Pillole del venerdì dal Country

di UBALDO SCANAGATTA

NELLE PAGINE A FIANCO, qui sulla destra, IL RACCONTO DELLA FINALE 2006 FRA NADAL E FEDERER. E, nelle pillole del giovedì in fondo, un articolo sul Mozart della racchetta scritto quando battè Federer qui nel torneo di Montecarlo 2005

In questa querelle fra de Villiers, boss Atp, e i giocatori riguardo il calendario 2009, de Villiers poteva aver ragione su un paio di cose: e cioè che il calendario è fatto male e che per riformarlo non poteva dar retta a tutti (come ha fatto per 10 anni e più Mark Miles) perché altrimenti non sarebbe riuscito a cambiare niente.
E che ci sia un’eccessiva concentrazione di tornei importanti fra aprile e giugno è chiaro a tutti da tempo (2 Slam più 3 Masters Series), idem per il periodo che precede l’US Open, con due Masters series a ridosso dell’US open e altri importanti tornei.
Assurdo, per esempio, che Indian Wells continui a poter spostare il suo torneo anno dopo anno, una settimana avanti, una settimana indietro condizionando tutti gli altri (grazie al “potere” politico del suo direttore Charlie Pasarell) soltanto perché non vuole essere concomitante con la stagione televisiva del basket.
Ma fra il non dar retta a tutti e lo stravolgere tutto senza consultare quasi nessuno (tranne Tiriac…per motivi a me abbastanza oscuri, se non sospetti), ce ne corre.
Qualcuno dovrebbe spiegarci perché era necessario spostare Madrid in mezzo alla stagione europea, già così fitta. Quando a Madrid si gioca in altitudine, talvolta anche in condizioni climatiche discutibili, e comunque in condizioni che non hanno nulla a che fare con quelle dl Roland Garros (del quale dovrebbe invece diventare il torneo di…approccio e preparazione).
Includendo Madrid de Villiers danneggia fortemente Barcellona (che non troverà gli sponsor in Spagna per un torneo minore in confronto a quello “combined”), rompe le scatole a tornei super-tradizionali come Montecarlo, Roma ed Amburgo che hanno fatto la storia dl tennis…e perché? Perché Madrid mette tanti soldi? Perché Tiriac, che ha 70 anni, è riuscito a farsi dare tanti soldi dall’amministrazione comunale della città di Madrid che, bocciata nella sua corsa alle Olimpiadi 2012 (assegnate a Londra), voleva rifarsi una verginità? Qualcuno ricorda che Tiriac ottenne gratis dal neonato circuito Atp (1990) l’inserimento del suo torneo di Stoccarda che fino ad allora era un’esibizione? In quel modo Tiriac si è procurato già allora una “ownership” il cui valore è decuplicato. Erano i tempi del boom tedesco, di Becker, Stich, la Graf. I tedeschi investivano più di tutti nel tennis. Poi, scomparsi i big, hanno smesso. E Tiriac ha portato il suo “arricchito” torneo di Stoccarda a Madrid indoor. Dove ha poi portato anche il Masters femminile. Un torneo indoor è più facile da organizzare, da programmare, per la tv e il resto. E la gente che va a Madrid di sera, elegante, a far struscio, non è la stessa che andrebbe di pomeriggio…Ma, comunque sia, è chiaro che se un domani il tennis non tirasse più in Spagna, Tiriac sarebbe prontissimo (pur di non perdere soldi) a trasferire il torneo in qualche altro Paese dove ci fosse un Nadal indigeno. Nel frattempo, però, i tornei di Montecarlo, Amburgo, e financo quello di Roma che rispetto al “progetto Madrid” non essendo un combined sarebbe comunque un torneo di minore importanza, che fine avrebbero fatto? Insomma de Villiers non capisce che la tradizione è, alla lunga, importantissima anche sotto un profilo strettamente economico, cioè proprio l’argomento cui lui vorebbe dare priorità. Montecarlo continuerà sempre ad organizzare il suo tonreo anche se un domani dovesse perdere soldi, Madrid manco per niente! Ed è così, quindi, se non si fa un ragionamento miope, per raggranellare soldi oggi (ma per chi poi?), che si protegge e si sviluppa un circuito.
Ecco perché de Villiers andrebbe fermato, e il torneo di Madrid anche. Ma de Villiers ha invece già fatto capire a Federer, Nadal, Ljubicic e Moya l’altra sera, che ormai certi giochi sono fatti, che Madrid e Shanghai ormai il posto l’hanno assicurato. E stamattina Riccardo Piatti, che ha quotidiani contatti con il suo “pupillo” Ivan Ljubicic, presidente del Council dei giocatori, mi ha detto: “Vedrai che Montecarlo verrà retrocesso”.
Ma è proprio il torneo di Madrid l’errore a monte che provoca tutti gli altri. Più tardi scriverò qualcosa anche sull’intervista che ho fatto a Francesco Ricci Bitti (che dice cose che fanno saltare la mosca al naso di Federer!). Intanto Soderling ha vinto il primo set 7-5 con Berdych e i due stanno 3 pari nel secondo e vado a vedere.

