Interviste Serena Williams e Roddick
Parole in libertà con: Pennetta
Con Connors, Petrova, Meneschincheri
Con gli juniores italiani
C’è pure Roger Federer in originale

 
23 Gennaio 2007 Articolo di Ubaldo Scanagatta
Author mug

Disastro, mi hanno fregato il telefonino (o l’ho fatto cadere io). Non riesco più a comunicare..La partita migliore della giornata non è stata certo il 6-2,6-2,6-2 di Roddick a Fish (chissà se non era il suo miglior amico quanto gli avrebbe dato!), ma certo quella vinta da Serena sulla Peer dopo che Serena è stata sotto 6-5 e 30 pari, quindi a due punti dalla sconfitta. Dopo di che Serena ha rilasciato una splendida intervista (una delle migliori degli ultimi tempi) e non sto a tradurla ora perchè ho centomila casini per via di questo benedetto telefono. Ma ve la propongo in originale, seguita da quella di Roddick (non male anche quella, con anche alcun domande mie sui coach e la loro importanza che, peraltro, aveo rivolto anche a Fish). Nel frattempo ho scambiato anche due parole con Jimmy Connors (a proposito dei suoi match con Krickstein, Haarhuis e McEnroe, soprattutto il primo…che Sky sempre ripropone sebbene i commenti fossero miei e di Lombardi…bei tempi!) e lui è stato spiritoso a dirmi…”così almeno in Italia si ricorderanno che prima di essere il coach di Roddick ero un giocatore!” dopo di che, e fatte le mie condoglianze per la morte della sua adorata mamma Gloria _”domani sarebbe stato il suo compleanno…” _ ho assistito a una serie di reiterati tentativi da parte di Chris Clarey, giornalista del New York times, Doug Robson di USA Today, Craig Gabriel di Tennis Australia e varie radio compresa l’ITF, Philip Buoin dell’Equipe per convincere Jimbo a conceder loro un’intervista. Tutti buchi nell’acqua. Jimbo non ne vuole sapere. Prima o poi però, tramite la su p.r, con la quale ho cercato di creare un rapporto (conoscevo il padre…) chissà…vedrete che cederà. All’US open,alla fine, fu molto simpatico e piacevole.
Nella notte italiana ho incontrato Flavia Pennetta, che ha dato un’occhiata divertita al mio blog dopo aver perso in tre set dalle cinesi favorite n.2 nel doppio con la Dementieva (”Sono forti, hanno vinto in Australia e un altro Slam, mi sa che in fed Cup saranno davvero toste, credo che verrà la Na Li e la Peng per i singolari e loro due per il doppio, ma la Zheng è forte anche in singolare”) e dopo essersi divertita a vedere il blog delle coppie del tennis, e la sua foto con Carlos Moya che potete andare a rivedere, ha osservato che la Pin e Clement si sono separate proprio di recente e che avevo dimenticato Andreev e la Kirilenko, un’altra bella coppia no?
Ho incontrato anche la Petrova, che mi ha detto di essere nauseata dal tennis (e dall’allenatore…greco-cipriota, mi pare sia). “Ho deciso di andare più spesso in discoteca…per distrarmi. inutile pensare solo al tennis!” Non è una gran bellezza, ma il fisico non le manca, sebbene abbia due fianchi un po’ mascolini…magari balla bene. Infine ho incontrato tuti gli juniores italiani, Trevisan ha un problemino ad una coscia, era ansioso di approfittare dell’ultima laserterapia di Prof-Laser Parra, che è in partenza alla volta dell’Italia. Molto simpatico ed estroverso Daniel Lopez, nonna materna genovese (Casaccia), fratello che studia economia a Bologna da 5 mesi, circondato da radiocronisti sudamericani e poi da italiani. I suoi non parlano italiano, lui ormai sì. Bel tipo, e sicuro del fatto suo. Il suo idolo è Nalbandian, il suo gioco più simile a quello di Nadal (gran drittaccio, bel servizio) e si è allenato anche tanto con Victor Pecci (diventato pare una montagna di 130 kg, ricordate il finalista del ‘79 a Parigi contro Borg?), quello di Trevisan è Safin. Parlato a lungo anche con Bobo Meneschincheri, qui per conto del lodevolissimo TC Parioli (il cui direttore tecnico è una vecchia conoscenza, Vittorio Magnelli, ma nel consiglio ci sono tanti ex tennisti di seconda categoria, Marchiori, Berliri, e si sente: la mentalità sportiva è rimasta preminente). Le sue ragazze, Zanchetta (1989) e Vaideanu (1990) hanno perso subito ma sono discrete. E mi piace il fatto che il Parioli finanzi i loro viaggi (con un aiuto anche dalla Fedetennis a seconda se entrano in tabellone o no). Una ragazza di quel livello comporta un investimento da parte di un circolo vicino ai 30.000 euro l’anno. Poi la Federtennis rende qualcosa, a seconda dei tornei e dei risultati. Diciamo 10.000? Insomma, al di là dei sedici giovani tennisti stanziali a Tirrenia, qualcosa la FIT sta facendo. Ma di circoli con una mentalità sportivo-agonistica come il parioli mi sa che ce ne siano pochi. se qualcuno facesse una mini-indagine in Italia e ci informasse su quelli esistenti farebbe una cosa meritoria. Chi se la sente? Saluti aussies e…se non trovo il telefonino il mio umore, e il mo lavoro, purtroppo nei prox giorni ne risentirà. ciao a tutti
Ubaldo

S. WILLIAMS/S. Peer

3 6, 6 2, 8 6

An interview with:

SERENA WILLIAMS

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. Who writes your scripts?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I’m a good writer, so I usually do all the writing.

Q. Two points from defeat.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I thought about it, yeah. Two points to Qantas Flight 17, yeah.

Q. Where would you put that up there with some of your three set wins?
SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I don’t know. I’ve had some really incredible three set wins in my career. I don’t know where I’ll put that one. It wouldn’t be No. 1.

Q. How do you feel about your level of play today compared to Jankovic?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don’t think I played today as strong. I think I came out a little flat, started out a little slow. Maybe I just I don’t know, I think maybe I was just a little nervous. My feet, I didn’t have enough blood pressure in my feet. I just had to get going.
I had to kind of work my way in the match.

