Comments on: Interview Insights – Roger Federer at Cincinatti Masters 2009 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/ A Tennis Pro Sharing Tips And Thoughts About Tennis Instruction, Strategy and Mental Game Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:27:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: CC http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-2063 CC Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:48:10 +0000 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/?p=468#comment-2063 Thanks for everything, Tomaz! YOu have improved my game tremendously :) Thanks for everything, Tomaz! YOu have improved my game tremendously :)

]]> By: Mark http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1665 Mark Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:08:47 +0000 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/?p=468#comment-1665 Thanks for everything, Tomaz! YOu have improved my game tremendously :) Thanks for everything, Tomaz! YOu have improved my game tremendously :)

]]> By: Jessey http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1662 Jessey Sun, 06 Sep 2009 08:47:01 +0000 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/?p=468#comment-1662 Wow, great new series, Tomaz! Enjoy it very much, and learned a lot from it. Wow, great new series, Tomaz! Enjoy it very much, and learned a lot from it.

]]> By: Frank http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1661 Frank Sun, 06 Sep 2009 07:09:32 +0000 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/?p=468#comment-1661 Tomaz, it is truly great. Keep doing this, please. We love it. I recently started reading the interviews and found they could be very helpful. but your analysis is much "deeper". look forward to read more soon!!! Tomaz, it is truly great. Keep doing this, please. We love it.

I recently started reading the interviews and found they could be very helpful. but your analysis is much “deeper”. look forward to read more soon!!!

]]> By: Tomaz http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1653 Tomaz Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:31:04 +0000 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/?p=468#comment-1653 @Vaidas: Nadal says just one interesting thing (when it comes to the mental game) in that interview: <strong>Q: Three months ago you were the defending champion at three Grand Slam events and the world number one. Now you only have the Australian Open title in your possession and are no longer ranked number one, has that changed your outlook going into the US Open? Nadal: I am not number one right now but I always say the same thing. My motivation and aspiration is the same, being number one or being number five. So that's the truth. And my goal is the same - it's to always be happy playing, it's to enjoy the game and improve always. That's what I work on - improving my tennis. And to be happy playing because if I'm not happy playing, it's very difficult to play well. I need to have the right attitude. I am going to play the next tournaments with the same aspiration and motivation as last year. Doesn't matter.</strong> Nadal is saying the he is always looking to enjoy on the court - which of course cannot be said for many club and junior players. Yes, the competition is tough but one needs to enjoy the fight. Nadal is a typical person who enjoys the fight and it comes naturally to him. Being aware of the joy too (uncle Toni probably had something to say on this) helps Nadal find the right balance between fight and enjoyment. Because if there is just "fight", there will be too much tension and control and that will prevent the best performance. So a question for everyone is whether you can find enjoyment and feeling good WHILE playing a competitive match. @Vaidas: Nadal says just one interesting thing (when it comes to the mental game) in that interview:

Q: Three months ago you were the defending champion at three Grand Slam events and the world number one. Now you only have the Australian Open title in your possession and are no longer ranked number one, has that changed your outlook going into the US Open?

Nadal: I am not number one right now but I always say the same thing. My motivation and aspiration is the same, being number one or being number five. So that’s the truth. And my goal is the same – it’s to always be happy playing, it’s to enjoy the game and improve always. That’s what I work on – improving my tennis. And to be happy playing because if I’m not happy playing, it’s very difficult to play well. I need to have the right attitude. I am going to play the next tournaments with the same aspiration and motivation as last year. Doesn’t matter.

Nadal is saying the he is always looking to enjoy on the court – which of course cannot be said for many club and junior players. Yes, the competition is tough but one needs to enjoy the fight.

Nadal is a typical person who enjoys the fight and it comes naturally to him. Being aware of the joy too (uncle Toni probably had something to say on this) helps Nadal find the right balance between fight and enjoyment.

Because if there is just “fight”, there will be too much tension and control and that will prevent the best performance. So a question for everyone is whether you can find enjoyment and feeling good WHILE playing a competitive match.

]]> By: Tomaz http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1652 Tomaz Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:25:09 +0000 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/?p=468#comment-1652 @Sumit: it's quite unlikely that the top 6 will reach the quarters: remember the <a href="http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/19/2-lessons-you-can-learn-from-the-montreal-masters-atp/" rel="nofollow">lesson from Montreal</a>? (where top 8 players reached the QF for the first time...) Many upsets are possible: Hewitt, Verdasco, Berdych, Karlovic, ... You never know with these guys... :) @Sumit: it’s quite unlikely that the top 6 will reach the quarters: remember the lesson from Montreal? (where top 8 players reached the QF for the first time…)

Many upsets are possible: Hewitt, Verdasco, Berdych, Karlovic, … You never know with these guys… :)

]]> By: Vaidas http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1651 Vaidas Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:18:36 +0000 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/?p=468#comment-1651 Well, that's a really objective and interesting interpretation, maybe Tomaz would be positive about commenting the same way on Rafael Nadal's interview thoughts? - http://eurosport.yahoo.com/28082009/58/open-rafael-nadal-q-amp.html Well, that’s a really objective and interesting interpretation, maybe Tomaz would be positive about commenting the same way on Rafael Nadal’s interview thoughts? – http://eurosport.yahoo.com/28082009/58/open-rafael-nadal-q-amp.html

]]> By: Sumit http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1647 Sumit Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:33:34 +0000 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/?p=468#comment-1647 Nice post, Tomaz. Do you think the top 6 will reach the quarters at this US open, and which player is likely to cause an upset or two? Nice post, Tomaz.

Do you think the top 6 will reach the quarters at this US open, and which player is likely to cause an upset or two?

]]> By: hem http://www.tennisthoughts.com/2009/08/25/interview-insights-roger-federer-at-cincinatti-masters-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-1645 hem Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:13:58 +0000 http://www.tennisthoughts.com/?p=468#comment-1645 very nice analysis! very nice analysis!

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