TENNIS US OPEN 2014 – 24th of August 2014. An interview with Roger Federer.
Q. What is it about Stefan that made him your idol when you were younger? Was that at all intimidating when he first became your coach?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it was really Boris and Stefan. Boris a little bit first, and then little while later Stefan became my idol. I don’t know how it happened. I had friends around me that said, Edberg plays so nice and started all these things. I started to watch him closely, and, you know, I liked the way he played and the way he behaved on court. I also had a one-handed backhand by then so I could really, I guess, relate to some degree. Yeah, that’s why, I guess. And then, I mean, yeah, I think with idols or heros, it’s always intimidating sort of forever to either just like speak to them or see them or spend time with them, because it’s just not something you ever thought was going to happen. So when I called him, I expected, you know, a negative answer clearly. He doesn’t need to do this in any way. So, you know, I’m thrilled that he took the opportunity, I guess. He sees it as a really big opportunity to help me and get me to winning ways. It’s going really well. I’m really pleased how we’re able to manage everything, because he hasn’t followed the game very closely the last 15 years, but he has a lot of experience as a player. And, you know, with the information that I have, Severin, my coach has, I think we really make a great team. He really enjoys himself on the tour now.
Q. Did you personally make the call to him?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, of course.
Q. You played two great tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati, but you played mainly at night. Then it seemed to me the finals in Toronto you played daytime. Does it matter to you that you probably will play here night sessions as well and then come the semifinals or finals hopefully you have to play in the daytime?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I hope I have that problem. It’s perfect that we’re talking semis and finals already. It wasn’t like that last year. No, I’m happy that I did play some night and some day in the last two weeks, because especially in the European circuit, you know, whether it be clay or grass, you don’t usually play much at night. Or hardly. So next thing you know, it’s like you’re going through a stretch where you never play or practice really at night. It’s all day. So it was good for me to get through some night sessions in Toronto. The switch was tough for the finals because I finished sometimes really late. So from that standpoint it wasn’t ideal. But I’m happy how I was able to back it up physically and mentally. The following week in Cincinnati it was tough. I played a lot of tough three-setters, long matches, late matches. Now I feel like whatever. If it’s day or night, you have to be able to manage both anyways, so I’m ready for both. Clearly always like playing night sessions here, but then again, as long as I keep winning, it doesn’t really matter.
Q. Considering all the great battles you have had over the years with the top 5 players, are you at all disappointed when a top 5 player is not in the mix like, Nadal this year?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I’m more disappointed for the fans, his fans, and the tournament, you know, who puts up a great event. It’s not necessarily dependent of an event like this, on the one player, but it’s more exciting with him. For us, the players, I mean, we hope he gets well and he feels better quickly and all these things and he’s back on tour soon. But at the same time, I think what stands out is the opportunity, you know, to try to take advantage of him, the fact that he’s not here. It’s one less really difficult player to beat maybe. I mean, maybe he was not going to be in my section. Maybe I wouldn’t have played him at all, like I have never played him here in the last ten years anyways. I mean, it’s just that the focus is more on you or other players rather than him. Yeah, we, the players, don’t wish injuries to anyone, you know. So you just hope he recovers quickly.
Q. You have had a pretty much injury-free career. Not the same for Rafa Nadal. Do you see any reason why he has so many injuries in his year?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I can’t talk for him. I don’t know what he really does in terms of his fitness, in terms of his training when he’s home in Mallorca, how much he trains, how little he trains. It’s all, I’d say 50%, you know, next to the schedule what you play and how you play. So I feel like I have managed my career well in the sense that I believe in rest in a huge way. Whenever I get a chance to rest, I do. Whenever I can go on vacation, I do. I don’t want to keep on playing all the time and feel like I’m always doing something, because I think the body and mind, they need time to heal. Especially if you have inflammations and so forth. I’d rather skip a tournament here and there rather than missing three or six months, which has never happened to me. That served me well. So I can’t really comment on what Rafa did or is doing. I mean, everybody does it very differently. But clearly playing styles I’m sure has somewhat of an impact, I would think.
Q. You have played your way through a lot of life changes that you’ve gone through. Novak is going through that right now. What would you say to him as he embarks on marriage and parenthood and tries to play his way through it?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, what…
Q. What advice would you…
ROGER FEDERER: Advice is different than just saying something. I mean, I would wish him well. That’s it (laughter). Now you want advice, then it’s totally different. Then we can go into this like endless talk of how I did it, which worked and which didn’t work. I have spoken to him a little bit in the past. It’s normal I think when you’re entering the whole family thing that many people you talk to, all you talk about is babies and how to prepare for it mentally. I think it’s a very exciting time. So I think he must be quite excited about what’s going to happen soon. And with the wedding and everything, I’m sure he’s, you know, going through a great spell at the moment with winning Wimbledon, top of it, so things are great for him. But I think he’s got to figure it out himself really, because I don’t know his wife very well. I don’t know where he lives exactly. So I think that all has an impact. Are they going to travel or not. But the good thing, he sees with me with four, so with one it should be a piece of cake (laughter). Honestly I wish him the best. I think it’s wonderful he chose to create a family, and, you know, have kids with his wife.
Q. You travel on tour throughout the year with your wife and kids. For a lot of the lower-ranked players who can’t afford to do this, they’re away from their wives, families, 30 weeks out of the year. Have you ever thought about what your life on tour would be like if you had to travel alone?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, maybe I wouldn’t have had kids then until I would have retired. So it’s basically that. Then you go down a different route. You say, Okay, I’ll wait. As long as the wife is happy it to wait, too. And if not, then you know going into having kids that you’re not going to be around them so much. So it’s just another different mindset. Now I can imagine traveling sometimes alone without family and my wife, but I know it doesn’t make me very happy. I know it doesn’t make them very happy. That’s why we try to stick together and do it all at the same time. It’s great fun. I’m very happy I got this privilege to do it, because I know, like you say, not everybody can do it. So from that standpoint, I think it definitely has prolonged my playing career. No doubt about it.
