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  • Okay. Now there he is - just two days before Wimbledon.

  • This is so crazy.

  • Should I just interrupt him?

  • I mean, there's so many rules here, not sure.

  • Ok, here we go.

  • Roger!

  • Hey, how you doing, Joe?

  • I'm doing great.

  • Thanks for making the time to slip in, you know, a quick 73 question interview.

  • Of course. Not gonna miss it.

  • 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.

  • Good. Can you walk me through how you start your days right now?

  • It's pretty relaxed, actually.

  • It's 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 think it's all in the toss really.

  • It's the only shot we actually do control.

  • Everything else we have 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 I probably won't understand?

  • Maybe overhead on the backhand side.

  • It hardly ever happens, and when it does you lunge back, jump up, can't see the opponent anymore, you try to connect and you hope for the best.

  • Okay, what do you consider to be your signature shot?

  • My slice, maybe my forehand.

  • And, why don't you have a two handed backhand?

  • 'Cause all my heroes had a one-hander, so I had no choice.

  • Do you get attached to your racket?

  • I do. I love my racket and it's an extension of my arm and it does all the magic for me, so, yeah.

  • All right.

  • Now, what's your favorite part about playing at Wimbledon?

  • Its history and tradition.

  • And, how would you describe playing at Centre Court?

  • It's, I think, a dream come true for every tennis player to play there.

  • Can we check it out?

  • Let's go.

  • All right, great, and whoa.

  • I am destroying you at tennis on that scoreboard right there.

  • What is going on?

  • What have you done?

  • And why are you asking questions and then playing at Wimbledon?

  • Does your family have any nicknames for you?

  • Yeah, they call me Rog and in Swiss German, "Roch-ee."

  • Okay, what's the most Swiss thing about you?

  • That I'm a chocoholic. Is that something?

  • - Yes, it is. - Ok.

  • What languages do you speak?

  • I speak Swiss-German, German, English and French.

  • Do you have any favorite expressions in these languages?

  • I like "allez" in French, "come on" in English, and "chum jetze" in Swiss-German, on the tennis court.

  • We have some ball boys and ball girls.

  • Hey. How's everything? All good?

  • Nice to see you all.

  • Hey guys.

  • And they're having strawberries and cream.

  • You want one?

  • Sure.

  • Roger, what's up with the strawberries and cream here?

  • I don't know. It's a Wimbledon thing.

  • Okay.

  • What is it? Do you know?

  • Tradition.

  • Tradition.

  • Now, I heard you started your career as a ball boy. Is that right?

  • Yes, I was like them.

  • I was about twelve-years-old at my home tournament in Basel, I did it for two years, it was great, I loved it.

  • How many hours a day at age twelve were you playing?

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

  • Wow, versus how many hours today?

  • Between zero and four. I gotta save my energy sometimes.

  • Who was your tennis idol growing up?

  • Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, and Pete Sampras.

  • When did you first realize you were really, really good at tennis?

  • Well in the juniors I thought I was good and then, when I beat Pete Sampras here in 2001 I felt like I knew I was good.

  • So wrong to say that. Oh, my God.

  • Now, is it true your mom is a tennis coach?

  • Yeah, a little bit.

  • She didn't really coach me though.

  • Okay, but what's the best piece of advice that she gave you?

  • Never let the ball bounce twice.

  • - Oh okay. - Makes sense.

  • - So simple right? - Yeah.

  • Just run after that ball all the time.

  • - Sure. - Just like a dog.

  • What advice would you give these guys here?

  • Love your tennis but then work hard and what else can I tell you guys?

  • Dream big. You know, sometimes we don't dream big enough that it's possible because we think there is barriers and stuff.

  • You gotta go for it and do it full on.

  • That's wonderful advice.

  • See you later guys. Take care, nice to see you.

  • Roger, grass or clay?

  • Grass, of course.

  • Forehand or backhand?

  • Forehand.

  • Spin or flat?

  • Spin.

  • What TV show are you obsessed with at the moment?

