Miami Open presented by Ita
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Roger Federer
Press Conference
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Can you explain to us exactly what happened to
you and what has happened since?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, well, I mean, it happened
the day after the Djokovic match. I woke up, I don't
know exactly remember what happened, I think I was
going to run a bath for the girls. I made a very simple
movement, turned back, heard a click in my knee.
Went to the zoo. My leg was swollen.
Came back and had an MRI done in Switzerland. Saw
a doctor right after the MRI. He said I had to have
surgery on Tuesday. I did that in Switzerland.
Here I am seven weeks and two days later. I'm very
happy how it went, but clearly that was very sad when I
did get the news I did have to have an operation
because I thought I was going to get through my career
without any. It was a big shock and, yeah,
disappointing when I got the news.
Q. How do you feel at this point getting ready for
tomorrow's match? What expectations do you
have?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, pretty good. I mean,
beating (indiscernible) a little bit, so a bit tired.
Obviously, humidity here, getting back into it, it's been
energy-consuming to say the least.
I'm excited. Anxious to find out how it's going to react,
is it going to be different day-to-day, how is it going to
feel after the match and so forth.
I'm just really pleased that I'm here. Couldn't be more
happy how rehab has gone. It's baby steps. Still at the
same time you go from crutches to walking to running
to jumping to sprinting. It's pretty incredible to see the
progress I've been able to make in a short period of
time.
I had a great team around me, had great support. It's
nice to be back here, show everybody that it was
worthwhile to put in the work.
Q. What would you coach Roger Federer to beat
Djokovic?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know. It would be the
same thing. I mean, you got to take it to him. Got to
wait for the right moment. When the right moment
Rev #1 by #168 at 2016-03-24 18:31:00 GMT
comes up, you want to play well.
You got to play aggressive. Novak plays very well
aggressive himself. Don't let yourself be frustrated by,
you know, his retrieving or whatever it is, his
confidence.
You got to make it difficult for him to beat you. That's
what he's going to do with you, too.
In a way it's very simple going forward. But you have to
believe from the first point to the last, for sure.
Q. How do you come to this match tomorrow with
both of you coming from injuries? How do you feel
to play this?
ROGER FEDERER: It's very exciting, to say the least.
I like Juan Martin. We've had good matches over the
years, Paris, five sets twice, US Open obviously. Other
places.
It's nice to see him back. I haven't seen him play at all
since he's been back, so I'm not quite sure what to
expect, even though my coach went to see his match
yesterday.
At the end I'm going to focus on my own game
tomorrow, my own mind, you know, managing my
problems that I've had the last few months.
Yeah, just also enjoy it out there. We're both in a
similar situation. His injury was much, much greater.
That's why I'm really pleased for him that he was able
to find a way back onto the tour.
Q. Quite a bit has happened since you've been
away.
ROGER FEDERER: Do you want to fill me in? How
much time do we have? You've been waiting for this
moment, haven't you (laughter)?
Q. Equal prize money, which was an issue. Do you
believe that men and women, irrespective of the
obvious commercial realities, should be paid the
same?
ROGER FEDERER: Everywhere? We are getting the
same prize money at slam levels, and some events.
Q. Not in all events. What are your views on that?
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ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, we don't always get
the same like the women, as well. I think it depends on
what tournaments we are talking about. I think you
have to be very specific what you're talking about.
I mean, I'm all for equal prize money. When I was
fighting for prize money increases, especially at the
slam level, I was always very aware of the fact that it
was always going to impact the women's game, which I
was very happy about. Both at the same time were
growing.
But then you have to look at the history of each and
every event, where it came from. Some tournaments
were a men's tournament, then the women joined or
vice versa, it was a women's tournament and we joined
them.
It's sometimes hard to make equal prize money there.
It's up to the tournament director to decide if he wants
it to be that way.
Sure, you could imagine something like that. It's
already happening here, Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid
as well, all the slams.
Yeah, I'm happy that tennis has produced some of the
greatest female athletes in the world. I think that's
great. It's a great platform. Yeah, equal prize money is
a good thing.
I think that debate was talked about a long time ago. I
know it came up again.
Q. The other big story that's developed since you
were off the tour. Can I ask what your reaction was
to Maria's announcement a couple weeks ago? Do
you think it backs up what you said before about
more rigorous testing in tennis?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I definitely think that
tennis is doing a lot, better than what we have in the
past.
We're getting more professional. The program is
getting bigger and stronger. You could always do more
testing. You could probably ask somebody here in 50
years and he could say, It could be more. But do you
want to be tested four times a day at a certain stage?
Clearly I was very surprised. I thought she was going
to announce retirement or something, so I was
completely surprised by the news. But it also shows
that, you know, also the famous players can get caught
in the system that seems to be working.
I still believe we should keep blood samples for 10
years, store them, let athletes and tennis players know
that's the case. You could be punished retroactively.
Rev #1 by #168 at 2016-03-24 18:31:00 GMT
I'm a big believer in that.
I've been in Dubai now for 10 years there and been
tested once. That's not okay for me.
I get tested more in Switzerland because the guy from
Switzerland lives in my village. He comes sees me the
day after my surgery, one week later. In Dubai they've
only come once, the Asia games. In certain countries
maybe the testing is not as serious as in Switzerland.
I'd like to see that across the board to be the same way
and fair, you know.
But I think tennis is doing more and more. Sure, it was
very disappointing news, to say the least.
Q. It's been a while since you won here. The
people love you here. What are some of your
memories from this tournament? Were you
actually running the bath when you hurt your knee
or were you on your way?
