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BNP PARIBAS MASTERSOctober 31, 2013Roger FedererPARIS, FRANCE R. FEDERER/P. Kohlschreiber THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You have won all your previous matches against Kohlschreiber. How did you have enough motivation before such a match? ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, it's clearly a good thing having a winning record and, you know, feeling like it's probably up to the other player to change things around a bit. Then again, there is always the fear that this is probably going to be the first time you'll lose the match. There is always a bit of that feeling. It's just normal. It's just human. I'm happy with the way things went today from start to finish. I was able to play a consistent match, which we talked about yesterday, and I closed out nicely. So it was a good feeling, because the beginning was tough. He had chances. He deserved a break, but I hung tough but was able then to break myself and sort of stay in control, which was good. He gave away the break in the second set with two double faults and a few first serves missed but. I was able to take the opportunity and run with it. It was a god match for me. Q. Is it quite important to get matches done economically in terms of your energy, because you could have a deep run here and then turn it around really quickly for the O2? ROGER FEDERER: Well, yeah. I mean, if you talk about ideal, yeah, 100% I'd love to win every match in 45 minutes. But that is also not having the World Tour Finals after this (smiling). But, no, I'm just really focused on trying to win as many matches as I can, get some momentum going, and getting in form. I feel like this is a very good match. I felt good again for the second straight day here in Paris. It's still early in the tournament, and it's a good thing that I feel so good so early. I hope to maintain this kind of a play, and if possible try to get just a touch better. Interesting match coming up with Del Potro, so we'll see how that goes. Q. If a couple of results work in his favor, Stan will be in the Finals for the first time. What will it be like to have some Swiss company? What do you think his season has been like? ROGER FEDERER: Stan's season? It's been very good, you know. For me, not that much of a breakthrough season like everybody says it is, but some people just need that semifinals of a slam or they need that, you know, one or two matches against a top guy and so forth. He had a bit of all of that. Physically we know how tough he is. I think it was important for him mentally to show the players and the press, I guess, and the critics, that he can hang tough with the best guys and do it in all surfaces. He's been consistent and injury‑free. That's why he's playing for it. He's not quite in yet. I'd like to talk about it when he's in because I don't want to jinx it. I hope for him he's going to be there, and I think at this point he deserves it, to be honest. I think he's been overall very consistent and he's given a lot this year. I hope he's got some juice left. Q. How do the play conditions compare with Basel last week, and how do you think the difference, if any, would play tomorrow? ROGER FEDERER: I think it's slightly faster than last week. We didn't have that, any rallies last week already with Del Potro. I expect something similar. There is going to be some heavy hitting clearly, but that happens naturally with a big serve and then taking control after the point after that. So I think it's going to be similar. I think it might be even a bit faster points, less rhythm, which might be another bad thing for me. Up to me to be just slightly more consistent maybe on my serving, because that's what gave it away at the beginning of the third when I served three double faults in the first game I think of the third set. It's just something I can't afford against a player of his caliber. But I feel like actually quite fresh, so I'm anxious to see how he feels. He has a big game regardless if he's tired or not. He's probably going to serve big. I usually trying to make it as athletic as I can against him and hope to make it for the best. THE MODERATOR: Questions in French. Q. Yesterday you talked about a block of four weeks training after the US Open. Does this mean you worked a lot physically? A lot on the court? Wasn't that the only time where your back gave you a break? ROGER FEDERER: Well, no, it was not a straight four weeks because I went back home for two weeks, but I did a lot of physical conditioning. My priority was on the court playing tennis. Q. We think you lost weight; is it true? ROGER FEDERER: A little bit, but not much, if any. I just tried to lose one or two kilos, but it's not five kilos. Certainly not. But you can write, He lost a lot of weight. He's so fast on the court now, as you wish (smiling). Q. You are part of the 16 30‑year‑old players winning at least one tournament this year. They had a lot of success. What do you think of that? ROGER FEDERER: I think it's great that players can play longer, but it's not at 27 or 29. I mean, they still enjoy playing tennis. Those players I have known since I have been a junior, so it's great to have as many players of my generation as possible. Others are not there anymore. But I think it's great that they have so much success. We'll see what happens next year. The game is so physical that it's good to see that you can play a long time all the same. Maybe it's because the younger generation is not pushing us out enough. I don't know. Q. So you're qualified for the Masters. We are still waiting to know whether Richard will qualify. Maybe soon. We don't know. If he does, Richard will participate in his second Masters after 2007. What do you think of that? Would you be happy to see Richard back to that level of the competition? ROGER FEDERER: Of course. I think he really deserves it for this year because he played well. He won a couple of tournaments even, three. He was very solid. He was always there. He was not really injured. He had a full season. He started from the beginning of the year and he's still playing well. Maybe, you know, with Murray, who is not playing, there is an extra position, but, well, it has nothing to do with him. It's up to him to take advantage of this, and I think he's ready to do it. It's very exciting, and I think it's going to motivate him as well as Stan. Since Richard has a one‑hand backhand, I like it. I like to see one‑handed backhands in the Masters. Q. Do you think he improved, he's better now? ROGER FEDERER: He's more solid in everything he's doing. It's normal when you get older you're more aware of what is happening. You have more experience. But the problem is are you still as dangerous? Are you still young enough to be dangerous in the right moments? So sometimes it's tough to take the initiative at the right moment in a rally, and I think now everything is mixing up well for him. He didn't have too many physical problems this year. He was quite solid there too. Best of three he can be very dangerous, and he can play well on all surfaces. You know, grass, clay, hard court are no problem for him. In Shanghai, too, he did well, so I thought he was great there. He managed his emotions, so I think he's going to have the energy for that. Q. You lost the last three matches against Del Potro. Do you believe mentally he has sort of a domination over you? ROGER FEDERER: Maybe, but each match was very tight. When was the last time? London last year? In Basel, yeah. They were all tight. In London I was qualified. It was indoors, and here it's indoors again. It's an important match for me now. I need to take my opportunities. I know I'm very close. I had very good moments during the final last year. I remember the second set. In London we will be in the same group again, so I will try everything I can. It wouldn't be nice to lose once more against him. If it happens I will accept it, but if I win I will have something extra for London. I have an idea of my tactics, my game plan. Now it's important to be able to do it, actually do it on the court. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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