Facing Federer

Christmas is just a few days away, and here's a peRFect     for any tennis fan: a book has just come out, and it's called "Facing Federer".
The book is basically a compilation of various people's thoughts on their encounters with Roger: from ball kids, fellow top ranked pro rivals, journeymen, various celebrities, officials, fans, writers, a nice review of it just in case I haven't sold it to you already

Steve Tignor has a dialogue with the author, Mark Malinowski:

"Steve,

The entire book was a positive experience. Everyone associated with the sport respects Federer, which really is a credit to him. I loved how everybody, from ball kid, to supermodel, to low-ranked journeyman, to world heavyweight champion, all had something interesting and revealing to say about Roger Federer. The process of making this book from day one to the completion was a barrel of fun and excitement, except of course for the suffering of the final editing stages, but that's part of our job as writers.
Encouraged by the small success of the Rios book, I decided to expand the original Federer magazine feature into a book using this style. Last summer I got a new urge to try a new direction, asking players to please describe the feeling of stepping on the court to play Roger Federer. Rick Leach was the first player I approached, at the U.S. Open during a rain delay. It was kind of a thrill for him to share memories of his two doubles matches against Federer.
Inspired by that, I kept going and asked as many players as possible about their experience of playing Federer. Another high point during this early stage was interviewing Attila Savolt at a Starbucks in Sarasota, FL last winter. His segment really pumped me up; it's one of my favorite parts of the book. The more players I talked with, even arch rivals of Federer, they all enjoyed talking about him and shared so many fascinating insights. I was thrilled with how the project was growing, so I decided to change the book to focus mostly on the 'Facing Federer' aspect because I felt it was the strong point of the book.

*****
Mark,

What gave you the idea to do a book like this, an oral history of a person by those around him in his industry? I know you're a boxing guy; is there a similar book about a fighter? I imagine one reason to do it about Federer is that it would be easy to get people to recount their 15 minutes with him. I know you asked me about him, and I mentioned that I had first met him in Key Biscayne in 1999, when he was 18. He had lost in the first round at that tournament, and he was still saying things like, "If I make it on tour..." It's interesting to think about how much can change for a person."


"Jim Courier: "My first memory of Roger Federer: I met him at an exhibition at River Oaks in Houston in 2000. And he was with Peter Lundgren at the time. And I remember meeting him at the sponsor player party and he was a pony-tailed kid I had heard a lot about but hadn't seen much of. And he had a really kind of laid-back manner about him. You didn't really see an eye of the tiger, you just heard that he was incredibly gifted."






PS
Love the fact they chose the BH for the cover photo   

While on Federer theme, here's the latest interview with Pagannini:

"Q: Who would you consider to be a better athlete?

A. I cannot say that. Wawrinka is strong and enduring. He might have become better at the reaction strength but he still has potential in this respect. Roger is more athletically-balanced. The goal is to optimize again his endurance in the power-speed relation. Wawrinka catapults himself with his strength in the movement process. Federer is a dancer, supple and elegant; his creativity, anticipation, timing and spontaneity give him this beautiful blend.

Q. How does Federer's present training block go?

A. Until now - and now I have to knock on wood - it's been looking very well. We are happy when we discuss the training with each other or with Seve (Luthi). He shows again things on the court and in the gym that make us say: Wow, sparks are flying there again. This does not mean that there weren't sparks in the past. But if you have an injury like he did in his back this year, there are consequences. Then you put on the breaks consciously or unconsciously. We, his team, also do. And suddenly prevention has such a big influence that you move away from the set goal. Now it's nice to see him again smiling and spontaneous.

Q. Was 2013 the toughest year in terms of his back?

A. Clearly, because the injury disturbed his rhythm. The training block after Indian Wells, when he didn't play a tournament for seven weeks, was frustrating. He knew that even though he was investing many hours every day, it had little use for his tennis at the moment. We had to omit completely some parts in strength training, cut back by 25 percent on the explosiveness area and adjust the rest so that it was not too complex for the back both in endurance training and on the tennis court.

Q. He's been having these problems for more than ten years.

A. We know that they can come back. But we also know that he can have more or less long periods when it's going great. He fights for them (to have them), and we are very confident.

Q. How does a practice day look like?

A. Getting up, having breakfast, then usually first a treatment in the form of a massage or prophylaxis exercises with the physiotherapist (Stéphane Vivier). He must make many of these, many more than in the past. After all, he is 32 and has over 1100 matches in his legs. He must already do a lot just to be ready for the actual work. Then usually follow a warm-up, fitness training between 60 and 90 minutes and then he goes on the tennis court for about two hours. Therefore, it is important that we work closely together as a team. Roger's days are long, Stan's too for that matter. It is a whole day's work. On average, a working day lasts from about 7.30 to 18 or 19 o'clock. He gets about ten hours of fitness training every week.