Q. Why do you think you had a flatter game today?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don’t know. I think I put a little pressure on myself going into this quarterfinal. I played her before. I knew she was a tough player. We had a tough match before, at least in the second set it was real tough.
I knew that I had a chance. I knew that, you know, I had a big opportunity to be in the semifinals again. I think I put a little too much pressure on myself. I just somehow came out flat.

Q. When was the last time you played a semifinal at a Slam but hadn’t played your opponent?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I can’t think that far back right now. I’m sure it happened.

Q. Is it an odd feeling to have at this stage of the tournament?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, nonetheless, we both kind of had the feeling. We both at the end of the day are starting at 0 0 and we’re going to go at it.

Q. Did the sickness affect you at all today?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don’t think so. I’ve had a bad cough. I’m trying to get over that. I’ve pretty much gotten over the rest. I’ve been like going beyond the call of duty to get rid of my sickness. It’s a bad time to get sick.
What doesn’t break me makes me stronger, I guess.

Q. What have you been doing to try to get over it?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I’ve been like doing a lot of steam, like sitting over a pot with a towel over my head (laughter). I’m sitting there for like 10 minutes sweating it all out. I put peppermint tea and eucalyptus, slaving over that pot. I’ve been drinking a lot of water, trying to go to bed early. I think that helped me out a lot.

Q. Talk about your serving in the third set, the latter part. You hit a lot of clutch serves. Looked like you were tiring at that point in the match.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I wasn’t tiring at all. I actually got more confident in my serve as the match got on. I just started hitting it better, started feeling more confident about it.

Q. One stroke you’ve always felt never departed you in the ups and downs in the last few years?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I like my serve a lot. I can always depend on it. Sometimes I have a low first serve percentage, but at the end of the day if I’m serving well, for the most part I’m playing well.

Q. You said on the court that you’re the ultimate competitor. When you got to that space where you’re two points from being defeated, do you like that situation? Do you live for a situation like that?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I hate that situation, and I’m tired of being in that situation (laughter). I don’t know why I had to be in that situation today because I was up 4 1. All I had to do was hold. I didn’t have to be there.
I just become ’sang froid’ in that situation. I get so calm. I’m floating. I feel so happy. It just relaxes me and releases. It’s just a pity it doesn’t happen when I was up 4 1.

Q. Is that calm conditions what happened you today? Your opponent had a lot more breakpoint opportunities, but you converted nearly every one you had.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think that helped me a lot. I didn’t know that stat, so that’s good.

Q. Are you ready to create some more carnage in the last two rounds?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Absolutely. Absolutely. Definitely ready to create some more carnage hopefully (smiling).

Q. Do you feel pressure from being one of the few Americans that are being successful lately in the women’s division? Not one woman was seeded in the top 16 here from the United States.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Was there one in the top 32?

Q. No.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I feel absolutely no pressure. I haven’t played much. I played four tournaments I think last year. Already at half that and it’s only January this year. I’m doing a lot better.
I feel no pressure. I’m just out to play and be happy, enjoy myself more than anything. I think when I do that, I play some of my best tennis.

Q. Have you heard from anybody at home that you haven’t heard from for a while, all of a sudden the messages of good wishes?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Not really, no, which is good. Those people are probably cut to the side. I need people that are with me the whole time, through thick and thin, not only the good times. Most of the people I hear from, they always hit me up, so to say, when I’m No. 1 or No. 81, yeah.

Q. Were you puzzled at first by your forehand? Couldn’t seem to hit anything in.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I was definitely, you know, upset because my forehand has been the one shot that I love to hit. I’ve even been running around a few balls to hit some forehands, even though I still run around to hit some backhands.
I wasn’t really feeling the ball right, so I’m going to go and work on that hopefully.

Q. When you’re that out of rhythm, are you telling yourself to play steady or something else?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I’m just telling myself just to stay positive more than anything. Like I said, I have to be my biggest fan out there. I don’t want to get down on myself.

Q. You were three points from. You hit that beautiful backhand cross court return when she was serving for the match. Did you think of that ahead of time? Where did it come from?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don’t remember. I figured if I was going to go out, I’m going to go out striking, as I always do, go out on top (pumping fist). I don’t remember that at all actually.

Q. Does it feel like a magic carpet ride? A lot of people didn’t think you would get this far.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don’t think anyone thought I would get this far, except for me and my mom.

Q. Isn’t that a pat on the back time?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I think it’s pat on the back time at the end of the tournament, whether it’s the semifinals or the winner. Like always, I always believe in myself. It doesn’t matter what all the commentators say or what all the writers say. At the end of the day, first of all I usually turn the volume down because of the negativity really is amazing. I don’t read the papers. I think that ends up helping me a lot.
I always pat myself on the back whether I’m walking down the street or whether I’m winning a match. Like I said, I have to be my No. 1 fan out there because I have to be able to support myself more than anyone.

Q. Why does that negativity exist, in your opinion?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Just haters, to be honest. A lot of people don’t have that negativity all the time. I guess it’s a big story to write negative things about me as opposed to positive things sometimes. Or, hey, when you’re down, people sometimes try to kick you.
I think what’s awesome is always being able to stay up. But, like I said, I hear things, but I don’t read that stuff because it could really affect one. It’s like people get pleasure out of talking bad. Does it make them feel good when it makes me feel bad? I guess it does.
At the end of the day, I go home to my little dogs and my family. You know, I’m always going to be happy.

Q. Do you ever read the positive things that are written about you?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don’t read anything. I don’t. One time I read like I think it was like ‘99, I read this article. It was really good. I was like, Oh, yeah, I’m the bomb. I just got too headstrong. I was just like, you know what, I don’t want to be like some of those celebrities walking around, just so full of themselves. I always want to be down to earth, want to be a person like when you meet them, they’re the same person that you think of them in the article or something.
I’m like, you know what, when my career is over, I’ve been saving a lot of articles, I’ll go back and read ‘em. I don’t want to be like big headed, I can barely get through the door. I think it works in both ways, as well.

Q. You were saying you’re always staying positive on court. When you make unforced errors, occasionally it’s pretty obvious you’re yelling at yourself.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah. I used to be worse, though. I used to smash racquets. My racquets used to slip (smiling). They haven’t slipped all tournament, although it slipped once in practice. For the matches, it hasn’t slipped.

