Shanghai Rolex Masters 2017, ATP Masters 1000
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Federberg
The GOAT
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This is tennis Carol. Rafa wasn't allowed to play well. This is what we as fans have to accept. How many times in the past have we seen Roger tear through the field only to get tuned in a final against Rafa? His level looked to have dropped in comparison to other matches, because other players weren't good enough to dictate the rhythm of the match. Absolutely no luck involved
Federer Interview:
Q. It’s been a long year, and after this you have a few tournaments to go, so how does your body feel right now?
ROGER FEDERER: I haven’t played — I mean, the year has been long, yes, but I haven’t played that much, to be honest.
The body is fine. I’m going to reassess everything after this week, after I come home to Switzerland tomorrow. So I will get together with my team and just come up with a plan. You know, set the priorities, see how my body feels tomorrow.
But so far I’m good. I’m happy I’m feeling this way. It’s been a tough week. Five straight matches is always a test and a challenge for anybody’s body, especially with the pressure rising, you know, throughout the event.
I’m happy I’m feeling this good right now, and, you know, we’ll see what’s up mid next week.
Q. Congrats. Did you expect it to be quite as smooth as it was? Talk a little bit about the match. You seemed to have it in control from the first game.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I don’t know what my expectations were going in. I thought I might struggle maybe a little bit early on because it was a late finish last night. Turnaround was fast, you know. Woke up, went straight into the car. Came over early to make sure I get, you know, the practice underway and enough time to get ready for the match.
I had no nerves really before the match, which was nice, you know. I wasn’t, you know, seeing things, you know, like — I don’t know, I don’t want to call it like a day dream or anything, but sometimes you visualize points and points and plays. I didn’t have that. I was, I think, pretty clear about how I wanted to play the match.
And then, you know, I came off, started off very well. Felt relaxed from then on. I always know that Rafa can come back at any moment if he connects well, picks the right sides, and does the right things. Even felt that way being up Love-40, you know, going for the double break, but, you know, I had a clear game plan and felt I was playing well all week. I think that settled my nerves, because I was returning well from the first match here I played against Schwartzman. The serve only got better. I guess I saved best for last. I played some good matches now against Del Potro, Set 2 and 3, and also now these two sets.
In a way, not surprising, because I did feel good all week, and it does pay off to arrive early to an event. You can’t do it all the time, but, you know, I was here since Thursday late night, and that’s five, six days to prepare for a Wednesday match. So I was ready.
Q. It was a privilege just to watch your game today. You said your preparation was good. Is that the best you have hit the ball for many months or years in terms of the way you struck the ball today?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, look, it was clean. I didn’t allow Rafa many chances on my service games. Obviously if you hold your serve, there’s no need to panic on the return games. You feel like you’re always going to get a shot maybe, maybe one service game of your opponent’s, one a set, and then you’ve just got to hope that you break at the right time.
Because I was so clear and so committed, I felt it was always going to be dangerous for Rafa down the stretch, especially breaking early and feeling as good as I did on the serve. So, I mean, it’s definitely been the best I felt since Wimbledon, you know. Montreal was tough to play. It was fast conditions. Anything after the Montreal was never the same with my back issues I had.
US Open was all a struggle, really. Laver Cup was good. I played some really good tennis there, but this was different because I was able to back up good performances, five in a row, so it reminded me a little bit of Wimbledon maybe to some extent.
Q. Rafa seemed to be limping when he came earlier. I wonder if you noticed anything except the tape he had on the knee during the match?
ROGER FEDERER: That’s all I noticed. I didn’t see any problems with him in defense, to be honest. You know, when the body goes cold after the game, it’s normal to, you know, feel it, you know. I know how it is. Sometimes when you are in a car for a long time where you sit for too long or stand for too long, whatever it is for too long, it’s not good for our bodies.
But in the match itself I thought he looked good. He looked fast. I didn’t see any problems, to be quite honest. I was surprised to see a tape, but I didn’t see any problems.
Q. You have managed to beat Rafa five times in a row for the first time in your career. What’s changed for you in the matchup? Why are you finding it easier against him than in the past?
ROGER FEDERER: I think I’m maybe serving consistently better, you know. I get easier power ever since I switched to the bigger racquet, the RF97. I feel I’m connecting better on the backhand and I’m serving good, and that consistently.
Before I had to slice more just because the racquet was good for the slice, and it was good for the coming over, but I would always shank too many balls, you know. So I think it was hard for me to consistently just keep on attacking with the backhand.
Today it seems almost not a problem anymore to do it. Plus I have done it in many other matches other than Rafa, you know. I return usually coming over and sometimes using the slice; whereas before it always a slice normally and sometimes coming over.
