THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 26, 2021

Roger Federer

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Last month at Roland Garros you mentioned you were still assessing your comfort level with participating in the Olympic Games. How difficult has that decision been for you? Are you any closer to making a call on that? In terms of your scheduling for the summer, can Canadian tennis fans get their hopes up they might see you in Toronto in August?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, with the team we decided we're going to reassess the situation after Wimbledon because it's going to have an impact on my -- obviously if I play really good here or really bad, I think it has an impact on how everything might look for in the summer.

Still my feeling is I would like to go to the Olympics. I would like to play as many tournaments as possible. But I think we decided now let's just get through Wimbledon, sit down as a team, and then decide where we go from there.

I wish I could tell you more. In previous years it was definitely easier. At the moment things are not as simple as in the past. With age you have to be more selective. You can't play it all.

Yeah, I will know in a few weeks.

Q. I think the last time you and Andy shared a court, if I'm not mistaken, you were both in kilts in Glasgow a few years ago. It was great to see you guys practice again yesterday. How did that go? What was it like sharing a court with Andy? Given you're both on a comeback from injury, how do you assess either of your chances in these championships?

ROGER FEDERER: It was very nice sharing the court again with Andy. We were trying to think when the last time was when we shared a practice court together. I thought it was the Australian Open in '05 or something. He thought it was maybe Rome in '06. We didn't do it for a long time.

I thought he looked good. To be honest, you can see how comfortable he is on the grass. Clearly it's just practice, we're trying things. But I hope he can go deep here, have a nice run. Same for me.

I think we always back our chances on this surface. But it was great spending time on the court again with Andy. It's nice to see him out there.

Q. Just wondering, you've obviously been to Wimbledon many times. How different does this one feel for you? What is it like in the bubble, what that involves? I presume they gave you a nice room at the hotel, I take it?

ROGER FEDERER: It's the bubble. It doesn't matter what the room size is, whatever, it's just living the bubble life is different. Took me some getting used to the first day or two, understanding where we're allowed to go, what we're allowed to do. Same thing with the on-site protocols. How does it work? By now I've gotten used to it. I'm embracing it. I'm okay with it.

Yeah, it does feel totally different than the last 20 years here since I've been coming here. We would arrive with the family, kids would be running everywhere. We organized the grocery shopping, get the house set up and all that stuff. Here we're with the team.

But look, I still feel a big privilege that I'm actually able to play Wimbledon. If I look back at everything that I went through for the last year and a bit more with the injury, also with the pandemic, it's great that Wimbledon is back on. I'm happy I'm here.

I'm not going to be complaining. Wimbledon tries to put on the best bubble possible. It's all good, yeah.

Q. After the match you lost in Halle, I understand you took your time before you spoke to the media. You weren't too happy with your attitude, I read. Now that another week has gone by, you've had a chance to consider that, what do you think was happening there?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I had a mental moment where I was just, you know, not happy with how things were going in the match. I mean, that feeling when I started not liking -- when things derail, let's say, mentally for me I was already down a break in the third. You might argue I would have maybe lost anyway. It was Felix's good play that got me there.

It was definitely also there's ways to lose and a standard I set for myself how I go about things.

The good thing now looking back is I know it will not happen here because I'm ready, I'm excited, I'm pumped up. I know I can do so much better.

If I look back at how many years this has not happened to me, I guess I can be very proud of myself. It reminds me more of the junior times in the beginning of my career where you remember me, where all of a sudden you just don't see the positivity any more. I was maybe having higher expectations. Maybe it's also part of the comeback. Very few fan situation.

I don't know what it was, to be honest. I think I got to take the positives out of these last few weeks that I'm actually here at Wimbledon right now and I have a chance. I know if I get rolling, I get into the second week, which is the goal here right now, that I get stronger and stronger as every match goes by, I believe it's very much possible.

I come here feeling mentally strong rather with the last set I played in Halle, which was clearly not the standard I like.

Q. You and Serena are both about to turn 40; not an age that we're used to seeing tennis players out on tour, let alone trying to win Grand Slam titles. I'm wondering, was that your plan all along or are you surprised to find yourself about to be 40 and still be out there? And can you think of any commonalities between you and Serena that have allowed the two of you to have this longevity?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, you would think that we found ways to keep ourselves happy, motivated and entertained, not let the negatives dominate our daily struggles and things we're going through, like any other tennis player: How do we manage the day-to-day stuff?

Also now with the family, all of that, I think it's very important. Especially when you have family, it's much easier to walk away from it all. Everybody goes through ups and downs clearly. Our careers have been very much ups for a long time.

Maybe it's arguably easier to stay happier and motivated when you are in this position. At the same time only the best is sort of good enough for us. Also put a lot of pressure on ourselves.

Truthfully, I don't think my goal was to play till, whatever, 39 or 40 or more. It was maybe more like 35 maybe I was thinking, which was already a high number at the time. Borg retired early. Agassi played a bit longer. Also Edberg and Becker and as well Pistol, they were all retiring earlier.

I remember a conversation with Pistol 10 years ago. He was wondering how much longer I had in the tank. This was when I was just hitting 30. He was thinking I was coming towards the end or something just because it was for him normal that at 31, 33, with the career that we've had, with all the sacrifice in a way you have to go through, that it's hard to keep on pushing for more years on tour.

I think I made the most of it on the tour. I enjoyed my travels, made it fun with Mirka and the family and the team. Persevered somehow.

No, the goal was not to play until 40. This all mainly came the last years. I never thought also with the last surgeries I've had I would still be going.

Look, I feel I still really love it, enjoy myself. I will see about the results, if they're going to come back. This is why Wimbledon is clearly very important to me right now.