Roger Federer: 'At my age you can just make little improvements'
In an interview to El Pais, Roger Federer reflected on how difficult improving is at 37 years old after playing for 21 seasons in a row. The Swiss said: "There are always ways to improve a bit more. It can be some shot here or there, how you organize yourself, it can be a question of re-calibrating everything, the life, how I plan to play a match, the mental preparation, where I train... You always have little things to do. For many players, once they turn 20 or 25 years old, it's about keeping a certain level. I do not want to say that's frustrating, because from 10 to 20 you see are hitting stronger and stronger, you move faster, and all of a sudden it comes a day where the improvements are small. If you look at the bad side that's terrible, but if you look at it with other eyes it's interesting and passionate. I always try to get back to my best level and you have to show it every day."
"We tennis players are very lucky. I compare myself to a musician that has a tour around the world. We go where you are. We go see you, we do it every year. I think fans are happy that I came back in these tournaments. Now it's Madrid, then it will be Paris; it's something they appreciate. It's not like in football where the stronger you are, the stronger they support you either they boo you. In tennis we are not used to that, it's a lack of respect for players. To always be welcomed as if you were a local player, it's an amazing situation, something very interesting to experience. Our sport is very big, people celebrate the wins of players from any country because they like your personality, style, how they play, whatever it is... This connection definitely helped me. I am also one of the guys who speaks the most with media. I have been in the sport for many years... that helps so much. All of us know each other. Every week you have to show what you are, you cannot hide that. As a fan, you see a match, the camera shows the player and you know the player. Even though the player makes a poker face, the fan will see the face that there is behind. I had to go through that and that's why it did not go so bad."
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/3044KJl
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