So because I have gotten used to returning that way, I think it’s also easier to play Rafa these days, and I just think I’m not so scarred like maybe I have been in the past, not that I was horribly scarred in any way, but I did lose against him sometimes, a lot of the times especially on the clay courts. I do believe I still lost that Wimbledon finals in ’08 because of the French Open beatdown he gave me. It just affected my first two sets when I played him at Wimbledon. Down 6-4, 6-4, and okay, I got lucky to win the third, but maybe if I don’t lose both first sets it might be a different match.
But, yeah, I think I have also played him well. Clearly avoiding him — not playing him on clay has helped. So I’m able to stay on the hard courts or on faster courts against him, but I have been playing very well when I have faced off against him.
But the Australian Open also I had to get a little lucky, to be quite honest, because it was on the edge there for a while.
Q. What’s the importance of being here in China, in Shanghai? How do you like it here? What’s the importance of it?
ROGER FEDERER: The importance? I don’t know. I think it’s great for junior tennis here and development for the game or for sports, you know, when the great athletes from around the World come to this country or maybe this city, as well.
It’s just always helpful, you know, because it gets put on Chinese TV. People talk about it. It’s in the press. It might inspire, you know, somebody at the top level to say, okay, let’s focus more on tennis maybe down the road.
So I think it’s a good thing. I personally enjoy my time here. I always look forward to it every year. Shanghai is a priority for me in my schedule. I always manage my schedule throughout the year that I can also peak during Shanghai, so it’s nice to be back, and having played so well, it’s great.
Q. Between that loss in New York and when you got to the Laver Cup, did you do anything differently to loosen the back, or was it a regular process? How did that come about that you are back feeling so well?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, to feel maybe better I would have needed another week. I played with what I had. I think with the two five-setters I had in the first two rounds, I just think that put a lot of strain on my body. I just could never play freely, to be honest.
Even though it got better against Kohlschreiber and Lopez, but then Delpo, the moment I hit somebody who was very tough, you start taking wrong decisions and you’re a little bit just — you question yourself, because you actually have been playing more with a body that’s not 100% than actually playing the opponent. Then you’re not free and you lose the set point instead of winning it. That makes a difference. The margins are that slim, to be honest.
So I took a week off. Hardly any treatment. Played half an hour of tennis with a friend of mine. Spent time with the family and my kids and everything.
And then once I came back to Switzerland, I started to get ready for the Laver Cup and actually felt good, you know, or not great but better, at least. That was a step in the right direction.
I was still a little bit concerned, you know, because I knew the matches were going to be extremely difficult from the start, which is always a challenge for the body, you know, when it gets going right away like that, against Querrey or Kyrgios, so I was happy I was able to survive singles, doubles, and all these things what we had going on on the Saturday and then also on the Sunday potentially.
So I think it gave me a lot of confidence, the Kyrgios match, to be honest, to be able to go through a two-hour match really physically strong.
What happened after is I went straight into training again on the next day, on Monday. When I thought about it, I thought, oh, I can’t believe I’m doing it. I called my fitness coach up, and he goes, So are you ready for tomorrow afternoon? I’m like, Oh, not really, but okay, I’ll do it, because that’s what we planned to do regardless of what happens at the Laver Cup.
I had a great week from Monday to Friday. I worked extremely hard and then started to take my time. Everything mellowed out, and I came here super early, and coming here early paid off, so I’m very happy and I feel really good right now.
Q. You played great tennis this season. So the schedule of next season, are you still going to quit all the clay season and include the French Open?
ROGER FEDERER: I don’t know yet. Hasn’t been decided.
Q. No plans?
ROGER FEDERER: No plans yet so far, no. I know I’m playing the Hopman Cup and the Australian Open. I know that.
Q. You said earlier in the week that year-ending No. 1 talk is premature, and…
ROGER FEDERER: When did I say that?
Q. I thought you said it on the first…
ROGER FEDERER: No, no, I didn’t hear what you said. I was somewhere else maybe. Yes, I probably said that, yes. (Smiling.)
Q. We kind of take notice of head-to-heads and everything like that. You still trail Rafa, even though you’ve won the last five, you still trail Rafa by quite a margin. Is that something that concerns you? Is that an ambition to pull that back and overtake him?
ROGER FEDERER: It’s not gonna happen. We don’t have enough years left on the tour, and we’re ranked too good that we play each other only in finals at the moment. It looks like that’s going to stay like this for a few months more. So can’t win them all against Rafa, to be honest. He’s too good of a player.
Whatever happened in the past has happened. I’m just happy I’m on the run that I am right now. I don’t know what it takes for year-end No. 1 for both of us.
It seems for me that he seems extremely close to clinching it. Like I said, I will I figure out my schedule, regardless of No. 1 or not, when I come home to Switzerland and figure that part out. No, it’s been a terrific season and didn’t overplay. Still have energy left. Like I said before the event, I’m happy it paid off again. Usually when I’m well prepared and I’m ready to go physically and mentally, good things do happen.