L’OTTIMISMO di FRANULOVIC, direttore del torneo di Montecarlo

Nota UBS Federer sta lottando con Ferrer, 4 pari nel primo, e ho parlato con Zeljko Franulovic e Philippe Rialland, direttore e condirettore del torneo di Montecarlo.

“Non verrà detto magari fra 15 giorni, quando Etienne de Villiers ha annunciato che dirà quali sono i Masters Series, ma sono molto ottimista sul fatto fatto che Montecarlo non perderà la sua qualifica di Masters Series. Non c’è nessuna ragione al mondo perchè la debba perdere, i giocatori sono con noi, la ragione è con noi, abbiamo venduto tutti i biglietti per tuti i giorni, sono più di 100.000 spettatori e la cornice è unica al mondo, così coem la tradzione..” mi ha detto Franulovic che ha aggiunto: “Da giocatore lottavo fino all’ultimo punto…e da dirigente lotterò fino all’ultimo momento pur di garantire a Montecarlo quello che gli spetta….”
E Philippe Rialland: “Sono sicuro che Montecarlo resterò Masters Series, non ho il minimo dubbio…non avrebbe senso che lo dicessi se non ne fossi convinto”.

L’intervista a Thomas Berdych

Eravamo solo in tre o quattro giornalisti, quasi tutte le domande che non ho fatto io le ha fatte Neil Harman del Times

T. BERDYCH/R. Soderling

5 7, 6 3, 6 0

THOMAS BERDYCH

HARMAN Q. What’s your feeling of the game? You score 12 games in a row. Did you have any rhythm for that?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, I have not much doesn’t matter if it’s 12 games in a row, we count 12 games. And if it’s step by step, that doesn’t matter.
But, yeah, today’s match, the start wasn’t so good, but then the things change. I’m really happy that I can sit here and trying to prepare for tomorrow semifinals.

Q. What do you feel on clay is your best result? Even if you have got some good rhythm, but what is best ever? How do you feel on clay?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, I said before in Czech we playing half year on the clay courts and other half indoor on some hard courts.
So I’m used for the clay and I have like no problem. And now, yeah, it’s good result here, and then my first tournament was also on clay.
Then I went also the Masters Series in Paris which is indoor. Yeah, these two surface it’s not too much different.

Q. Do you adapt your game on clay, or not really? You adapt a little bit?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I can, yeah. I can adapt and play both of the surface. That’s why I play all the time you are so small on clay and then indoor, so you are used to be in two surface.

SCANAGATTA. The fact that you have already beaten Federer and you almost always win against Nadal, does it cause you more pressure? I mean, do you have more pressure on yourself, or you always expect to win? You disappoint when you lose, or not?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Of course I’m disappointing when I lose. I think it’s like everybody. Losing the matches it’s nothing nice.
But of course, if you are 50 and you are in semifinal that everybody say, Jeez, that’s fantastic. Yeah, and it’s first time or something like this. But if you already have some good results and then I think the potential like to beat the players, and so many people say that you are one of the guys that can beat top something, of course the pressure is a little bit bigger.
But that’s the tennis. You are alone the on the court and you have to fight with all the things around.

SCANAGATTA Presuming Nadal beats Kohlschreiber, are you excited about the prospect of playing him again?
TOMAS BERDYCH: We play many matches. We play most of them on the hard court, and I think that’s my advantage. Now I think it’s going to be on, for sure his surface, and I think he also like this.
He won twice before, so, yeah, I’m just going to try to make him harder to win it, and we going to see.

Q. Do you think you can beat him on clay?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Why not? Yeah, I think the chances is maybe not 50/50, but, yeah. Also he’s a favorite on this surface, but you never know.
If you ask me before I go play with Federer I said no chance. Maybe one percent and then I won, so it can happen.

HARMAN. We don’t now a great deal about you. Do you prefer perhaps to be a little quieter, not in the limelight, rather than be in the headlines? You seem like a quiet, shy kind of person.
TOMAS BERDYCH: It depends. So maybe Djokovic or some other guys and then also it’s like other part of the guys, maybe me and some other. But also it depends maybe when you have Murray that everybody makes like something big around him and he’s got this coach and, you know, he’s from England.

HARMAN. Scotland.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Sorry.

SCANAGATTA Q. Big difference.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah. So they are making so big things around him. Depends also on the country and everything.

HARMAN Q. So you would probably rather be as you are without the big hype all the time?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah. I think it’s better for me. Yeah, I start and I grow up like this. So now if it starts again like 180 degrees then maybe it’s not good for me. But you never know. I’m just this way and that’s fine for me.