Q. What did you make of her performance? First Israeli player to make the quarterfinal. The entire country was watching at 4 in the morning.
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it’s amazing. Her performance and her play for all of Israel is great. I couldn’t be more happy for her because, you know, you have just one person going the lone ride. I think she’s doing a great job.
She’s obviously a solid player. She obviously has a very bright future. I think Israelis might be up 4 in the morning a lot more.

Q. Your mother is your coach. You’ve had a good week. What can you say about her contribution to how you’re doing at this tournament?
SERENA WILLIAMS: My mom, she’s tough on me. I think that helps. She’s pretty tough on me. She doesn’t let one ball slide. Like if I hit it wrong, she’s telling me. It bothers me. You know, I guess it helps me.

Q. What do you read at the changeovers?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I love to read. I love reading novels. I read all the Harry Potter books. I’m not reading the last one because I was crying at the last one I read. I’m not going to read any more. I’m too emotionally involved (laughter). I read like a Nelson DeMille novel. One of my favorite books is called The Charm School. I read this one book called Gideon. I read that new one that came out, Eragon. The book was so much better than the movie. I was so disappointed with the movie. I was waiting like six months for the movie to come out. I read a lot of that. I watch tons of TV.

Q. Do you write something by yourself?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I like to write a lot, too. I love writing. The more I read, the more my mind like I’m a Libra, I’m thinking of crazy things inside there. I’m really artistic and hands on. The more I read, the more I write.

Q. Negative or not, can you understand how the fans or press have doubts about you coming in here, seeing how you haven’t played and haven’t had great results in two years?
SERENA WILLIAMS: All I’m saying is you don’t knock someone when they’re down. I understand people have the right to write what they want to. You don’t just knock someone so hard when they’re trying just to make it.
Like I never once, about anyone in my whole career, said anything negative about anybody. But yet some people go out and they say negative things about me. That’s just the road I’ve always taken. At the end of the day, if that’s the road other people want to take, so be it. But it’s not going to get me down by no means.
I never gave anyone anything negative to write. No one knows what I went through off the court. No one knows anything that I’ve been through. That always is hard, too. But whatever.

Q. We’re all here. Tell us.
SERENA WILLIAMS: You’ll have to read the book (laughter).

Q. When is the last time you had to dig so deep to win a match? How much more do you think you have in your tank?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I have a lot left in my tank. When I had to dig so deep? I had to dig deep to beat Petrova because she was playing unbelievable. She was really ready.

Q. Did you enjoy the battle between the spectators, the Israelis, the Americans?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was fun. Like I said, it was awesome that she’s doing so well for Israel, and there’s no players. That’s just really cool. She had her whole fan section going on. I was excited to hear someone saying, Come on, Serena. I was like, Yes, finally. It was really awesome.

Q. If you were to finish this script today on how this Australian Open would go, how would it end?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, I think we could all see how it ends. I don’t know. There’s always different turns in scripts. You never know.
I’m just happy to be playing again. I’m happy to go to India in a couple weeks, keep playing these tournaments. Most of all I’m happy that I won’t be ranked No. 81 any more. That’s how this one ends. Whatever happens, I’m ready to compete for the rest of the year and years to come.

Q. Which number do you think you deserve as you are playing now?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I don’t know. Maybe I don’t know. We’ll see. I’m not saying anything.

Q. Do your earrings ever get in the way with your swings or anything?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I don’t even feel ‘em.

Q. The wins sweeter now that the expectations aren’t there?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I like being No. 1 seed. I like being No. 1, obviously. I like being expected to win. I like that pressure. Vice versa, I like being not expected to win, have no pressure. I like being the underdog. You can’t stay the underdog forever.
Mardy Fish

A. RODDICK/M. Fish

6 2, 6 2, 6 2

An interview with:

MARDY FISH

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. Mardy, take us through what happened.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, started out I guess pretty flat. You know, real nervous obviously, which I thought was to be expected. It felt real different out there. I never played on that court before. Never even walked out on that court before. It felt real different.
You know, two breaks in each set before I even knew what was going on. I got one break there back in the second set, thought maybe, Okay, this is when the rhythm of my serve is going to start coming back.
You know, I felt like I was coming to the net good, getting good looks at volleys and stuff. He played real well. He’s been playing great lately. Obviously it’s a lot of pressure on your serve games when he serves that well, because he’s going to hold most of the time.
You kind of feel like every time you walk out there, not unlike Ljubicic, where it just felt like, If I lose my serve, I’m going to lose the set almost.
He played well from the beginning. I don’t know if I was flat. I tried changing things up a little bit. Maybe coming in off seconds, you know, serving and volleying, staying back, trying to take the first ball. Didn’t really feel like anything was working.

Q. You know Andy so well. Do you feel a Jimmy Connors’ effect in his game?
MARDY FISH: Yeah. I mean, I feel like I mean, today is the best I’ve ever played against him. For him, it all starts with the serve. If he’s serving well, again, he just puts so much pressure on you to hold. You start pressing, start thinking, Okay, if I’m down 15 30 here, this is a huge point, I better make the first serve. You miss the first serve.
He’s hitting his backhand well. You know what he’s doing well, he’s really passing well. I don’t think he missed very many passing shots. He just made me hit tough volleys almost every time. I made a couple. I hit a couple back to him. I missed a couple. You know, he just puts a lot of pressure on you that way.

Q. Besides the serve, do you feel him putting pressure on you at other points in the game?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, you kind of feel like, uhm, you know, maybe he’s looking to attack on that second serve, which wasn’t the case before. You could kind of spin the serve in, you know, start the point from there. You know, he’s using his slice real well to kind of make the points a little bit longer.
He knows I’m the type of person that wants to make the points short, want to get to the net on the first ball if I can. He just slices that kind of nothing ball deep where I have to generate all the pace. That was something he wasn’t using as much. I don’t know if Jimmy has done a lot of that.
I mean, you just see it in his confidence level as well. Maybe not necessarily in his game, but you feel like he’s on a mission almost, you know, to get back to the top.
I didn’t give him much I don’t feel like, but he came up with every answer that I gave him today.

Q. The way Andy is playing, do you think he can go all the way this year?
MARDY FISH: Absolutely. Roger doesn’t like to lose, even in exhibitions. Andy won that Kooyong thing. They’ve played tight matches before. Finals of the US Open was pretty close. A tight four setter. He definitely can win the tournament. I mean, you know, if Roger gets by tonight, it will be a pretty interesting match.