You know, I think myself also in the past or maybe other players in particular always think having to play enough is super, super important, but with me I have come to realize that if I’m ready, I’m ready. Doesn’t matter almost if I have played tournaments before, like in Australia.
I’m just excited I’m on a good stretch right now. Head-to-heads? Yeah, I mean, sure, I would like it to be different, but I have utmost respect for Rafa. It’s been a tough matchup for me, and I tried my best. I have played him a lot on clay in the beginning of my career. No problem. I tried. I was close on many occasions, but he’s better on clay. I try to win the other ones that I can, and this year has been great so I’m happy about it.
Q. It’s been a long year, and after this you have a few tournaments to go, so how does your body feel right now?
ROGER FEDERER: I haven’t played — I mean, the year has been long, yes, but I haven’t played that much, to be honest.
The body is fine. I’m going to reassess everything after this week, after I come home to Switzerland tomorrow. So I will get together with my team and just come up with a plan. You know, set the priorities, see how my body feels tomorrow.
But so far I’m good. I’m happy I’m feeling this way. It’s been a tough week. Five straight matches is always a test and a challenge for anybody’s body, especially with the pressure rising, you know, throughout the event.
I’m happy I’m feeling this good right now, and, you know, we’ll see what’s up mid next week.
Q. Congrats. Did you expect it to be quite as smooth as it was? Talk a little bit about the match. You seemed to have it in control from the first game.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I don’t know what my expectations were going in. I thought I might struggle maybe a little bit early on because it was a late finish last night. Turnaround was fast, you know. Woke up, went straight into the car. Came over early to make sure I get, you know, the practice underway and enough time to get ready for the match.
I had no nerves really before the match, which was nice, you know. I wasn’t, you know, seeing things, you know, like — I don’t know, I don’t want to call it like a day dream or anything, but sometimes you visualize points and points and plays. I didn’t have that. I was, I think, pretty clear about how I wanted to play the match.
And then, you know, I came off, started off very well. Felt relaxed from then on. I always know that Rafa can come back at any moment if he connects well, picks the right sides, and does the right things. Even felt that way being up Love-40, you know, going for the double break, but, you know, I had a clear game plan and felt I was playing well all week. I think that settled my nerves, because I was returning well from the first match here I played against Schwartzman. The serve only got better. I guess I saved best for last. I played some good matches now against Del Potro, Set 2 and 3, and also now these two sets.
In a way, not surprising, because I did feel good all week, and it does pay off to arrive early to an event. You can’t do it all the time, but, you know, I was here since Thursday late night, and that’s five, six days to prepare for a Wednesday match. So I was ready.
Q. It was a privilege just to watch your game today. You said your preparation was good. Is that the best you have hit the ball for many months or years in terms of the way you struck the ball today?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, look, it was clean. I didn’t allow Rafa many chances on my service games. Obviously if you hold your serve, there’s no need to panic on the return games. You feel like you’re always going to get a shot maybe, maybe one service game of your opponent’s, one a set, and then you’ve just got to hope that you break at the right time.
Because I was so clear and so committed, I felt it was always going to be dangerous for Rafa down the stretch, especially breaking early and feeling as good as I did on the serve. So, I mean, it’s definitely been the best I felt since Wimbledon, you know. Montreal was tough to play. It was fast conditions. Anything after the Montreal was never the same with my back issues I had.
US Open was all a struggle, really. Laver Cup was good. I played some really good tennis there, but this was different because I was able to back up good performances, five in a row, so it reminded me a little bit of Wimbledon maybe to some extent.
Q. Rafa seemed to be limping when he came earlier. I wonder if you noticed anything except the tape he had on the knee during the match?
ROGER FEDERER: That’s all I noticed. I didn’t see any problems with him in defense, to be honest. You know, when the body goes cold after the game, it’s normal to, you know, feel it, you know. I know how it is. Sometimes when you are in a car for a long time where you sit for too long or stand for too long, whatever it is for too long, it’s not good for our bodies.
But in the match itself I thought he looked good. He looked fast. I didn’t see any problems, to be quite honest. I was surprised to see a tape, but I didn’t see any problems.
Q. You have managed to beat Rafa five times in a row for the first time in your career. What’s changed for you in the matchup? Why are you finding it easier against him than in the past?
ROGER FEDERER: I think I’m maybe serving consistently better, you know. I get easier power ever since I switched to the bigger racquet, the RF97. I feel I’m connecting better on the backhand and I’m serving good, and that consistently.
Before I had to slice more just because the racquet was good for the slice, and it was good for the coming over, but I would always shank too many balls, you know. So I think it was hard for me to consistently just keep on attacking with the backhand.
Today it seems almost not a problem anymore to do it. Plus I have done it in many other matches other than Rafa, you know. I return usually coming over and sometimes using the slice; whereas before it always a slice normally and sometimes coming over.