SCANAGATTA. In the Czech Republic are you sort of a star that people stop you to sign autographs?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Not too much. Now it’s getting higher and higher in the popularity, but we still have like football and then ice hockey, so these two sports are a little bit so, yeah, I think tennis is number three.
So now I think it’s getting better and better. More results and more good results coming, and I think they are trying to recognize more the sport and we see.

SCANAGATTA Gossip papers write about you and Lucie Safarova and things like that, or you don’t care?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I think it depends like on the results. If you have a good results, then they come and they want to know everything. But if the result not too much then they are a little bit far.

SCANAGATTA. Who has more front covers, you or your girlfriend?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Depends on the result. If you are like here semifinal and then she’s maybe not playing the tournament or something, yeah, of course they’re writing about the results. But it’s not like it’s every day in the newspaper or something.

HARMAN Q. I mean, you’re probably most regarded by some people for your gesture in Madrid last year when it was a very interesting reaction to beating Nadal. Did that make you, do you think, stronger as a person because of having to deal then with the reaction the next day, strengthened you as a person?
TOMAS BERDYCH: I mean, the time what I spent after that match and playing with Gonzalez, I never it never happened to me before. I played in Argentina for Davis Cup and it was tough, but nothing like this.
So, yeah, that’s one kind of experience, and yeah, I made it. It’s after me. And now, yeah, we say what’s not going to kill you it’s you going to be stronger.

Q. Do you and Rafa get on pretty well as two guys? Do you have a
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah. I mean, if we meet in the locker room or somewhere we just say Hi. That’s all. It was like before. I don’t think there is like something different. I can say it again: I think it was just maybe have been a little bit more emotion from his side. Maybe not. That’s done.

Q. And with you and Santoro it’s better now?
TOMAS BERDYCH: With Santoro I don’t know. It was at Wimbledon, so it’s better to ask him. I have no problem with him. He started with some talk with me and some conversation, and maybe he doesn’t like me or that’s his choice. I don’t care about it.

Q. Are you the kind of player who thrives or enjoys a hostile atmosphere when the crowd is against you? Do you like that?
TOMAS BERDYCH: If the crowd is against me or with me?

Q. Yeah. Can it make you stronger?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, that’s a tough question. If it’s like the match with Gonzalez, then there’s no chance to like help you, or like something gives you more or be stronger or something.
But if it’s the atmosphere like the match before we played with Nadal, then, yeah, it wasn’t too much. It was, yeah, kind of like atmosphere like on Davis Cup ties.
But if you are playing well and if you are in shape then it helps you. But if you are down and you are losing then there’s no chance.

HARMAN Q. In your last two matches and certainly today you’ve been behind and have come back tremendously well. How do you feel physically, because obviously the Nadal match will be a very physical match.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah. With my physical I have no problem. I’m feeling well. We just playing for best of three sets so you have to be ready. Yeah, it’s not here, but if you have some tournaments playing for best of five sets it’s much stronger and much tougher the games.
So, yeah, I’m feeling well, and I think I’m going to be ready for the next match.

SCANAGATTA Q. When you need to practice and you want to find a partner to hit some balls you ask any player, or you have somebody you like better to play with? And would you ask Nadal one day, or you prefer not?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Before the accident in Madrid we been practicing sometimes. . But since that time, yeah, of course, then it was just one tournament in Paris and then, yeah, Masters Series.
So and until now, no. But maybe it’s going to take some time and then I think that’s going to be fine. But before it was no problem and we practice.

FRANULOVIC PRANZA CON NASTASE (di ANGELO MANCUSO)
In campo c’è Federer che sta distruggendo il “povero” Ferrer anche se dopo un avvio con qualche balbettio di troppo (poi finisce 6-4, 6-0 per il number one), intanto sulla splendida balconata che dà sul Centrale del Country Club di Monte Carlo, seduti a un tavolo, pranzano Zeliko Franulovic, direttore del torneo, e uno dei miti del tennis, ovvero Ilie Nastase. Il talentuoso rumeno nel principato ha vinto tre titoli di fila (dal 1971 al 1973), succedendo nell’albo d’oro proprio a Franulovic, trionfatore a Monte Carlo nel 1970. Cosa si saranno detti? Top secret. Magari Franulovic gli avrà parlato male di un altro rumeno, Ion Tiriac, organizzatore del torneo di Madrid, candidato dal 2009 ad un posto tra gli otto (o nove?) Masters series e che secondo i piani di ET de Villiers potrebbe declassare proprio Monte Carlo… Anche se Franulovic, come scrive Ubaldo, si dice ottimista…

R. FEDERER/D. Ferrer

6 4, 6 0

An interview with:

ROGER FEDERER

LA RISPOSTA PIU’ CARINA FEDERER LA Dà A CHI GLI CHIEDE, in francese, SE è CONTENTO DI AVER VINTO la 500.ma partita della carriera. “Avrei preferito che fosse la cinquecentesima vittoria consecutiva!”.
Un’altra abbastanza sorprendente, dopo aver detto che 2 anni fa gasquet lo aveva sopreso giocando molto dentro il campo e prendendo righe da tutte le parti, la dà a un giornalista francese che gli domanda se gasquet non si sia un po’ fermato perchè non entra abbastanza dentro il campo. Roger, quasi contraddicendo la precedente risposta: “Non capisco perchè dovrebbe entrare di più in campo, gioca così bene così…sarebbe un errore se entrasse di più dentro il campo…ma non sta a me dirlo” e sorride. A chi ricorda, come me, che prima dell’open d’Australia Roger giocò serve&volley con Roddick dandogli l’illusione di poterci perdere _ per poi massacrarlo nella semifinale dell’open d’Australia _ viene il sospetto che lo svizzero sia proprio un fan di…Machiavelli.