Q. What did you talk about up at the net when it was all over?
MARDY FISH: Not much, to be honest with you. I wasn’t too talkative. I just said, Great playing, good luck. He said, Thanks.

Q. Before we didn’t give too much importance to the coach. Now sometimes you have the impression even players give maybe too much importance to the coach. What is the right size? How important is Martin for you? How important is Connors for Roddick?
MARDY FISH: I think, for one, speaking maybe on Andy’s behalf, he’s just real confident. It’s not something that he uses on the court necessarily. Jimmy’s in his corner. That’s a pretty big tennis mind to have in your corner. I’m sure he’s giving him lots of stuff.
I speak for myself, Todd Martin has been a huge aspect of my tennis so far this year. Kind of scratch 2005. Worked our way back the best we could last year into the top 50. He knows a lot.
Yeah, there’s only so much that they can do. We got to get out there and play. Someone like Brad Gilbert, for instance, I think is a great strategic coach, knows other people’s games really well, gives Andy Murray a real good scouting report. I think Jimmy I’m sure does that just as good. I know Todd does it real well, too.

Q. What is it going to take? This is your first time at this level. What is it going to take for you to build on this and come back strong, do better the next time?
MARDY FISH: I think it helps to be seeded in some of these tournaments now, not to run into someone like Ljubicic in the first round would help. You know, just build on the year so far. I’ve won quite a few matches so far this year, including Hopman Cup. Won a couple matches there. Thought that was a great start to the year.
To get three matches under my belt before going to Auckland. Making the semis there, losing in three sets to Ferrer. Beating him here. Winning three or four matches here. It’s going to help to build. I don’t have anything to defend until Houston, which is in April. It’s a great opportunity for me right now, and I’m well aware of it.

Q. You know Andy really well. I know he’s played Roger tough last couple times. He goes into the match 1 12 against a guy. Can he really go out there with a lot of confidence?
MARDY FISH: I mean, I think now more so than ever he will. Knowing that you can take sets off a guy, knowing that you can play with a guy. With his serve, if he serves well, I think in my opinion he’s got a real good shot.
Roger is Roger. I can go on and on talking about him, how good he is. Obviously it’s a huge mountain to climb. To beat him in a Grand Slam, three out of five… Two out of three would be easier, if that’s even a good term for it.
You know, a stage like this, I think Andy likes these courts a lot. These courts, they’re playing pretty quick this year. I was able to serve and volley pretty much my way to the quarters. This surface is going to help his serve a lot against him. I think that’s big.

Q. You mentioned you considered Andy like a brother. Does that make it easier or harder?
MARDY FISH: I’m sure we prefer to not play each other. Maybe we’d prefer to play each other in the final. We’ve had some real good matches. This one was probably the most lopsided match we’ve ever had. It’s ironic it comes on one of the biggest stages we’ve played on.
We played a lot of great sets, even on tour, tiebreakers. It’s a little bit tougher to play friends. You want to get fired up out there. I’m sure Andy’s obviously stoked to make the semis, but he didn’t show much emotion. I’m sure that was because I don’t know if he felt bad for the way I was playing.
You know, he didn’t want to show me up or something. It’s not that he shows up other players, but he’ll show a lot more emotion if he’s not that close to someone else. That makes it a little tougher. Maybe you’re not as fired up about beating a guy as you normally would be.

Q. What happens next? Do you have the kind of relationship where you two can have a laugh about it, or will it become the match that doesn’t get mentioned for a couple of months?
MARDY FISH: No, I mean, we won’t talk about the match. We talk about what 25 year olds talk about, I guess. We never really talk about tennis until right before. We had a joke or two right before we were walking out on the court, then it’s business. We’re both professionals.
I can easily sit here and lose 2 2 2 and not mention anything about how I played and talk about how great he played, because he did play a great match. Everything that I tried to do, tried to change, tried to come up with, he came up with better shots, so…

Q. In terms of confidence, do you put more stock into Andy getting close to beating Roger in Shanghai or the XO?
MARDY FISH: I think Shanghai. He had match points in the second set, right? That’s one of the biggest stages we have out here. He played him tough. I mean, he’s played him tough the past few times he’s played.
Who knows, maybe I’m making too much of the XO. Maybe people are making too much of the XO. Or maybe we’re not. Maybe that was one of the steps mentally that he had to get over to take him out in one of these tournaments.

Q. What kind of respect do you have for the wheelchair tennis here in Melbourne Park?
MARDY FISH: I haven’t seen much. When is it on?

Q. From Thursday.
MARDY FISH: Today is Tuesday. I might be gone by tomorrow. But I would watch if I could.

Q. Will you talk to Andy or make him buy you dinner or will it take a couple days for this thing to get over?
MARDY FISH: No, we unless he wants to go out unless he wants to come out with us tonight, which I’m sure he won’t. No, I mean, we won’t talk about it. I’m sure I’ll see him in San Jose. I’m sure I’ll talk to him when we get back. We talk on the phone all the time. I’m sure he’ll give it a couple days for me to let it all soak in.

A. RODDICK/M. Fish

6 2, 6 2, 6 2

An interview with:

ANDY RODDICK

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Is that the way you treat your friends?
ANDY RODDICK: I don’t know. You know, I tried my best to kind of put our friendship to the back of my head before we went out there. You know, it’s always difficult. It’s a weird, weird situation.

Q. He said that’s the best you’ve ever played against him. Agreed?
ANDY RODDICK: He said that?

Q. Yes.
ANDY RODDICK: That’s probably true. I played him once in Washington. I remember I played pretty well also. That was probably the best I played against him, yeah.

Q. You came into the tournament with good form. You’ve had some great games up till now. Any chance of peaking too early?
ANDY RODDICK: Peaking too early? I’ve been lucky to get by in every match except this one (smiling).
No, I don’t think so. I struggled through my first round, been playing five sets. You know, I think you want to be playing well by the quarters.

Q. At the end you weren’t celebrating. Were you almost embarrassed for him or you didn’t want to show him up?
ANDY RODDICK: Well, to be honest, like I said, it’s a little bit of a weird situation. Being that we’re close, I think it takes away maybe a little bit of the elation ’cause you’re not really solely focused on your side of the court. Maybe you’re a little bit more conscious of both sides.
It wasn’t a planned reaction not to do anything. It was just kind of what I felt.

