http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/interviews/2005-09-11/200509111126493842147.html
Q. Congratulations.
ROGER FEDERER: Thank you (smiling).
Q. Out on the court, if I heard you correctly, you said it was the most pleasurable Grand Slam final in your career. If you could elaborate a bit on that and sort of your emotions after the win.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, what I meant with it is maybe the most well, I think depending on how you look at it, but the most special one for me, you know, to play Andre in the final of the US Open. Still maybe one of the only living legends in tennis we still have, you know, next to Martina Navratilova on the women's side, and him.
To play him, you know, in this situation, you know, him being towards the end of his career, me being on the top of my game, and getting the chance to play him on such an occasion, that's what I meant with it being really special today. I mean, I couldn't speak too much yesterday, you know, looking into it, because, you know, I still had to focus on the match.
But I knew that this was going to be very special.
Q. That living legend just said you were the best tennis player he ever played and reiterated it at least two times in his press conference. How does that make you feel?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, nice. He's given me many nice compliments over the years, so I really appreciate that.
Yeah, I'm amazed I could hang with him throughout the last few years with him. You know, he got me a few times early in my career where he made me look like a little schoolboy. Now that I could turn it around, it's for me fantastic. So sort of we can have an even battle, you know. It's really nice.
I look up to him, you know, because he's been around for so long, and for his results. So a lot of respect from my side.
Q. Talking about legends, in 2003 you beat Pete Sampras in Wimbledon. He was an icon at that time.
ROGER FEDERER: 2001.
Q. 2001, okay. He was kind of untouchable there. Now you beat another icon. How do you rate these two matches? Does it mean the same for you?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I was much more nervous going into the Sampras match, obviously. Not only was that the first time I ever played Sampras, it was the only time as well, but also my first time on Centre Court at Wimbledon. Obviously, that is very special.
So it's very different, you know, Wimbledon, US Open, finals, you know, fourth round. So it's hard to compare those two.
But for me, I've always looked much more up to Sampras than to Agassi. Didn't pay that much attention to Agassi, but thank God he was around longer so I got to know him better for his results, for him as a person. Now I enjoy playing as much against him like when I did against Pete.
Q. You've got six Grand Slam titles now, so you join with Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker. They're your idols.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, they're my idols.
Q. How do you feel?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, that's fantastic. When I heard that today, that was for me something very special because, yeah, tying your idols, isn't that great? You know, I think it's every little boy's dream. I made it come true today in a memorable final for me, and I still got something left I think in my career.
So hopefully I can beat those records. That will be even better (smiling).
Q. It seems like you are always unbeatable. What do you think it takes to beat you besides luck?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, well, the three matches I lost, and two of them I had matchpoint, you know, so they got a little lucky.
But, no, I don't know really. I amaze myself that I can back it up one tournament after another, keep on playing so well, and especially on hard court and grass court. Clay obviously is a little bit of a different story. But still also there I gave myself a chance to win the French.
But, yeah, I wonder why I always play so well, and especially on the big occasions, like I said on center court. It just seems to click for me. It's really through, I think when I was down 4 2 in the third, I really started to feel like my serve's coming back, you know. That's the first time I felt that throughout the whole tournament. That it happened then, I was quite pleased about that.
Q. It seems like you didn't go to the net as much as you usually do. At the end of the second set, you didn't have one point at the net.
ROGER FEDERER: Did I win it?
Q. No, no, you didn't have any the second set.
ROGER FEDERER: Not any, okay, okay.
Q. Was Andre forcing you to do that?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, obviously it's hard to attack on his shots because it's so flat and deep. So obviously that's not a shot where you can approach on.
He's very good on defense. You know, he plays the angles very well, so it makes it hard to come to the net. I wasn't in the mood to serve and volley too much, so I wanted to stick with him from the baseline and try to come through this way.
In the end, it's the result in the end that matters. So I'm very pleased. Obviously, I wish I could be serve and volleying, too, but right now I don't think I would.
Q. You talked about how some of the players you faced and beaten are your idols. Andre is in that category. Was there any point today when you looked across the net and thought, "Maybe I should just let the old man have one"?
