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Here is Roger's L'equipe interview (translated from french)
Credits to claire from RF.com
"I don't see myself in Novak at all"
Players' restaurant, yesterday, 15h30, under the PC court. RF calmly steps forward. He hasn't changed: "Ah L'Equipe? It's going to be serious then?" He choses an isolated, small table outside. He settles in and shakes hands, including Del Potro's who is coming back from practice: "Hey! What's up man?". It's exactly what we're going to ask him. And we're quickly going to sense a refusal of falling in awe for what Djokovic has been accomplishing this season. We could swear that in the duel between Djokovic and Nadal his choice would be in favour of the spaniard...
If you were a journalist, what intelligent question would you ask RF at this moment?
- (surprised) Bah...a question on RG, no? It seems obvious to me. Us, the players, we only think about that. We're already mentally in our tournament. We're not at the beach, we're at RG, afterall!
How are you feeling?
- Good. I've played a lot recently. I have enough matches behind me. And certainly less pressure than the previous years. Last year, I was defending champion; the previous years, I was always asked why I hadn't won this tournement. This year, I've answered a minimum of requests, press, promotion, sponsors, etc. It's more relaxed. I have never lived such a calm week before RG.
What kind of questions do you ask yourself at the moment, as a player but also as a man?
-Questions about the organisation of my days. As for more "profound" questions, it's not the ideal moment to be asking them. Not like after Monte Carlo where I had a 15 days training "block" and where I asked myself many questions.
Like?
-Do I have to go back more inside the court? Work on my down the line forehand? The balance? The movement? Those kind of things. The closer the French open gets, the less you change things. That's why I always think it's good to get together with my team before the tournament and evaluate the situation. Everyone brings something to the discussion. This is the moment to ask the good question: "What do we think about it?" It's also a good way to make everyone get really into it and be focused, focused on the upcoming tournament. I like when everyone brings their opinion. Maybe we'll all get together tonight, we'll see.
Do you see similarities between 2004 and 2007 when you were "invincible" and the person Djokovic has become the last 6 months?
-Honestly, no. For that matter, I have never asked myself this question. As players we are very different. Same behaviour-wise. I don't find myself at all in Novak.
Has he, like you had stated a few years ago about yourself, created a monster himself?
-I'm not taking anything from what Novak has just accomplished, but I think he has to do even more. Rafa has 9 Grand Slams, me 16, and he has 2. He needs a lot more to create that famous monster. Rafa had become it when he came into Australia chasing his "Rafa slam". That was an extraordinary thing. He was injured when he lost, so it was easier to explain for him. Me, I had created a monster to the extreme. I had dozens of records going on, the consecutive GS semis, the consecutive finals won, etc. I don't know if Rafa and Novak evolve in the same "monster" category.
Is it tiring to be a monster?
-(He smiles) I liked it! Even if people seem very worried when you lose a set! I told them: "Seriously, are you joking or not?". Well, on the other side, it was almost flattering...But all this goes by too fast. All of a sudden one doesn't win anything anymore and all of that has dashed off.
You have taken a long time to build yourself as a player and to become the game's boss. Are you surprised Djokovic has managed to do it in 6 months?
-There are no certainties in tennis. And that's what's great in this sport. When we start to win matches, we never think if we're on a streak or not. As far as Novak's concerned, if someone had asked me in January if I thought he was going to lose matches from then to RG, I would've answered: "Of course! 100%! And not just one!". So, did we expect it? No. Noone did. But he started playing with fire and beat all the best. When you catch the fire at the beginning of the season it can go far. After Dubai, I was certain he was gong be very tough to beat in IW and Miami. In those cases, you don't ask yourself questions, you play, that's it. But, on clay, I thought Rafa would beat him at least once.
You've experienced a streak of 35 matches, then 41, like Djokovic at the moment (39). What do we feel in those moments?
-Off court it's pretty stressful. On court, it's complete happiness, you're on a roll...But you play tournament after tournement, you take a break when you can...In fact, you live in a bubble. Unfortunately, you almost forget the rest of the world. You're so entangled in the tunnel of victories that you don't dare take too many breaks: you're afraid if you stop too much, you'll lose that feeling. In retrospect, you think you could have savoured it more...But anyway...One day, the ball stops indefinitely turning, and you end up alone with yourself. What's certain is that the passage from one to another is very quick.
Is not being the favourite easier or harder to experience?
-It doesn't change anything for me in Roland Garros. I was never a big favourite here. It's obvious that I prefer not to be in Rafa's half of the draw. I prefer to be in Djokovic's. For me, Rafa is still the favourite.
But you were the favourite in 2009, when Nadal was eliminated?
-Yes, but that was during the tournement. That I can do, I manage.
Already in 2006 you had told us that you were preparing yourself to live less "pink" years, where success wouldn't systematically be the outcome. Today, now that it is the case, do you accept it and how do you feel about it?
-The most important thing is the mental approach. When I was young, I often lost matches because of my attitude. I was either lazy, or a mourner, or I underestimated my opponent. After, I was very angry at myself: "What? I underestimated a player because he doesn't have a technique like Stefan Edberg's, my idol?" Today, I don't have regrets because I know I prepared myself properly. And I don't want to have any regrets the day I stop playing. The truth is, after all the success I've had, the defeats are easier to go through today. It's never fun, but it's part of the game.
Do you have the impression your last Grand Slam was part of another period of your life?
-Not at all. It's still very fresh in my mind.
Would winning a 17th Grand Slam in 2011 seem more powerful than 5 years ago to you?
-No, no. Winning a slam is a performance in itself. When I won Wimbledon one year, I had huge back problems. It's quite crazy to see how a slam unfolds sometimes. Each GS title takes a fantastic effort.
Do the two victories of Djokovic against Nadal on clay represent the same as Nadal's victory against you in Wimbledon in 2008? Are we seeing a change of era?
-No. It's incomparable. Here, we're not in best of 5 matches. What's interesting, is to see how Rafa is going to react mentally to this situation. He has lost his last four straight Masters 1000 events to Djokovic,. It surely has to have some effect on him. Maybe he lost in Rome because of what happened in the three previous finals? I'm not worried for him, but there is no doubt that he is facing an important point in his career. Mentally, it can't be easy for him. I don't feel I'm in the same situation towards Djokovic. Even if I've lost my last 3 matches against him, I don't have the feeling he's dominating me. Rafa, with Novak, it could probably play more...To continue. It's interesting.
Is there an advantage in not being #1 in the world?
-Honestly, 1, 2, 3 I don't really see the difference. My life is always as busy! I can still fill up my days! Nothing has changed. For sure, I would prefer being #1 than #3. But who wouldn't say the same?
Credits to claire from RF.com
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