Roland Garros June 5 2011 - Rafael Nadal

R. NADAL/R. Federer

           

7‑5, 7‑6, 5‑7, 6‑1

           

           

RAFAEL NADAL

            Q.  Congratulations.  First of all, we are used to clapping the winner in the press room.

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Thank you.

            Q.  Can you tell us what changed in Nadal during this tournament?  Because just few days ago you say if, I play like this, I cannot win the tournament.  You won it and you deserve it.

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, I think sometimes can happen this way; sometimes not.  But what I said one week ago is I am going to put everything to try to change the situation, to try to play better, and that's what I did.

            I try my best in every moment with the right attitude all the time, so finally I was able to play my best when I needed my best.

            So for that reason, today I am here with the trophy.  Very happy for that.  It's a big personal satisfaction to win this tournament, especially when you started without playing your best.

            My mind was open to change the situation, so that makes the victory probably more special ‑‑ if it's possible be more special, because win Roland Garros is always ‑‑ you can't win something more special, no?  It's the highest level of tournaments in the tennis world.

            So in general, very, very happy for everything.

            Q.  You always say that this tournament is the most important for you for the season.  Why is that?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, always is the tournament where I feel that I have more chances to win ‑‑  if we talk about the Grand Slams.  So this is my biggest chance of the year.  If I win this tournament, I know my year is fantastic.

            You are able to play with less pressure the rest of the season; you are able to keep playing with the same attitude, with the same positive attitude playing every day, but with less pressure than before and with better confidence than before.

            So win this title always was very important every season.  For me, when I won here, I always had a successful season.  So in general, this probably the most important tournament of the year for me.

            Q.  Can you talk about maybe how tough it was today and what was the key to succeed today?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  To win?

            Q.  Yeah, against Roger.

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, Roger, I think, played a fantastic tournament, in my opinion.  His level was very high during both weeks; semifinals match was very, very high level.

            Today I think he did well.  He was a little bit unlucky at the first set, and after that, he came back fantastically well in the second.  In the third I had 4‑2, but seriously, I think he played very, very good from that moment to the beginning of the fourth.

            So when Roger plays like this, the opponent has nothing to do sometimes.  I just waited my moment, tried to be there all the time, tried to put him in not easy situations all the time.  And save the Love‑40 of the first game of the fourth was very important for me, no?

            That was a big turning point of the match, in my opinion.  I think Roger did well; I think Roger played well, played good match.  It's true my style is a little bit different than Djokovic style for him.  I let him play higher than Novak, so for him sometimes it's more difficult to go inside and to hit the ball in perfect conditions all the time.

            But in my opinion, today it was very hard, because sometimes ‑‑ a lot of times in the past when I serve against his backhand I was able to start the point under control.  Not today.  I think he returned very well with the backhand, better than ever in this tournament.  So that was a big problem for me.

            Q.  Your focus has been very intense since the start of this tournament, perhaps more than any of us have seen here.  Is that because you came in here perhaps a little hurt by your losses to Djokovic in Madrid and Rome and you were very, very desperate to win this title?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  No.  I think I came here probably with a little bit less confident than other times for that reason, because I saw him playing fantastic.  Even if I was there and I was happy about my match in Rome, was hard to lose another time.  Lose four finals in a row is not easy.

            My feeling was I am having a fantastic year, because was six straight finals when I was healthy.  Before I had problems in Doha and Australia, so when I was healthy, I was every time in the final.

            Normally I have a good record in finals.  This year I only had the chance to win two.  Even if I had very good chance ins Indian Wells and Miami to win the finals, I didn't.

            So that was hard for me mentally probably.  For that reason, I started the tournament a little bit less confident than other times.

            Q.  Rafa, in the beginning, after Federer had won against Djokovic in that great match and he led 5‑2 and he was playing some of his best, did that really make you think, What is this?  This is not one of our regular finals here.  Were you more scared for the match at that point than any other final?  And the second thing is, when we look at the match, you have been very like letting Roger lead the game.  He makes mistakes or he makes points.  Did you think he would win on percentage overall?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  I think was tough to say that, because with the 5‑2 wasn't an easy moment for me.  But 2006 I lost 6‑1 the first set, so worse than 2006 wasn't.  I know the first set was important.  Always is important set for me, the first one.

