Quotes from the 2007 Wimbledon Interview Room - Week One
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it was different, you know. There was always a constant breeze from the one end, like in many of the stadiums around the world. So that was not very different, it was just different for Centre Court. I definitely prefer the old one over this one right now, but obviously it's a work in progress. We are all looking forward to next year. But it definitely does look and play a bit different this year.
Describing the special atmosphere and fans on Centre Court at Wimbledon…
ROGER FEDERER: Well, every time you come back here and play at Wimbledon on Centre Court, you warm up, all you hear is the sound of the ball, your movement, your breathing, because people are so quiet. They really only applaud for good shots. They never applaud for unforced errors. It's just a very respectful crowd. It's such a totally different feel to anywhere else in the world where I always play. Maybe it's just that nice change to different spectators here at Wimbledon to other courts that make it so much more special to play here.
Describing whether it is still important for her to consider herself in contention, i.e. somebody who can still contend for Grand Slam titles?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know what answer to this question, not right now. I mean, yeah, hopefully by the time the second week, whatever happens will happen. But I'm happy to be able to run and walk and play tennis again. I wasn't able to do that five weeks ago. You know, sometimes simple things make you really happy. That's what happened to me today. Sometimes you realize, you know, that not everything is about winning Grand Slam titles, what it does to you at the end of the day. But I wish I definitely wasn't injured. You always want just having a smooth career and everything. The older you get, the harder it gets. I'm happy to be back playing.
Describing whether it feels like it’s been 10 years since she won Wimbledon, was ranked Number One, etc…
MARTINA HINGIS: Some days, yes. Some, no. When I look at the pictures, like the past champions, whatever, I look totally different now. It's been 10 years. But a lot of things have happened since. Somehow, I don't know, I'm happy to be still around and be playing. It was a great moment. Like I say, it's like the older you get, probably the more fears you have. I was totally like pleased with myself at 17. You think the whole world belongs to you. I was almost like on top. When you actually win, I was No. 1 at that time already, so that year you feel like you're invincible.
Describing her father, Yuri…
MARIA SHARAPOVA: My dad's a character. But unfortunately you only get to see my dad when I'm playing tennis matches, and you only get to see him on the stands. I mean, he by himself would make a really good reality show. That's one of the things I propose to him actually now or after my career is over. He's a really hilarious guy in his own way without even thinking about it or trying to be funny. He is. He has a huge heart. I don't think a lot of people see it. For both my mom and dad to sacrifice so much, I mean, he's got to have a heart. I'm very lucky because he probably loves me more than anyone else in the world. He's been with me through all the good times, through all the bad times. We always have our good moments. We always have our bad moments, daughter/dad moments, plenty of those. But we get over it really fast. At the end of the day, we're very close. Our family is very close. I think that's what really has helped me so much in my career, has held me so grounded. At the end of the day, I have my mom, who I can just call and she'll give me like a story of life and make me feel so good. And my dad, who really just wants me to be happy. Win or lose a tennis match, he can get off the court, and if I played terrible, he's like, Are you kidding me? That was not Maria. It's your sister. Bring her back. So in his own way he's tough and he's definitely taught me to be tough in life and in tennis. But at the end of the day he has a huge heart, and that's what makes him really special.
Describing her father, Yuri’s, humor…
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Not a lot of people get his humor. You have to really understand it. If you're around him, he just does things. I always say, Are you serious? He's like, What, what did I do?
Describing the different courts at each tournament and the traveling life of a tennis pro…
JELENA JANKOVIC: …each tournament, especially on grass, you can just feel the difference. For example, in Birmingham I played, the courts were so much faster, and it's a completely different game. Then I went to Holland and the ball bounces a lot lower there, and also a little bit slower. Then I came here, the grass is longer, the points are a little bit longer than in this previous tournament. So you have to adjust your game. And the balls seem bigger. But I've learned to adjust, and you just go to your practice court and you see how you feel, you try to get your rhythm, but different houses ‑‑ it's normal. This is our life, traveling all over the world, packing, unpacking and going from city to city. It's something that the job brings. But I like it until now; I'm still 22 years old, so I still enjoy it. But probably there will come a time when I will be ‑‑ I have enough.Talking about her father…
VENUS WILLIAMS: He's a great guy. He's friends with everyone on the circuit. He knows players I don't know. He knows the transport people. He knows the people in the lunchroom. He knows the guy working at the security. He's friends with everyone at every tournament. He's just a really outgoing guy. He just wants the best for Serena and I. It's great. He's always extremely positive. Even when I know I've played miserable, he's so positive. That's so important as a coach, especially at this level, because I know what I'm doing. As a coach, it's important to know how to motivate your player. He's just a great dad. He doesn't care if we play tennis or not. He just wants us to make good decisions and to be happy. I can take him anywhere.SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, God, no. I love my dad to death. He's a great guy. I mean, we never I don't think I've ever had a two minute argument off the court with him. On the court because I have a bad attitude, but other than that, no. He's never done anything that I'm unhappy about. If anything, I owe him everything.
