Thought I'd have some fun citing some random (sometimes odd) stuff from Press Conferences. You can find transcripts at http://www.asapsports.com
For now, posting some of the stuff from the Federer and Roddick press conferences. Wish the Fed conference was longer, but even then, he doesn't get as many weird questions as Andy seems to attract.
Side Note: Imagine how much more fun this could be if Marat was here
Digging up old Safin interviews is usually pretty fun, btw.
Excerpts from November 12th, 2006
*A discussion of Roger no longer panicking on the court turns into a talk on... Sigmund Freud?! (the question comes far enough from left field that I can't blame Roger for his response)*
Q. How did you change that to your benefit? How did you learn not to panic? Was it just getting the experience?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I guess just losing, winning a lot of matches, just playing against all sorts of different players. You always have the fast runners, the big servers, the serve-and-volleyers, the aggressive baseliners, the counterpunchers. I think at the beginning of your career all you're really trying to get is a feel for how to play each and every one of them. It's obvious that you like one style of play. But to beat all the different styles, I think that's the hard part.
That's obviously what we have in my group, for instance. We have David who's a great counterpuncher, an incredibly good baseliner. Then you have the big servers. So you have to overcome all these different obstacles if you want to be a great player.
It took me a long time, but eventually I got ahold of myself and ahold of their games. It turned out to be a great career.
Q. The experience comes from yourself or some experts like Dr. Freud?
ROGER FEDERER: Don't know him. Who is he?
Q. He was an expert from psychology.
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know.
Q. He was a Swiss, too.
ROGER FEDERER: Is that right? Nope, never needed him.
But, yeah, I overcome it myself because I had enough friends and family telling me I should take it easy and whatever. Eventually, you know, I calmed down, started to play well, and started to learn, you know. Obviously got the belief, once I won Wimbledon in '03, that I can maybe win more on a consistent basis, you know? So I think that was the right moment for me to win Wimbledon.
...
*A not so quick question from Chang and a not so quick answer as well*
Q. (Posed by Michael Chang) Quick question for you. With the schedule the way that it is now on the ATP Tour, obviously will all the top players, it plays a very, very important role as far as being healthy. That's one of the things that has really been very good for you, to be able to go out, play tennis, be healthy. How is it you find to be able to balance time to work hard, taking time to rest and relax, and take time to regroup from let's say this year and then in the Australian Open already starting in January, how are you able to find that balance?
ROGER FEDERER: No, for me, obviously the last let's say two, three years, have been very different to the ones I had before. I always used to play around 25 to 30 tournaments. Now I only play around 20 tournaments. I even played less probably the last couple years because of injury in the fall.
I always, you know, take a lot of good care, you know, with my coach, with my condition trainer, and obviously also with my girlfriend because she's seen me around also for a long time. We always sit down together and think what is the best player.
I always try to enter a minimum of tournaments, and if it goes bad I can always play more. I hate pulling out. So I'd rather just hope for the best to happen, and otherwise I can always get a wildcard anywhere I want, you know.
Obviously with a year like this, it's always I'm on the edge of vacation, of preparation, and everything. So I'm really happy that nothing happened with injury this season because it's really one of the first seasons I've had without any problems at all. That gives me great hope also for next year.
I was extremely careful especially in the fall that nothing happens again in terms of warming up, you know, taking treatment, getting early to tournaments. I was again the first to arrive here. I just believe that by doing this, you know, it gives me a better chance of doing well at tournaments.
...
*Asking Andy if he plans to hit aces... and a quick scouting report for the Fed match (remember that this conference was after the Ljubicic match)*
Q. You've got a lot of aces. This is your strong point. Do you plan to play more aces in the following match?
ANDY RODDICK: I wish that was under my control where I could just decide when I wanted to hit aces and when I didn't. That would be a lot more fun for me if I had that choice going in.
But I hope so.
Q. You had 20 aces in the game. You came to the net 60 times. Are you trying to play serve and volley?
ANDY RODDICK: What gave it away (smiling)?
Q. Serve and volley.
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I know. I understand (smiling).
Yeah, you answered your own question there. I went in 60 times. It would probably be tough for me to convince you that I wasn't trying to serve and volley, right?
It's definitely something that I wanted to try against Ivan because he's pretty good at -- I didn't want him to get comfortable trying to block the returns back in the court and get back into baseline rallies. I felt like I took that aspect of his game away today with the serve-and-volley play.
Q. Are you going to serve and volley against Roger?
ANDY RODDICK: Okay, like he needs to know any more information, I mean... (smiling)
...
*Tiebreaks like Fed...*
Q. Tonight you only got some problem in the tiebreak. So what make you not so consistent and invincible like Federer in the tiebreak?
ANDY RODDICK: I remember you from the other day. You're the most positive reporter I've ever met in my life (laughter).
You know, I think we have to give Ivan credit there, you know. I had breakpoints in the second set and I had a matchpoint or two there, and he came up with big serves every time.
If I'm not mistaken, Roger lost a set today, as well.
...