ROGER FEDERER: I'm not sure anymore what
happened. I remember I turned, I felt my knee was
funny, I turned back. That's when I heard a click. I did
feel that something was strange in my knee.
Very simple movement, probably a movement I've done
a million times in my life for sure.
So I'm happy it didn't happen on a tennis court. I'm
happy it didn't happen in a moment where I could
maybe strain it more.
It was very simple. All I did after that was walking.
Maybe that's why I'm also here seven weeks later. I
came into the surgery totally fit because I just came off
a great training block in tennis, a lot of tennis in Jan.
My body was really in good shape. It would have been
tough to recover if I had been on vacation for two
weeks and then injury struck.
This way, it was a faster recovery because of it.
Q. And memories?
ROGER FEDERER: Memories from here?
I have a lot of them, good and bad. Mostly good,
though. Because once you win a tournament, it
washes out all the bad ones.
I remember getting a wild card here in '99 after winning
the Orange Bowl on this court in '98. Played a very
disappointing match. It was a learning curve to me
after losing that match in '99 on an outside court.
I think it was a big finals for me in 2002 maybe, playing
against Agassi in the finals, four sets. I beat Lleyton in
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the semis. It was a big great 32 for me, confidence
from the Sampras win I had at Wimbledon, then I won
Hamburg. It was the beginning of the rise in the top
10. Then I was able to win (indiscernible).
Q. How long were you on crutches? When did you
actually begin full training? As far as playing here,
your first event since the Australian, what are you
expecting out of yourself?
ROGER FEDERER: So I was on crutches for 12 days,
maybe. Full training, no restrictions whatsoever,
probably a week ago, nine days ago. Just managing,
as well, progress, not wanting to overdo it, but also
pushing it so I knew I could play three-hour matches
and all that.
Also a lot of testing, making sure the knee does hold
up.
If I feel something tomorrow, I won't play. It's very
simple. Expectations are really low, which is nice for a
change. Just see where I am, go out there.
Once you're out there, you want to win, it's clear. I'm a
competitor. I'm just really pleased I'm back. I didn't
expect myself to be back here so soon after surgery.
Q. (Question about playing in Brazil and the best
memories there, and excitement about coming
back to Rio.)
ROGER FEDERER: It's big. I had a great time in Sao
Paulo the one time I went to Brazil. Rio, I've never
been there. This is my first time to Rio. I'm excited
about that.
Olympic Games is obviously massively important for
me. I love playing in the Olympics. I love representing
Switzerland. I think it's going to have a very special
flair, a unique flair to all the other five that I've been in.
It's going to be different. It's one of the main goals for
me of the season.
Q. Right knee?
ROGER FEDERER: Left knee.
Q. Were you turning to the right and then came
back and a weight shift?
ROGER FEDERER: I turned to my right, turned back, I
think (laughter). Honestly, it was such a simple, small
movement. I was doing stuff that I didn't think much of
it when it did happen.
Q. Were the kids right there?
ROGER FEDERER: I'm not sure they were in the
room. But they were coming to take a bath, so I figure
they were somewhere close.
Rev #1 by #168 at 2016-03-24 18:31:00 GMT
Q. The Miami tournament, they talked about the
future might be in jeopardy. What does this
tournament mean, keeping it here? Also, the
attacks in Brussels, you're a world traveler, you
have to travel for your job. With the way the world
is today, do you think twice about some of the day-
to-day things you have to do?
ROGER FEDERER: I mean, this tournament clearly is
a big tournament in the calendar. Used to be best-of-
five sets. Considered the fifth slam, all these things. I
always enjoyed coming here. Came here a ton. I hope
that this tournament stays successful for years to
come.
It has a nice vibe, you know. Here in Florida, here in
Miami, I think it's a beautiful place to play tennis in.
I've been coming here to Miami since I was 14 years
old. It's one of the places I know best really. If I think
back as a player, it's the first big trip I had when I was
14, coming over here for the Orange Bowl at 14 at the
Biltmore.
I clearly want to see this tournament continue to be
good, prestigious, all that. I think they're trying to figure
it out as much as they can, but it's clearly a difficult
situation.
Yeah, of course, when you're traveling, you're always
aware of things that are going on. This one now, I'm a
bit further away from things where I'm on the other side
of the planet. When the Paris attacks happened, we
were in London. We just came from Paris, so that was
scary. Not that this wasn't, but it sure makes you
wonder. You're aware of the fact when you do travel
about all these things, yeah.
Q. You mentioned this is your first injury.
ROGER FEDERER: First operation.
Q. Rehab is a personal journey. Would you share
some of those personal thoughts during the rehab.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, sure.
When I got the news that I had to have the operation, I
kind of took it like a man: I guess so. I see the
pictures. I trust my doctors. It's the only way out of this
one.
When I was in hospital, about to go in the operation
room, that's when I got really nervous and sad about it
all. When I woke up, I kind of looked at my knee, it
doesn't feel like my leg. I can't believe I did the
operation. I hope it will come back from here. That's
when I got scared.
Then literally one day, two days later I had no more
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pain. I realized I could already move my leg again.
You learn how to walk on crutches and all that, which
I'd done once before in 2005 when I tore the ligaments
in my foot.
Then honestly, it sounds weird, but I kind of enjoyed
the process of improving every day. I had a positive
mindset. We worked two to three times a day. We
were in Switzerland for five straight weeks, which it's
rare for us to be in one place, especially our home for
so long.
Enjoyed everything about it, being there, away from the
tour, time with my family. Nothing to do other than
rehabbing and spending time with the family. It was a
really nice process.
Q. Back to the situation with Maria. Do you think
tennis has a doping problem?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't think so. I'm nave maybe
in the fact that I believe athletes, I trust what they're
doing. Clearly when they get caught, you turn. You're
like, I can't believe they tried to do that, forgot about it,
whatever.
I really don't think there is a major problem. I don't
know many people. All I can talk about is myself. I
know what I take. What you take, you've got to be
sure. That's why I quadruple check whatever I take
because I don't want to take any chances whatsoever.

