Roger Federer's Interview on Swiss Television

This is neither a transcript nor a direct translation from Roger Federer’s native language Allemannic (falsely often referred to as Swiss German) to English as that would be too complicated to accomplish. It is rather a summary of what Roger Federer said in the interview given on October 19, 2008, on Swiss Television.

Roger Federer commented on the season 2008 so far: That the beginning of the current season had been very difficult for him, as he didn’t know at the time he played the Australian Open that he was actually seriously ill. He had only noticed a heaviness of mind and slowness on the court which he couldn’t really explain to himself. He stated that in general terms he had been quite satisfied with the season so far considering the circumstances. What was very stressful to the former number one tennis player was that he had to reshuffle his training sessions to get back to form after the illness. The combination of this reshuffling with more tournaments to play including the Olympics was taking its toll on him.

As opposed to the last three years, it meant he had to intersperse hard training sessions between the tournaments instead of having a few days off. This in turn caused him to arrive at tournaments not at the peak of his abilities, as opposed to the two previous years, when he usually was in perfect timing to get his best tennis onto the court at the tournaments.

He said he still had been far behind with his training in Paris when he lost Roland Garros to Rafael Nadal. Therefore it had not surprised him that he had lost that final nor actually the result of it. To win against Nadal one can’t play 90% and expect to win anything.

As to Wimbledon, it had been very hard on him to lose that title to Rafael Nadal, but on the other hand he himself had certainly played the best match of his life. He rather suspected that Nadal had done that, too. He declined to comment on the press hype about the best match ever played.

He also commented on the press coverage on himself during this year. He stated that he had been a bit hurt when after losing to Djokovic at the Australian Open he had already been written off by the papers or at least into crisis. It had surprised him even more that they had been so negative after Wimbledon and that this was not quite in keeping with the hype about the match. He was especially negative about ‘certain commentators who had played no mean tennis themselves and talked like this was the end, when they should know better, having had their problems in their time as well’.

For him the Olympics Gold medal together with Stanislas Wawrinka had been for him a turning point in a season he had been satisfying but not a highlight. After that he knew that he was going to be back in form again for the American Open. The Olympics medal in tennis double had been very special for playing in team and had been psychologically very satisfying. It also boded well for the future concerning the Davis Cup. He wanted to have it clearly stated that he had not said that Switzerland would win the Davis Coup, but that he was considering a serious attempt in that direction if Stanislas Wawrinka was willing.

Queried on his being seen in a jewellers’ shop in Dubai, he laughed. Plans for marriage are not ripe. But it didn’t surprise him at all that he had been seen there as it was one of the best known addresses for Europeans to shop. Queried again on how it felt to be permanently in the public eye, he said that it was not too bad for them (meaning himself and his life partner former tennis player Mirka Vavrinec). In Switzerland in general the press is very respectful towards his private life. People in Switzerland are very reticent and do him the favour of ignoring him when meeting him on the road somewhere.

Commenting on the Swiss Indoors tournament commencing in Basel this week, he said he was definitely playing and willing to win. He also thinks that his fitness and preparation is sufficient to win it discounting any negative influence of having lost against Andy Murray. He said that he tournament in Basel was certainly the most difficult for him not to play it being his hometown. As an added plus he added that he enjoyed it immensely to be home again and to meet with family and friends while here.

One of his major joys, he said, was organising the Pizza dinner at the end of the tournament with the ball boys and girls, as he himself had first done that at the age of 13. He remembered being extremely nervous at that time to come so near to tennis greats like Boris Becker. His next highlight had been playing in the Qualifying round a few years later. As Wimbledon Junior Champion he had received a wild card the following year and received a lesson from André Agassi, but it was just great, he said.

He finally commented on the placement of Stanislas Wawrinka and that he was very happy for him. He hoped to meet him in the final of Basel, this being necessary for Stan to be able to take part in Shanghai’s Masters Tournament.

My text is neither complete nor word perfect. Any faults in understanding or translation are mine.