            But even if I lost that set, you know, on clay the matches are long, and it's not easy to play all the time at your best and play aggressive and play with no mistakes.

            Roger was doing that very well in the beginning.  I say before, I was lucky with the 5‑2 and with the 5‑3.  After that, I think I played very good tennis for the next two sets.

            Q.  Last week you came in and were very honest and open about not feeling confident.  Now, can you tell us what it is that was able to change your state of mind and make you more confident?  Was there something in the match with Soderling or before or after where you suddenly were able to turn the switch on on your confidence?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Seriously, I was practicing not that bad, so that's a point that give my confidence.  But what I didn't understand very well is when I go on court and play match, I am playing with too nervous, too anxious.

            For that reason, I wasn't able to play the same in practice than during the match.  But when you feel that you can play good in practice, you know, the feeling of play well is not that far.  So that's give me confidence at the same time.

            You know, you arrive to quarterfinals and you play against Soderling; you know you have a tough match.  You know if you don't play well, you go home.  You have to do it, and I did, so...

            Q.  Is it a mystery how it comes and goes even for you, the confidence?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, it's not a mystery, no, because sometimes happen like this.  You are not playing that well, but when the opponent let you play at your best, you are ready to do it.

            If I was practicing well, I had a good chances to do it in the match when the opponent give me ‑‑ let me play at this level, no?

            It's true, from the first round I wasn't able to play this level.  Second round neither.  But after that, I think third round, fourth round, I had to play much better than what I did, because the level start there in the practice.

            So I didn't probably because the opponent wasn't ‑‑ they don't give me (through translation) T hey didn't demand that level.

            Even for the match of Soderling I wasn't confident, but I was on court.  I was able to play, focus, and to start to play my tennis on clay.  I finished the tournament playing very high level of play for me.

            Q.  Is it possible for you to compare how satisfied you are with today's win compared to some of your other titles?  Seems like a massive achievement for you.

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, every title is ‑‑ always this kind of title is very satisfying.  It's difficult to say this one, I am not satisfied with this one, because to win a tournament like this you have to be playing really well.

            But sometimes when you fight a lot to win, when you try your best in every moment to change the situation, it makes the title more special.  For example, in 2008 I think I played better than ever, but I finished the tournament and, you know, I didn't feel that I won Roland Garros because I won in three sets.  Not that difficult fourth round, quarterfinals, semifinals, with not many tough moments.

            Playing fantastic tennis, but every tournament is very special.  But when you come back after not easy situation, makes the tournaments and the victories more special for sure.

            Q.  Well done.

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Thank you.

            Q.  You said to win Roland Garros is fantastic.  You now will have less pressure on you for the whole year.  Now that you have won, do you feel relieved?  Do you feel younger than 25?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  No, I feel 25.  I am happy with 25.  I don't want to go back four or three years, because I don't know if I am ready to do what I did another time.

            So, no, I am happy.  All the victories makes me happy, but not the victory is what makes me happy.  What makes me happy is what I had to do before to have a victory like this.

            So a lot of hours of practice, a lot of moments with high intensity, with positive attitude.  When things are not going well, keep progressing with the same attitude.  That's what makes me happy; that's what makes me feel very satisfied with myself.

            Not have this title for sure ‑‑ this title is very important for me and for everybody, I think, but what makes me feel very happy is all the work what I did to be here and to win the title another time.

            Q.  You said before that you weren't confident coming here.  How do you feel going into Wimbledon?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, before Queen's, so not Wimbledon.  Now I have to work a little bit on grass.  You know, is always a big change.  Even if I had success on grass last years, for me is a big change all the time.

            So I have to adapt my game another time and try to remember what I did well on grass, why I played well on grass, what I have to do to have the same feeling another time there.

            That's hours and hours on grass court.  So I going to start tomorrow a little bit.  Play doubles hopefully Tuesday, and Wednesday start the singles.  After winning a title like this, you go there with a different attitude, with very positive confidence.