*What what what?!*
Q. My coach showed up here. Did you see him? (Michael Chang). Have you actually seen him? Do you feel the pressure from the No. 1 player in the world, Michael Chang?
ANDY RODDICK: I didn't know he was here. I haven't seen him. I haven't seen him yet.
...
*Roddick and Davydenko*
Q. Nikolay Davydenko said he thought you would rather like a home state guy because you have a better record on U.S. soil.
ANDY RODDICK: Who said this?
Q. Nikolay Davydenko said it, that you're going to be better in your home state because you have better records on your U.S. soil.
ANDY RODDICK: I'm a home state guy who's beaten him every time we played on U.S. soil and off U.S. soil. Lucky for me, we play a lot in the U.S. I guess.
...
*The lucky cap?*
Q. We sorry you changed your cap from black to white. Is white your lucky color or something that the cap is meaning something to you?
ANDY RODDICK: No, not really. It was just a little loose in the back, so I changed it.
...
*Maybe Andy focuses too much on tennis to notice he's in Shanghai
*
Q. What do you actually think about the fan reaction to you here and how you seem to be going down with the Chinese population?
ANDY RODDICK: Oh, I don't know. I don't really -- I don't know.
Q. It's been quite dramatic outside the place yesterday, inside here today. Sort of rock star-ish appreciation.
ANDY RODDICK: I don't know about that. I don't know. I mean, I kind of -- I was excited to come over here and interact with the people here. I haven't been here before. And, uhm, you know, I've had a good time. You know, I'm enjoying everything. I'm enjoying playing on the court. I'm enjoying experiencing the culture, as well. You know, it's definitely -- I'm definitely having a great time since I've been here in China.
...
*Musical chairs...*
Q. Did you ever before miss a chair in a changeover?
ANDY RODDICK: (Laughing).
Q. What was Ivan's reaction when he saw you sitting there?
ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. He should have told me to get out of his chair. But, you know, the thing, I'd been sitting in that chair every day during practice, and so I think it was just habit to kind of migrate towards that chair. I didn't notice until Ivan sat down next to me and then I figured I should probably go to my own chair.
But I don't think I've ever done that before.
...
*Lucky colors, logos, and bracelets...*
Q. Today you chose red for your shirt. As you know, in China, so many people are in love with crocodiles. Also I notice there's a blue bracelet around your wrist, as Ivan did. What's the meaning behind all this red shirt and blue bracelet?
ANDY RODDICK: Well, the red shirt, it was laundry day so I didn't have anything else. The blue bracelet, I run a charitable foundation for kids. It's been on my wrist for over two years and I haven't taken it off. It definitely wasn't just for today.
For now, posting some of the stuff from the Federer and Roddick press conferences. Wish the Fed conference was longer, but even then, he doesn't get as many weird questions as Andy seems to attract.
Side Note: Imagine how much more fun this could be if Marat was here
Digging up old Safin interviews is usually pretty fun, btw.Excerpts from November 12th, 2006
*A discussion of Roger no longer panicking on the court turns into a talk on... Sigmund Freud?! (the question comes far enough from left field that I can't blame Roger for his response)*
Q. How did you change that to your benefit? How did you learn not to panic? Was it just getting the experience?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I guess just losing, winning a lot of matches, just playing against all sorts of different players. You always have the fast runners, the big servers, the serve-and-volleyers, the aggressive baseliners, the counterpunchers. I think at the beginning of your career all you're really trying to get is a feel for how to play each and every one of them. It's obvious that you like one style of play. But to beat all the different styles, I think that's the hard part.
That's obviously what we have in my group, for instance. We have David who's a great counterpuncher, an incredibly good baseliner. Then you have the big servers. So you have to overcome all these different obstacles if you want to be a great player.
It took me a long time, but eventually I got ahold of myself and ahold of their games. It turned out to be a great career.
Q. The experience comes from yourself or some experts like Dr. Freud?
ROGER FEDERER: Don't know him. Who is he?
Q. He was an expert from psychology.
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know.
Q. He was a Swiss, too.
ROGER FEDERER: Is that right? Nope, never needed him.
But, yeah, I overcome it myself because I had enough friends and family telling me I should take it easy and whatever. Eventually, you know, I calmed down, started to play well, and started to learn, you know. Obviously got the belief, once I won Wimbledon in '03, that I can maybe win more on a consistent basis, you know? So I think that was the right moment for me to win Wimbledon.
...
*A not so quick question from Chang and a not so quick answer as well*
Q. (Posed by Michael Chang) Quick question for you. With the schedule the way that it is now on the ATP Tour, obviously will all the top players, it plays a very, very important role as far as being healthy. That's one of the things that has really been very good for you, to be able to go out, play tennis, be healthy. How is it you find to be able to balance time to work hard, taking time to rest and relax, and take time to regroup from let's say this year and then in the Australian Open already starting in January, how are you able to find that balance?
ROGER FEDERER: No, for me, obviously the last let's say two, three years, have been very different to the ones I had before. I always used to play around 25 to 30 tournaments. Now I only play around 20 tournaments. I even played less probably the last couple years because of injury in the fall.
