73 Questions With Roger Federer | Vogue

just two days before Wimbledon.

This is so crazy.

I just interrupt him?

I mean, there's so many rules here,

not sure.

Ok, here we ,

Roger!

Hey,

- how you doing, Joe?

- [Interviewer] I'm doing great.

Thanks for the time to slip in,

you know, a quick 73

question interview.

- Of course. Not miss it.

- [Interviewer] This is gonna be great.

So, how you feeling about the tournament?

Feeling great.

So happy that it's Wimbledon time again.

I love this place.

- [Interviewer] Good.

Can you walk me through how

you start your days right now?

- It's pretty relaxed, actually.

all about recovery and coming

into the tournament with loads of energy.

That's my plan.

- [ ] Okay, can you show me

what makes a perfect serve?

- Okay, perfect serve is,

I it's all in the toss really.

It's the only shot we actually do control.

Everything else we

to react to the opponent.

So here we go.

Up, jump, hope it lands in.

- [ ] You make

it look pretty easy.

All right, can you

demonstrate an extremely

difficult and technical thing

probably won't understand?

- Maybe overhead on the backhand side.

It hardly ever happens,

and when does you lunge back, jump up,

can't see the opponent anymore,

you try to connect and

you for the best.

- [Interviewer] Okay, what do you consider

to be your signature shot?

- slice, maybe my forehand.

- [Interviewer] And, why do

you have a two handed backhand?

- 'Cause my heroes had a one-hander-,

so I had no choice.

- [Interviewer] Do you get

attached to racket?

- I do. I love my racket and

it's an extension of my arm

and it all the magic for me,

so, yeah.

- [Interviewer] All right.

Now, what's your favorite part

playing at Wimbledon?

- Its history and tradition.

- [Interviewer] And,

how would you describe

playing Centre Court?

- Its', I think, a dream come true

for every tennis player to play there.

- [Interviewer] Can we check it out?

- Let's go.

- [Interviewer] All

right, great, and whoa.

I am destroying you at tennis

on that scoreboard right there.

- What is going on?

have you done?

And why are you asking questions

and then playing at Wimbledon?

[]*%laughs]

[Interviewer] Does your family

have any nicknames for you?

- Yeah, they call me Rog

and Swiss German, "-."*%Roch-ee-."

- [Interviewer] Hey, whats'

the most Swiss thing about you?

- That I'm a .

Is that something?

- [Interviewer] Yes, it is.

What languages do you speak?

- I speak -,

German, English and French.

- [Interviewer] Do you have

any favorite expressions

in these languages?

- like "allez" in French,

"come on" in English,

and "chum jetze" in Swiss-German-,

on the tennis .

- [Interviewer] We have some

ball boys and ball girls.

- Hey. How's everything? All good?

to see you all.

- [Interviewer] Hey guys.

- And theyre having

strawberries and cream.

- want one?

- Sure.

- [Interviewer] Roger, what's up with

the strawberries and cream here?

I dunno. It's a Wimbledon thing.

- [Interviewer] Okay.

- What is it? Do you know?

[Children] Tradition.

- Tradition.

- [Interviewer] Now, I heard

you started your career

as a ball . Is that right?

- Yes, I was like them.

I was about twelve-years-old--

in my home tournament Basel,

I did it for two years,

it was great, I loved it.

- [Interviewer] How many

a day at age twelve

were you playing?

- Two hours every second day, I'd say.

[Interviewer] Wow, versus

how many hours today?

- Between zero and four. I

gotta save my energy sometimes.

- [Interviewer] Who was

your tennis idol growing up?

- Boris Becker, Stefan

Edberg, and Pete Sampras.

[Interviewer] When did you first realize

you were really, really good at tennis?

- Well in the I thought I was good

and then, when I beat

Pete Sampras here in 2001

I felt I knew I was good.

So wrong to say that. Oh, my God.

- [Interviewer] Now, is true

your mom is a tennis coach?

- Yeah, a little bit.

She didn't really coach me .

- [Interviewer] Okay, but

what's the best piece of advice

that she gave you?

- Never the ball bounce twice.

- [Interviewer] Oh okay.

- Makes sense.

So simple right?

- [Interviewer] Yeah.

- Just run after that ball all the time.

- [Interviewer] Sure.

- Like a dog.

- [ ] What advice

would you give these guys here?

- Love your tennis but then work hard

what else can I tell you guys?

Dream big. You know, sometimes

we don't dream big enough

it's possible because we think

there is barriers and stuff.

You gotta go for it and do full on.

- [Interviewer] That's wonderful advice.

- See you later guys. Take

care, nice to see .

- [Interviewer] Roger, grass or clay?