            So for me, win here makes me play Queen's and Wimbledon with less pressure.  Not for that with less allusion or less motivation.

            Q.  Congratulations.  You equal Bjorn Borg's record of six here.  What does that mean to you?  I spoke with Jim Courier, and he thinks that maybe your six are more impressive because of the level of competition you faced in getting them.

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, for me it's something very special equal the six titles of Bjorn, for sure.  But for me, the most important thing is win Roland Garros, no?  It's really honor to have this record with him.  I going to keep working to be here next year and to try to play well another time.

            But today is a day to enjoy this title, because is very difficult win this title.  Six times are a lot.  So seriously, it's a real honor, the comparison with Bjorn.

            THE MODERATOR:  Questions in Spanish, please.

            Q.  Rafa, can you tell us about the final and about the tournament in a few words, how you raised your level of game and how this process took place?  And likewise, when was the real Rafa back?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, the real Rafa is both the Rafa who wins and the Rafa who plays well and the Rafa who suffers and doesn't play that well.

            You have to face this situation.  You also have a Rafa that plays very well and wins.  These two Rafas are real Rafas.  The most positive thing is that I was capable of reversing situations and keeping a good attitude in order to reverse the situation.

            I prepared, I practiced, I focused, and motivated myself thinking things would change.  Even though sometimes things were not very good for me, I knew that at the end of the day things would turn out right for me.

            So I had this positive attitude that was sufficient to change the situation, especially during the first week.

            Today's match, likewise, I mean, I started slowly.  He was very aggressive and it was very difficult.

            Q.  I have two questions:  First, when you reached the fourth set after losing the third, we saw that you had a slight injury and you recovered.  How did you manage to come back?  Second question, how do you feel after winning this tournament?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  When the third set was over, the only thing I felt is that this is going to be a very complicated match, because he played at a very high level and I had to find a way to win.

            When Roger plays at this level, the only thing we can do is observe and wait because he's fantastic.  So you need to wait with a good attitude, to be ready, and take all opportunities.

            At one stage, I thought he was playing better than me.  I was down Love‑40.  I knew I could come back.  This was a key game in the match.  I was thinking, Well, he plays very well.  At the moment, he plays better than me.

            But you have to keep playing and wait for the right moment in order to try and take control of the game again.  But I also had another thing in mind.  For example, if he wants to win, he has to keep playing at this level of game during the match.

            I didn't want to make things easy for him.  That was clear.  So I had to make it difficult for him.  At one stage, I had an opportunity; I took it.  This is when I started leading again.

            Q.  Congratulations.  What about when there was the rain?  You had to wait.  How did you manage that?  Was it like in Wimbledon?  Are you getting used to it?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, it was very short.  We were at 5‑4, 40‑All; these were very important points.  Winning the second set was almost vital for me.  I knew that during the second set he had to maintain a very high level of tennis in order to win.

            It would have been impossible.  For two hours and a half it was very difficult to do.  The match was more in my favor after I was leading two sets to love.

            Then I made a mistake; I did not return well on one point.  He had a set point, but I managed to win the second set.

            Q.  At the beginning of the tournament, you said you have to raise your level or you go back home.

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, for me, what's important is the tournament; winning the tournament is the most important.  I think Djokovic deserves to be at his ranking.  I don't know if he is No. 1 already.  I don't know if he can be No. 1 after Queen's, Wimbledon.

            Each match is very important, like a match point.  But in any case, I want to be very competitive.  I want to stay at a very high level.  This is my seventh final in a row for this season, so things are fine.  My objective is to continue with the same level of intensity, motivation, and continue playing very well.

            Along the year I had ups and downs, but I'm very happy and satisfied.

            (TV break. )

            THE MODERATOR:  Spanish questions.

            Q.  Rafa, Roger is regarded as the best player of all‑time by many people.  What happens when you look at your record compared to his?  You won 17 titles and many other statistics are in your favor.

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, it means I can play well as well.  It means that things went well when we played against each other.  But this does not prevent anything else.

