Day 14 - An interview with Roger Federer
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Transcribed Interview
Q. The other day, yesterday, you said that winning the Slam, holding all four titles, would be an extraordinary accomplishment in sports. Can you compare that to some of the other accomplishments in sport, like Tiger Woods holding all four of the golf titles or Lance Armstrong with his six straight?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, you would almost have to compare to what Tiger did, I guess, because they have also four majors. He won them in a row. I don't think he won it the same year. With Lance, obviously, it's always hard to be compared. He's got this one big race every year which he wins and he did that for so long. That's sort of a different accomplishment. Same as the one with Schumacher, it's also very different against him.
Yeah, you have to almost go towards Tiger, I would think.
Q. Rafael said tomorrow you are the favorite. He said in every single match you play you are the favorite because you're No. 1 and probably you have more pressure because of this Grand Slam feat you might accomplish tomorrow. What do you have to say about that?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, that's his opinion, so that's okay, you know. I have a different opinion. It's not the same, so that's okay, too. We'll see what happens tomorrow.
Preparation has been good. My fitness is good. Weather is good. So why shouldn't I be playing good? I'm looking forward till tomorrow.
Q. I imagine your Blackberry or e‑mail is going nuts today, the day before the final. Can you give us a sense of who you've heard from, former players or anything like that, wishing you luck?
ROGER FEDERER: Many fans came from Switzerland, obviously, for the weekend. Even more coming for tomorrow. We need many tickets. And that's always the case either here in Paris or in Wimbledon, which is around the corner for us Swiss people. So it's gonna be interesting, you know, with many friends watching.
Yeah, haven't gotten that many good luck wishes yet, but I know all of them, they think that. Nobody wants to disturb me now, so it's all right.
Q. Have you ever had the chance to talk with Rod Laver about what he went through, winning the Slam? Did you ever get that deep with him?
ROGER FEDERER: No.
Q. No?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, we met in Australia briefly a couple times, and we didn't speak about that feat. I just heard him talking about it in the press, but we never spoke about it together.
Q. Can you just fathom somebody who's done that twice?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I spoke to Tony about it because he was playing when he did it. And he said the first one was not everybody was playing, not to take anything away. The second one was when everybody was playing. He said after he won the second one, he never won another Grand Slam, which is kind of surprising.
It is quite incredible, especially with maybe six, seven years in between. It's an incredible accomplishment. It's Tony who actually told me more about it than obviously Rod Laver himself.
Q. With everybody talking about the potential of you winning a noncalendar Grand Slam and potentially a calendar Grand Slam, is it hard to remove that from your mind and just think about the match?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, it is kind of simple because the preparations are always the same for each and every match. Then you, you know, have been trying to put yourself into this position so there's no reason now to get nervous. I think the nerves were more intense in the beginning of the tournament, you know, the Sunday when I started and then throughout the whole tournament. I never want to lose before ‑ especially before ‑ the finals. To allow myself the opportunity, and that's exactly what I did.
Right now, that's exactly where I wanted to be. I don't want to miss this opportunity. I don't think I'll be nervous now. This is more of an excitement now, a positive one.
Q. Rafa beat you the last three times. I don't know if it can affect you psychologically or not. Also, you were close to beat him last time. What do you need to beat him finally?
ROGER FEDERER: I need a good match, very simple. Same as when I used to play Hewitt, you know. I know that the average match is not gonna make it, you know. So I need to play a good match, and that's gonna give me an option then to either win or lose.
So I'm looking forward to play good tennis because so far it's been good and I'm coming rested. I think that's important coming into this final, not like in Rome where I was already quite tired before. But also there was no problem physically. Even though it's hot now, I have no doubt it will not be decided physically but especially mentally. There I have the feeling I'm very strong at the moment, especially on clay. Those matches with Nadal toughened me up, actually, in Monaco and in Rome. So I'm very positive for tomorrow.
THE MODERATOR: Questions in French, please.
Q. I'd like to ask you about your hitting partner. Have you tried working with a left‑handed player to prepare for this final against Nadal?
ROGER FEDERER: I played today with a left‑handed junior.
Q. A Frenchman?
ROGER FEDERER: A Romanian.
Q. Will you do the same tomorrow to warm up? Are you going to play a lefty?
ROGER FEDERER: I think it's important to get used to the effect of shots played by a lefty because it's something that you need to adapt to. It's relatively simple, in fact. It's always the same when you play a left‑handed player. You need to get the right ideas in place and remember how the shots are played. This is why we always warm up or train with a lefty.
Q. You're very concentrated now. Are you impatient to reach tomorrow?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I'm glad I have a day's rest to prepare from the mental point of view in particular. Tomorrow is going to be a big day for me. So I've been training well. I feel fit. I think everything is going according to plan. I'm trying to relax. I'm not too sure about my program for the afternoon, but in any case I'm delighted to be able to play this final tomorrow.
Q. You have two fabulous series, yours and that of Nadal. One of them will be ended tomorrow. Is that an extra pressure?
ROGER FEDERER: No, not necessarily. I'm used to that as well. There was a lot of pressure in the Masters because I had won a number of finals in succession, a number of victories in succession. I hadn't lost since, in fact, last year here.
In the end, I was injured and I knew that there was a risk that I could lose, not necessarily one match but possibly even three. So I got used to streaks being interrupted.
It's not exactly that that's worrying me. I think it's more the atmosphere, the important points, the atmosphere with the crowd. That's something you can never be sure of in advance.
Q. How do you prepare mentally for a final in a Grand Slam? I'll be more specific. Is this something that occupies 100% of your thoughts throughout the day, or do you try to think of something else, or is it something that's always in the background of your thoughts?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, it's something that you start thinking of more. You start thinking about the way you're going to play, the way your opponent is going to play. This started the day before yesterday with Nalbandian. As soon as you reach the semifinals or you're playing one of the top 10, you start thinking more about your match. This is normal as far as I'm concerned.
I do try to think about something else, do something different, go out instead of just staying in my hotel. But otherwise, I keep the same intensity, the advantage possibly, as compared to Australia where it was really tough because the match was late. I think this time the match will be earlier and it will be easier.
Q. Seen from outside, we get the feeling that this is your most important Grand Slam final since the first in Wimbledon. You always are aware of the history of your sport. Do you get the feeling that this is the most important Grand Slam final since the first in Wimbledon?
ROGER FEDERER: It's difficult to say. Each final is important because you win your first final, first US Open, first Australian Open. Every time, it's the most important match. And even a year later, you have another match, it's potentially more important.
So for the moment, it might be the most important match in my career, but I think this will change again. For the moment, yes, it's the most important match, but it is also thanks to many other matches that I won that I am where I won. Each match is important.
Q. What tactical lessons did you draw from the final in Rome?
ROGER FEDERER: This was just an extra match. It was a very long match. It gave me some information as to the best way to play him, what works well and what doesn't. I brought a few changes since Monte‑Carlo final. I think that was important.
I think that I have everything it takes to beat him on clay, and that is the most important thing for me to draw from Rome, from the final in Rome, to know that I can do it by playing my game, and that is exactly what I felt afterwards.
Q. Nadal said that in spite of the fact that he beat you in the last matches, he considers that you are still the favorite for this match and that pressure is on your side, that he is more motivated than nervous because you are the favorite for the match of tomorrow. What do you think of that?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I don't agree. I've said this four times before. I think this is the fifth.
Q. A very brief question. Do you sleep well on nights preceding a Grand Slam final?
ROGER FEDERER: Yes, usually I do. About 80%. I think once I didn't sleep too well, but normally I do.
TAKEN FROM www.rolandgarros.com/