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If world need to be restarted, Fed would be very viable candidate to be the male figure !
In this week's episode host Jon Wertheim talks with Justin Gimelstob, a former ATP player and current broadcaster, ATP board member and coach of World No. 11 John Isner. He talks with Wertheim about his various jobs in tennis—and they debate on these roles in tennis and general conflicts of interest in the sport. Gimelstob also talks openly about the 2008 incident that was one of the more regrettable moments of his career, his relationship with Roger Federer, the match-fixing scandal that dominated the conversation at the 2016 Australian Open, what it's like to coach John Isner and more.
What's Roger Federer really like ?
This is a tough one because you start becoming almost like border on hyperbole or unbelievable. And then when you go and tell people that he's even better in person. He spends thirty five minutes in the locker room after he beats Murray in the semifinal the Cincy. He has the final the next day and his four Kids are there. And he spent thirty five minutes talking about A.T.P. matters. Your personal life. You know your son. Like you know my child. And you know. And he's completely engaged. Completely focused on the topic at hand. I mean just. I think he's just unique I think one of the greatest things that he will have done for the sport. Possibly of all time most accomplished for sure of all time. And still be humane and sensitive and generous with your time. And for a while it seemed like and it's understandable because you know how cutthroat tennis is that you almost had to be you know. Closure self off the distractions in order to be a huge star because of how challenging was and how physical it was and how emotional it was but then Federer comes along this shows you that you could be one of the most magnanimous people on the planet. And still be a huge star and that kind of set the bar for the next group. So nobody. And I really believe he set the tone for how to conduct yourself on and off the court for generations to come so I have a zillion anecdotes of
him.
You understand how the T.V. business works now you know how coveted those star interviews are late in the tournaments and how tough. At the French it was a while ago(2009) , And the big interview with some player fell through and Roger had off day after his tough 5 setter against Del potro. And we needed a big interview to fill a gap on one of our live shows. But he'd already done tennish channel and so he was not obligated to do it again. And I ran into him in the press room. In the in that area going up to all the studios in the in the compound area and at the French Open . And then you know Roger was flanked by all of his handlers and everyone he was pretty well cocooned. So. Roger just senses has this sense that you know I I was in this state of stress which isn't that big of a stretch since I generally am. And is adjusting what's going on as a thing going. And then I get the look from everyone and I said what happened. He says I'll take care of it. Don't worry. Meet me at court. Eighteen. I'm practicing from whatever one to three. One to one to twenty thirty do the interview.
This story gets even better. It would be incredible because I believe this was right before going to play maybe the semi's of the French Grand Slam and this is a big opportunity for him . So then I got to court the place is packed obviously .John, you know what it's like a federer practice session of the Grand Slam is better attended than a lot of matches. And I get on the court and Roger is about to start hitting. But he started just warming up stretching out . And he turns to me. And he goes. Do you just want to do the interview before not after that well you know you don't have to wait around the whole time.
I was like yeah that would probably be better for me. I don't know it's better for you but OK sure. Said OK let's let's do the interview now to a great. So do the interview.
And you know Roger . this is the point is we're taught. And how to ask a good question. Hopefully get a good answer. With Roger. You ask a bad question. You still get a good answer . You ask a good question you get a great answer. It's pretty hard to do a interview with him that is not good. So we do the interview he knocks every single matter and gives more gives insight and justs let you in. And then he's about to practice. So like my crews are getting to roll down, I just went to the sound guy in my channel I just say can you just check it to make sure. I could see the sound guy like old turn pale. Like he lost all color of his face and I just walked over there. I said what's the problem and he said I made a mistake with the mike. I don't know where he just senses that something's wrong and he turned around to me and asked Justin, whats wrong ? I tell him . No problem , let us do it again. Does the whole interview. Again. This is somewhat if you're playing in the the latter out of a Grand Slam to see does the whole interview.
Again. So we all have these stories right. You know how generous he is .
So I an other time I want to go see him at Dubai couple days before Christmas to go over some A.T.P. stuff this with Roger , who was the president of the player council she was for six years and he moves the margins more for the players in the tour than any player ever has by far. He asked me for my arrival details and i thought he was going to organize a car. He comes there him self. So he's just he's just that guy.
Wertheim : All right so how much of this is Roger Federer. How much of this is just you know he he was raised right and he never flip and became that athlete.
Justin : That was my point previously that's I said that's why I said one of his grace legacies. It will be setting the bar that you don't get a pass. And I really believe that's been the case for tennis. I mean not that these other players that came after more great people as well. But I actually really believe. If there's a period of time there and I don't want to name names but certain tennis players. And look I played I know how tough it was to be an average pro. And how much you took out a few that you really need to keep all your physical and emotional reserves to yourself. And Roger show that that wasn't the case. And I believe that he reset the conversation as a result. Now how he is the person he is I think it's a confluence of events. Genetics and of bringing an environment and his parents and his wife and people are. But it sounds ridiculous but I truly believe that if humans world needed to be restarted from scratch , Federer would be a very viable candidate to be the male figure in that process.
I remember one year before the Australian Open it was a quarter finals. I was sitting with him in the restaurant just minutes before and you know that's generally taboo with players. But he invited me over and we're just talking and he has a much more relaxed pre-match routine than most. And it was a handicap child in a wheelchair. That was in the side of the restaurant and on the loudspeakers called Roger Federer Roger Federer, You know report to Rod Laver Arena . So without any fanfare or any attention, He went out of the way and said hello to the kid shook his hand and signed something. And then went to go play the quarter finals of a major championship.