Q. Do you expect him to rise again in 2014?

A. He is an exceptional athlete and a fantastic player. And if he is fit and healthy and can find his rhythm, he will be able to play for great titles again. He has so much passion for what he does - his passion is the only thing that he can't control. That's why I cannot stand it when someone says that he should quit or that he doesn't train fully anymore because he has a family. This is nonsense."

Sometimes, you're just happy playing...

http://media.fyre.co/c4IsX0hRmupZdb8jOvgV_BbnyHjHIAAAU6rD[1].jpg

Thanks for the interview NITB. Quite encouraging actually.

Can he we have a great finale from the artist?

Absolutely!

Great quote there! Great find nitb, you really do have a gift for finding this stuff, kudos

Thanks LS.

I am sure a lot of people share his frustration.
You have someone like him in his playing prime having idiots asking him to retire...I don't know how he manages to keep his cool.
If it was down to me, I'd give him  a direct entry into SFs of all slams and play for another 15 years  

You know the end of off-season is nigh when players start giving interviews.
Here's one from Fed:

"I was like a rough cut diamond. That's how a lot of people saw me. I needed polishing. I came in at a time when Lleyton was unbelievably successful at a young age. So was Roddick, so was Safin, so was Ferrero. They were just a bit ahead of me. I don't want to say I was frustrated, but I didn't understand why it wasn't happening for me. I was far enough behind that I was, `OK, let's push myself a little more.
Day in day out, my mentality improved, always being professional. I understood more and more how important fitness was. I didn't know why I was lifting weights, when it was going to help me later in a tennis match. The physical strength and the mental strength were the last things to fall into place. The mental part of my game, that was the hardest part for me... the consistency I have been able to have for long, I am quite surprised I have managed to do it for so long. 'the The 2014 stretch is very important for me and I really don't want to have any more setbacks. I feel very confident about my chances, not only in Brisbane and Melbourne, but also beyond that.''

The Federers are  expecting a new baby!

He has so much passion for what he does - his passion is the only thing that he can't control. That's why I cannot stand it when someone says that he should quit or that he doesn't train fully anymore because he has a family. This is nonsense.

Very glad to see this from an outside, but close observer. Annacone also mentioned this when he started with Federer (and articulated the difference between Sampras and Federer).  

PS: NITB, do you have a link for this interview?

The original link:
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/sport/tennis/Da-spruehen-wieder-die-Funken/story/26426176

Sprechen Sie Deutch?

The latest, "Australian" interview.

On Edberg:

"It's going to be interesting to see what he thinks, if it's possible to play a lot of serve-and-volley on the slower courts we see all around the world now, or if there are different ways for me to find my way to the net.
I've tried many things. We can debate - with Severin Luthi, my coach - about ways to come to the net or not … It's a combination of many things now against the good players we know at the top. So it's going to be interesting to see what he has to say. I have some idea, but then, am I able to make that happen in a match yet? I don't know.
I thought if we could do a few weeks together, maybe 10, maybe 12, it could be something fresh, new, inspiring. Him being the legend he is and someone I look up to so much, anything he will say will mean very much to me and my team. I think we can build on that and then see how it goes in Australia, and then as we move along in the year, we'll decide where he's going to come to.
No, never. I never had his telephone number. Now I have it.

On Nole hiring Becker & other "oldies" being back in action:

"But then again, I'm happy seeing former greats and legends excited to be doing such a job and wanting to help the next generations. To bring them back into the game, I think it's a good thing.
Now at this stage of our careers we're really happy getting the best out of each other for practice and helping each other".

On Hewitt:

"Clearly being here now in Australia, it's probably a bit more special. I always wish him the best. I hope he can win tournaments and move up in the rankings to give himself better opportunities to move forward in the draw.''

noleisthebest wrote:The original link:
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/sport/tennis/Da-spruehen-wieder-die-Funken/story/26426176

Sprechen Sie Deutch?

Swiss German is much harder for me. Let me try and read it. Will ask for help as needed.

PS: Thanks for the link.

LF,
Swiss German does not exist in written form. There are no grammar books for it. Children at schools learn to speak and write the "proper" German, Hoch Deutch, Swiss German only exists in spoken form, TV etc...
Strange setup.
I lived there for a year and a half and had studied German for 8 years at school, yet it took me over a year to tune my ear into what they were saying and get used to the way they merge words.
If you thought German sounded ugly, Swiss German (basically the same language with a handful of different words) sounds terrible.
So, all newspaper articles etc are written in proper German.

But one of my favorite players, speaks Swiss German and could have played for FC Basel.

It takes me a while to read or understand German, written or spoken.

Thank you for the quick lesson.