Then I got motivated because I saw progress. Then I

expected that it was going to be more massaging, feel-
good stuff that is going to make me improve. Actually it
was through hard work that I got the confidence back
and I realized I was making the biggest improvements.

Never had any setbacks. That was very crucial that I'm
here today. Interesting, to say the least, but I kind of
enjoyed the process, if that makes any sense for you
guys.

Q. You spoke of expectations coming back. What

is the pressure on a guy like Djokovic who is on
top? Does tennis need the rivalry thing? I know
you're all trying to catch him.
ROGER FEDERER: I think both are okay. I think it's
good when many guys win the biggest tournaments
and I think it's fine if one guy wins it. It's always going
to change. It's not possible it stays like this for decades
or years or months, whatever. It keeps changing a little
bit.

You can have a good season or a great career side-by-

side, like we are all showing. So I think it's very
interesting every step he takes further. It's more and
more impressive. History gets written. It's good. It's
good stories, good news, other than some other ones
we heard today. I'd rather talk about that than other
things.

Unbelievably impressive to say the least. Obviously

other guys have to figure out their game, reconsider
their work ethic. It's interesting in many ways.

I came through phases where when I came about,

many different guys. I thought that was very cool. I
enjoyed it more when I was winning everything. Then
again, you enjoy the rivalry you have with Rafa, as well,
Murray, all these guys, Djokovic coming up. It's
interesting. I like it.

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