If world need to be restarted, Fed would be very viable candidate to be the male figure !
In this week's episode host Jon Wertheim talks with Justin Gimelstob, a former ATP player and current broadcaster, ATP board member and coach of World No. 11 John Isner. He talks with Wertheim about his various jobs in tennis—and they debate on these roles in tennis and general conflicts of interest in the sport. Gimelstob also talks openly about the 2008 incident that was one of the more regrettable moments of his career, his relationship with Roger Federer, the match-fixing scandal that dominated the conversation at the 2016 Australian Open, what it's like to coach John Isner and more.
What's Roger Federer really like ?
This is a tough one because you start becoming almost like border on hyperbole or unbelievable. And then when you go and tell people that he's even better in person. He spends thirty five minutes in the locker room after he beats Murray in the semifinal the Cincy. He has the final the next day and his four Kids are there. And he spent thirty five minutes talking about A.T.P. matters. Your personal life. You know your son. Like you know my child. And you know. And he's completely engaged. Completely focused on the topic at hand. I mean just. I think he's just unique I think one of the greatest things that he will have done for the sport. Possibly of all time most accomplished for sure of all time. And still be humane and sensitive and generous with your time. And for a while it seemed like and it's understandable because you know how cutthroat tennis is that you almost had to be you know. Closure self off the distractions in order to be a huge star because of how challenging was and how physical it was and how emotional it was but then Federer comes along this shows you that you could be one of the most magnanimous people on the planet. And still be a huge star and that kind of set the bar for the next group. So nobody. And I really believe he set the tone for how to conduct yourself on and off the court for generations to come so I have a zillion anecdotes of
him.
You understand how the T.V. business works now you know how coveted those star interviews are late in the tournaments and how tough. At the French it was a while ago(2009) , And the big interview with some player fell through and Roger had off day after his tough 5 setter against Del potro. And we needed a big interview to fill a gap on one of our live shows. But he'd already done tennish channel and so he was not obligated to do it again. And I ran into him in the press room. In the in that area going up to all the studios in the in the compound area and at the French Open . And then you know Roger was flanked by all of his handlers and everyone he was pretty well cocooned. So. Roger just senses has this sense that you know I I was in this state of stress which isn't that big of a stretch since I generally am. And is adjusting what's going on as a thing going. And then I get the look from everyone and I said what happened. He says I'll take care of it. Don't worry. Meet me at court. Eighteen. I'm practicing from whatever one to three. One to one to twenty thirty do the interview.
This story gets even better. It would be incredible because I believe this was right before going to play maybe the semi's of the French Grand Slam and this is a big opportunity for him . So then I got to court the place is packed obviously .John, you know what it's like a federer practice session of the Grand Slam is better attended than a lot of matches. And I get on the court and Roger is about to start hitting. But he started just warming up stretching out . And he turns to me. And he goes. Do you just want to do the interview before not after that well you know you don't have to wait around the whole time.
I was like yeah that would probably be better for me. I don't know it's better for you but OK sure. Said OK let's let's do the interview now to a great. So do the interview.
And you know Roger . this is the point is we're taught. And how to ask a good question. Hopefully get a good answer. With Roger. You ask a bad question. You still get a good answer . You ask a good question you get a great answer. It's pretty hard to do a interview with him that is not good. So we do the interview he knocks every single matter and gives more gives insight and justs let you in. And then he's about to practice. So like my crews are getting to roll down, I just went to the sound guy in my channel I just say can you just check it to make sure. I could see the sound guy like old turn pale. Like he lost all color of his face and I just walked over there. I said what's the problem and he said I made a mistake with the mike. I don't know where he just senses that something's wrong and he turned around to me and asked Justin, whats wrong ? I tell him . No problem , let us do it again. Does the whole interview. Again. This is somewhat if you're playing in the the latter out of a Grand Slam to see does the whole interview.
Again. So we all have these stories right. You know how generous he is .
So I an other time I want to go see him at Dubai couple days before Christmas to go over some A.T.P. stuff this with Roger , who was the president of the player council she was for six years and he moves the margins more for the players in the tour than any player ever has by far. He asked me for my arrival details and i thought he was going to organize a car. He comes there him self. So he's just he's just that guy.
Wertheim : All right so how much of this is Roger Federer. How much of this is just you know he he was raised right and he never flip and became that athlete.
Justin : That was my point previously that's I said that's why I said one of his grace legacies. It will be setting the bar that you don't get a pass. And I really believe that's been the case for tennis. I mean not that these other players that came after more great people as well. But I actually really believe. If there's a period of time there and I don't want to name names but certain tennis players. And look I played I know how tough it was to be an average pro. And how much you took out a few that you really need to keep all your physical and emotional reserves to yourself. And Roger show that that wasn't the case. And I believe that he reset the conversation as a result. Now how he is the person he is I think it's a confluence of events. Genetics and of bringing an environment and his parents and his wife and people are. But it sounds ridiculous but I truly believe that if humans world needed to be restarted from scratch , Federer would be a very viable candidate to be the male figure in that process.
I remember one year before the Australian Open it was a quarter finals. I was sitting with him in the restaurant just minutes before and you know that's generally taboo with players. But he invited me over and we're just talking and he has a much more relaxed pre-match routine than most. And it was a handicap child in a wheelchair. That was in the side of the restaurant and on the loudspeakers called Roger Federer Roger Federer, You know report to Rod Laver Arena . So without any fanfare or any attention, He went out of the way and said hello to the kid shook his hand and signed something. And then went to go play the quarter finals of a major championship.
