Roger Federer was on the Swiss sport show, Sport Dimanche, this Sunday. He hung out for the entire show, answering questions, catching up on football news and watching highlight reels of himself. (And the not-so-highlights, too – yes, they replay the crying scene from the Australian Open and the Miami racquet smash on the big screen for him.)
Click here to check it out. It’s in French, so I’ve included some translations/observations below.
My French isn’t what is once was (it wasn’t much to begin with) but a helpful person nicknamed “ShotmaKer” at Men’s Tennis Forum posted a loose translation. I put a few tidbits below, but click here to read more. These aren’t necessarily word-for-word transcriptions, but you’ll get the gist.
Roger gets silly at the beginning of the show:
Question: You are a kind of model for millions of people. It’s hard to be a model, no ?
Federer: Just because I’m wearing a tie tonight doesn’t mean I’m a model
Question: Are you the perfect man ?
Federer: Not at all, you know, I’m just trying to enjoy what I’m doing, trying to show the youngsters how it works, you know, and if they consider me as a model, I’m fine with that.
When asked about his tough loss in Australia to Rafael Nadal:
“People need to understand that Rafa was incredible, he won the Olympic Games, Wimbledon, and he was injured at the end of year but otherwise he could have won the year end championships. He was just incredible and better than me.“
I heard it as “he was the man of the moment and stronger than me,” which has a poetic ring to it.
On his Australian Open breakdown (after they replay it for him on the big screen!):
Question: You had an incredible year so far, but the year started really really badly for you (Roger cuts him and adds, rather bad, not really bad ). Do you feel embarrassed to watch these images again?
Federer: No, not really, because, you know, to me it’s quite normal to be sad when I lose a match. I always cried when I lost matches when I was 12, 14 years old… So it’s not that different, but just because it was on TV and all over the place, people thought “This dude is not normal, he already won everything, and now he’s crying…” You know, I also cried when I lost to Rafa in Wimbledon 08, but that one time, I was in the locker rooms… But in Australia, I could not get away with it because it happened right during the ceremony, so you know, that’s just how things are…
The interview ends with questions about Davis Cup and if Roger will be playing in Switzerland’s first round tie versus Spain at the beginning of 2010. He reiterates that Davis Cup is one of his main goals but that he can’t promise anything until the date’s closer.
I liked this quote, as well: “I’m very happy. I think it’s because of this that other people are happy for me.”
Click here for the video and here for more of ShotmaKer’s translation.
Tags: ATP, Federer, Nadal, Sport Dimanche, tennis
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Dear Writer,
This article and interview with this great tennis player is quite interesting and photos also excellent as per tennis lover.
What he said today,is true.
He is a great tennis player and his sports actions on any world famous courts are very fine and keen to observe his each move with full interest.
Thanks for publishing it.
Urgh, it’s like being thirsty and drinking coke.
Great while it’s going down. The problem is, you’re still thirsty afterwards.
i know what you mean! i love any roger news that you and ff put out there, but then it’s never enough… basel feels like forever away! very impatient over here. dying to see him play again!
Yeah, I just want him to play! Too bad we have to wait another week. . .the ATPs season really is ridiculously long.
after watching that show i think i’ll be able to deal for the next few days.
lots of nice highlights from his stellar year (and even some older clips) and good questions. i’ve heard some of that q&a before, but not in french!
It’s great when the Swiss TV show featuring Federer is a French-speaking TV show: his French is cute, slower and way simpler to understand than his native, super-quick Swiss German (ok, German is always hard for me to understand, but Swiss German is really impossible, and this man talks fast!).
He looks goofy with the telemarketing-like microphone, but you know me, I love goofy Roger.
I know what you mean. I LOVE it when he speaks French. Even if I can only understand half of what he’s saying.It sounds like honey! But Fed looks great! 7 more days until Basel everyone!
Oh, Roger, you are the perfect man!
He’s still looking silly-happy and goofy — I guess FO + Wimby + twins takes a while to wear off!
Found another Fedophile, Davydenko gave an interview saying that for him Roger is the one to beat, that he considers Roger’s game the most difficult to overcome, he said that Nadal is difficult but easier than Roger…
my french is pretty rusty too, but i could understand a bit and it was totally worth watching because fed is even more adorable speaking french!
awww… he mentioned again how he’s won 5 grand slams this year… marrying mirka and the twin girls. maybe 4-5 years of french did pay off.
love it!
Hey FF! I pretty much follow all sports out there, and I can’t really think of such a player being so accessible and personable while they are at the top of their game. It’s really refreshing to see how much he puts of himself out there.
I like the part where he mentions how he met Mirka when he had 0 titles and now he has 61.
i honestly think he would not be where he is today without her and i love that they’ve been together for his entire career. he was surely always naturally gifted, but put that together with hard work, a great team and his fabulous wife for support and helping to manage things and he became #1 and goat. yay mirka!
i think you’re right on about mirka. a while back i was reading jon wertheim’s mailbag and someone asked him about mirka’s tennis career. at the end of his answer he added that mirka would go down in history as the greatest tennis muse ever. i really loved that he said that.
Ohhh, this youtube diat is killing me… 7 days to go….
Wow. It is very lucky for him to be born in Switzerland. He speaks beautifully.
Also it is nice to hear him say “Rafa was incredible… he was just incredible and better than me.“ It is good to hear they complement each other.
Thanks for posting.
roger speaking french…ooooo la la. it doesn’t really matter what he’s saying, it’s just so good to see him. i am glad tho that he is intelligent and oh so happy.
great news for us in the states….BASEL WILL BE ON TENNIS CHANNEL STARTING NEXT MON. 7PM EST/4PM PST. IT’S A MIRACLE. BEST NEWS EVER, I CAN HARDLY WAIT.
Oh, that’s great! Thanks Lorrie.
ı love youuuuuuuuuu rogerrrrrrrrrrrrr:):):):)
that banner is HOT!!!!!!
It is great to hear Roger’s graciousness. With the amazing year he has had, he has to accept the losses and he does so with such class. I am in awe of how he was able to turn it around. Mirka has been a rock for him. And I imagine that Myla and Charlene have really put things into perspective while at the same time giving him an extra motivation.
The guy has everything, when I saw that he had twins, I was like- Of course he did!
I like Roger, he’s great. Even though I’m a Djokovic fan all the way I always want Fed to win when he’s not playing against Nole, I have lots of respect and admiration for him and he’s so cute and sweet. It doesn’t bother me at all to see him crying, i think that only makes lesser men than him uncomfortable, the rest of us are ok with it. He shows emotions because he’s human, crying is always a good therapy to get things out of your system. He’s a modern 21st century man, he’s not afraid of showing emotions. Other men should learn from him.