L’intervista di federer dopo che ha battuto anche Ferrer

Q. I just want to know if you remember anything about your first ever against Guillaume Raoux?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I qualified, so I won three matches beforehand.

Q. Right. Do you have any memories of that day and now?
ROGER FEDERER: I remember he was coming from I think a Davis Cup tie in Israel and was tired. I took him down. But I think that’s what it was, really. I was playing unbelievable. I remember I beat the Delaitre already in the last round of quallies and I remember in the second round of quallies I had a great run.
They wanted to give me a wild card for quallies but in the end I didn’t need it because the cut was too low. I played fantastic. I beat Fromberg after that and had a chance against Siemerink.
So was a great event for me. I think that was the last time it actually was played at that site in Toulouse because after that they moved it. I remember Marc Rosset was there. He was so happy for me. He was kind of guiding me around helping me book practice courts and, you know, how things work.
Of course, the first few questions came right away. What are you going to do with your first prize money? Put it in the Swiss bank; that was my answer.

Q. Do you still book your own practice courts?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I do. Not always, but most of the time.

Q. What means this win for you? I mean the way, you won.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I’m just happy. I finally kind of felt the ball really good from the baseline. I just felt like it was easy to keep the ball in play. It was easy to play aggressive.
And usually that always happens against the best players. David, he’s a very good player in my point of view. He’s an excellent grinder and baseline player, and if he plays very well it’s so hard to beat him.
But I always find a way against him to overpower him from the baseline and just have enough variety to maybe frustrate him a bit. When I needed good shots they come along, and today was a really good match so I’m really pleased.

Q. Was it always planned that Tony was going to come here, Roger? Was it always planned?
ROGER FEDERER: That was my wish, yeah. I asked Tony if he could make it early and maybe not come to the grass season after, because I just thought this is where we get the most information about my game on clay, this week here in Monaco and then the following couple of weeks.
Last year he came just a little bit before Rome and it was basically where the interesting part is already over because I’m preparing again for another event. The year before that I think he arrived for Hamburg.
So this is a good thing for me that Tony arrived early, and hopefully it’s going to pay off in the long run.

SCANAGATTAQ. Is he going to be in Rome and all of the other tournaments?
ROGER FEDERER: I’m not going to make him fly back and forth. No, I mean, he’s going to stay all the way until the French Open and then go back after the French Open.

Q. What was be your schedule next week?
ROGER FEDERER: Practice on clay. So, yeah, nothing fancy.

SCANAGATTAQ. Did you finally talk with Ricci Bitti about the Davis Cup? What came out? Is it going to be the first week after the Slams or not?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, he just explained to me the entire situation about Davis Cup. That they moved, obviously, the Grand Slams. For me it was just a good meeting to have for him to explain where they are at, the conversations that they had had with the ATP, because they’ve had he was happy with the conversations they had together with the ATP and with Etienne at the beginning of the year.
You know he could present me everything. Etienne could have done that too, but it’s always nicer to hear from Francesco ’s side. So he told me how next year and the following year is going to be and all the way until 2015, you know, just to give me their ideas, you know.
I told them my ideas, and I’m going to speak to Etienne now as well. And, you know, just think about it. I mean, they’re making progress, you know, which is they’re going in the right direction, so this is a good thing.

SCANAGATTA Q. Did he tell you something that surprised you or you knew everything?
ROGER FEDERER: Nothing crazy, no. No crazy things, which I’m happy about.

Q. What about yourself you can be surprised now on clay? I mean, after this long improvement.
ROGER FEDERER: What do you mean?

Q. You can be surprised about yourself on clay? You can play badly or not? I mean, you are quite sure
ROGER FEDERER: No, no. Every surface I surprise myself with great and bad playing. You never know what you’re going to get, and sometimes you just don’t feel well and some days you just feel good for a reason. I don’t know why.
This doesn’t matter. It doesn’t have much to do with the surface. On clay sometimes it’s just harder because it can be so frustrating when you don’t feel well from the baseline. You look like a schoolboy. You have nothing to do out there.
That’s why you have to try to kind of avoid those days. That’s what the best clay court players are able to do, you know, to avoid really bad days.
I’ve had bad days but I won straight sets, so it’s still okay.

