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Source: http://www.laola1.at/128+M59722665055.html
Posted by ************ on April 28, 2009
SARAH
There is an interview with Stefan Koubek
28.04.2009
Interview by Christian Frühwald
“Wife and children won’t burden Roger”
Stefan Koubek is keeping his fingers crossed for Federer at the French Open
Vienna – Last week many tennis fans would have loved to swap places with Stefan Koubek
The 32years old guy from Kärten had the honour to train a whole week with superstar Roger Federer on Sardinia.
As sparring partner the Austrian Daviscupplayer should partake in helping Federer finding his form on clay, in order to start once again a run to get the first French Open title.
“The training was extremely strong”, Koubek tells in an interview with LAOLA1 after his home running from Italy. “It was impressive, how good and how much Roger is training.”
Beside this Koubek is revealing what he can take away from this trainingsweek, why he wasn’t present at the Federer wedding and how he is assessing the chances of Federer in Paris.
LAOLA1: Last week you were allowed to spend a trainingsweek with Roger Federer and his team on Sardinia. How did the training with such a superstar went?
Stefan Koubek: It was really great. The traning was extremely strong and good. I was lucky to be able to work with Roger’s physiotherapist as well, otherwise I don’t know if I would have bore the week. I had lots of fun and was impressed how good and how much he is training. Before I thought he wouldn’t do that much.
LAOLA1: How exactly did the training run?
Koubek: It’s a combination of a lot of things, not just on the court. Before the tennistraining he always did a fitness training. Afterwards he took a massage and so on. It’s a long procedure. To get up early in the morning, training, to loosen. During the lunchbreak we had something to eat and then went back to practicing. One day in the week we had the half day off, but were on court from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Of course there was the fitness training before again.
LAOLA1: Did you practice anything special?
Koubek: We started with drills and played a few points afterwards. At bottom this is nothing diffent which I would usually do in practice. The level is of course totally different and this time I was the sparringspartner. I did all the practices like Roger. It was a common practice of. We both benefit from it.
LAOLA1: How did this whole trainingsweek arise?
Koubek: His coach asked me at the start of the season what I would be doing at this time of the yearand respectively in the summer. He wanted to know whether I would like to practice with Roger. No question I was interested in it. I told him he should say me a date. When I don’t play a tournament at that time I would be available.
LAOLA1: You are a friend of Federer for several years. How is your relationship to him these days?
Koubek: We are still good friends, but of course we didn’t have that much contact in the last years as before because he has a lot of things to do. We still get along really well and had a blast on Sardinia. We always joked in the training.
LAOLA1: You weren’t present at the wedding, right?
Koubek: No, I was already in Southafrica at that time. Roger’s wedding took place in a really small group. Allegro and Chiudinelli were the only tennisplayers who were there. They know each other since their boyhood. .
LAOLA1: Do you think that Federer has changed because of the wedding? Is he more loose or relaxed or do you think it could even have a negative impact?
Koubek: I don’t think his wedding has any impact on his tennis. It will be something different when his child is born. This can go in both directions. I think he is still really motivated and is going to play tennis for a couple of years. He can afford it to take his child with him on the tour. I’m not worried that it will stress him.
LAOLA1: You are on the tour for many years and an experienced player. What can you take with you from such a practice with Roger Federer?
Koubek: You can adopt several things, although there are a couple which would be helpful, but I can’t realise them. For example no “normal” player can afford to have a masseur, a tennis coach, a fitnesscoach and someone to restring the rackets. But you can really adopt many things from Roger, who is the best player in the world for me. His physical state is really impressive. He is moving very well and is extremely fit.
LAOLA1: How do you rate his chances at the French Open this year?
Koubek: Nadal is in a class of it’s own on clay for sure, but Roger can tame him on a good day. The opportunities are there. I wish for Roger that he is going to get the title in Paris. For me he is the best tennisplayer of all time and a victory in Roland Garros would only prove it.