ROGER FEDERER: No (smiling). No, that really only happened this one time when I played Sampras. I was warming up and, you know, I looked across the net and I couldn't believe it was Sampras, you know. That's the only time it really happened.
I had some when the draw came out in Basel back in '99, you know, I couldn't believe I was going to play Agassi. I thought, "Okay," he was on his way back, but still he was a superstar. For me to play him then, that was very special.
Once you play more than I don't know how many times, it's still special. But it's not you don't fear anybody anymore. You still have the respect, but it's a match like another one as well. Circumstances are very different. 24,000 people are behind him. It's the finals, you know. So, no, I didn't have that feeling.
Q. I am from Russia and I think that Marat Safin is the single rival for you. Is that correct?
ROGER FEDERER: (Smiling). I wish I could say yes for you, but... (laughter).
I feel like there's a whole group of guys chasing me right now. He's one of them, let's put it that way.
Q. We love you in Russia.
ROGER FEDERER: Okay.
I didn't understand, but all right (laughter).
Q. We love you in Russia.
ROGER FEDERER: Oh, is that what it is? All right. Thank you (smiling).
Q. Could you just take a moment and talk about the one or two qualities you most respected in Pete and the one or two qualities that you most respect in Andre.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I can only go as far as players, you know. I don't know them good enough personally, so that would be something strange for me to do, you know, to tell them how they are, their character is. I can only tell you how they are on the court.
They both seem very respectful, you know, to the game and to their opponents. Obviously, they have a very different game. I think we see both games, they're very dominant in what they do: Agassi from the baseline, and Pete at the net and with his serve, you know. So they have totally different qualities, but they had similar careers.
For me, Sampras' career is quite extraordinary, you know. So it's hard to compare, you know, one to the other. I think that would be also wrong to do, but I think it's great they had such a fantastic rivalry throughout the years, you know.
Obviously, as soon as Andre goes for me, also it's a pity that he goes because I wish I could play more of him.
....continued here http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=67907
Q. Congratulations.
ROGER FEDERER: Thank you (smiling).
Q. Out on the court, if I heard you correctly, you said it was the most pleasurable Grand Slam final in your career. If you could elaborate a bit on that and sort of your emotions after the win.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, what I meant with it is maybe the most well, I think depending on how you look at it, but the most special one for me, you know, to play Andre in the final of the US Open. Still maybe one of the only living legends in tennis we still have, you know, next to Martina Navratilova on the women's side, and him.
To play him, you know, in this situation, you know, him being towards the end of his career, me being on the top of my game, and getting the chance to play him on such an occasion, that's what I meant with it being really special today. I mean, I couldn't speak too much yesterday, you know, looking into it, because, you know, I still had to focus on the match.
But I knew that this was going to be very special.
Q. That living legend just said you were the best tennis player he ever played and reiterated it at least two times in his press conference. How does that make you feel?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, nice. He's given me many nice compliments over the years, so I really appreciate that.
Yeah, I'm amazed I could hang with him throughout the last few years with him. You know, he got me a few times early in my career where he made me look like a little schoolboy. Now that I could turn it around, it's for me fantastic. So sort of we can have an even battle, you know. It's really nice.
I look up to him, you know, because he's been around for so long, and for his results. So a lot of respect from my side.
Q. Talking about legends, in 2003 you beat Pete Sampras in Wimbledon. He was an icon at that time.
ROGER FEDERER: 2001.
Q. 2001, okay. He was kind of untouchable there. Now you beat another icon. How do you rate these two matches? Does it mean the same for you?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I was much more nervous going into the Sampras match, obviously. Not only was that the first time I ever played Sampras, it was the only time as well, but also my first time on Centre Court at Wimbledon. Obviously, that is very special.
So it's very different, you know, Wimbledon, US Open, finals, you know, fourth round. So it's hard to compare those two.
But for me, I've always looked much more up to Sampras than to Agassi. Didn't pay that much attention to Agassi, but thank God he was around longer so I got to know him better for his results, for him as a person. Now I enjoy playing as much against him like when I did against Pete.