Q. After 500 wins, Roger, is there one particularly that still stands out? Of the 500 wins, is there one that particularly still stands out?
ROGER FEDERER: First one is probably the Sampras win comes to my mind. Always going to stay the most special one for me. First Wimbledon Centre Court appearance, first and only time against Pete and I beat him.
It was an incredible match. If I had to pick one it would probably be that one.

Q. I think you pass the $30 million in earnings as well.
ROGER FEDERER: Okay.

Q. Do you remember what your first paycheck was after Toulouse? So you remember what you put in the Swiss bank?
ROGER FEDERER: Ten grand or something, you know. I don’t know.

Q. Francs?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, the euro wasn’t around yet. It wasn’t a French franc, I know that. Yeah, I’ve come a long way. It’s definitely two incredible numbers.

SCANAGATTAQ. You were the first Top 10 player beaten by Gasquet, and then he beat only two other afterwards: Blake and yesterday Ljubicic. Are you surprised that he only beat three Top 10 players in the last two years? Is this something that you would have expected or not?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I don’t know. It’s how many he lost. I beat him a couple of times. Depends obviously how many chances you give yourself, too.
But I would expect with his type of his tennis that he should be able to beat the top guys more often like Murray or Djokovic has been able to do that.
Because they’re all dangerous players. Like I said on French TV, I think Richard is a fantastic player and I like his game very much. I hope he can continue to play well and slowly start to make his move in Grand Slams as well.
Because in Masters Series he’s shown he can do well. It’s in Grand Slams to see if you’re basically fit and tough enough. I think he is and he’s showing it this week.

TRADUZIONE IN RITARDO DELL’INTERVISTA DI FEDERER con lee effettuata giovedì e tradotta cortesemente da Stefano Grazia
R. FEDERER/H.T. Lee
6 4, 6 3
L’intervista con
ROGER FEDERER
Q.Puoi dirci qualcosa del meeting con de Villiers?and how it went and what you foresee?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah. Sono contento che sia venuto e di aver avuto l’opportunitá di parlargli: ovviamente, dovremo incontrarci ancora. Ci sono molti argomenti di cui discutere.Abbiamo espresso il nostro punto di vista. Carlos,Ivan,Rafa,io. Siamo stati lí a parlare per due ore.Un buon punto di partenza e da qui bisogna continuare.
Q. Ma al di lá delle parole, in pratica che peso potrá avere il vostro punto di vista…? ROGER FEDERER: Non loso.Guarda, anche noi avevamo bisogno piú che altro di acquisire informazioni e di capire perché prima di tutto avvertivamo che il flusso delle informazioni non era regolare. Ci ha promesso di migliorare la comunicazione con noi. Dobbiamo continuare a Parlarci anche se i tempi sono ristretti.
SCANAGATTA : Parlavo con Ricci Bitti e lui mi diceva d’aver chiesto anche lui un incontro con voi,:me lo puoi confermare? E sembra che lui non avesse idea della vostra insoddisfazione a proposito del Calendario e della davis Cup. Nessuno gli aveva mai detto che voi volete giocare la settimana subito dopo lo Slam…
ROGER FEDERER:Ma di cosa sta parlando? (IN ITALIANO L’ESPRESSIONE POTREBBE ANCHE ESSERE TRADOTTA: Cos’è, scemo?, dipende dalla mimica faciale NdT) Vabbé, lo vedró comunque dopo.
Q. Prossimo avversario non ha mai vinto contro di te…Questo dato di fatto incide in un certo qual modo a tuo vasntaggio?
ROGER FEDERER: Bé,spero proprio di si.No,dai,ci ho giocato l’anno scorso proprio qui: fu un’ottimo match.Per me.Molto aperto, con punti difficili,e alla fine di una magnifica giornata sono emerso io. Devo adattarmi alle condizioni: la prima partita il campo era veloce,la seconda era lento.Sono contento d’aver giocato su campi cosí diversi cosí sono pronto per qualsiasi cosa.(…)
Q.Ti sembra di muoverti meglio?
ROGER FEDERER:Un pochino si, ma ancora non credo di aver elevato il mio standard di gioco.Ho fatto troppa fatica.Il mio timing all’inizio era orribile e “SCARCIOFAVO” (per shanking,NdT)molte palle, non riuscivo a tenerle dentro. Una volta corretto questo, tutto è rimasto sotto controllo.
Q. Sei un essere umano. Come fai a cambiare marcia cosí all’improvviso con un clic? Quanto è difficile?
ROGER FEDERER: Bé, non é mai una garanzia. Devi metterti nella posizione per cui se giochi bene vai a creare la differenza. Per questo motivo devi stare lí alla pari o davanti. Se sei dietro invece diventa dura.E’ poi lo stesso in tutti gli sport:: Soccer and golf and hockey. Devi stare concentrato, attento a non finire dietro all’inizio. E’ importante al settimo gioco non essere 3 / 4 con un break da recuperare…
Q. Ma contro Seppi e anche oggi é sembrato che tu fossi sempre in controllo nel momento in cui contava…
ROGER FEDERER: Yes.Son contento di essere stato capace di accelerare quando ce n’era bisogno.I TB sono importanti.Sempre bello vincerli. E oggi due buoni set.Il prossimo match magari ancora meglio.
Q. Ancora politica: tu e Rafa avete preso in mano la situazione due giorni fa e sia il Presidente dell’ATP che quello dell’ITF si sono precipitati qui. Questo vi rende consapevoli della responsabilitá e del potere che Nª1 e 2 del mondo hanno.Quando vogliono cambiare qualcosa, gli altri corrono. Allora adesso, che cosa farete? Avreste voluto avere queste conversazioni magari prima?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, prima di tutto non vogliamo una cattiva pubblicitá per il nostro sport ma solo la possibilitá di dire la nostra.Credo che abbiamo sortito l’effetto sperato visto che Etienne e Francesco si sono precipitate ad ascoltarci. Stiamo ancora discutendo fra noi giocatori ma l’importante era ritrovarci tutti uniti e adesso stiamo a sentire quel che ci dicono e da lí analizzeremo e studieremo le prossime mosse.
Q. Ma siete contenti del risultato sortito? Di come ne ha parlato la Stampa?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah,abbiamo espresso le nostre differenti opinioni, ognuno ha le I suoi differenti asngoli di veduta. Ma é stato un buon meeting, nessuno ha urlato…Ce n’erano stati di altri invece…ve lo posso assicurare..
(parla poi dell’incontro d’esibizione con Rafa a Mallorca su campo metá in erba, metá in clay (se è vero quel che ho letto su Wertheim Mail bag!!!) e dice che sará per gioco, bella atmosfera, puro divertimento).
SCANAGATTA Ancora su Ricci Bitti mi ha ditto che voi siete stati informati dall’ATOP piú che lui stesso, perché dice…
ROGER FEDERER: dice…dice…dice…Vedremo cosa ha da dire stasera…
Q. Yeah.
ROGER FEDERER: Please (NEL SENSO DI: Massí,per favore, lascia stare che é meglio… OPPURE: Prossima domanda, prego? IMPOSSIBILE DECIFRARE SENZA ESSERE STATI LÍ).