            And when you talk about these statistics, when you try and make these comparisons, really it's not very interesting to me.  I'm very happy with what I have, with who I am.  I'm not the best player in the history of tennis.  I think I'm amongst the best.  That's true.

            That's enough for me.  I have a very high level of tennis.  I am quite satisfied, and very happy with what I managed to do.  I'm very thankful for everything that's happened to me up until today.  I can't say that the opposite.

            Now I need to continue working and do everything I have to do from a mental and physical standpoint.

            Q.  First of all, congratulations.  You started this tournament being a bit anxious.  Was it more anxiety than you've felt in other tournaments?  If so, why?  Second question, there were times where you could have closed the match before.  Was it because you felt pressure?  Did the crowd play a role?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Well, I think the atmosphere was awesome.  I think the crowd, the people out there were very supportive.  Maybe a bit more of Roger, but that's not a problem.  I think the people were very respectful.  I had no problem.

            Now, about your question about anxiety and fears, I think during this tournament I was probably a bit more anxious, at least more anxious than I should have been, and more anxious than usual.

            But you know what, when I come to Roland Garros I'm usually a bit more anxious than other tournaments.  It took me a bit of time to overcome this feeling.  But in the other years it was the same thing.

            Q.  The crowd was shouting, Roger, but also, Nadal or Rafa and there were many Spanish people.

            RAFAEL NADAL:  Yes, the Spanish people were there.  They were wonderful; they supported me.  There were people coming from Spain, Mallorca, and there are people supporting me through TV throughout the world.

            To me, it's a great satisfaction knowing that some people want me to win.  That's something that helps me a lot.  I think the crowd here was very respectful.

            The other day they were slightly more aggressive during the match between Novak and Roger, but today they were really fair.  They saw a match that was a very high‑quality match.  I think it's a very special match as well, because of all this past or history that we have, Roger and I.

            Q.  Can you explain what you felt when you finished the match?  Did you ask yourself the question as to whether you were the second‑best player of all‑time?

            RAFAEL NADAL:  I didn't ask myself this question.  I was just happy I won Roland Garros.  Beating records is fine; it's perfect.  It's an honor to say that I have as many wins here as Borg, I won as many titles here as he did.  That's awesome.  There was a lot of emotion.

            But the main satisfaction comes from all the work you did to get to this stage.  You have difficult moments; you have wonderful moments.  You come here, and I work with a team which has always been very supportive.  Without them, it would be impossible for me to be here today.  It's all thanks to them.

            Quite honestly, I had lots of emotions when I won.  You know, sometimes some matches were more difficult.  As I managed to overcome my difficulties, I had the reward, which is this trophy.  That's a great satisfaction because of all the work I had to do to succeed.

            This is what gives you satisfaction.  Thank you very much.

Roland Garros June 5 2011 - Roger Federer

R. NADAL/R. Federer

           

7‑5, 7‑6, 5‑7, 6‑1

           

           

ROGER FEDERER

 

            Q.  At 5‑2 in the first set, was that a moment that you'll never forget, I mean, about this final?  Because then you served 5‑3, and out of six times you served, only one first serve in, and then you lost the break.

            ROGER FEDERER:  Yeah, I mean, that's how it goes.  Rafa is tough.  I definitely thought that I got maybe a touch unlucky there and he got a tough lucky.  There was a lot of close calls with the net, like right close to the lines plays and so forth.

            So it was a tough moment.  I think that was one of my bigger chances of the match.  And then going to maybe a potential rain delay, just having won a set in the bag is obviously a good thing to have.

            But when I go into the rain delay, I'm down basically two sets almost.  I almost saved myself, but I'm very competitive, and I thought he was getting tired, you know, throughout the third set and also in the fourth.  It was unfortunate I couldn't take my chances early on in the fourth.

            Q.  Congratulations for a nice game, Roger.  After that unlucky dropshot in the first that made you miss the 6‑2, you did some back into the match, although you were at 4‑2 twice, you never left it.  Could we say that even when you came back, the weight of the first set, was it too much on you, especially when playing Nadal on such a close game?  Or did you feel you could always come back and do it in those comebacks from 4‑2?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Sure, you're not thinking of winning down two sets to love and 4‑2, but you're thinking of coming back and turning around the match.  All of a sudden at 0‑0 in the fourth set you think, Okay we have a match again.