Q. How much better is it to go into a semifinal after a match like that than the El Aynaoui match?
ANDY RODDICK: I was going into that semifinal hurt, so it’s a lot better. I felt great going in physically today. I felt fantastic after the five setter the other day. I feel like I’m hitting the ball well. I feel good going into the semis.

Q. (Indiscernible) a little more because you didn’t get the court time today?
ANDY RODDICK: Maybe tomorrow. At the same time I don’t necessarily feel like you know, sometimes players, you know, they keep practicing until they find something wrong. I don’t want to do that either.

Q. Any aspects of your game that you feel you need to improve on heading into the semis?
ANDY RODDICK: Today I played pretty flawless, I thought. I did everything pretty well. I’m guessing there’s going to be some stuff that Jimmy probably wants to work on based on matchups.
As far as generally, I feel pretty confident with most of my game. If I’m nitpicking, my first serve percentage was a little low for the first two sets today. Besides that, I felt good.

Q. Mardy has given you a great shot against Roger. Break down the match up.
ANDY RODDICK: I don’t know. You know, I said for the past probably five or six months, the gap has either been closing a little bit or just he hasn’t been extending it, which he’s probably done the last three years or so. That’s a good thing.
With the match in Shanghai, I’m going to go in with a shot. I like going up and competing against him, I really do. I’m looking forward to the opportunity, assuming he gets through.

Q. Have you ever had only four unforced errors in a match?
ANDY RODDICK: Probably not.

Q. You are supposed to play Roger in the semi. Do you enjoy it?
ANDY RODDICK: I look forward to it. You know, we’ve done it before. I’m sure we’ll do it again. I feel like I’m in good form. I’d love to see where I match up.

Q. Match points in Shanghai. You beat him in Kooyong. Do you feel that gives you confidence?
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. I mean, obviously. I said before we played in Kooyong, if I had won there I’m not going to come in acting like it’s some huge match.
But given the choice going in to win a match or lose a match, you choose to win it. That’s kind of the way I’ve been looking at it.

Q. What were your misgivings way back when the process started about whether Jimmy would work out for you? How have things sort of worked out in sort of what your reservations may have been way back when?
ANDY RODDICK: When I was thinking about people I said it before his name just intrigued me the most. When I’m looking at it, if I’m being frank, I looked at it and said, Okay, this one could have a great upside or it could just be terrible from the beginning. We didn’t know each other on a personal level. He had never expressed any interest in coaching at all.
I didn’t think it would happen. I figured I’d throw it out there. He’d say, Thanks but no thanks, and we’d most of on. When he expressed interest, I was really excited about it. We had the four or five day period before Indianapolis where I guess he kind of wanted to get a gauge for me a little bit more, and I guess vice versa. I was nervous going into that.
You don’t know how you’re going to react to someone. We had zero prior relationship. We had a conversation at Wimbledon. Before that, I don’t know if we’d ever really had a talk before. That’s a little intimidating, you know.

Q. Why do you think Mardy caved in so easily?
ANDY RODDICK: I don’t know if he caved in so easily. I think he might have been a bit nervous in the beginning. He missed some balls like he probably hasn’t been missing lately. I think after that I got some confidence and played about as well as I can.

Q. In your next match against Roger
ANDY RODDICK: Has he played yet?

Q. In your match with Roger.
ANDY RODDICK: In my next match?

Q. Yes, against Roger.
ANDY RODDICK: Has he played yet?

Q. No, he hasn’t. If he does win, you play Roger in the next round, are you going to be doing something different in your game plan, or are you going to do what you do best basically?
ANDY RODDICK: Well, I’ve been a little bit more successful the last couple times I played him. I don’t feel like you can sit back and let him create. I think that’s when you get in trouble. I’m going to have to go with what I do well and try to attack him, at least make him come up with shots from uncomfortable positions.
If he’s comfortable and set while hitting the ball, that makes it tough.

Q. If Roger does go down tonight, how will that affect your preparation for the semi? Any change?
ANDY RODDICK: Well, yeah, it will be a completely different player. It’s a tough question to answer. I think you just have to watch and see. I’ve played Tommy I think eight times or something also. I’m pretty familiar with his game, as well.

Q. Do you think sometimes the media exaggerates on the importance of the coach?
ANDY RODDICK: The media? They wouldn’t exaggerate something (smiling). Are you kidding me?

Q. What is the percentage of the influence of a coach on a tennis match or career?
ANDY RODDICK: Those are two entirely different questions.
On an individual tennis match, I’d say probably not as much. I think the real impact is made in practice, in preparation, that sort of thing. You know, I know how most guys play. But if I don’t have the confidence to go out and implement the game plan that I need to, it makes the task a lot more difficult.
In Jimmy’s case, I don’t know if it’s been exaggerated. I’ll be the first to say it was a welcomed change, almost a new life, just the way he puts things, it just clicked. I don’t know if you can minimize the effect that he’s had on me.

Q. Tennis is an individual sport. Do you think a coach is more important in a team effort or for an individual?
ANDY RODDICK: It’s tough for me to say because I’ve never been at any sort of level in a team sport. I don’t know if I’m educated enough on the importance of a coach in team sports to make a comparison.

Q. In team sports normally there is a strategy that involves 11 players or 15.
ANDY RODDICK: Well, I understand that. And sometimes in basketball it’s five players. I get that. But what I’m saying is I’m not going to sit here and pretend to know how a basketball player is affected by his coach. I don’t know if I can say one’s more important than the other because I don’t know one whole side of it.

Q. What did you and Mardy have to say at the net?
ANDY RODDICK: I don’t know. I think he just wished me luck. I might have said it was a real good tournament for him. He beat some real quality players here. Hopefully he’ll be able to build on that momentum.

Q. Is there a fine line to walk with attacking Roger and not getting away from your base sometimes?
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I mean, there is a fine line. Whatever is done, if it doesn’t work, all you smart people will sit up there and say I should have done the opposite. But there is a fine line. You can’t go out there and just rush everything.
But I think it’s just a matter of, you know, if you are going to come to the net, getting a little bit more on your approach shots. Little things like that, making every second serve return count. Just kind of little adjustments.
I think the most important thing is you can have a game plan, but just executing it. There’s not a lot of room for error in the execution of it.