(POI ROGER CONFERMA L’IMPRESSIONE CHE QUESTI MEETING ABBIANO PORTATO TUTTI I GIOCATORI DALLA STESSA PARTE E ABBIANO RINFORZATO L’UNIONE DEI GIOCATORI.)

L’intervista di federer dopo che ha battuto anche Ferrer

Q. I just want to know if you remember anything about your first ever against Guillaume Raoux?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I qualified, so I won three matches beforehand.

Q. Right. Do you have any memories of that day and now?
ROGER FEDERER: I remember he was coming from I think a Davis Cup tie in Israel and was tired. I took him down. But I think that’s what it was, really. I was playing unbelievable. I remember I beat the Delaitre already in the last round of quallies and I remember in the second round of quallies I had a great run.
They wanted to give me a wild card for quallies but in the end I didn’t need it because the cut was too low. I played fantastic. I beat Fromberg after that and had a chance against Siemerink.
So was a great event for me. I think that was the last time it actually was played at that site in Toulouse because after that they moved it. I remember Marc Rosset was there. He was so happy for me. He was kind of guiding me around helping me book practice courts and, you know, how things work.
Of course, the first few questions came right away. What are you going to do with your first prize money? Put it in the Swiss bank; that was my answer.

Q. Do you still book your own practice courts?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I do. Not always, but most of the time.

Q. What means this win for you? I mean the way, you won.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I’m just happy. I finally kind of felt the ball really good from the baseline. I just felt like it was easy to keep the ball in play. It was easy to play aggressive.
And usually that always happens against the best players. David, he’s a very good player in my point of view. He’s an excellent grinder and baseline player, and if he plays very well it’s so hard to beat him.
But I always find a way against him to overpower him from the baseline and just have enough variety to maybe frustrate him a bit. When I needed good shots they come along, and today was a really good match so I’m really pleased.

Q. Was it always planned that Tony was going to come here, Roger? Was it always planned?
ROGER FEDERER: That was my wish, yeah. I asked Tony if he could make it early and maybe not come to the grass season after, because I just thought this is where we get the most information about my game on clay, this week here in Monaco and then the following couple of weeks.
Last year he came just a little bit before Rome and it was basically where the interesting part is already over because I’m preparing again for another event. The year before that I think he arrived for Hamburg.
So this is a good thing for me that Tony arrived early, and hopefully it’s going to pay off in the long run.

SCANAGATTAQ. Is he going to be in Rome and all of the other tournaments?
ROGER FEDERER: I’m not going to make him fly back and forth. No, I mean, he’s going to stay all the way until the French Open and then go back after the French Open.

