Looking back, it's almost nicer winning this way through a tight match with nerves and humid conditions against a great player in a final, it means so much more than just running away with it with the score maybe winning 6-4 6-4, which was looking very likely at one stage.

Roger Federer

Categorized in : Sports

Seriously. I'm not playing to prove anything to journalists. I'm playing for myself, for my fans,to make people happy.

Roger Federer

journalist fans people

Sometimes you have to accept that a guy played better on the day than you.

Roger Federer

accepting guy sometimes

My game is a lot about footwork. If I move well, I play well.

Roger Federer

games play moving

When I was 12 years old, I was just horrible. My parents were ashamed to watch my matches. I would play on a court at the local club and they would watch from the balcony. They would scream, 'Be quiet' to me and I would scream back, 'Go and have a drink. Leave me alone.' Then we would drive home in a very quiet car. No one speaking to each other.

Roger Federer

play home years

One or two years ago, I didn't know who I was on court and I used to swear a lot. But now I've learned how to cope and can therefore win 10 matches in a row. I want to be remembered as a good player rather than an idiot on court.

Roger Federer

player winning years

I always knew I had something special.

Roger Federer

something-special special

I definitely feel there's room for improvement.

Roger Federer

improvement running rooms

Confidence? Are you kidding me? I mean, please. Look, some players grow up and play like that. I remember losing junior matches. Just being down 5-2 in the third, and they all just start slapping shots.

Roger Federer

growing-up player mean

I enjoyed the position I was in as a tennis player. I was to blame when I lost. I was to blame when I won. And I really like that, because I played soccer a lot too, and I couldn't stand it when I had to blame it on the goalkeeper.

Roger Federer

tennis player soccer

I've always been aware that the image you patiently construct for an entire career can be ruined in a minute. It scares you a bit, but that's the way things are.

Roger Federer

scare careers way

The crowds are very important for tennis. It makes you play better, but it can also make you nervous and that's the beauty of it.

Roger Federer

tennis important play

The nicer the point, the more -- the better I feel, the more excited I get. But I never play that my opponent looks stupid. I think that is wrong. I have too much respect for every opponent I play.

Roger Federer

stupid play thinking

It is always in my mind still that I can crush anybody. That's not an issue. But I think that is the same for most athletes. If you don't believe you can win tournaments anymore, then you can't do it.

Roger Federer

crush athlete believe

I have two lives, and all the problems I might have, I feel like I drop them once I step on to the match court.

Roger Federer

steps might two

It's not so simple to just stay in the moment and trust your game and your strength that you can turn it around.

Roger Federer

moments simple games

The problem is not the claycourt. The problem is, you know, rather something to do with the conditions on center court. Because I've played well on Suzanne Lenglen, on the other courts. But the Chatrier court is really, really big, and I just haven't had enough play on it. Maybe I come here next year and play a week on this court, if I can, if the French Federation lets me. We'll see. I've been playing well in other tournaments, in Davis Cup on clay. So for me it's not the surface, it's rather maybe the court.

Roger Federer

cups play years

Maybe further down the road in my career, in a couple of years when I'm maybe not that fast any more around the court, then maybe it would be good to come to the net a little bit more often

Roger Federer

careers couple years

I had a nice dinner. I let the evening unfold, flow. I like to sit in a chair with a wine glass. When I woke up, I thought, 'Why didn't I go to bed at 11?' I came back at 3 and went to bed at 5.

Roger Federer

glasses nice wine

I can walk around screaming, 'I have 17 Grand Slams. I have the record here or there.' When you can play for history and you do it, that's what is so really cool, is that you can then be compared to other greats or you've passed another great, even though it doesn't mean you're better than him. But it's just like that moment you've gone into the unknown where nobody else has ever been before.

Roger Federer

gone play mean

I hope so. God, I've practiced so much that I you don't want to be worse five years later. I feel I have a great game today. I know how hard it is to pull off those great shots, and I know how easy it is to miss, so I'm more aware of these things. But I'm so happy I'm at the age I am right now because I had such a great run and I know there's still more possible.

Roger Federer

games running years