Q. Can you read his serve better now?
ANDY RODDICK: I don’t know. I feel like I’m just returning a little bit better now. If I am getting a racquet on it or something, I feel like I’m maybe doing a little more with it. I’m able to attack second serves a little bit better, which doesn’t put him on the offensive all the time on that first ball, with that little middle forehand. That’s a killer shot.
I feel like I’ve been able to return a little bit more firm, which might take that away a little bit.

Q. Does it being a night match factor at all?
ANDY RODDICK: The conditions are a little bit different at night. I feel like it’s a little bit slower at night. But not really ’cause, you know, normally a first or second round night match adds a little more electricity to the match and stuff. But I feel like that’s not going to be lacking. I feel that might be there at 9:00 in the morning.
I don’t know if it will make that big of a difference.

Q. The fact that you played Marat in such a hyped up match sort of help out going into another big one?
ANDY RODDICK: Certainly doesn’t hurt.

R. FEDERER/T. Robredo

6 3, 7 6, 7 5

An interview with:

ROGER FEDERER

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. With a Roddick semifinal next, how did you assess tonight’s match?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, it doesn’t have much to do with the next match really. Totally different players, you know. Conditions were very slow I thought tonight, you know. And it was windy again, you know. After a couple matches indoors, it was quite a change. So I had to adjust to that. It’s going to be nothing like it in the next round.

Q. 10 service breaks in the match, five in the first set. Was that due to the wind?
ROGER FEDERER: I think so, yeah. From the one end it was really blowing against you, so it was really hard to get a grip from the baseline. Plus, you know, he’s a tough baseliner so he plays it smart. I tried to change up a few things. But didn’t quite work. I wasn’t in the rhythm yet. But I got that crucial actually first break which was against the wind.
The wind sort of calmed down midway through the second set and also this is when we could then concentrate on playing the player, not against the wind.

Q. You’ve been with Tony Roche for a couple years. Talk a little bit about what he brings to the table for you, and how long you expect that relationship to continue.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it’s been a few years now. I was very happy when he said yes, you know, to work with me. It’s been very interesting, you know. Especially the first few months where we had to put everything on the table, you know, where he said what he thinks about my game, where he would like to go, that we kind of have the same mindset for the future. That was quickly found, you know. We’ve been working very hard in practice.
I was fortunate enough that he always came over to Europe in the summer and I’ve had now the last three years with Tony in December, which is crucial. We work very well together. I don’t see an end to it any time soon.
But you know, look, he can decide whatever he wants to do really because he doesn’t quite need it, you know, any more after all these years with tennis. But I’m happy if he does, so…

Q. What is your relation like with him in general? Is it really more like a friendship? Is there a father figure involved? Is it all business?
ROGER FEDERER: No, no, it’s not all business. But, I mean, we just have a good relationship. It’s really relaxed, you know. I think usually tennis players are pretty laid back. Their coach is usually, too.
I think it’s important, you know, to have a lot of respect for your coach because that sometimes can go away. Especially when you make the breakthrough with somebody, you kind of know him before. You’re looking up to the coach before, and all of a sudden the coach is looking up to you. Kind of changes a lot throughout the career.
You know, when we got together, I was No. 1 in the world. I think there’s always been a lot of respect for one and the other. Yeah, it’s been a good really relationship we’ve been in. Don’t see him all the time, you know, but we have decent contact, which was important.

Q. Are you satisfied where your game is at at this stage of the tournament?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I think I played pretty well. The break of serves, they’re due to the wind I assume tonight, the conditions, just being really cold, maybe not getting the same effect on the serve. I had to kind of change my game around a little bit midway through the second set.
I think my attacking style really worked out well. I volleyed really well tonight. You know, I had to battle much more from the baseline. That was expected. I’m really happy to have come through.

Q. Do you think your volley will be an important part of your game against Roddick?
ROGER FEDERER: It depends how I play. In Kooyong I came in a lot. I doubt it will be that much. It’s important to knock off important volleys and be able to have that option. I don’t think it’s going to come down to volleys, but we’ll see what happens.

Q. When you played Andy at Kooyong, did he look like a different player to you than he’s been since his improvements began?
ROGER FEDERER: Look, I don’t know what his problem really was in terms his success because I always thought he was playing okay. He just had a couple of shock losses for him really: first round at the US Open and then the year before, he won a couple of rounds. That was just very disappointing for him, you know. That year when he lost to Johansson at the US Open, I thought he was almost like a favorite to win the tournament. He was playing so well. All of a sudden he lost in five sets.
Yeah, I mean, I think he’s really found his serve again. His serve kind of got lost all of a sudden. He didn’t get the same free points any more. He couldn’t really, yeah, put the pressure on the opponent because it was too easy to return his serve. I don’t know if it’s due to change of tactics or change of conditions. All of a sudden, got really slower. He’s definitely picked that up again. Ever since, he’s been a great player again.

Q. Your efforts in getting the job done in three sets is outstanding. Is that your own personal benchmark? Do you have that in the back of your mind that you don’t want to be dropping a set?
ROGER FEDERER: No, no. As long as I get through, I’m happy. I think the five setters and stuff also gives you a lot of information, which now maybe I don’t get. I prefer this scenario. I’m really fresh coming into the semis. I mean, that’s key, you know. They always say you can lose a tournament in the first week, but you can’t win it. That’s exactly what I’ve been able to do in I don’t know how many Slams now in a row I’ve been in the semis or in the finals. I think that’s also been a very important key to my success in the Grand Slams.

Q. Do you set that down as a target to say, I want to do it in three all the way through?
ROGER FEDERER: No.

Q. Do you have a cold here?
ROGER FEDERER: It’s going away. Today was running more. Look, I mean, I’m much, much better than, what, five or six days ago. That’s basically over.

Q. Given how good you are on grass, do you think the courts are ideal for you generally across the board or would you prefer more faster court tournaments?
ROGER FEDERER: Like here?

Q. Than there are.
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, the tour is kind of mainstream, that everybody’s got a chance on any surface. Before grass was really quick, you know, indoors was lightning, outdoors was medium sort of, clay was slow. It’s not that way any more, you know. We have much more medium paced outdoor. Indoors has also been slowed down. Grass has been really slowed down. Everybody’s got a chance now in a way. So in a way it makes it more easy but more difficult at the same time.
Hard to say. I mean, I kind of like, you know, medium pace because it gives you the option to do a bit of everything. But I don’t know if it’s entirely fair to all the players. Look, that’s just how it is.