- Grass, of course.

- [Interviewer] Forehand or backhand?

Forehand.

- [Interviewer] Spin or flat?

- Spin.

- [Interviewer] What TV

show are you obsessed

with at the moment?

- None, really.

I used to love "Prison Break."

That was so .

- [Interviewer] Who's your style icon?

- Tom Ford.

- [Interviewer] What are you wearing

youre feeling your best?

- I mean, a suit's good

but bathing suit and a

t-shirt on beach somewhere.

- [Interviewer] What's the most memorable

that youve ever worn?

- Met Gala, I a tuxedo from Gucci

with at diamond encrusted

sort of a cobra on the back.

That was sick.

- [Interviewer] What do

you do on your off days?

- Nothing. I just take it ,

run around with the kids.

Hey.

- Bonjour Roger, bonne

chance pour le tournoi.

- , ciao.

- [Interviewer] Whats'

the best fashion advice

youve ever received?

- You wear the clothes,

the clothes wear you.

And, Anna once told me

when I asked her if I

should wear dark suit

or the light suit for the evening,

she said, "The dark

suit of course, Roger."

I was like, of course.

- [Interviewer] Thats'

pretty good advice, right?

- Anna knows best.

[Interviewer] Whats'

something about yourself

that you think a lot of

people wouldn't know?

- I don't .

I feel like Ive done so

many interviews, I think,

I really feel like people

know everything now.

- [Interviewer] Alright, now,

you have identical twins--

now, be honest with me, do

you ever them confused?

- I used to sometimes

if I couldn't see their face right away

but , nowadays I'm a pro of course

I can tell them apart.

- [Interviewer] What

lessons have you

from your kids?

- Patience and snuggling again.

It's been the best.

- [Interviewer] That's sweet.

And, what do you hope

your kids learn from you?

- Everything. I want to

teach everything I know

and more.

I love them so much.

- [Interviewer] That's wonderful.

- right.

Hello. Nice to see you.

- [Interviewer] Roger,

out of all of the places

you in the world,

what's the craziest location?

- I played on the Jungfraujoch,

top of Europe and

, in my open with

Lindsey Vonn.

And, I guess Centre Court,

Wimbledon, of course.

- [Interviewer] , here

we are in The Clubhouse.

We finally made it.

I can't believe I'm here right now.

And look at the trophies.

- This is the one.

- [Interviewer] Roger,

get right next to .

Look at that.

- So good.

So beautiful.

So close, so far.

- [Interviewer] And

have eight of these things.

- Yeah, I do.

- [Interviewer] Where

do you keep all of ?

- I have a big trophy cabinet at home,

but we always have space for one more.

I tell you that.

- [Interviewer] I can imagine.

What Wimbledon tradition do

you look forward to most?

- I think it's wonderful

to have the Centre Court

be opened up by the defending

at one oclock on Monday.

- [Interviewer] Do you

remember the first professional

tournament you played?

- Of course, Gstaad in '98

after I won the junior's here,

actually, at Wimbledon the week before.

- [Interviewer] Wow.

What's the most surprising

moment in your career?

- Surprising moment,

I truly becoming

world #1 and winning all

the titles that I did is

crazier than any dream

I had about my career.

I never thought I was going

to be this successful.

- [Interviewer] What's

most prize memorabilia?

- The net of my 2009 Wimbledon final

against my good friend, Andy Roddick.

- [Interviewer] There we go.

Would you consider tennis

your favorite sport to watch?

- Yes, and and basketball.

I love basketball. It's cool.

- [Interviewer] And growing up

you also played soccer, ?

- I did.

- [Interviewer] What made you

choose tennis over soccer?

- I didn't want blame

the goalie, in all honesty.

I wanted to blame myself,

maybe that is what made me tennis.

Thankfully I did.

- [Interviewer] Whats'

the biggest challenge

as an athlete that you didn't

when you started?

- I was incredibly

homesick in the beginning.

Jet lag and all the .

Couldn't trust journalists

in the beginning

and then, little by

little, I actually started

enjoying interviews.

That's why I'm talking to you right now.

- [Interviewer] I'm so lucky to be here.

And, , how do you

want to be remembered?

- As a good guy for tennis,

philanthropic, and I '

know, a good tennis player,

maybe. I don't know.

- [Interviewer] Now,

Ive been told that you

enjoy ice cream before a match.

Is that right?

- What? Pre-match ice cream?

Ill have

afterwards, but not before.

- [Interviewer] And heres'

a wall of champions!

- [Interviewer] Wow, thats'

a of Federer right there.

- Yeah.

- It almost takes up half of the space.