So because I have gotten used to returning that way, I think it’s also easier to play Rafa these days, and I just think I’m not so scarred like maybe I have been in the past, not that I was horribly scarred in any way, but I did lose against him sometimes, a lot of the times especially on the clay courts. I do believe I still lost that Wimbledon finals in ’08 because of the French Open beatdown he gave me. It just affected my first two sets when I played him at Wimbledon. Down 6-4, 6-4, and okay, I got lucky to win the third, but maybe if I don’t lose both first sets it might be a different match.
But, yeah, I think I have also played him well. Clearly avoiding him — not playing him on clay has helped. So I’m able to stay on the hard courts or on faster courts against him, but I have been playing very well when I have faced off against him.
But the Australian Open also I had to get a little lucky, to be quite honest, because it was on the edge there for a while.
Q. What’s the importance of being here in China, in Shanghai? How do you like it here? What’s the importance of it?
ROGER FEDERER: The importance? I don’t know. I think it’s great for junior tennis here and development for the game or for sports, you know, when the great athletes from around the World come to this country or maybe this city, as well.
It’s just always helpful, you know, because it gets put on Chinese TV. People talk about it. It’s in the press. It might inspire, you know, somebody at the top level to say, okay, let’s focus more on tennis maybe down the road.
So I think it’s a good thing. I personally enjoy my time here. I always look forward to it every year. Shanghai is a priority for me in my schedule. I always manage my schedule throughout the year that I can also peak during Shanghai, so it’s nice to be back, and having played so well, it’s great.
Q. Between that loss in New York and when you got to the Laver Cup, did you do anything differently to loosen the back, or was it a regular process? How did that come about that you are back feeling so well?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, to feel maybe better I would have needed another week. I played with what I had. I think with the two five-setters I had in the first two rounds, I just think that put a lot of strain on my body. I just could never play freely, to be honest.
Even though it got better against Kohlschreiber and Lopez, but then Delpo, the moment I hit somebody who was very tough, you start taking wrong decisions and you’re a little bit just — you question yourself, because you actually have been playing more with a body that’s not 100% than actually playing the opponent. Then you’re not free and you lose the set point instead of winning it. That makes a difference. The margins are that slim, to be honest.
So I took a week off. Hardly any treatment. Played half an hour of tennis with a friend of mine. Spent time with the family and my kids and everything.
And then once I came back to Switzerland, I started to get ready for the Laver Cup and actually felt good, you know, or not great but better, at least. That was a step in the right direction.
I was still a little bit concerned, you know, because I knew the matches were going to be extremely difficult from the start, which is always a challenge for the body, you know, when it gets going right away like that, against Querrey or Kyrgios, so I was happy I was able to survive singles, doubles, and all these things what we had going on on the Saturday and then also on the Sunday potentially.
So I think it gave me a lot of confidence, the Kyrgios match, to be honest, to be able to go through a two-hour match really physically strong.
What happened after is I went straight into training again on the next day, on Monday. When I thought about it, I thought, oh, I can’t believe I’m doing it. I called my fitness coach up, and he goes, So are you ready for tomorrow afternoon? I’m like, Oh, not really, but okay, I’ll do it, because that’s what we planned to do regardless of what happens at the Laver Cup.
I had a great week from Monday to Friday. I worked extremely hard and then started to take my time. Everything mellowed out, and I came here super early, and coming here early paid off, so I’m very happy and I feel really good right now.
Q. You played great tennis this season. So the schedule of next season, are you still going to quit all the clay season and include the French Open?
ROGER FEDERER: I don’t know yet. Hasn’t been decided.
Q. No plans?
ROGER FEDERER: No plans yet so far, no. I know I’m playing the Hopman Cup and the Australian Open. I know that.
Q. You said earlier in the week that year-ending No. 1 talk is premature, and…
ROGER FEDERER: When did I say that?
Q. I thought you said it on the first…
ROGER FEDERER: No, no, I didn’t hear what you said. I was somewhere else maybe. Yes, I probably said that, yes. (Smiling.)
Q. We kind of take notice of head-to-heads and everything like that. You still trail Rafa, even though you’ve won the last five, you still trail Rafa by quite a margin. Is that something that concerns you? Is that an ambition to pull that back and overtake him?
ROGER FEDERER: It’s not gonna happen. We don’t have enough years left on the tour, and we’re ranked too good that we play each other only in finals at the moment. It looks like that’s going to stay like this for a few months more. So can’t win them all against Rafa, to be honest. He’s too good of a player.
Whatever happened in the past has happened. I’m just happy I’m on the run that I am right now. I don’t know what it takes for year-end No. 1 for both of us.
It seems for me that he seems extremely close to clinching it. Like I said, I will I figure out my schedule, regardless of No. 1 or not, when I come home to Switzerland and figure that part out. No, it’s been a terrific season and didn’t overplay. Still have energy left. Like I said before the event, I’m happy it paid off again. Usually when I’m well prepared and I’m ready to go physically and mentally, good things do happen.
