphere, of course it's not a five-set thriller, people want to see a tighter match. I totally get it. But, you know, I've had those. I'm happy it was different today.


Q. What keeps you going? Would you advise Andy Murray to follow your route in resting a bit more?

ROGER FEDERER: Look, he's younger. He has a different practice regime than I have, I'm sure. It doesn't mean he's practicing more or less. It's just different. He's had a different upbringing. Everything is different.

It doesn't mean because I took a break that everybody should take that break, to be quite honest. Some players just need to play. They need to play every other day, otherwise they feel like they completely lose touch with the racquet and the ball, you know, the body goes all funny on them. I think it's only himself with his team who knows best. I can't give any advice in this regard.

But for me, a break really worked wonders now. I am still surprised it did as much as it did. I had to take some tough decisions along the way, like pulling out of the French, pulling out of the clay court season. This is not just -- now in hindsight it looks so simple: You just do that to win Wimbledon. But it's not... I'm sure he's going to take the right decisions moving forward. He's still got a lot of years left to play if he's in the mood for. We'll see a great Andy Murray moving forward.


Q. What keeps you going?

ROGER FEDERER: What keeps me going? I don't know, I love to play. Wonderful team. My wife's totally fine with me still playing. She's my number one supporter. She's amazing.

Yeah, I love playing the big stages still. I don't mind the practice. I don't mind the travel. Because I'm playing a little less, I actually get more time in return. I feel like I'm working part-time these days almost, which is a great feeling (smiling).