  • None, really.

  • I used to love "Prison Break."

  • That was so cool.

  • Who's your style icon?

  • Tom Ford.

  • What are you wearing when you're feeling your best?

  • I mean, a suit's good, but bathing suit and a t-shirt on a beach somewhere.

  • What's the most memorable thing that you've ever worn?

  • Met Gala, I wore a tuxedo from Gucci with a diamond encrusted sort of a cobra on the back.

  • That was pretty sick.

  • What do you do on your off days?

  • Nothing. I just take it easy, run around with the kids.

  • Hey.

  • Bonjour Roger, bonne chance pour le tournoi.

  • Ciao, ciao.

  • What's the best fashion advice you've ever received?

  • You wear the clothes, not the clothes wear you.

  • And, Anna once told me when I asked her if I should wear the dark suit or the light suit for the evening.

  • She said, "The dark suit of course, Roger."

  • I was like, of course.

  • That's pretty good advice, right?

  • Anna knows best.

  • What's something about yourself that you think a lot of people wouldn't know?

  • I don't know.

  • I feel like I've done so many interviews, I think, I really feel like people know everything by now.

  • Alright, now, you have identical twins.

  • Now, be honest with me, do you ever get them confused?

  • I used to sometimes if I couldn't see their face right away but no, nowadays I'm a pro of course I can tell them apart.

  • What lessons have you learned from your kids?

  • Patience and snuggling again.

  • It's been the best.

  • That's so sweet.

  • And, what do you hope your kids learn from you?

  • Everything. I want to teach them everything I know, and more.

  • I love them so much.

  • That's wonderful.

  • All right.

  • Hello. Nice to see you.

  • Roger, out of all of the places you play in the world, what's the craziest location?

  • I played on the Jungfraujoch, top of Europe in Switzerland in mountain, with Lindsey Vonn.

  • And, I guess Centre Court, Wimbledon, of course.

  • And, 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.

  • Roger, get right next to that.

  • - Look at that. - So good.

  • So beautiful.

  • So close, so far.

  • And you have eight of these things.

  • Yeah, I do.

  • Where do you keep all of them?

  • I have a big trophy cabinet at home, but we always have space for one more.

  • I tell you that.

  • I can imagine.

  • What Wimbledon tradition do you look forward to the most?

  • I think it's wonderful to have the Centre Court be opened up by the defending champion at one o'clock on Monday.

  • 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.

  • Wow.

  • What's the most surprising moment in your career?

  • Surprising moment, I truly believe becoming world #1 and winning all the titles that I did is crazier than any dream I ever had about my career.

  • I never thought I was going to be this successful.

  • What's your most prize memorabilia?

  • The net of my 2009 Wimbledon final against my good friend, Andy Roddick.

  • There we go.

  • Would you consider tennis your favorite sport to watch?

  • Yes, and football and basketball.

  • I love basketball. It's cool.

  • And growing up you also played soccer, right?

  • I did.

  • What made you choose tennis over soccer?

  • I didn't want to blame the goalie, in all honesty.

  • I wanted to blame myself, maybe that is what made me pick tennis.

  • Thankfully I did.

  • What's the biggest challenge as an athlete that you didn't appreciate when you started?

  • I was incredibly homesick in the beginning.

  • Jet lag and all the interviews.

  • 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.

  • I'm so lucky to be here.

  • And, Roger, how do you want to be remembered?

  • As a good guy for tennis, philanthropic, and I don't know, a good tennis player, maybe. I don't know.

  • Now, I've been told that you enjoy ice cream before a match.

  • Is that right?

  • What? Pre-match ice cream?

  • I'll have loads afterwards, but not before.

  • And here's a wall of champions!

  • Wow, that's a lot of Federer right there.

  • Yeah.

  • It almost takes up half of the space.

  • But in 2019, you're 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.

  • Now, can you point to the win that was the most memorable?

  • 2003.

  • Why?

  • It was my first one.

  • There you go.

  • It's like I thought that was it.