Q. What was be your schedule next week?
ROGER FEDERER: Practice on clay. So, yeah, nothing fancy.

SCANAGATTAQ. Did you finally talk with Ricci Bitti about the Davis Cup? What came out? Is it going to be the first week after the Slams or not?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, he just explained to me the entire situation about Davis Cup. That they moved, obviously, the Grand Slams. For me it was just a good meeting to have for him to explain where they are at, the conversations that they had had with the ATP, because they’ve had he was happy with the conversations they had together with the ATP and with Etienne at the beginning of the year.
You know he could present me everything. Etienne could have done that too, but it’s always nicer to hear from Francesco ’s side. So he told me how next year and the following year is going to be and all the way until 2015, you know, just to give me their ideas, you know.
I told them my ideas, and I’m going to speak to Etienne now as well. And, you know, just think about it. I mean, they’re making progress, you know, which is they’re going in the right direction, so this is a good thing.

SCANAGATTA Q. Did he tell you something that surprised you or you knew everything?
ROGER FEDERER: Nothing crazy, no. No crazy things, which I’m happy about.

Q. What about yourself you can be surprised now on clay? I mean, after this long improvement.
ROGER FEDERER: What do you mean?

Q. You can be surprised about yourself on clay? You can play badly or not? I mean, you are quite sure
ROGER FEDERER: No, no. Every surface I surprise myself with great and bad playing. You never know what you’re going to get, and sometimes you just don’t feel well and some days you just feel good for a reason. I don’t know why.
This doesn’t matter. It doesn’t have much to do with the surface. On clay sometimes it’s just harder because it can be so frustrating when you don’t feel well from the baseline. You look like a schoolboy. You have nothing to do out there.
That’s why you have to try to kind of avoid those days. That’s what the best clay court players are able to do, you know, to avoid really bad days.
I’ve had bad days but I won straight sets, so it’s still okay.

Q. After 500 wins, Roger, is there one particularly that still stands out? Of the 500 wins, is there one that particularly still stands out?
ROGER FEDERER: First one is probably the Sampras win comes to my mind. Always going to stay the most special one for me. First Wimbledon Centre Court appearance, first and only time against Pete and I beat him.
It was an incredible match. If I had to pick one it would probably be that one.

Q. I think you pass the $30 million in earnings as well.
ROGER FEDERER: Okay.

Q. Do you remember what your first paycheck was after Toulouse? So you remember what you put in the Swiss bank?
ROGER FEDERER: Ten grand or something, you know. I don’t know.

Q. Francs?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, the euro wasn’t around yet. It wasn’t a French franc, I know that. Yeah, I’ve come a long way. It’s definitely two incredible numbers.

SCANAGATTAQ. You were the first Top 10 player beaten by Gasquet, and then he beat only two other afterwards: Blake and yesterday Ljubicic. Are you surprised that he only beat three Top 10 players in the last two years? Is this something that you would have expected or not?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, I don’t know. It’s how many he lost. I beat him a couple of times. Depends obviously how many chances you give yourself, too.
But I would expect with his type of his tennis that he should be able to beat the top guys more often like Murray or Djokovic has been able to do that.
Because they’re all dangerous players. Like I said on French TV, I think Richard is a fantastic player and I like his game very much. I hope he can continue to play well and slowly start to make his move in Grand Slams as well.
Because in Masters Series he’s shown he can do well. It’s in Grand Slams to see if you’re basically fit and tough enough. I think he is and he’s showing it this week.

PER FEDERER ANCORA NUMERI DA RECORD (di ANGELO MANCUSO)
Per Federer quella con Ferrer è la vittoria numero 500 in carriera (contro 127 sconfitte) nel circuito Atp. Solo un giocatore in attività vanta più incontri vinti di Federer: si tratta dello spagnolo Carlos Moya, a quota 516 (ma ha cinque anni in più). Dal febbraio del 2004, quando è diventato numero uno del ranking Atp, il venticinquenne svizzero ha totalizzato fino ad oggi 264 successi e solamente 17 sconfitte, con l’incredibile percentuale del 94 per cento di match vinti.

Intervista di Juan Carlos Ferrero

D. FERRERO/R. Gasquet

5 7, 7 5, 6 2

An interview with:

JUAN CARLOS FERRERO

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously the game at 4 2 in the second set was the key, the turning point.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, of course. It was very important to win this point because, you know, I start to smile a little bit more and start to enjoy a little bit more inside the match.
And also I start to, I think, hit the ball stronger than I did at the beginning of the game and I start to dominate him more than at the beginning of the match. So I think it was very important, this game and this point.

Q. Did you feel at that time that he was a little bit down physically?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Well, I feel him a little bit down since the beginning.

Q. Really?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah. Because I saw him doing some things with the leg and some things with I thought that he was a little bit down physically, and I knew it because he started to come to the net very often.
I think he didn’t do normally. So he start to make shorter the point, and but anyway, he was playing good. He was playing very good with his backhand down the line, and it was tough to me to follow the rhythm he put in the match.
But anyway, I think at the end I was playing very good with my forehand, very, very strong. And also was very important for me to take a lot of confidence.

