TENNIS 2014 ROLAND GARROS – 28th of May 2014. R. Federer d. D. Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. An interview with Roger Federer
Q. How are your impressions making a first time slammer like Diego playing on a big court and like in front of an idol like you? How do you feel about that, please?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I think it was kind of tough all the way through, for me, anyway. I didn’t feel relaxed for the entire match.
You know, I’ve always felt he had a little bit of an upper hand from the baseline. I feel he was doing a really good job being aggressive and making good plays. Clearly because of his height he doesn’t have the biggest serve, and that kept me sometimes in two minds. But I think he handled the conditions really well.
I can see why he’s ranked where he is and why he probably is going to move up in the rankings. He’s very steady, very fast. He’s got some good qualities, you know. It’s just a matter for him to be really fit and continue what he’s doing, you know, working hard.
I’m sure like a match like this or tournament like this where he was able to win four matches is going to give him a lot of new information he didn’t have before.
Q. I just want to ask you in terms of your forehand going off sometimes in terms of timing, how much do you think the game needs to get better for you this week and next so you can be content?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, today was special in its own way because I got into every return game because of his serve. So clearly we are going to have many more unforced errors than forced errors.
It’s always going to happen when you play big serving guys who push you and take chances, you cannot make unforced errors because they are trying to hit a winner.
So from that standpoint, the statistics today for me is totally secondary. It’s just really important to moving along in the draw. My next round opponent plays entirely different to Schwartzman today.
Yeah, I wish I could have played a bit more freely today overall. But then again, I think it was a solid match. I served well. That’s always the key to stay solid in your own service games.
I will see how the next match is going to be. It depends on weather, on wind, all that stuff, how free you can actually really play.
Q. Kim Clijsters just sent out a tweet with one of your comments that you made, which was: Sometimes it’s okay just to be happy to be playing, that it’s okay just to enjoy the game. You don’t always need to be a success. Some people don’t get that. Could you just talk about that comment and sort of the balance between tennis as a job, your profession, and the joy of the game?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I have a hard time understanding it, as well. I don’t know what I was trying to say back then.
Anyway, I mean, I think sometimes in the media or people think it’s only fun when you win and when you lose, clearly it’s a disaster, it’s all really bad. Yeah, it’s disappointing, and it’s not great fun. But at the same time, you can also enjoy a tournament, enjoy a city, enjoy life, you know, as you move along with your career.
I think that’s what I mean, that sometimes things are totally just based on unforced errors or on the little things in life and if you have the big picture in mind, then you realize that missing a few too many forehands has zero impact on how I will actually sleep tonight.
Q. How do you feel physically after the first two rounds? Next is going to be Dmitry Tursunov, as you said, he’s a different player. Do you feel good versus last year when it was difficult with your back?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I don’t even think about this. I feel good. I mean, physically I’m fit and the two first rounds were really okay. I didn’t lose any of my energy. I had two days off, so I’m really relaxed as far as this is concerned.
Tursunov is a different player all together versus Schwartzman today. He tried more with his serve, but also with the forehand. And also I played against him at Indian Wells. It was 7 6, 7 6, that’s how I defeated him. It was a tough match.
But at least I know Dmitry, I didn’t know Schwartzman at all. I didn’t know if he was a great player, average, or not really good.
That’s why there was pressure on me throughout the match today probably.
Q. Roger, Wawrinka, after being defeated, after the first round, said that it’s difficult for him to manage the pressure due to the title in Australia. He said that’s the difference between him and Djokovic, Nadal, or you, because you can do this. Maybe we don’t realize this all the time, but you can take the pressure and you know you’ve got to win and you manage to win tournament after tournament. Do you understand his position today, that is, it’s difficult I think for him to take this title he won?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, for me, you know, it’s totally normal. I have never really understood how Rafa, Novak, and myself, we can play at such a level all the time, being consistent. You know, for me, that was a shock to see all of us so consistent like this, steady if I can say.
Of course, people are used to this, and it doesn’t happen. But for me it’s normal. It might happen to the best players.
You know, with Stan, I understand here, I understand where he is, because I was in such a position at a moment in my career, and it’s not even the pressure itself. You know, I think it’s how you look at yourself and at your game.
Without changing everything, you know, this is what he’s got to work on and solve this, fix this. Little by little. It will not happen overnight. But with Australia, with Monaco, it’s in his pocket already. Nobody can take this from him. It will give him time, time to work on this. I trust that he will find the right solutions in the months to come.