Q. Is Roddick at much more of a disadvantage in a three out of five set match because eventually you figure him out towards the end?
ROGER FEDERER: If it’s an advantage for me or him?

Q. For you. Versus two out of three at Shanghai.
ROGER FEDERER: Best of three is always a danger. You can be a set and a break down in no time. Against Andy especially that could be it. But, look, that could be against other players, as well.
That’s the interesting part, especially in Grand Slams, you play more with the mind and the legs, you know, throughout the Slam. Especially over a best of five set match, if that’s an advantage for me, I hope it is, but I doubt it really.

Q. In early ‘03 people were questioning when or if you would win a Slam. After 2003 Wimbledon, the rest is tennis history. What was the critical difference between you in ‘02 and ‘03?
ROGER FEDERER: I was playing better bit by bit. I won my first Masters Series in Hamburg in 2002. That was for me kind of a milestone. I cracked the top 10, started to give myself more chances also in Grand Slam tournaments, started to make the third, fourth, quarterfinals on a regular basis. All I really needed was a breakthrough kind of making the semis at a Slam. I made that at Wimbledon first up. I mean, I ended up winning the tournament and never looked back.
I guess that loss at the French Open against Horna really put me down. I was really disappointed. The important was the reaction from then on. Yeah, it was so important to come to Wimbledon with a good mindset again, and I was able to shake it off in a couple of weeks’ time, which was important.

Q. Did you ever get impatient or concerned about your progress in Grand Slams?
ROGER FEDERER: It’s tough. I mean, I have to say, the media puts a lot of pressure on you as a youngster, as a player. So I can imagine what the other youngsters are going through, the ones that haven’t won slams yet. Start to, you know, question you. Shouldn’t you be making that breakthrough soon and everything? You start doubting yourself as well. It’s hard and tough.
But, look, that’s just the way it is. When you’re young, everybody’s interested especially in the tennis game the interest is so much on the youngsters. Yeah, I’m happy I’m not there any more.

Q. Did you watch any of the Murray/Nadal match last night? If so, what were your impressions?
ROGER FEDERER: Yes, I saw from the second set on till the end. Yeah, I thought it was a very interesting match. I think Andy did well. I don’t know what happened with his rib or whatever. Looked like he was totally in control and all of a sudden he just gave it away, then came back.
It was a very awkward match. It was very interesting, I thought. I mean, Raf is incredibly tough. I like to watch him just battle it out. I love seeing that. I mean, he was so strong in the end. He deserved to win. But Murray was really close. It was great to see a five setter.

Q. Were you surprised how hard Andy pushed him?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I wasn’t.

Q. When you’re 12 1 against a guy, like you are with Roddick, is he a real rival to you? Do you consider him to be a real rival?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, “rival”, absolutely. I think we’ve played on so many big occasions against each other, look, I mean, if I wouldn’t have been there, maybe look at the success he would have had, in Wimbledon especially, maybe at the US Open as well.
Uhm, yeah, I mean, we’ve had some really close matches. We’re about the same age. You know, he’s been No. 1. I mean, I don’t think the record really plays much a role. Now that we’ve played over 10 times, I think it gets always very interesting. I think the record is good for me, but I think it’s still a great match with Andy.

Q. You’re the one out there that plays with the smallest racquet on court. Did you try a bigger size? You’re playing with a 90. Did you try a 95 and you didn’t like?
ROGER FEDERER: No, I’ve always been very happy. I switched from 85 to 90 back in 2002 just before I won Hamburg really. That was for me a big move because I was really shanking a lot of balls.

Q. With the 95?
ROGER FEDERER: With the 85. Then I changed to a 90. I asked Wilson to make something special for me. Yeah, I mean, it’s a great racquet for me. Funny, I wanted to play with the racquet of Sampras, now Sampras is playing with the racquet of me. Kind of weird (smiling). Look, he changed to mine now as well.
I mean, really helped me a lot. I never really tried a bigger head size racquets. I don’t think it would maybe help me much.

Q. It’s still the smallest on tour.
ROGER FEDERER: Still the smallest, yes. But the best one (smiling).

Q. The string combination, you have a special string combination, filament and gut. Usually players have the strings the other way around.
ROGER FEDERER: For me, that worked. I’ve seen other players playing the way I do, but mostly play the different way. I’ve done that also in 2002 already. I was actually one of the first to make that switch, breaking so many strings. It’s given me much more control. I’m happy that it’s been working.
I think the strings have really also changed the game a little bit because everybody tried to slow down the conditions, so the players had to react in terms of getting control back. It was not so much the power that made it how do you say the effect of winning or losing was more actually not missing. That’s what we have today, that kind of problem, no one is going for enough any more.

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7 Commenti a “Interviste Serena Williams e Roddick
Parole in libertà con: Pennetta
Con Connors, Petrova, Meneschincheri
Con gli juniores italiani
C’è pure Roger Federer in originale”

  1. massimo scrive:

    E’ sempre un piacere leggere questi resoconti, pieni zeppi di curiosità ed aneddoti, corollario dell’”evento” e che mi hanno sempre incuriosito, da quando sono appassionato di tennis.
    Auguri per il telefonino (mi auguro che tu abbia di scorta l’agendina cartacea, pignolescamente aggiornata… cosa che personalmente mi avrebbe salvato quando l’ho smarrito io) e… Victor Pecci, se non ricordo male ai tempi di Telepiù era un vostro cavallo di battaglia l’aneddoto della partita di Davis giocata dal Paraguay sul legno. Rinfrescami la memoria così mi fai tornare ragazzino, saluti e complimenti.

  2. Ubaldo Scanagatta scrive:

    Un po’ di scorta ce l’ho, altro telefonino (ma non aziendale…) anche Ugualmente un disastro. Sì Pecci e chapacu (Gozalez in doppio, un paraguagio semi-argentino, niente a che vedere con il cileno attuale) gioarono sul legno contro gli americani e li fecero a pezzi. Ma di pecci ricordo…che contro di lui Borg per non farsi attaccare mise, mi pare, centocinque prime su centosei nella finale di Parigi. Potrei sbagliare di una prima o due…ti piacciono questi aneddoti, spero di non esaurire la miniera, prima ceh accada…spargi la coce fra gli amici appassionati, la pubbliictà è l’anima del commercio (che in questo caso non c’è!)