But 2019, youre gonna wanna make it

what, nine times on this board, right?

- Yes, eight's great,

it's actually my favorite number,

but nine has a better sound to it.

- [Interviewer] Now,

can point to the win

that was the most memorable?

- 2003.

- [Interviewer] Why?

- was my first one.

- [Interviewer] There you go.

- It's like I thought that was it.

I achieved my dream, winning Wimbledon.

It was epic.

- [Interviewer] And, I heard

that they engrave

pretty quickly when you win?

- Yes, apparently, even the trophy.

So, you hold it up the air,

and it's already got your trophy engraved

and you walk out of

this court, that win

just back here, look to

your right, and bang,

winner 2019 and the name.

- [ ] Can you

actually tell me something

really quick about Mr. Rafael Nadal?

- What would you like know?

He's an intense guy on the court.

He's super honest and open off the court,

he's got a heart of gold.

He's also gonna help me with my foundation

again next year.

Were gonna try to break the record

for most attendance in Cape Town

in South Africa for foundation.

I'm so looking forward to it.

so thank you Rafa.

- [Interviewer] Amazing.

Now, sense Centre Court

is right behind these doors

over here, right?

- It is.

Wanna have a ?

- [Interviewer] Let's take a look.

- All right, let's go.

- [Interviewer] All right.

, it's everything

that I hoped and dreamed.

Here we go.

- After you.

- [Interviewer] This is cool.

Roger, do you have any pre-match rituals

or superstitions?

- I am not superstitious at

actually, funny enough.

- [Interviewer] What

kind of music would you

probably be listening to before a ?

- I don't usually,

but maybe something

relaxing, funny enough.

- [Interviewer] And the grand moment.

This is incredible.

Wow, look at this.

- So nice.

- [Interviewer] What

do you say yourself

before you walk on this grass?

- Cmon Rog, you got

this. Go for it. Enjoy .

Let's go.

- [Interviewer] Do you think I could walk

out on the grass with you?

- I mean, for me it's okay,

but maybe you gotta ask Neil.

- Uh, no.

[Interviewer] Whats'

your favorite memory

of playing here?

- Winning my first Wimbledon,

or maybe beating

Sampras here in 2001.

- [Interviewer] Okay, Roger youre here.

It's match point.

What is that like?

- You hear a pin drop

when youre about to serve.

Nobody's talking, it's amazing.

You hear a cough, maybe

and then the crowd erupts

when you win the point.

- [Interviewer] was the first person

you look out for in the crowd?

- I wanna feel the vibe,

see how into it the crowd is,

how much theyre into it,

and then I check my ,

if theyre all seated already maybe,

and umpire and opponent, you know.

- [Interviewer] And you

stiff competition.

Who's the player that you

dread playing the most?

- Raf Nadal.

- [Interviewer] your favorite player

to play against?

- Raf Nadal.

[]*%laughs]

- [Interviewer] And who do

want a re-match with?

- Maybe Del Potro, US..

Open Final in 2009.

- [Interviewer] You have

strategy called fire and ice.

What does this mean?

- So, I think you gotta

have fire the belly

wanting to win every point.

You give it your absolute best.

And, ice in veins, for me

is basically youre so focused

in the most important moments,

you are so and composed,

that's what it is.

- [Interviewer] Prepping

for a first round match

versus prepping a

final match, what changes?

- Well, there should be none,

but sometimes you get

a bit , you do.

- [Interviewer] So, how nervous

do you get before matches?

- I think it's the

of butterflies you feel

in the belly that makes a difference.

- [Interviewer] Mental

exhaustion or physical,

what's harder to overcome?

- I'd say mental.

Just as hard to sometimes be picked up.

not always easy to stay positive.

- [Interviewer] Serving

volley or power baseline?

- A bit of .

- [Interviewer] Footwork or strokes,

which is harder to nail?

- Footwork is easier to perfect.

I feel like strokes are

maybe more talent involved.

- [Interviewer] And last question, Roger,

question number

how does surviving Bear Grylls

compare to surviving Wimbledon?

- A bit different.

Bear Grylls' I did freeze,

and I peed over the fire.

I didn't do that here at Wimbledon

and Grylls was

actually sitting over there

in the Royal Box with the

Royals attending the finals

and team was sitting over

there with my lovely wife.

A wonderful moment.

- [Interviewer] All right.

, that concludes the interview

and I'm gonna leave with a message

from a special guest. Here she now:

- [Anna] Hello, Roger, this is Anna.

- Good luck at Wimbledon,

and now back those practice courts.

- Thank you, Anna.

How did she do that?

Is she here?

[Interviewer] No idea. Thanks, Roger.

- Okay.