Q. Gasquet says he thinks you’re now definitely one of the Top 10 clay players. How close are you to the level you want to get back to?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Here we are again. It’s amazing how I answer this question a thousand times. I don’t to want compare the level that I was. I think I’m playing good tennis and I’m in the semifinal. I want to enjoy.
I don’t want to say I’m a little bit down than I was, you know. I think I’m playing good tennis on clay and I want to show it tomorrow against Federer. It’s not the way to compare that time and now. It’s not it’s always I’m going to be bad because that time I was No. 1 and now I’m No. 20.

Q. How are you feeling about playing Federer tomorrow?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Federer is No. 1 in the world. He’s favored tomorrow, and I will try to play aggressive all the time and more to his backhand, of course, and try it serve good and try to not do a lot of mistakes.
Because he plays very, very quickly on clay as well, so I think physically I have to be very, very good and move very well.

SCANAGATTAQ. You played him nine times. What do you expect to change if you think it’s needed?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: I play against him in all surface: I play on grass, I play on hard, and I think I play the good games. In Dubai I had two matchpoints, and on grass I lost in two tiebreaks 6 3 in the first set.
So I felt good when I’m playing against him. On clay it’s long time ago that I don’t play against him.

SCANAGATTAQ. You retired.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Yeah, I retired in Rome. So I expect, you know, to have a very tough match. He improve a lot on clay courts, so I will try my best. If I play my best I expect to have a close match, but we’ll see.

Q. What does he needed to do to improve on clay?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Him?

Q. Uh huh, to be as dominate on clay as he is elsewhere.
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: Not a lot, huh? He did amazing results last year: He did final here and final in Rome and final in Roland Garros.
So I don’t think he has to improve a lot. He’s playing very good and I think we say if he’s so good on clay we don’t have Nadal, because he’s so good also on clay.

Q. So just to complete this, there’s not a technical aspect that he could improve?
JUAN CARLOS FERRERO: No, I don’t think so. One of his problems I think like two or three years ago was to move well on clay, and I think he improve it very well. He slides very good to his backhand and forehand, and he moves very well, so it’s one of the keys on clay to play good.

Intervista di ROGER GASQUET

D. FERRERO/R. Gasquet

5 7, 7 5, 6 2

RICHARD GASQUET

Q. This question has nothing to do with tennis. But did you see that in the magazine Le Point there was an article about Lagardere who denied the rumor about your relationship.
RICHARD GASQUET: I was absolutely not happy about that. This question has come back hundreds of times, and every time someone turns up saying, Oh, I have evidence.
It is just bullshit. Neither him nor me are homosexuals. It’s absolutely obvious. (n.b. DI ubs é UNA RISPOSTA COSì, I FRANCESI DICONO CHE è UNA BUFFONATA, IO NON NE SO ABBASTANZA…MI INFORMERò)

Q. Can you sum up for us the reasons for this loss? Were you tired?
RICHARD GASQUET: I was tired, yes, but it’s not the only reason. At 4 2 in the second set I was not able to win that game in order to be up 5 2. If I had won that game the match would have been different.
But he played well, and I was really not far behind. I really was aggressive. That was the most important thing.

Q. What is his level?
RICHARD GASQUET: He plays Top 10. He was No. 1 once but it’s not the same. He’s now playing Top 10.

Q. Are you satisfied with the tactics you had during that match? Was it to be early on the ball?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yes. I was tired this morning, therefore I knew I needed to make the rallies short. It paid off. I went up to the net and I played well. This is exactly the way I had to play.

Q. It was a good tournament for you?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yes. When I arrived here I was not feeling well. I was just coming out of an injury with my foot, but after my tennis came back and today I played very well.

Q. If you had to play again that game at 4 2, would you do a dropshot and serve and volley on second serve again?
RICHARD GASQUET: Yes, because I was not able to play long rallies. I tried and it didn’t work.

Q. What are you going to do now?
RICHARD GASQUET: Estoril, Rome, Hamburg.

Q. Federer said that you played better when you stayed far behind the baseline. Do you believe he said that because he’s afraid of you if you were to come forward?
RICHARD GASQUET: If I come forward that’s when I play the best. He be doesn’t think what he said. It’s true that when I’m far behind and I play with a lot of topspin. On his backhand I can play well against him, but it’s even better if I go forward.

PROGRAMMA DI SABATO 21 APRILE
ORE 11,30 Bryan-Bryan vs Hanley-Ullyett

non prima delle 13,30: Federer-Ferrero
a seguire Berdych-Nadal

a fine serata Aspelin–Knowle vs Bennettau-Gasquet

Questo articolo è stato pubblicato Venerdì, 20 Aprile 2007 alle 11:32 e classificato in Atp, Master Series, Montecarlo. Puoi seguire i commenti a questo articolo tramite il feed RSS 2.0. Puoi inviare un commento.