  3. marcos scrive:

    a proposito di pecci e connors: quando cerchi di intervistare jimbo, evita di chiedergli qualcosa sulla semi del ‘79 al roland garros, perchè rischi di fartela negare, l’intervista!

    ricordo un punto straordinario tra i due, concluso da un pallonetto millimetrico di jimbo…victor, arrancando, riusciva a recuperarlo e, mentre connors scendeva a rete, benchè convinto che pecci non sarebbe riuscito a rimandargli il pallonetto… il sudamericano si produceva nel numero del passante sotto le gambe: jimbo era appostato sul net come un avvoltoio…facile volèe e punto. poi, col ditino e l’aria da maestro, spiegò a pecci che nessuno avrebbe mai potuto passarlo con un colpo così!
    era vero…ma quell’incontro lo perse.

    ciao!

    marcos

  4. yasu scrive:

    brava serena!! mentre giocava
    ha sentito la difficolta’ pero’ ha vinto lei
    mi faceva ricordare la verita’ dei tutti vincetori
    cioe’ fino all’ultimo periodo non smetti mai il gioco

    tre anni consecutivi troy bayliss guidava la moto di motogp
    e nel fratempo mi sembra che abbia perso la sua motivazione al
    mondo di motogp dove ci sono tanti politici
    poi ritornava alla casa cioe’ la ducati corse di superbike
    campionato mondiale di derivate di serie
    subito ha trovato la sua forma e cominciava girare tranquillamente
    iniziava lavorare perfettamente

    e vinto il secondo titilo mondiale nel 2006 ad imola
    (vicinissima pista da borgo panigale)

    come lui i campioni e le campionesse
    qualche volta manca la vittoria dopo aver sentito la difficolta’
    e sbagliato la strada

    pero’ se tenesse i determinazioni da ritornare al top e poi non perso
    le motivazioni
    ci sara la possibilita’ ricuperare dal peggior periodo

    la partita’ contro la peer (la vincetoressa del torneo a praga dove fui
    stato io nel 2006) non era facile pero’ ha fatto
    ex regina dell’wta

    mentre leggendo la sua intervista ho sentito la sua determinazione
    e mi faceva ricordare il gran ritorno di troy bayliss sulla ducati999

  5. Lorenzo scrive:

    Caro Ubaldo,
    non è da molto tempo che ho scoperto questo bellissimo blog, anche se ti leggo sempre con piacere sulla rivista per cui scrivi e ti ho sempre ascoltato con altrettanto piacere quando commentavi in tv (ti confesso che quei tempi mi mancano maledettamente).
    Volevo ripromettermi (e spero anche riprometterti!), di seguire con una assidua continuità i tuoi interventi ed ogni tanto magari, perchè no, interagire scambiando qualche battuta. Per ora la promessa che mi faccio è quella di leggere un buon numero dei tuoi articoli (sai che ho fatto oggi a lavoro? Ne avrò stampati almeno una trentina che pian piano mi leggerò la sera o negli spazi liberi, qua a lavoro è dura, non ho sempre tempo, mi fanno male gli occhi e soprattutto ora che ho consumato tutto l’inchiostro della stampante mi lasceranno a casa).
    Complimentissimi per i tuoi resoconti da melbourne, sempre aggiornato e davvero competente, è solo grazie a te che scopro tantissimi retroscena (giuro, sembra d’esser lì a volte!!). Io invece condannato a fare i salti mortali per vedere un pò di dirette…le notti logorano!! Dopo una prima settimana in cui il fisico ha retto bene, sento che sto perdendo qualche colpo ma ora bisogna fare lo sforzo finale!
    Un abbraccio

  6. Riccardo B. scrive:

    Ma ricordo male o, ai tempi, Victor Pecci era un sex-symbol?
    Perdona la domanda (che non c’entra nulla), ma penso che possa interessare: in questi giorni stai facendo i collegamenti per RadioRai?
    Se si, problema-cellulare a parte (che è terribile ma meno peggio del…PC che non si accende!) sei in grado di segnalarci quando ti si può ascoltare?

  7. Ubaldo Scanagatta scrive:

    Sì, caro ric. i collegamenti radio con radio rai (credo sia radio due,sabato sport e radio uno prima di tutto il calcio minuto per minuto, li farà sabato fra le 14,30 e le 14,35 (così mi hanno detto), Ogni tanto mi chiamano anche per Radio Cesarini che va in onda alla sera (ieri per esempio), ma non so a che ora esattamente va in onda. proverò a chiederlo.
    Grazie a Lorenzo per i complimenti, è un lavoro massacrante, per la verità, ma insomma quando qualcuno mi scrive le cose che scrivi tu dà anche soddisfazione. Se parolo con Jimbo gli chiederò che cosa ricorda di pecci…mi piace provocarlo. E poi gli ho portato il mio libro su Roma…dove peraltro il suo milgior risultato è stato un terzo turno nell’89, a fine carriera, quando battuti Pioline 6-4,6-2, Cierro in tre set dopo aver perso il primo al tiebreak (6-7,6-2,6-3) e perse 6-1,6-1 da Bruguera. C’era stato anche nel ‘72 e nel ‘73, sconfitto da Velasco (dopo aver battuto il maestro del parioli Totonno Mennella, del quale un giorno vi raconterò jun gustoso aneddoto, ; emntre con Velaso persi io una volta, mi pare 7-5,6.3 al trofeo Bonfiglio) e dal ceco Jiri Hrebec 2-6,6-2,6-4. Insomma Jimbo è stato a Roma a 17 anni di distanza dalla prima volta, a 16 dall’ultima…
    Quanto a Yasu, vedo che è un gran esperto di moto, auto e quant’altro. In più viaggia, fino al torneo di Praga dove ha vistoi la Peer…prima o poi se capiti in un torneo dove ci sono io, fatti vedere. Intanto, seguendo questo sito (non necessariamente me…) vedrai che anche il tuo italiano migliorerà. Quanto al mio telefonino, nessuna notizia. Certo, riccardo ruppe il computer alla sua prima trasferta per la finale di Davis a Mosca, ma il telefonino attendeva ieri la chiamata di un manager per un’intervista esclusiva (e lì avevo il suo numero) e ora sono nei guai…in più mi girano a mille!

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