tennissportsrog
Rookie
There was an interview with Roger in Swiss media today and I thought to translate it:
„I’m playing in Basel, even without agreements”
Roger Federer ends the speculations and declares that he is going to play at the 2013 Swiss Indoors. Under new signs.
Roger Federer is in the middle of a 7 weeks tournamentfree building phase which he spends for most of the time in Switzerland at the Lake Zurich. Yesterday the 31year old #3 in the ranking and record Grand Slam winner made a standpoint and made clear that he is going to play the Swiss Indoors in Basel in autumn, which he has won 5 times already, despite his contract with the tournament has expired.
You are in the middle of a nearly 2 months rest of competition. What are you doing during this time?
First I recovered from the tournaments in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells. I had a short holiday but already after 9 days I started to work again. I didn’t want to do nothing for 3 weeks. I’m in Switzerland now for a while and do fitness training, I also started to play tennis again.
Despite the bad weather? Doesn’t this delay your build-up so short before the clay season?
As I mainly worked on my fitness the weather wasn’t a big problem for me. I played indoors on clay and 2 times on HC. I’m happy that the weather gets warmer at the weekend because then I can start to practice hard outside. Within the next weeks the practice is going to get more intense. It would be important that I get good practice conditions 2 weeks before the tournament in Madrid. It would be nice if the weather keeps up.
Do you stay in Switzerland until the start of the clay season and will let sparringspartners fly in just like in the last years?
Exactly. Severin (Lüthi) is in contact with several players who could come. I’m pleased that I can have this preparation in Switzerland. Later on Paul (Annacone) will be here as well, at the stage in which I’m going to play tennis for 4, 5 hours a day and don’t work on the fitness anymore.
You haven’t been in Switzerland for that many weeks for a very long time. Do you enjoy this?
Absolutely. I missed Switzerland in the last years. It is great to play in the nature with the little ones and to be here with friends and family and to work on things. I could come down a bit from the stressful daily routine on the tour and to find back to normality. 2012 was extremely stressful due to the Olympic Games. I really enjoyed the last weeks even though the weather was bad.
Another open question is if you are going to play in Basel in autumn after your contract has run out.
For me it was always sure: I’m also going to play the Swiss Indoors in 2013. I haven’t commentated on it yet but now the moment has arrived. I have always played in Basel during all those years when I wasn’t injured. Everyone knows how much the tournament means to me and that is still the case. I was a ballboy there, played once in the qualification and got to play as a junior against Andre Agassi. I experienced many unforgettable moments in this unique atmosphere with the great fans and I’m extremely happy that I can experience it again this year.
So there has been made an agreement in the meantime between the Swiss Indoors and you?
No, but it wasn’t necessary. I can play in Basel without any contracts or agreements when I want to and that’s want I want. It is always very special to play in front of a home crowd when you are on the tour the whole year. I don’t want to miss this chance.
There were many discussions about the negotiations between you and tournament director Roger Brennwald. Rumours and speculations and there was the talk of many money. And now you just play?
I don’t really want to say anything more to it because it could be mistaken again. I have never said that I won’t play in Basel. Now I just try to simplifiy this complicated issue.
Does it mean that you are going to skip Paris-Bercy again then?
I have often missed tournaments due to the Swiss Indoors, so it’s nothing new. I love to to to Asia or Paris but you have to set priorities and Basel has always been one of my priorities.
.
„I’m playing in Basel, even without agreements”
Roger Federer ends the speculations and declares that he is going to play at the 2013 Swiss Indoors. Under new signs.
Roger Federer is in the middle of a 7 weeks tournamentfree building phase which he spends for most of the time in Switzerland at the Lake Zurich. Yesterday the 31year old #3 in the ranking and record Grand Slam winner made a standpoint and made clear that he is going to play the Swiss Indoors in Basel in autumn, which he has won 5 times already, despite his contract with the tournament has expired.
You are in the middle of a nearly 2 months rest of competition. What are you doing during this time?
First I recovered from the tournaments in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells. I had a short holiday but already after 9 days I started to work again. I didn’t want to do nothing for 3 weeks. I’m in Switzerland now for a while and do fitness training, I also started to play tennis again.
Despite the bad weather? Doesn’t this delay your build-up so short before the clay season?
As I mainly worked on my fitness the weather wasn’t a big problem for me. I played indoors on clay and 2 times on HC. I’m happy that the weather gets warmer at the weekend because then I can start to practice hard outside. Within the next weeks the practice is going to get more intense. It would be important that I get good practice conditions 2 weeks before the tournament in Madrid. It would be nice if the weather keeps up.
Do you stay in Switzerland until the start of the clay season and will let sparringspartners fly in just like in the last years?
Exactly. Severin (Lüthi) is in contact with several players who could come. I’m pleased that I can have this preparation in Switzerland. Later on Paul (Annacone) will be here as well, at the stage in which I’m going to play tennis for 4, 5 hours a day and don’t work on the fitness anymore.
You haven’t been in Switzerland for that many weeks for a very long time. Do you enjoy this?
Absolutely. I missed Switzerland in the last years. It is great to play in the nature with the little ones and to be here with friends and family and to work on things. I could come down a bit from the stressful daily routine on the tour and to find back to normality. 2012 was extremely stressful due to the Olympic Games. I really enjoyed the last weeks even though the weather was bad.
Another open question is if you are going to play in Basel in autumn after your contract has run out.
For me it was always sure: I’m also going to play the Swiss Indoors in 2013. I haven’t commentated on it yet but now the moment has arrived. I have always played in Basel during all those years when I wasn’t injured. Everyone knows how much the tournament means to me and that is still the case. I was a ballboy there, played once in the qualification and got to play as a junior against Andre Agassi. I experienced many unforgettable moments in this unique atmosphere with the great fans and I’m extremely happy that I can experience it again this year.
So there has been made an agreement in the meantime between the Swiss Indoors and you?
No, but it wasn’t necessary. I can play in Basel without any contracts or agreements when I want to and that’s want I want. It is always very special to play in front of a home crowd when you are on the tour the whole year. I don’t want to miss this chance.
There were many discussions about the negotiations between you and tournament director Roger Brennwald. Rumours and speculations and there was the talk of many money. And now you just play?
I don’t really want to say anything more to it because it could be mistaken again. I have never said that I won’t play in Basel. Now I just try to simplifiy this complicated issue.
Does it mean that you are going to skip Paris-Bercy again then?
I have often missed tournaments due to the Swiss Indoors, so it’s nothing new. I love to to to Asia or Paris but you have to set priorities and Basel has always been one of my priorities.
.
