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MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLO PRESENTED BY ROLEX

April 27, 2008

Roger Federer

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

R. NADAL/R. Federer
7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you view that match, looking back on it?
ROGER FEDERER: Uhm, I thought it was, you know, a tough match obviously.
But, no, I thought I played okay. You know, disappointing second set, I guess, you know, after playing, you know, the right way against him and then, you know, letting him back into the match. You know, it was disappointing. Maybe I didn't play my best for sure.
But it's tough against him, you know, under the circumstances, you know. And he deserves to win in the end, you know, I think because he's a helluva clay court player.

Q. So what do you take away? Obviously you're not happy but maybe you're not so disappointed either.
ROGER FEDERER: No, I mean, it takes a lot to be disappointed for me, you know. I mean, honestly I'm coming back strong. I'm happy the way things, where they are now, whereas still maybe a few weeks ago, still a little bit of doubt maybe, you know.
But honestly for me it's a very positive week of coming back from the brink, you know, in the first round, and now playing -- you know, beating great players, you know, on the way to the finals.
I'm pushing Rafa today, having the feeling I can beat him, you know, if I play the right way. And I think that's the feeling I didn't have after, you know, Monaco last year.
So this year changed, you know. And that's a good thing. Just, you know, playing again, being healthy, moving well. It's just a good feeling to have again.

Q. The other day you said it was our job to look for when you were able to recover from 1-5 in the third set. Do you remember by chance if it has ever happened that you lost a set when you were leading 4-Love?
ROGER FEDERER: Also your job again. So, no.

Q. No idea?
ROGER FEDERER: No idea.

Q. Do you feel it was your level that dropped or his level that rose?
ROGER FEDERER: A bit of both, I guess. That can make a big difference, obviously. No, I mean, he's a tough player, you know. And on clay you just don't get away, you know, just with maybe serving well. You know, you got to serve well and hit a few good shots in a row. Rafa scrambles so well sometimes, so he has a tendency to break at ease.
Just the amount of times I got broken today wasn't what I was hoping for but at least, you know, I was finally able to break him also on several occasions, which is the good part.
Maybe my attacking game didn't work that well maybe like in the past against him. But that's something that can happen, you know. I'm still awfully close. I mean, he's not not improving. He's improving. So am I. So are other players.
It's not going to get much easier beating him. But I'm right there, and that's a good thing.

Q. Are you going to be taking Jose to Rome?
ROGER FEDERER: No. He's going to go back home. I told you already. He's going to go back home and then come back for Paris.

Q. Could you possibly say what you think he's actually brought to your game so far, Jose?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, the thing is we haven't spent much time on the practice courts, you know, which is normally a thing you're not supposed to do. But there's no rules obviously to it. But just this is where he you could maybe change a few things in your game. This has been more of a talking experience for the last couple of weeks, you know, because I've been on the match courts, you know, every day. So it's been interesting, you know. A lot of information.
It was also good to play against Rafa I think on clay right away again and get a feel for how he's playing. So it's been good with him, as well, you know. And also with Severin, like I said, he's also part of the whole thing. He's going to come to Rome and Hamburg with me. Jose's going to go back, and then we'll get together again in Paris.

Q. The biggest improvement do you think Nadal did is on the backhand or in other things?
ROGER FEDERER: No, just in general, you know, he's a more complete player. But that was an obvious thing for me, he was going to be able to achieve that. You know, it just shows. He's in the doubles finals as well. You wouldn't have thought that maybe four years ago. So it was obvious he was going to improve at the net, improve his serve, improve his whatever it is.
He's still young and improving. That's why it's important just for him to play compact and tough. You know, he brings that day in and day out on clay. For him it's just so natural and so no-problem that it makes it hard for the other players to beat him.

Q. Today you made less points on your serve than you won. That has never happened as far as I know. How do you explain it? Do you think it has something to do with your serve or his return?
ROGER FEDERER: I think he played well from the baseline, you know. He had great length, you know, especially on the forehand side. I know I had a bad record on second-serve points won, you know. Might be the leader, you know, on tour. Today I barely made 30%, so it just shows what a tough clay court return player he is.
But, no, I don't know what the problem was. I didn't think I served particularly bad. But, like I said, my attacking game didn't really work. And maybe this is where I lost a few -- you know, probably I guess too many points.

Q. You seemed to be a little more relaxed and perhaps not even as disappointed with yourself as you have been in other circumstances when you lost to Rafa. Is that right?
ROGER FEDERER: No. I don't remember being relaxed here last year.

Q. Maybe perhaps not quite as depressed. Is that because you think your game is getting better and you are improving?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know. I guess I'm growing up, you know, don't take losses that bad any more.
But I don't expect losses against Rafa at all. You know, I mean, I try everything I can. And when it's not enough, it's unfortunate, you know. But like I said, I think it was a good match for me, you know, to play him here.
I probably said it on many occasions, but today I felt much more confident, you know. The way the plays were played were more the way I liked it than still maybe last year where I felt like I was completely out of the match from the start, you know. So today was better. And maybe that's why I'm not that disappointed.
But just because I'm relaxed here doesn't mean, you know, I'm sort of not disappointed, whatever. I wish I could have won today.

Q. Were you also tired at the end or you could have played five sets?
ROGER FEDERER: Could have played seven sets if I had to, no problem. It's a pity, best-of-three-set finals. They're over so quickly, you know.
Like I said yesterday, I don't think fitness mattered at all today 'cause, you know, what, six, seven hours on court throughout the week. Normally we do 20. So this is peanuts.

End of FastScripts

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