You know, I think myself also in the past or maybe other players in particular always think having to play enough is super, super important, but with me I have come to realize that if I’m ready, I’m ready. Doesn’t matter almost if I have played tournaments before, like in Australia.
I’m just excited I’m on a good stretch right now. Head-to-heads? Yeah, I mean, sure, I would like it to be different, but I have utmost respect for Rafa. It’s been a tough matchup for me, and I tried my best. I have played him a lot on clay in the beginning of my career. No problem. I tried. I was close on many occasions, but he’s better on clay. I try to win the other ones that I can, and this year has been great so I’m happy about it.
Nadal Interview
Q. You said at the start of the week that Roger in these conditions would be a significant challenge. How do you assess tonight’s final?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, of course, have been a very difficult match for me. He played very fast and he played well. I don’t know how many unforced errors he make, but I don’t remember. He played so well, I think.
Yeah, I could do maybe some things better, but that’s it. No, no, just he played too good. That’s my point of view. So congrats to him.
Q. Regardless of tonight’s result, you have been playing in this part of the season better than you have played in most of your career. Is there something that you have done to adjust the preparation? Is it just that you managed to keep yourself healthy? Is there something that you have learned to basically perform better in this part of the season this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I played well. That’s all, no? Beijing have been a tournament that takes time for me to play well. I never liked a lot the balls there. Was difficult to find a good rhythm. I played great in Beijing this year.
And here too. I played a fantastic tournament, having very good wins. Very pleased the way I played the whole Asian tour for me, whole China tour. Beijing, Shanghai have been a very positive two weeks for me. A lot of points, a lot of victories against great opponents. I come back with very good personal satisfaction the way that I played.
Q. Roger played a great match today, but you didn’t seem as comfortable maybe on the court as previous days. Was anything wrong?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, he played well. He played fast, as I said. He served huge. His serve was huge. He was returning well, no?
Yeah, of course was not the best match for me of the week. No, no, without a doubt was not my best match. No, no, that’s the real thing.
When somebody plays better than you, sport is not very difficult. That’s the real thing, no? When you play against somebody that is better than you in most of the things that really matters on this sport in this kind of surface, then it’s tougher.
There is room to improve for me, and I gonna try. But the conditions here were much better for him than for me, being honest.
Q. You put the bandage on your right knee. Did you do it for precaution or what?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I don’t want to talk about that now, sorry, but after losing final is not the moment.
Q. After the game, the hostess said that you set up a school named for your own name, right?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry? Can you repeat that?
Q. After the game, the host said that you set up a school just named by your own name. So how is that going on?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, of course I have an academy in Mallorca. I built an academy, finished the construction one year and a half ago, and things are going well. I’m very happy that the things are going. Kids are very happy.
We have already 120 kids living inside academy. We have medical center inside. We have American international school inside, too. So we have all the things that I really believe that a kid needs to develop his tennis game, but at the same time his education for the future, no?
I think we have the right group of human people to teach them in the education and in the tennis way.
Q. This question is also about the pressure or motivation. Because you haven’t get championship here in Shanghai Masters, so do you think it’s motivation to you to get championship next year?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. No, no, I just play every tournament with as high motivation as possible. Would not be fair I play here with higher motivation than in Monte-Carlo because I didn’t win here and I won in Monte-Carlo 10 times.
No, every time I go on court I try my best. I try to play as good as I can. Sometimes I play better; sometimes I play worse.
That’s all. Shanghai is an important event. I always put attention in this event. Is true that I was not able to play as good as I would like here that often, but I already play two finals, couple of semifinals. So was not a bad event.
Q. You said many times that hard court is not the best surface for your body, for your knees, really. You played back-to-back tournaments. You’ve got another tournament on a hard court coming up in just over a week’s time.
RAFAEL NADAL: Basel?
Q. Yeah. What are your thoughts? Are you going to be there for that? Do you hope to be?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t know. I don’t know. Remain couple of weeks for me. I need to think about it. No, no, I cannot (smiling). I cannot tell you. Sorry, man.
Q. Can I ask you, where would you rate Roger’s form at the moment as opposed to where he’s been over the last decade?
RAFAEL NADAL: He’s winning two Grand Slams, winning couple of Masters 1000s, being second on the race with a lot of points. Yeah, played well for the whole season.
And the good thing for him is he take the periods of rest and when he was back he was able to win. So that makes a difference, because is very easy to say, okay, I take this period of time and that works very well. Okay, yeah, that works very good if you come back, win. Because if you come back, you don’t win, then for sure is not working well.
The calendars are always looking good or looking bad in terms of the results, you know. When somebody is winning a lot, looks like calendar is perfect. When somebody is losing, looks like the calendar is not good.
For this year, Roger did great in all the events that he played, so looks like he saved his body, he did the right things, yes, probably, yes, but at the same time anything could happen. And the confidence is going up and down sometimes. You can lose a couple of matches and changes everything, but of course he did unbelievable. He played very high level of tennis during the whole season, so well done for him and happy to see him play well.