Discussing how her experience in the French Open final has helped her…
ANA IVANOVIC: Yeah, that also helps me because obviously I was very nervous for that match. Every match I play I get little bit nervous before I go on the court. If I think about final, I say what can be more important than a Grand Slam final so I find a way to relax a little bit more.
Talking about watching Venus Williams playing and struggling in a match…
SERENA WILLIAMS: She was playing really bad yesterday. It was like Venus never gets down on herself. She's like she's the type of person I want to be. You can never see if she's angry. You can never see. She doesn't have any emotion. She's just like one track. You can't read her. Yesterday I could read her. I could tell she was frustrated. She was hitting every ball out. It was like she wasn't playing well at all. I was just thinking, Oh, my God, I just got to tell her to stay in there, just like stay focused. Because she's practicing much better. It was just one of those days that you don't want to go out in the tournament in the first round when you're playing so bad. It's like, okay, if you could just get through this, it would get better.Discussing his golf game…
ANDY RODDICK: Man, here's the deal with golf. Every time I play golf, I got to buy a new set of clubs. It's not relaxing for me. I go mental. The ball's not even moving and I can't hit it right. I haven't reached the point in my life where I have the patience level it takes to play golf. And I don't have the pants.
Discussing whether Jimmy Connors has changed since his playing days…
ANDY RODDICK: You know what, I don't know because I only saw what it was on the court. A lot of times what you see with people on the court isn't what you get off the court. But from stories I've heard to now, you know, it's amazing. Little example. If we're going out to eat with my mother or sister in law, he's the first guy to open a door, pull out a chair, very soft spoken, Yes, ma'am. He's not the kind of fiery guy that was abusing umpires and doing that whole thing. He's definitely a gentleman.Discussing his opinion regarding the speed of the grass courts at Wimbledon…
RAFAEL NADAL: I saw, I don't know where, that the court was so much slower than last years. The true is not. For me the court is the same. I was here the last maybe four years. I lost one time for injury. But for the last four, five years I was here. Every day I feel the same feeling. Every time I feel the same feeling in the court. The court is not coming slower than last years.Discussing what she likes about Wimbledon…
JUSTINE HENIN: The strawberries! I eat too many of them! The people are really nice here. I’m not a great fan of England but everyone’s really nice here. There’s a special type of atmosphere here.
Talking about whether he stills gets excited playing good matches, e.g. his win against Marat Safin…
ROGER FEDERER: Today, for instance? I get very nervous before a match like this because this is like a real big match for me. I mean, Marat is a former No. 1, former Grand Slam champion. He's won Davis Cup, something I've never done. So he's a hell of a player. I mean, I admire his talent, his backhand, his serve, the power he gets on his shots. I've had some incredible battles with him over the years, almost came through juniors with him. He was one year older, so then it's always surreal when then later on you find yourself on the bigger stage and now you're one of the best in the game. It's such a big occasion for both of us, because for me it's to prove I'm the real No. 1 and for him it's proving he can still be No. 1. So it's a big match and a very prestigious match, so I do get very excited for matches like this.
Discussing her aggressive style of play, especially on grass courts…
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Well, it doesn't I think it comes pretty naturally for me. I don't feel like somebody's pushing me to go forward. It's a little bit the contrary: I really feel that I'm really leaning forward very naturally after the serve and sometimes on the return when I have the opportunities, kind of in the game when I have some options to go in.Yeah, I mean, I like it. It took me a little time to adjust to the grass 'cause coming out of the juniors, then my first years as a senior I was not really sure what I was going to do. Do I need to stay back? Do I need to go in? I was kind of in between. Then I got used to it and the experience probably helped me a lot.
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