Q. You've got six Grand Slam titles now, so you join with Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker. They're your idols.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, they're my idols.
Q. How do you feel?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, that's fantastic. When I heard that today, that was for me something very special because, yeah, tying your idols, isn't that great? You know, I think it's every little boy's dream. I made it come true today in a memorable final for me, and I still got something left I think in my career.
So hopefully I can beat those records. That will be even better (smiling).
Q. It seems like you are always unbeatable. What do you think it takes to beat you besides luck?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, well, the three matches I lost, and two of them I had matchpoint, you know, so they got a little lucky.
But, no, I don't know really. I amaze myself that I can back it up one tournament after another, keep on playing so well, and especially on hard court and grass court. Clay obviously is a little bit of a different story. But still also there I gave myself a chance to win the French.
But, yeah, I wonder why I always play so well, and especially on the big occasions, like I said on center court. It just seems to click for me. It's really through, I think when I was down 4 2 in the third, I really started to feel like my serve's coming back, you know. That's the first time I felt that throughout the whole tournament. That it happened then, I was quite pleased about that.
Q. It seems like you didn't go to the net as much as you usually do. At the end of the second set, you didn't have one point at the net.
ROGER FEDERER: Did I win it?
Q. No, no, you didn't have any the second set.
ROGER FEDERER: Not any, okay, okay.
Q. Was Andre forcing you to do that?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, obviously it's hard to attack on his shots because it's so flat and deep. So obviously that's not a shot where you can approach on.
He's very good on defense. You know, he plays the angles very well, so it makes it hard to come to the net. I wasn't in the mood to serve and volley too much, so I wanted to stick with him from the baseline and try to come through this way.
In the end, it's the result in the end that matters. So I'm very pleased. Obviously, I wish I could be serve and volleying, too, but right now I don't think I would.
Q. You talked about how some of the players you faced and beaten are your idols. Andre is in that category. Was there any point today when you looked across the net and thought, "Maybe I should just let the old man have one"?
ROGER FEDERER: No (smiling). No, that really only happened this one time when I played Sampras. I was warming up and, you know, I looked across the net and I couldn't believe it was Sampras, you know. That's the only time it really happened.
I had some when the draw came out in Basel back in '99, you know, I couldn't believe I was going to play Agassi. I thought, "Okay," he was on his way back, but still he was a superstar. For me to play him then, that was very special.
Once you play more than I don't know how many times, it's still special. But it's not you don't fear anybody anymore. You still have the respect, but it's a match like another one as well. Circumstances are very different. 24,000 people are behind him. It's the finals, you know. So, no, I didn't have that feeling.
Q. I am from Russia and I think that Marat Safin is the single rival for you. Is that correct?
ROGER FEDERER: (Smiling). I wish I could say yes for you, but... (laughter).
I feel like there's a whole group of guys chasing me right now. He's one of them, let's put it that way.
Q. We love you in Russia.
ROGER FEDERER: Okay.
I didn't understand, but all right (laughter).
Q. We love you in Russia.
ROGER FEDERER: Oh, is that what it is? All right. Thank you (smiling).
Q. Could you just take a moment and talk about the one or two qualities you most respected in Pete and the one or two qualities that you most respect in Andre.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I can only go as far as players, you know. I don't know them good enough personally, so that would be something strange for me to do, you know, to tell them how they are, their character is. I can only tell you how they are on the court.
They both seem very respectful, you know, to the game and to their opponents. Obviously, they have a very different game. I think we see both games, they're very dominant in what they do: Agassi from the baseline, and Pete at the net and with his serve, you know. So they have totally different qualities, but they had similar careers.
For me, Sampras' career is quite extraordinary, you know. So it's hard to compare, you know, one to the other. I think that would be also wrong to do, but I think it's great they had such a fantastic rivalry throughout the years, you know.
Obviously, as soon as Andre goes for me, also it's a pity that he goes because I wish I could play more of him.
....continued here http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=67907