  • I achieved my dream, winning Wimbledon.

  • It was epic.

  • And, I heard that they engrave these pretty quickly when you win?

  • Yes, apparently, even the trophy.

  • So, you hold it up in the air, and it's already got your trophy engraved.

  • And you walk out of this court, that you 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 to know?

  • He's an intense guy on the court.

  • He's super honest and open off the court, and he's got a heart of gold.

  • He's also gonna help me with my foundation again next year.

  • We're gonna try to break the record for most attendance in Cape Town in South Africa for my foundation.

  • I'm so looking forward to it.

  • So thank you Rafa.

  • Amazing.

  • - Now, I sense Centre Court is right behind these doors over here, right? - It is.

  • Wanna have a look?

  • Let's take a look.

  • All right, let's go.

  • All right.

  • Hopefully, it's everything that I hoped and dreamed.

  • - Here we go. - After you.

  • This is so cool.

  • Roger, do you have any pre-match rituals or superstitions?

  • I am not superstitious at all actually, funny enough.

  • What kind of music would you probably be listening to before a match?

  • I don't usually, but maybe something relaxing, funny enough.

  • And the grand moment.

  • This is incredible.

  • Wow, look at this.

  • So nice.

  • What do you say to yourself before you walk on this grass?

  • C'mon Rog, you got this. Go for it. Enjoy it.

  • Let's go.

  • Do you think I could walk on the grass with you?

  • I mean, for me it's okay, but maybe you gotta ask Neil.

  • Uh, no.

  • What's your favorite memory of playing here?

  • Winning my first Wimbledon, or maybe beating Pete Sampras here in 2001.

  • Okay, Roger you're here.

  • It's match point.

  • What is that experience like?

  • You hear a pin drop when you're about to serve.

  • Nobody's talking, it's amazing.

  • You hear a cough, maybe.

  • And then the crowd erupts when you win the point.

  • Who 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 they're into it, and then I check my team, if they're all seated already maybe.

  • And umpire and opponent, you know.

  • And you have stiff competition.

  • Who's the player that you dread playing the most?

  • Raf Nadal.

  • Who's your favorite player to play against?

  • Raf Nadal.

  • And who do you want a re-match with?

  • Maybe Del Potro, U.S. Open Final in 2009.

  • You have a strategy called fire and ice.

  • What does this mean?

  • So, I think you gotta have fire in the belly wanting to win every point.

  • You give it your absolute best.

  • And, ice in the veins, for me is basically you're so focused in the most important moments, you are so calm and so composed, that's what it is.

  • Prepping for a first round match versus prepping for a final match, what changes?

  • Well, there should be none, but, you know, sometimes you get a bit nervous, you do.

  • So, how nervous do you get before matches?

  • I think it's the amount of butterflies you feel in the belly that makes a difference.

  • Mental exhaustion or physical, what's harder to overcome?

  • I'd say mental.

  • Just as hard to sometimes be picked up.

  • It's not always easy to stay positive.

  • Serving volley or power baseline?

  • A bit of both.

  • Footwork or strokes, which is harder to nail?

  • Footwork is easier to perfect.

  • I feel like strokes are maybe more talent involved.

  • And last question, Roger, question number 73:

  • How does surviving Bear Grylls compare to surviving Wimbledon?

  • A bit different.

  • Bear Grylls' show I did freeze, and I peed over the fire.

  • I didn't do that here at Wimbledon.

  • And Bear Grylls was actually sitting over there in the Royal Box with the Royals attending the finals and my team was sitting over there with my lovely wife.

  • A wonderful moment.

  • All right. Well, that concludes the interview and I'm gonna leave with a message from a special guest.

  • Here she is now:

  • Hello, Roger, this is Anna.

  • Good luck at Wimbledon, and now back to those practice courts.

  • Thank you, Anna.

  • How did she do that?

  • Is she here?

  • Thanks, Roger.

  • Okay.

Okay. Now there he is - just two days before Wimbledon.

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