Fearless Federer

Gulf News

Roger Federer talks about the legacy he wants to leave behind as a tennis player.

Transcript

00:00I've been in the game for so long, I've had this platform for so long, done a lot of talking,

00:08just because I've been asked a lot as well, and maybe people feel like to a degree I give

00:12honest and thoughtful answers.

00:13I try the best to improve the game and make sure that we move into the right direction

00:18with our sport.

00:19That's what's always been, for me, a number one priority as well, it's not that I just

00:23suck everything out of the sport, but I also give time back, I give the importance back

00:28to make sure that the tour runs as well as it can and it creates a better platform for

00:32those in the future, even though we're already sort of living our dream anyways.

00:36So maybe that's where I have a sentimental attachment with everybody else, also with

00:42the former generation, because of how I play with my one-handed backhand, how much I love

00:46the history of the game.

00:47So there's many, I think, things that people might think are kind of funny.

00:52I think I have a big demographic of people's lives I touch, try to be a good role model

00:58in the process, one that can inspire.

01:00Maybe many kids like me, so do they like other top guys which have great characters and are

01:05great for the game.

01:06But I think also to the elder people who have followed tennis for a long time, I've been

01:10there, so I think that's where maybe I touch so many lives of so many people.

01:13There's many things that keep me going, you know, but that feeling of game set and match

01:17fetter, you know, where you can throw your hands in the air and feel like you've just

01:20achieved another dream that you've set yourself, that's those moments you want to relive, because

01:26those are the best moments as an athlete after putting in all the hard work to come

01:29out on top.

01:30It's a great feeling for any athlete, and you want to stay hungry and motivated as long

01:34as possible.

01:35You know, important is that you love what you're doing, that you accept losses, but

01:40you try everything that you don't lose, and if you do lose, you take what's positive out

01:44of those losses.

01:45I always question myself in the best of times and also when things don't go well, so I don't

01:49panic when I lose from time to time.

01:51It's just the way things go on tour.

01:53Today I know pretty much every time I walk on court, I've given myself the best possible

01:57chance to compete, and then you also have no regrets, so when you lose, then you can

02:01give much more credit, I think, also to your opponent, and you have less excuses.

02:05I don't want to have any excuses when I lose my matches, I want to be able to give credit

02:08to my opponent who beat me fair and square, and who was better on the day, and that's

02:12totally fine, but important is to keep on trying to improve as a player, and then so

02:17you move on as we speak.

02:18The secret of being successful is winning when you're not playing so well, because more

02:23often than not, believe it or not, you don't actually always play so good, but it's about

02:28managing those expectations with the expectations from the people, and managing your opponent's

02:34game, because some playing styles suit you better, and some don't, and that's also what

02:38people sometimes forget.

02:39I want the game to be better off, I want to have been there when things went upwards in

02:44our sport, I want to make sure that, or I hope that players could learn from the top

02:50guys who are in the game today, maybe how to behave on a tennis court, how thankful

02:55they should always be on a daily basis to their fans and sponsors alike.

02:58If people say they had a good role to play in the game of tennis, that's great, because

03:04tennis at the end is always bigger than any other athlete.

03:07I'm looking for many more great moments in my career.

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