Q. You said at the start of the week that Roger in these conditions would be a significant challenge. How do you assess tonight’s final?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, of course, have been a very difficult match for me. He played very fast and he played well. I don’t know how many unforced errors he make, but I don’t remember. He played so well, I think.
Yeah, I could do maybe some things better, but that’s it. No, no, just he played too good. That’s my point of view. So congrats to him.
Q. Regardless of tonight’s result, you have been playing in this part of the season better than you have played in most of your career. Is there something that you have done to adjust the preparation? Is it just that you managed to keep yourself healthy? Is there something that you have learned to basically perform better in this part of the season this year?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, I played well. That’s all, no? Beijing have been a tournament that takes time for me to play well. I never liked a lot the balls there. Was difficult to find a good rhythm. I played great in Beijing this year.
And here too. I played a fantastic tournament, having very good wins. Very pleased the way I played the whole Asian tour for me, whole China tour. Beijing, Shanghai have been a very positive two weeks for me. A lot of points, a lot of victories against great opponents. I come back with very good personal satisfaction the way that I played.
Q. Roger played a great match today, but you didn’t seem as comfortable maybe on the court as previous days. Was anything wrong?
RAFAEL NADAL: No, he played well. He played fast, as I said. He served huge. His serve was huge. He was returning well, no?
Yeah, of course was not the best match for me of the week. No, no, without a doubt was not my best match. No, no, that’s the real thing.
When somebody plays better than you, sport is not very difficult. That’s the real thing, no? When you play against somebody that is better than you in most of the things that really matters on this sport in this kind of surface, then it’s tougher.
There is room to improve for me, and I gonna try. But the conditions here were much better for him than for me, being honest.
Q. You put the bandage on your right knee. Did you do it for precaution or what?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. I don’t want to talk about that now, sorry, but after losing final is not the moment.
Q. After the game, the hostess said that you set up a school named for your own name, right?
RAFAEL NADAL: Sorry? Can you repeat that?
Q. After the game, the host said that you set up a school just named by your own name. So how is that going on?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yes, of course I have an academy in Mallorca. I built an academy, finished the construction one year and a half ago, and things are going well. I’m very happy that the things are going. Kids are very happy.
We have already 120 kids living inside academy. We have medical center inside. We have American international school inside, too. So we have all the things that I really believe that a kid needs to develop his tennis game, but at the same time his education for the future, no?
I think we have the right group of human people to teach them in the education and in the tennis way.
Q. This question is also about the pressure or motivation. Because you haven’t get championship here in Shanghai Masters, so do you think it’s motivation to you to get championship next year?
RAFAEL NADAL: No. No, no, I just play every tournament with as high motivation as possible. Would not be fair I play here with higher motivation than in Monte-Carlo because I didn’t win here and I won in Monte-Carlo 10 times.
No, every time I go on court I try my best. I try to play as good as I can. Sometimes I play better; sometimes I play worse.
That’s all. Shanghai is an important event. I always put attention in this event. Is true that I was not able to play as good as I would like here that often, but I already play two finals, couple of semifinals. So was not a bad event.
Q. You said many times that hard court is not the best surface for your body, for your knees, really. You played back-to-back tournaments. You’ve got another tournament on a hard court coming up in just over a week’s time.
RAFAEL NADAL: Basel?
Q. Yeah. What are your thoughts? Are you going to be there for that? Do you hope to be?
RAFAEL NADAL: I don’t know. I don’t know. Remain couple of weeks for me. I need to think about it. No, no, I cannot (smiling). I cannot tell you. Sorry, man.
Q. Can I ask you, where would you rate Roger’s form at the moment as opposed to where he’s been over the last decade?
RAFAEL NADAL: He’s winning two Grand Slams, winning couple of Masters 1000s, being second on the race with a lot of points. Yeah, played well for the whole season.
And the good thing for him is he take the periods of rest and when he was back he was able to win. So that makes a difference, because is very easy to say, okay, I take this period of time and that works very well. Okay, yeah, that works very good if you come back, win. Because if you come back, you don’t win, then for sure is not working well.
The calendars are always looking good or looking bad in terms of the results, you know. When somebody is winning a lot, looks like calendar is perfect. When somebody is losing, looks like the calendar is not good.
For this year, Roger did great in all the events that he played, so looks like he saved his body, he did the right things, yes, probably, yes, but at the same time anything could happen. And the confidence is going up and down sometimes. You can lose a couple of matches and changes everything, but of course he did unbelievable. He played very high level of tennis during the whole season, so well done for him and happy to see him play well.
Carol
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I hope this time Rafa has learned the lesson (I doubt it) taking a good rest if his goal is to win in London.
