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INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 16, 2019

Roger Federer

Rome, Italy

R. FEDERER/B. Coric

2-6, 6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How does it feel to save two match points two weeks in a row? Has it happened to you before?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know. I feel like I've won a lot and lost a lot like this.

No, it was fun to be part of. Yeah, I mean, the thing is also once you end up in these situations and you've been there before, like not long ago, they're easier to play. The problem is when they never happen and all of a sudden they do happen.

I feel like they're tricky because, I don't know, you put so much energy and focus on every single point. You don't want to do wrong, you want to do right. Things happen so quickly. It's like a penalty shootout at the end.

Look, it was a great atmosphere. Definitely, again, felt like I got a little lucky obviously. Borna had the lead. There was crucial moments throughout the match, second set and third set, for me to stay in it. Things definitely went my way tonight.

Q. When you do have match points last week, this week, is it at all worrisome, or you think that it's part of the game?
ROGER FEDERER: Just part of it. It's not going to continue this way. I did have thankfully time in between the Sousa match today to break it up a little bit.

For me personally, I think it's great playing these kind of matches here on the clay, enjoying myself. No, not all the time but in moments I did try my best at the end. I don't know, it's a weird one when they happen. Try to stay calm and do the right things.

I think important is to sort of have a plan. That you do win and lose matches having match point, that's normal.

Q. Talk about the challenge of playing two matches today, different courts. I don't know the last time you were on Grandstand. You looked like you were the Pope in your car leaving that court. The whole experience of today, how different was that?
ROGER FEDERER: It was very different. In all honesty, I've never even seen the court before because it's way up. You don't see it. Pietrangeli, Pallacorda like it used to be, I played on that one.

It was nice to be in the Grandstand. Conditions were difficult in the beginning, with the shade, all that stuff, coming through. It makes it harder to attack maybe.

I really enjoyed my match out on Grandstand. Crowds couldn't have been more enthusiastic. Very much one-way traffic. They were all behind me, which is cool. But it's tough for the opponent. Borna is a great guy. I hope they cheer for him in the future.

Then, like you said, the way from down here all the way over there, it's quite a walk. Then you have the golf cart. Once in a while that is fun. If it was like this every single game, you're tired by the time you get to the court and you're tired when you come back.

It was a great experience. I really enjoyed it. This is the kind of court I like because the crowds are close on all sides. There's not these massive VIP boxes where you have half the crowd sitting there. It's full. You really hear them screaming at you. That was fun.

Q. What was the debate with the umpire about the court? You felt it was slippery or something?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't quite understand how players just go with it. They water the court, call time, players kind of check the lines. They're like, Okay, I guess we can play.

The lines are wet. Wet lines means you slide. When I slid, caught myself, I did hurt my toe for like two games. My leg also was hurting a little bit. I don't know. I just don't understand. They don't make us play because Carlos told me, You don't have to play. I told him, Why did you call time? You make us stand there and feel the pressure from 10,000 people and live audience.

The player will always cave at the end, say, I guess I have to play. Can't wait. It's going to take five minutes basically. That's what it's going to take until the lines are dry.

I don't think we should play with wet lines. Nobody wants an injured player because of something silly like this just to keep the match going. That's why I thought it was great what the ball kids did, to dry the lines. It's quickly done. I know it's a bit of a pain to do it. It's for safety of the players.

That's just what I was referring to. How about just we sit here and then you call us rather than calling us and I have to make the call? I'll just keep playing because that's what you do by looking at the line for the fifth time, still seeing that it's wet. I don't know. I can't go sit down again. The show must go on.

That's really what it was about. I'm amazed how the players are, Okay, we'll play with wet lines. It's been going on like this for years. I've always thought it's dangerous with wet lines.

Q. I wonder if you did ask to play on Wednesday?
ROGER FEDERER: I did ask to play on Wednesday. I get what I want, remember? You guys know that. That was a big debate (smiling).

My favorite thing was to be here at 11 so I could wait all day. I really enjoyed that part yesterday (laughing).

Q. Starting on Wednesday, would you prefer to play five days in a row or play maybe Tuesday and have possibly one day off? What is the option, if you could choose, and they would listen to you?
ROGER FEDERER: I think it really depends on where you've been, where you're coming from. I went back to Switzerland after Madrid. I asked to play Wednesday. But if they tell me it's really impossible to do that, you talk about it and I'll accept it at the end of the day.

This time I thought Wednesday would be nice because that gives me a weekend with the kids, Saturday and Sunday off. Then I travel here on Monday, I believe. I practice here Monday, Tuesday. I do need two days to get ready, in all honesty.

Then it's okay to play five straight days or what happened now. You take that chance, but it's fine. It is what it is. At some other times you feel like, let's say Cincinnati, I've been there since Friday, okay to play Tuesday. The tournament is probably happy I'm okay to play Tuesday because other guys are coming from Montreal.

At the end you always have to check what the tournament wants, as well. You can put in requests. The tournament organizers at the end make the final decisions together with the ATP and the TVs really.

Q. (No microphone.)
ROGER FEDERER: Look, it is what it is.

Q. I know you've had a long day, but I hear there's a lot of talk in the locker room about Nick Kyrgios.
ROGER FEDERER: There wasn't.

Q. There wasn't?
ROGER FEDERER: Were you there? I didn't speak to one person, so...

Q. Ruud told us that.
ROGER FEDERER: He played the match. That's different.

Q. How long do you think he should be suspended considering his past?
ROGER FEDERER: I haven't heard of that. Should be suspended?

Q. I'm wondering how long you think he should be suspended.
ROGER FEDERER: Is he going to be suspended?

Q. I think there's going to be an investigation.
ROGER FEDERER: Got to be sure what you say. Careful.

I don't think he should be suspended personally. He walked off the court. I don't know, what did he do? He hurt a chair? I mean, that's not enough for me. I don't know if he's on probation or not from his Shanghai thing or not. If that's the case, then obviously you can maybe look into it. If that's run its course, I don't think he should be suspended.

A zero pointer, fine, all this stuff is already tough enough. He knows it's a mistake what happened. But, yes, you guys figure it out because you know (smiling).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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