Posted by ************ on April 28, 2009
SARAH
There is an interview with Stefan Koubek
28.04.2009
Interview by Christian Frühwald
“Wife and children won’t burden Roger”
Stefan Koubek is keeping his fingers crossed for Federer at the French Open
Vienna – Last week many tennis fans would have loved to swap places with Stefan Koubek
The 32years old guy from Kärten had the honour to train a whole week with superstar Roger Federer on Sardinia.
As sparring partner the Austrian Daviscupplayer should partake in helping Federer finding his form on clay, in order to start once again a run to get the first French Open title.
“The training was extremely strong”, Koubek tells in an interview with LAOLA1 after his home running from Italy. “It was impressive, how good and how much Roger is training.”
Beside this Koubek is revealing what he can take away from this trainingsweek, why he wasn’t present at the Federer wedding and how he is assessing the chances of Federer in Paris.
LAOLA1: Last week you were allowed to spend a trainingsweek with Roger Federer and his team on Sardinia. How did the training with such a superstar went?
Stefan Koubek: It was really great. The traning was extremely strong and good. I was lucky to be able to work with Roger’s physiotherapist as well, otherwise I don’t know if I would have bore the week. I had lots of fun and was impressed how good and how much he is training. Before I thought he wouldn’t do that much.
LAOLA1: How exactly did the training run?
Koubek: It’s a combination of a lot of things, not just on the court. Before the tennistraining he always did a fitness training. Afterwards he took a massage and so on. It’s a long procedure. To get up early in the morning, training, to loosen. During the lunchbreak we had something to eat and then went back to practicing. One day in the week we had the half day off, but were on court from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Of course there was the fitness training before again.
LAOLA1: Did you practice anything special?
Koubek: We started with drills and played a few points afterwards. At bottom this is nothing diffent which I would usually do in practice. The level is of course totally different and this time I was the sparringspartner. I did all the practices like Roger. It was a common practice of. We both benefit from it.
LAOLA1: How did this whole trainingsweek arise?
Koubek: His coach asked me at the start of the season what I would be doing at this time of the yearand respectively in the summer. He wanted to know whether I would like to practice with Roger. No question I was interested in it. I told him he should say me a date. When I don’t play a tournament at that time I would be available.
LAOLA1: You are a friend of Federer for several years. How is your relationship to him these days?
Koubek: We are still good friends, but of course we didn’t have that much contact in the last years as before because he has a lot of things to do. We still get along really well and had a blast on Sardinia. We always joked in the training.
LAOLA1: You weren’t present at the wedding, right?
Koubek: No, I was already in Southafrica at that time. Roger’s wedding took place in a really small group. Allegro and Chiudinelli were the only tennisplayers who were there. They know each other since their boyhood. .
LAOLA1: Do you think that Federer has changed because of the wedding? Is he more loose or relaxed or do you think it could even have a negative impact?
Koubek: I don’t think his wedding has any impact on his tennis. It will be something different when his child is born. This can go in both directions. I think he is still really motivated and is going to play tennis for a couple of years. He can afford it to take his child with him on the tour. I’m not worried that it will stress him.
LAOLA1: You are on the tour for many years and an experienced player. What can you take with you from such a practice with Roger Federer?
Koubek: You can adopt several things, although there are a couple which would be helpful, but I can’t realise them. For example no “normal” player can afford to have a masseur, a tennis coach, a fitnesscoach and someone to restring the rackets. But you can really adopt many things from Roger, who is the best player in the world for me. His physical state is really impressive. He is moving very well and is extremely fit.
LAOLA1: How do you rate his chances at the French Open this year?
Koubek: Nadal is in a class of it’s own on clay for sure, but Roger can tame him on a good day. The opportunities are there. I wish for Roger that he is going to get the title in Paris. For me he is the best tennisplayer of all time and a victory in Roland Garros would only prove it.