            He has to go a long way to beat you again, and momentum is on my side.  All of a sudden, we know what can happen in tennis.  All of a sudden it almost looked like he was going to miss the beginning of the fourth set and I could maybe run away with that.

            In the fifth set, I would have felt very, very strong like I did back in Miami when I beat him from being down two sets to love.  So I knew I had it in me.  It was unfortunate I couldn't make it more competitive in the fourth set.

            Rafa played well and deserved the win today.

            Q.  You lost today, but you returned to a Grand Slam final today.  I think this is positive sign for you.  Could you get your confidence again?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Yeah, I mean, I've been confident for almost a year now.  I think I lost some confidence maybe through the French Open and Wimbledon last year, but, you know, I was in the finals of Halle as well in this period, so I didn't feel like I was running after confidence.

            It was just important to get to another Grand Slam final, keep on playing well.  I'm feeling better physically than I have in a long time, so that's been very positive.

            Also, after this sort of tough weekend I feel really good, so that's been positive, too.  Sure, it was a huge match with Novak.  Obviously I'm happy about that win.

            Today was a very good match.  Overall obviously I'm very happy about the tournament.  Obviously you should be disappointed after losing in a Grand Slam final.  Obviously I feel that a little bit today.

            Q.  There were a few periods in the match where you really dominated him, when if you had sustained that level you could have won the match.  Was it a level that's sustainable humanly for you or anyone else?  What was the reason you think it fluctuated a little bit?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Obviously I'm the one that's playing with smaller margins, so obviously I'm always going to go through a bit more up and downs; whereas Rafa is content doing the one thing for the entire time.

            So it's always me who's going to dictate play and decide how the outcome is going to be.  If I play well, I will most likely win in the score or beat him; if I'm not playing so well, that's when he wins.

            So it's always pretty straightforward when we play each other, and maybe that's why we are too worried playing against each other, because we know what to expect.

            But I thought Rafa played well.  I mean, I think he dug deep to come back in the first set and get himself into the match.  And also the second set.  It was tough all the way through.  I thought we played at a very high level, and I was pretty happy the way I played today.

            I don't have huge complaints, but just obviously some miss the opportunities, because you'll always have plenty against him on clay.  So if you lose, you always look after those.

            It's unfortunate the way it is, but it was a good match.

            Q.  Just watching Rafa play, I was thinking that if this guy was a boxer you would just way he just refuses to go down.  You have to put one, two, three, four shots against him because he's constantly getting things back at you.  Is that one of the things that makes him so tough to beat?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Yeah, sure, it's one of the things.  But I don't mind that, to be quite honest.  I like to see him running left and right and left and right and see how long he can sustain it, you know.

            Like I said, I thought he was getting quite tired actually midway through the third set.  That's why I definitely got a lift, because I was feeling well all the way through.  And even though sometimes you feel you're a little bit tired, I wasn't.

            That's why I'm very happy the way I came out of the match.  Four sets, sure, it's disappointing.  I thought he played some good tennis there towards the end.  Obviously with the wind coming in and the missed opportunities early on in the fourth and then the sun, it was just making it kind of a tough fourth set for me who is trying to make the plays.

            But I couldn't at that point anymore, because Rafa was having good length on his shots.  So, yeah, I'm not in any way frustrated with his play.  I've played against guys who play like that many, many times, starting with Lleyton Hewitt when I came along.  He's not the first guy.

            Q.  How did you feel during the tiebreak back in the second set?  Because you were pretty strong in that moment, and then suddenly it didn't work for you in the tiebreak.

            ROGER FEDERER:  Yeah, I mean, I thought I took some chances early on.  Clipped the tape and maybe didn't take the right decisions.  But I was just coming back from almost being down two sets, so I gave myself a chance.

            Maybe I didn't serve great in the breaker, but plus, it got a bit more slow because of the rain delay.  So obviously it was a tough period for both players to go through, because we were both figuring out how we were going to play after the rain delay.

