SONY ERICSSON OPEN
Date: 2008-04-03

SONY ERICSSON OPEN

April 3, 2008

Roger Federer
MIAMI, FLORIDA
The Moderator Questions, please.

Question The game, penultimate game I suppose, you look at it, you were right in it, and suddenly you hit three, four poor shots and it slipped through your fingers.
Roger Federer: Sure, it's a tough way to finish the match, no doubt. I've been on a good run on my serve this week. To end it this way it's sort of disappointing, but what are you going to do? It's over now.
I think I did well, you know, to hang in there. Maybe this is one of the matches I should have won against him because he's had some other ones where I think he was supposed to win, but this time around it went his way.

Question What disappointed you most about your game, Roger?
Roger Federer: Sort of dominating the tiebreaker, and I guess my last service game. You know, I think I didn't make it tough enough for him to come up with good shots. I missed too many, and I think that was the disappointing part about the match today.
All in all I think it was still a good performance, and I think Andy served really exceptionally well yet again tonight.

Question Is it a problem you think of concentration?
Roger Federer: It happens. What are you going to do? You work hard so it doesn't happen. Sometimes it does. It's unfortunate, you know. I needed some first serves. Maybe I just should have placed, put the ball into play instead of trying to come over it.
It's just decision here and there, and sometimes the opponent plays well and puts you under pressure. That's why I always said it's tough to play against Andy, you know that serve. He's always going to have a chance. That's why I'm quite amazed about my record against him.

Question To us looking out, the lights don't appear as strong as they do in other places. With the pace of that serve is it more difficult here?
Roger Federer: I guess the difficult part is going from maybe day to night. I've struggled with this before here, but I think I didn't particularly struggle tonight.
I had some tough ones against Johansson back here, because the difference is quite drastic. I think the lights are very close to the court, and I think that's what makes quite a big difference, you know.
Now, if it's low lighting, I don't necessarily think so. I just think the lighting, it's really close to the court, so it makes it maybe a little bit different.

Question For someone who's so used to playing in finals, when you get into a run of not playing in finals, do you get a little tense at all or worry about taking that one step?
Roger Federer: No, I mean, I am just sort of disappointed not to see my name, playing in the finals. I mean, it's just disappointing seeing other guys battling it out, you know, where I think, you know, I have the game to obviously play there, be there as well.
You know, being so close, sort of like last year. I think if I would have beaten Cãnas I would have had great a chance to win here again, and I feel the same way tonight.

Question What's your program now? Do you know what you're going to do?
Roger Federer: Well, few days off, start working out again on clay and go to Estoril.

Question Where would you rate your physical condition compared to your best form or best shape?
Roger Federer: I asked Pierre, my trainer, when he left, what he thought, and he said he thought I was at 95%. I thought that was good enough for me. For me 95% or 100% for me is hardly any difference to me.
It's not like I'm at 40%. That was a good answer from his end. I've been working hard trying to get back in shape. I feel like I'm fine, you know, it's just a matter of getting the amount of matches in.
I think I got that again these last couple of weeks, which was really important to me. I wish I could have been in the finals, but, you know, I just couldn't play maybe well enough when I had to.

Question You told us the other day you're going to have one more test just to clear up the mono situation. Where are you going to have that done?
Roger Federer: I guess it depends on -- I have no idea when I'm going to do it and if I'm going to do it. It was sort of an idea I had. I'll see if I'm going to do it when I go back to Switzerland.

Question Last week you lost to Mardy Fish in Indian Wells. Today you've lost to another American, Andy Roddick. Do you think perhaps with these series of matches you're having with Sampras that perhaps they're learning from the old master about how to play against you?
Roger Federer: I really doubt that. (laughter.) Those surfaces are too quick, and nobody plays like Pete, so it has nothing to do with these matches.

Question When they say 95%, nobody knows, of course...
Roger Federer: Sure.

Question But do you feel 100%?
Roger Federer: I feel fine, yeah. I mean, sort of I guess I would still need a test maybe of a five-setter, but I'm not going to get those until the French Open comes around.
All can I do is practice real hard and make sure I feel fine towards the end of the practice sessions if I work up to four hours, and that's really I think the ultimate test.
For these type of matches here it's no problem. I'm backing them up easily. When I'm -- on practice weeks I practice three to four hours a day, and, you know, when I play here, 45 minutes and I play an hour and 15 and then I play two hours, it's nothing compared to the practice sessions.
I feel good myself, really. I guess sort of the coordination and some little things are still missing because of lack of matches, but that usually comes along and I start to play better and better as the matches went on.
It's disappointing to play a bad game and then think you played bad. That's not really what happened. It's just maybe a few points here and there and Andy took advantage of it.

Question Where will your first play test be?
Roger Federer: In Estoril.

Question Portugal?
Roger Federer: Yeah.

Question You've not played there before, have you?
Roger Federer: First time.

Question First time?
Roger Federer: (Nodding.)
Question Will you get to Rome, Roger?
Roger Federer: Excuse me?

Question Will you be in Rome?
Roger Federer: And Monaco and Hamburg. I'll see you there.