Anyway even that this blog is completely federist (after this final we can see many vids and interviews because Roger has won) I think that Rafa has played pretty well in Asia winning Beijing and reaching the final in Shanghai. He needs and deserves a good rest arriving to Paris fresh physically and mentally
Anyway even that this blog is completely federist (after this final we can see many vids and interviews because Roger has won) I think that Rafa has played pretty well in Asia winning Beijing and reaching the final in Shanghai. He needs and deserves a good rest arriving to Paris fresh physically and mentally
Federberg
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the AntiPusher
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There's a lot of validity to what you posted. However is just like bad medicine or a hard pill to swallow..As a Rafa fan..i am resigned to the fact that until Rafa decides to play more aggressively and control the rhythm of the match ,he will continue to be unsuccessful vs Roger on hardcourts or grass..Roger knows how to rob or take away previous time from Nadal who likes to try to find a way to feel the ball for lack of a better word. Yes, you are correct, it's not luck but the right strategy to neutralize Rafa's strengths.
El Dude
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You may be right, but the implication of what you say here is that Rafa isn't all that bright, and he's generally considered to be one of the smartest tennis players (in terms of on-court strategy). If it really were so simply that all he needs to do is "play more aggressively and control the rhythm of the match," don't you think he would A) realize that and B) enact it?
Could it possibly be that, along the lines of what @Federberg said, Roger is preventing Rafa from playing aggressively and controlling the rhythm of the match?
This doesn't mean that Rafa can't find a way to beat Roger, but that it may require Roger to start slipping. Roger always had a match-up problem with Rafa, and it seems he's finally solved the problem. So in a way it isn't as much that Rafa can figure out how to counter, but that Roger finally fixed what wasn't working. For Rafa to tip the seesaw back in his favor, he's going to have to change his game more radically than is probably possible at his stage. Maybe being more aggressive is part of it, but I suspect it runs deeper than that - and I say that because I think Rafa is brilliant and if the problem were so easily fixed, he would have figured it out by now.
Of course there's always the chance that Rafa is being willfully stubborn--a true bull--and in denial, and not changing what has worked so well for him in the past. Perhaps in a similar way that Roger didn't adjust back in the day, when he was dominating everyone but Rafa. But then I think the main problem was match-up complications - Roger's game just didn't line up well vs. Rafa's. Now Rafa's game doesn't line up well vs. the new Roger.
But who knows....great players find a way, and Rafa is one of the very greatest. It is hard imagining him beating Roger at Basel/Paris/WTF, but I could see Roger beating him two or three more times and then getting over-confident come clay season next year, and then realizing he stepped in shit
.
mrzz
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He surely did, but put this way, it may sound like it is solely a strategical solution. There is an execution part to his solution that Federer was simply not -- on average -- able to execute in the past. So to come up with this solution he needed a lot more than just a bright idea, and that includes talent, change of equipment and a LOT of training.
If -- flipping the coin -- all Nadal needed was a simple tactical solution, he would have found it already, way before anyone else. He surely knows a few possible solutions -- and how hard would be to implement them. He is probably right now deciding how much effort he should put on it, as it is not 2008 anymore, these two won't stay head and shoulders above the rest forever. My point is that they both need to worry about the field more than they need to worry about each other, specially looking ahead.
Federer had also one lucky advantage on this: solving the part of his game that Nadal explored helped him immensely against the rest, and he knew that. Everyone could explore his bh, even if not as effectively as Nadal. Nadal, on the other hand, would benefit less from solving the "Federer problem". Almost no one can execute what Federer is executing against him. If it wasn't for Federer, he would have had a three majors year after all... given that he has the historical H2H advantage, he can stay cool enough to take the strategicaly better decision.
the AntiPusher
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It’s mostly the Latter, Rafa’s stubbornness to change what is obviously a major flaw in his strategic games vs Novak and now Roger has lead to his numerous defeats. However, Roger and Novak’s achievement have been marvelous and should be applauded. Yes, I feel at times, Rafa is an idiot. Just like Science or in the IT business world ..Change is needed for innovation, even in the game of Tennis.You may be right, but the implication of what you say here is that Rafa isn't all that bright, and he's generally considered to be one of the smartest tennis players (in terms of on-court strategy). If it really were so simply that all he needs to do is "play more aggressively and control the rhythm of the match," don't you think he would A) realize that and B) enact it?
Could it possibly be that, along the lines of what @Federberg said, Roger is preventing Rafa from playing aggressively and controlling the rhythm of the match?
This doesn't mean that Rafa can't find a way to beat Roger, but that it may require Roger to start slipping. Roger always had a match-up problem with Rafa, and it seems he's finally solved the problem. So in a way it isn't as much that Rafa can figure out how to counter, but that Roger finally fixed what wasn't working. For Rafa to tip the seesaw back in his favor, he's going to have to change his game more radically than is probably possible at his stage. Maybe being more aggressive is part of it, but I suspect it runs deeper than that - and I say that because I think Rafa is brilliant and if the problem were so easily fixed, he would have figured it out by now.