            I got very good inputs from Severin and also from Paul, and that really got me going again.  Actually, I played really well coming out of the break.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to win the second set; but I won the third, and could have done much better today.

            Q.  Whenever he was done with a match with Pete, Andre was asked, Did you feel honored to take part in a great match?  Did you feel the greatest of the occasion?  Basically, Andre's response when he lost was always, It sucked.  I thought it sucked.  Can you step back at all during a match like this and appreciate the moment and how big it is for tennis as well?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Yeah, I mean, you can, sure.  I mean, when I won the third set and it was already very competitive all along and I was able to push it to a fourth set, sure, I knew the importance of the match, you know, just I guess the attention on everybody.

            It was a big occasion.  I was aware of it.  You know, you're not aware of it when you're trailing in the score like I did a few years ago and you're just hoping to get games.  This was completely different.

            I was very much concentrated in the moment and trying to push him to the brink, which I almost achieved today.

            Q.  Especially in the first three sets, can we say you were either making the points by hitting winners or making the mistakes and Rafa was only trying to keep the ball in the game and you were mostly winning or losing the points?  Is that how you felt on court?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Um, yeah, I mean, sort of.  I wasn't just going for broke.  I was trying to make the plays and moving him around, make him tired, and frustrating him with quick play sometimes.  Mixing it up.  That's what I always do, and he does his things.

            I prefer to mix it up.  You know, I think he's happy to be Rafa; I'm happy to be Roger.  That's why we like to play each other maybe.  I don't know.

            Q.  The win over Novak and this today, the great performance, very competitive, do you feel like you sort of changed the conversation and you're back where you want to be in the hunt again and set up perfectly for Wimbledon?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Yeah, absolutely.  That's obviously the huge priority right now, to win Wimbledon in a few weeks' time.  That's always, for me, the sort of No. 1 goal in the season.

            This is where it all started for me back in 2003; or even with Sampras earlier in '01.  So that's why I always really enjoy coming back.

            Yeah, I mean, I told people that we should wait six months after the Australian Open when people thought Rafa and me were done.  It's unfortunate that it goes so quickly at times.

            Now we're back in the finals and now it's different talk again.  I don't go even there, because I knew it wasn't the case.

            I felt that even though people don't understand how Rafa was able to win this tournament after the shocking start he had, I'm not.  He plays better against the better ones, and that's what he showed today.

            He's a great champion on clay especially, and I am happy with my tournament.  Like you said, I think I played fantastic all the way through.  I had a tough draw like most of the top guys, and we were able to make it to the last four.

            I thought I had a good weekend.  It's unfortunate that I don't get the trophy, but I still think it was a very good finals today.

            THE MODERATOR:  French questions, please.

            Q.  Do you still intend to play in Halle?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Yes, but I've not yet discussed this with my team.  I don't know what they will think.  I still have a few days off before that, so I'll either make the decision this evening or tomorrow.  I don't know.  We'll see.  I have to discuss this with my team.

            Q.  Roger, now Rafa has ten Grand Slams.  He's a bit younger than you were when you reached the same level, that is ten Grand Slams.  It's not at all 16, but do you have the impression that he's getting closer when you look in the rearview mirror?  I know you haven't finished yet.

            ROGER FEDERER:  Yes, who cares.  Who cares where you stand.  It's when it's over that you can't do anything any longer, that's when you're proud of what you accomplished.

            That's why I'm happy for him that he's won these Grand Slams and these tournaments.  He can prove to people that he can play a good type of tennis.  This is what counts.

            On clay, as I said at the beginning of the season, he had won a few matches on clay.  I said he could win a few more, and this is what he's proven today.  For some it was not sufficient, but today he managed to show that he could win a match on clay.

            I should have been able to do the same as well, by the way, but I'm happy for him.

            For me, of course it's a bit disappointing, but it was a good tournament for me as well.  Ten Grand Slams is a lot.  He knows this; I know this; everybody knows this.  It's really good for him.

