Q. How can you explain the beginning of that match today? Were you not able to hit on center court before your match?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I didn*t hit on center court. I could have done that at 9:00 in the morning. It*s not that early, but still, I had traveled on Monday, Tuesday, and I needed to sleep in a little bit.
So, yes, indeed it was difficult to adapt. Jeremy was hitting hard. He played well. It was because of him I was down rather than because of my own level. He played well.
But I*m happy I pulled it out. I thought I might lose that first set. I wouldn*t be allowed to make any mistakes and he would start hitting even harder. Fortunately I was able to win that first set. It calmed him down a little.
I could have won it in two maybe after that, but it was fair that we played a third set. He was playing so well.
Q. You are going to play Lucas Pouille. Do you know him?
ROGER FEDERER: Yes, I practiced with him once in Australia I think it was, or elsewhere maybe.
But I saw him play a little. I saw the end of his match against Fognini.
Q. What do you think of his potential?
ROGER FEDERER: I can*t tell you now. I have to play that match first, because I don*t know him that well. I think if I play a match against him I will have more information. But he has a beautiful technique, like all French players. He knows how to do everything. He knows how to serve. He knows how to go to the net.
There is a good tennis school here in France, and you can see it in his game, too. But now we*ll see his strength and weaknesses in the match.
Q. We are three weeks away from Davis Cup now. What is the atmosphere with the French players? Are you joking together when you see them? What happens?
ROGER FEDERER: I didn*t see them a lot. They didn*t play last week, and here it*s the first time I have come on‑site. I just prepared for my match. I didn*t see them a lot. I didn*t see Gaël. I didn*t see Jo yet. We didn*t talk much with Benneteau.
I didn*t have time. I needed to prepare. Maybe tomorrow we*ll have more time. And anyway, today it was quite calm. Just because I didn*t see them, well, that*s it.
Q. Before coming here in Paris you were in Basel at home, and soon you*re going to be again with your co‑citizens in Davis Cup. You are the Swiss citizen that is the most famous in the world. How does it feel to represent Switzerland? Do you have obligations because of that? You have to give an image of your country?
ROGER FEDERER: I try to represent Switzerland as best as I can. Well, you know, when I*m on the court, there is a Swiss flag. I*m Swiss. So I try to represent my country well if I can. I*m very proud to be Swiss. I grew up there. I went to school there. I learned to play tennis there.
But I know I*m just a tennis player, too. Of course I*m famous. People like me. But I*m just an athlete, a tennis player. I know that can create emotions, but I*m not more than that.
I think it*s good to be able to motivate people and inspire people so they will play tennis. This is the way I see it. I*m happy I have a good relationship with Switzerland, with the fans, with people. They like to see me. They like to support me. It*s good. It feels good.
Q. But you also have a good relationship with France. They will be the opponents for Davis Cup. We couldn*t find anybody criticizing you. It isn*t normal?
ROGER FEDERER: How do you want me to answer that? I always had a good relationship with all the players. I traveled in France a lot when I was younger. I was a junior then, and I learned how to speak French when I was 14 years old, when I was in the French‑speaking part of Switzerland.
So I was able to talk with most of them, and I practiced a lot with them, too, because of that. You know, there are always groups forming. You know, I speak a bit of German, a bit of English, a bit of French. There are many people I can practice with thanks to that. I can*t practice so much with the Spanish‑speaking players.
So anyway, I was always welcomed in France and never had in problems. We had nice encounters in the past, and I*m happy that France is in the final. I think Davis Cup in France is something very important, which is not the case for some other countries.
So I*m extremely happy and looking forward to this weekend in Lille where I won my first tournament when I was 16.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
ROGER FEDERER: No, I didn*t hit on center court. I could have done that at 9:00 in the morning. It*s not that early, but still, I had traveled on Monday, Tuesday, and I needed to sleep in a little bit.
So, yes, indeed it was difficult to adapt. Jeremy was hitting hard. He played well. It was because of him I was down rather than because of my own level. He played well.
But I*m happy I pulled it out. I thought I might lose that first set. I wouldn*t be allowed to make any mistakes and he would start hitting even harder. Fortunately I was able to win that first set. It calmed him down a little.
I could have won it in two maybe after that, but it was fair that we played a third set. He was playing so well.
Q. You are going to play Lucas Pouille. Do you know him?
ROGER FEDERER: Yes, I practiced with him once in Australia I think it was, or elsewhere maybe.
But I saw him play a little. I saw the end of his match against Fognini.
Q. What do you think of his potential?
ROGER FEDERER: I can*t tell you now. I have to play that match first, because I don*t know him that well. I think if I play a match against him I will have more information. But he has a beautiful technique, like all French players. He knows how to do everything. He knows how to serve. He knows how to go to the net.
There is a good tennis school here in France, and you can see it in his game, too. But now we*ll see his strength and weaknesses in the match.
Q. We are three weeks away from Davis Cup now. What is the atmosphere with the French players? Are you joking together when you see them? What happens?
ROGER FEDERER: I didn*t see them a lot. They didn*t play last week, and here it*s the first time I have come on‑site. I just prepared for my match. I didn*t see them a lot. I didn*t see Gaël. I didn*t see Jo yet. We didn*t talk much with Benneteau.
I didn*t have time. I needed to prepare. Maybe tomorrow we*ll have more time. And anyway, today it was quite calm. Just because I didn*t see them, well, that*s it.
Q. Before coming here in Paris you were in Basel at home, and soon you*re going to be again with your co‑citizens in Davis Cup. You are the Swiss citizen that is the most famous in the world. How does it feel to represent Switzerland? Do you have obligations because of that? You have to give an image of your country?
ROGER FEDERER: I try to represent Switzerland as best as I can. Well, you know, when I*m on the court, there is a Swiss flag. I*m Swiss. So I try to represent my country well if I can. I*m very proud to be Swiss. I grew up there. I went to school there. I learned to play tennis there.
But I know I*m just a tennis player, too. Of course I*m famous. People like me. But I*m just an athlete, a tennis player. I know that can create emotions, but I*m not more than that.
I think it*s good to be able to motivate people and inspire people so they will play tennis. This is the way I see it. I*m happy I have a good relationship with Switzerland, with the fans, with people. They like to see me. They like to support me. It*s good. It feels good.
Q. But you also have a good relationship with France. They will be the opponents for Davis Cup. We couldn*t find anybody criticizing you. It isn*t normal?
ROGER FEDERER: How do you want me to answer that? I always had a good relationship with all the players. I traveled in France a lot when I was younger. I was a junior then, and I learned how to speak French when I was 14 years old, when I was in the French‑speaking part of Switzerland.
So I was able to talk with most of them, and I practiced a lot with them, too, because of that. You know, there are always groups forming. You know, I speak a bit of German, a bit of English, a bit of French. There are many people I can practice with thanks to that. I can*t practice so much with the Spanish‑speaking players.
So anyway, I was always welcomed in France and never had in problems. We had nice encounters in the past, and I*m happy that France is in the final. I think Davis Cup in France is something very important, which is not the case for some other countries.
So I*m extremely happy and looking forward to this weekend in Lille where I won my first tournament when I was 16.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