Of course there's always the chance that Rafa is being willfully stubborn--a true bull--and in denial, and not changing what has worked so well for him in the past. Perhaps in a similar way that Roger didn't adjust back in the day, when he was dominating everyone but Rafa. But then I think the main problem was match-up complications - Roger's game just didn't line up well vs. Rafa's. Now Rafa's game doesn't line up well vs. the new Roger.
But who knows....great players find a way, and Rafa is one of the very greatest. It is hard imagining him beating Roger at Basel/Paris/WTF, but I could see Roger beating him two or three more times and then getting over-confident come clay season next year, and then realizing he stepped in shit
Obviously I meant in the Open era, but I suspect that distinction wouldn't stop you
It wasn’t obvious because you said “all time”, you imbecile.
mrzz
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I thought Federer's interview was very insightful and candid. It seems to me that there isn't much doubt in his head right now when he's playing Rafa and he's basically said himself over the last year that he needed that break from playing Rafa... almost like a mental reset. He even partially attributed the Wimbledon 2008 final to the beatdown he got in Paris.
When Federer is brimming with confidence and serving like he did on in the final, he's very difficult to beat in any event. The mental side is obviously huge, but some of the changes he's made feed into the Rafa matchup - the change of racquet made a difference because it's fed into a tactical change - he's said himself that it gives more power and less opportunity to shank the backhand so he's coming over the ball by default and then slicing to change it up rather than slicing by default and coming over to change things up...
These tweaks have made a big difference on the backhand side and definitely the ROS on that wing.
Secondly. much was made about the disparity in the number of clay meetings between the two and the overall H2H... well Roger's getting a bunch of matches on home turf now....and it's paying a dividend.
When Federer is brimming with confidence and serving like he did on in the final, he's very difficult to beat in any event. The mental side is obviously huge, but some of the changes he's made feed into the Rafa matchup - the change of racquet made a difference because it's fed into a tactical change - he's said himself that it gives more power and less opportunity to shank the backhand so he's coming over the ball by default and then slicing to change it up rather than slicing by default and coming over to change things up...
These tweaks have made a big difference on the backhand side and definitely the ROS on that wing.
Secondly. much was made about the disparity in the number of clay meetings between the two and the overall H2H... well Roger's getting a bunch of matches on home turf now....and it's paying a dividend.
shawnbm
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^ right on the money there BB. I concur on all you have said there, and it is attested to by Fed himself. The ability to drive the backhand more than slice it against Nadal, in particular, is immensely important in the match-up between the two. Roger resisted switching to a bigger racquet like Nadal and Nole did years before and now he must be thinking how different some matches, especially against the Spaniard, might have turned out if he did this say in 2010. I also believe the crack in him mentally started earlier in 2008 at the Monte Carlo final. That is where he inexplicably began imploding when leading and I believe it had to do with growing frustration on clay against his great rival. He was tiring of not being able to break through more on the clay and he pressed, even when up a break in both sets like he was in that match. That collapse and Nadal's resurgence there directly let to Roland Garros 2008 in my humble opinion. After that, Rafa started owning Roger for the next three years or so and racked up a lot of victories, mostly on clay but also on hards.
Federberg
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Lol! I feel like I'm being forced to defend Rafa here. I remember all those years ago when both Rafa and Roger fans slammed Federer for not making the necessary adjustments to beat Rafa. I feel like the same complaint is being directed at Rafa now. I would answer the same way I responded when that was aimed at Roger. Rafa can't focus his game to just beating Roger. It makes no sense. His priority is to beat the field. If he is successful against the rest of the field he is achieving his aim. Roger is fortunate that the changes he has made happen to be exactly what he needed to better cope with Rafa's game. Let's be honest, we can talk backhands and serves etc, but it boils down to one thing really... the bigger racquet head. There may well be an adjustment that Rafa makes that'll alter the balance again, but if he does it just to deal with Roger he may end up damaging his superiority against the field in general
Carol
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I hope he doesn’t, now it’s his time to make the adjustments and to rest a little bit after to win the USO, playing four matches in the Laver Cup, a very good win in Beijing and the final in Shanghai.
Just to add what makes Fed's turnaround against Nadal that much more amazing is that he's doing this at 36..To alter the dynamic at this stage of his career is truly unprecedented. We have witnessed a few great matches in rivalries i.,e Sampras/Agassi Evert/Navratilova where one champion was dominating another and out of nowhere Agassi and Evert one a very well rewarded victory over their nemesis. And yes the 5 victories in a row have all been in hard courts by Fed but considering this dynamic the age and the psychological edge this is more than amazing.Plus other than the AO this year they have all been beat downs. I am in awe of Fed's incredible deep desire to commit to this level of play at this juncture. of his career. If not for the bad back in Montreal...oh well. LoL
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