I always, you know, take a lot of good care, you know, with my coach, with my condition trainer, and obviously also with my girlfriend because she's seen me around also for a long time. We always sit down together and think what is the best player.
I always try to enter a minimum of tournaments, and if it goes bad I can always play more. I hate pulling out. So I'd rather just hope for the best to happen, and otherwise I can always get a wildcard anywhere I want, you know.
Obviously with a year like this, it's always I'm on the edge of vacation, of preparation, and everything. So I'm really happy that nothing happened with injury this season because it's really one of the first seasons I've had without any problems at all. That gives me great hope also for next year.
I was extremely careful especially in the fall that nothing happens again in terms of warming up, you know, taking treatment, getting early to tournaments. I was again the first to arrive here. I just believe that by doing this, you know, it gives me a better chance of doing well at tournaments.
...
*Asking Andy if he plans to hit aces... and a quick scouting report for the Fed match (remember that this conference was after the Ljubicic match)*
Q. You've got a lot of aces. This is your strong point. Do you plan to play more aces in the following match?
ANDY RODDICK: I wish that was under my control where I could just decide when I wanted to hit aces and when I didn't. That would be a lot more fun for me if I had that choice going in.
But I hope so.
Q. You had 20 aces in the game. You came to the net 60 times. Are you trying to play serve and volley?
ANDY RODDICK: What gave it away (smiling)?
Q. Serve and volley.
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I know. I understand (smiling).
Yeah, you answered your own question there. I went in 60 times. It would probably be tough for me to convince you that I wasn't trying to serve and volley, right?
It's definitely something that I wanted to try against Ivan because he's pretty good at -- I didn't want him to get comfortable trying to block the returns back in the court and get back into baseline rallies. I felt like I took that aspect of his game away today with the serve-and-volley play.
Q. Are you going to serve and volley against Roger?
ANDY RODDICK: Okay, like he needs to know any more information, I mean... (smiling)
...
*Tiebreaks like Fed...*
Q. Tonight you only got some problem in the tiebreak. So what make you not so consistent and invincible like Federer in the tiebreak?
ANDY RODDICK: I remember you from the other day. You're the most positive reporter I've ever met in my life (laughter).
You know, I think we have to give Ivan credit there, you know. I had breakpoints in the second set and I had a matchpoint or two there, and he came up with big serves every time.
If I'm not mistaken, Roger lost a set today, as well.
...
*What what what?!*
Q. My coach showed up here. Did you see him? (Michael Chang). Have you actually seen him? Do you feel the pressure from the No. 1 player in the world, Michael Chang?
ANDY RODDICK: I didn't know he was here. I haven't seen him. I haven't seen him yet.
...
*Roddick and Davydenko*
Q. Nikolay Davydenko said he thought you would rather like a home state guy because you have a better record on U.S. soil.
ANDY RODDICK: Who said this?
Q. Nikolay Davydenko said it, that you're going to be better in your home state because you have better records on your U.S. soil.
ANDY RODDICK: I'm a home state guy who's beaten him every time we played on U.S. soil and off U.S. soil. Lucky for me, we play a lot in the U.S. I guess.
...
*The lucky cap?*
Q. We sorry you changed your cap from black to white. Is white your lucky color or something that the cap is meaning something to you?
ANDY RODDICK: No, not really. It was just a little loose in the back, so I changed it.
...
*Maybe Andy focuses too much on tennis to notice he's in Shanghai
*Q. What do you actually think about the fan reaction to you here and how you seem to be going down with the Chinese population?
ANDY RODDICK: Oh, I don't know. I don't really -- I don't know.
Q. It's been quite dramatic outside the place yesterday, inside here today. Sort of rock star-ish appreciation.
ANDY RODDICK: I don't know about that. I don't know. I mean, I kind of -- I was excited to come over here and interact with the people here. I haven't been here before. And, uhm, you know, I've had a good time. You know, I'm enjoying everything. I'm enjoying playing on the court. I'm enjoying experiencing the culture, as well. You know, it's definitely -- I'm definitely having a great time since I've been here in China.
...
*Musical chairs...*
Q. Did you ever before miss a chair in a changeover?
ANDY RODDICK: (Laughing).
Q. What was Ivan's reaction when he saw you sitting there?
ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. He should have told me to get out of his chair. But, you know, the thing, I'd been sitting in that chair every day during practice, and so I think it was just habit to kind of migrate towards that chair. I didn't notice until Ivan sat down next to me and then I figured I should probably go to my own chair.
But I don't think I've ever done that before.
...
*Lucky colors, logos, and bracelets...*
Q. Today you chose red for your shirt. As you know, in China, so many people are in love with crocodiles. Also I notice there's a blue bracelet around your wrist, as Ivan did. What's the meaning behind all this red shirt and blue bracelet?
ANDY RODDICK: Well, the red shirt, it was laundry day so I didn't have anything else. The blue bracelet, I run a charitable foundation for kids. It's been on my wrist for over two years and I haven't taken it off. It definitely wasn't just for today.