            Q.  During the final, would you say you had regrets?  If yes, which ones?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Well, a few chances or occasions I missed, which is normal.  Each time I finished a match against Rafa and I was defeated, I know I had opportunities to seize.  He doesn't serve at 220.

            There was once when he served an ace.  You can't call this an opportunity to seize.  I had many breakpoints, many opportunities to hit the ball and to finish.

            But, you know, it's normal.  It's how Rafa wins the points.  He likes the rallies.  I'm not too sad because I've played a good match.  I was almost on the brink of winning the match, so I'm disappointed, but not too much.

            Q.  Would you say mentally it was easier than the other three?  At the other three you had not won Roland Garros, and then you won Roland Garros and this was like a weight off your shoulder.  Therefore, mentally did you feel more at ease for this final?

            ROGER FEDERER:  To some intent probably.  But I think year in and year out he has been really good on this surface.  You know, the year he dominated me during the final here, I knew that I was not playing well enough.  He was so incredible at the time and that the match didn't start well for me.

            That's when I thought, Okay, this is going to be tough.  It was my third year in a row playing semifinals, final, and then another final against Rafa.  So when I started the match, I must say I was like distracted due to his results.

            But today, no, I was confident.  I was feeling good.  I knew it was would be something difficult, which was the case today.  But I was almost doing it, and I knew I would play a good match.  The beginning was intense.

            Against Novak it was long rallies as well; against Rafa it was long as well.  But I managed to finish the match, and I'm rather satisfied.

            Q.  You've played really well today, and even the other day against Djokovic.  These are two different players.  Do you think you played better the other day against Djokovic or today?  Is it more or less the same?  Can you compare your level?

            ROGER FEDERER:  No, I can't.  I can't.  I can't.  The two matches are so different.  I have to change my game, you see.  If you look at how I returned today and the way I returned against Novak, it's different ‑‑ and even the rallies.

            The match started completely differently.  You can't compare the two matches.

            Q.  Never mind the scores or tactics, I have the impression you're physically at your best.  Have you changed anything in terms of your practice or the way you consider playing on clay?  What about Wimbledon?

            ROGER FEDERER:  No, not really.  I've played many matches.  I was really tired after Rome, and it was not the match against Gasquet that tired me so much.

            But it was part of the puzzle.  I've trained and practiced a lot after Monte‑Carlo.  I decided to play Monte‑Carlo because I was fit.  I played a lot from Dubai until Rome.  I didn't take a longer break.

            Sometimes after Miami I'd take ten days off in the past, but this year I didn't wasn't to do this.  Therefore, you know, I was extremely tired ‑‑ and at the end of Madrid as well and also during Rome.

            I hoped I could practice more here, but I was so tired that I said, Okay, I'll practice just what is enough.  That's why the beginning of the tournament here for me was important.

            At the beginning, I didn't think I would manage this way, but after two matches, I thought, Okay, I feel better.  I'm in the tournament.  I could never hear the alarm clock in the morning ringing I was so tired.

            That's why in the middle of the first week I thought, I'm on the right tracks.  I was playing really well.  Even though I knew that, I was like, I respect this immense fatigue I have gone through.

            Q.  You used the word "proud," being proud at the end of the match.  Is that what you feel, pride?

            ROGER FEDERER:  No.  I'm not a 15 year old, so, no.  I'm happy with this match.  That's what I can say.  It's a pity I lost, but it's normal.  Rafa played again an excellent match.

            It was a normal match with quite a lot of regrets, but also I played well.  So I'll focus on Wimbledon.  This is the moment when I can do good things.  I'm on the right tracks.  It's positive.

            Q.  Were talking about missed opportunities.  There was a set point when you tried a dropshot close to the line.  When you were playing it, did you think it would go into the court?

            ROGER FEDERER:  Well, so‑so.  You know, I saw the mark.  It was really close, but I knew it could be out.

            Q.  If you had to do it again, would you try the dropshot again?

            ROGER FEDERER:  I don't know.  I can't really remember this rally.  I think he would've won the game early.  He was up 40‑15, I think, and then all of a sudden I had this set point for me.  It was a bit surprising for both of us.

            I regret perhaps more the service game.  That's about it.