MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLO PRESENTED BY ROLEX
Date: 2008-04-24

MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLO PRESENTED BY ROLEX

April 24, 2008

Roger Federer
MONTE CARLO, MONACO
R. FEDERER/G. Monfils
6-3, 6-4

The Moderator Questions, please.

Question Did that feel a bit better today? More comfortable?
Roger Federer: Yeah, I think it definitely was a good, tough match from my side. Yeah, I mean, I think Gaël is a good player. You know, up-and-coming. Unfortunately he had some injuries.
I think he always sort of makes you, you know -- he gives you a chance to play aggressive because he doesn't like to do the game himself. It allows you to potentially make a lot of mistakes.
So I was patient enough. My forehand worked well today. And I was just happy, after yesterday, playing so well.

Question Do you think in some ways now that yesterday might actually have helped you a little bit, just to have that much time on court, to work through some stuff?
Roger Federer: I don't know if it's necessary for clay. I just think here getting used to the conditions here in Monte-Carlo, maybe yes. But other than that, on a different day you play in a different way, a different opponent. So many things change, you know.
I definitely made some errors yesterday which I shouldn't have. You know, but today was fine again. It's good I reacted so well after yesterday's tough match.

Question Did it play on your mind at all overnight, the way you played yesterday?
Roger Federer: No, not really. Just right after, you know, I was sort of, you know, relieved, you know, I got through. And then important I think was to analyze what happened, you know, yesterday, just sort of the good things, the bad things, the end, why could I turn around the match, you know. Sort of stuff like this, it was important to go through that with Severin and Jose.
Yeah, we created a plan for today and it worked fine. It was an interesting 24 hours for me.

Question Do you think that's a different kind of plan than you might have created when you were basically on your own?
Roger Federer: No, it gives me a chance to speak to somebody, whereas maybe in the past I would only go through it myself in my own brain, you know, which is obviously most important, that I feel comfortable with the approaches to each and every match.
I guess you can, you know, just ask questions that they saw the same way. Yeah, we had similar views, which is a good thing.

Question How do you see yourself now?
Roger Federer: My serve?

Question Yourself.
Roger Federer: Oh, myself (smiling).

Question Do you feel honestly better, more confident every day?
Roger Federer: Just feel normal again, you know. Playing every day, you know. One month, no match. I knew that was my plan, you know, in the beginning of the season. But on top of that, with the sickness, it made it that much more difficult to come back and feel normal again.
Indian Wells, Miami is a tricky season. There's a lot of spare time. There's a lot of talk going on, you know, always. Almost not enough match es for the long time you're in America. For this reason, this is a good period for me now where I can play a lot of matches. When I lose, can I go home, practice on my game again. So it's just easier to hide a little bit.
I feel fine again. You know, I'm playing enough. This is a normal rhythm again, and I think that was key for me, you know, getting enough matches. I've played seven matches on clay. I've won seven. So, you know, I'm just really happy the way things have gone.
The Moderator Questions in French.

Question How did you think he played today compared with the previous match against him in Miami? Did he improve?
Roger Federer: He's a very good player. This hasn't changed since the first time I played him in Doha. I was impressed by his game, by the way he moves, and by his athleticism. I don't know how long he stayed off the courts, but it was a while, and still his game is moving forward.
He is making a good comeback. The match today was similar to the one in Miami. I was trying to dictate the game. But, of course, he was more aggressive in Miami, which is normal on hardcourts.
It is amazing how from the baseline he can read all the shots. I made no aces - Karlovic either. He has an excellent reach. I had to play well, otherwise it wouldn't have been enough against him.