Q. What is the verdict on that today?

ROGER FEDERER: I thought it was a good match. I thought it was my best match of the tournament so far. I thought the rhythm was very high. We played a lot of tough points. I really thought, you know, from my side it was an excellent match.

Of course, you know, you also need the opponent to come up also with the goods to make it an exciting match, and I thought it was. Sure, I would have loved to win in straight, but he came back strong.

Maybe my serve let go just a little bit. But he started to pick side a lot as well and, you know, took the right decisions at the right time and deserved the third set in the end.

I was happy how I reacted. Thought I didn't panic. Was an excellent match in the end.

Q. Good for you terms of the tournament to have had more of a test?

ROGER FEDERER: Sure. I mean, why not? I mean, I thought I already played very well the first two matches. It doesn't really bother me how I come through. At the end of the day, it's important to come through and feel good when I walk off the court.

Q. Where were you and what were your immediate thoughts when you heard the news that Michael Jackson had died?

ROGER FEDERER: I was at the house late last night. Obviously, you know, I love his music. It wasn't clear, you know, what had happened, you know. So I waited for sort of to see what's gonna happen and the confirmation.

Sure, a very sad moment I think in the music world. You know, he touched many people. Same for me. But I'll obviously still listen to his music for many more years to come.


Q. What do you consider the aspect that you appreciate the most of his performances?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I remember, I don't know, back maybe in '88 or '89, he came to Basel. I was outside of the stadium, because there was such excitement that he would come. I was still very young. I think I went there with my sister, and we just listened from the outside, you know.

Yeah, always listened to his music. And, yeah, it's sad. You know, it really is.

Q. A lot of people are inevitably already speculating, looking at the draw, a possible Federer/Murray final. I presume you feel that's fairly premature at this stage, would you?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I think so. Yes.

Q. In a few weeks, Nelson Mandela is going to be honored in our country. Could you comment about your thoughts on him and your meeting him?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, unfortunately I've never met Nelson Mandela. Yeah, I don't know if I'm sad about it, but that's still definitely one of the dreams for me, you know, to have maybe a ‑‑ maybe getting to meet him.

But the thing is, it's hard to go down to Australia [sic] right now with the schedule being so full. But if I would go, I mean, of course I would try. Of course, only if he would like to.

You know, he's had an incredible life and he's been very inspirational to many people. He's definitely, you know, one of the peoples I would love to meet in my life.

Q. What do you think his legacy is?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I don't know. I mean, look, I mean, he's much older than I am, so I only know him sort of the end, you know, of his life. You know, it's the beginning of mine.

But I always looked up to him as a great man and very inspirational, that's for sure.

Q. Before playing the Wimbledon final, you will replay the Roland Garros final next round. What is your feel being playing Soderling once more? Can he be more dangerous on grass than clay?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, if you asked me before Paris, I would say he's definitely more dangerous on grass than on clay, but then you saw all those great matches he played in Paris and you're worried, too.

So he's definitely proven his point that he's a good all‑around player. I haven't actually thought about the match at all yet, you know. Too occupied with different things right now.

But I think it's going to be interesting to see, you know, how he's going to enter that match after coping with such a long tournament in Paris and see how fresh he still is. But I've played him here in the past, and I've played him on grass a few times now.

I've had success against him, but I know the danger because he hits extremely hard. Yeah, definitely got to be ready for that match.

Q. Your wife is pregnant obviously. Would you be happy if she gave birth in England? Would you be happy to have a son or daughter born in England?

ROGER FEDERER: I'm happy if the baby's healthy. That's most important right now.

Q. You broke Agassi's record today. 47th win.

ROGER FEDERER: Here?

Q. Yes.

ROGER FEDERER: Okay.

Q. Does that mean anything at all?

ROGER FEDERER: I didn't know about it.

Q. Just another record?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it's not one I was dreaming about as a boy really (smiling). But it's nice to get. You know, I guess it's ‑‑ if you probably asked him, he probably wouldn't even know himself. So let's leave it at that.

Q. Fabrice Santoro has played his last singles match here. Are there any shots in his armory that you would have liked to have had or you'd like to acquire? It seemed when you played him you actually had quite a lot of fun. What was it like playing against him?

ROGER FEDERER: Uhm, yeah, he's definitely one of the players I like to watch most. I mean, he's so different to the rest. You know, was happy enough to play him a few times, and we've always had good matches. You know, he also beat me twice.

I think he's a great test for youngsters coming up, because it doesn't matter how great you are, he'll find a weakness in your game. Even though maybe there's not many there, he'll still make it really difficult for you to play well and to beat him.

That's the beauty of tennis. I think everybody has a chance. Doesn't matter if you're tall or, you know, smaller, it doesn't matter. And it's sad he's going out of the game, but he's had an incredible sort of 20 years of his tennis life.

I get along very well with him, so it's obviously sad seeing him going out of Wimbledon. But he's still got some tournaments left. Who knows, maybe we'll play each other down the road.

Q. That Santoro forehand, do you ever practice that?

ROGER FEDERER: I think all the players did it already once, but I can actually do it not bad. But he reads the game very well and he's got incredible touch. Many players, I think, would love to have that.

Q. Because of the unique day off here on Sunday, is there more of a sense here than anywhere when you get to the second Monday it's almost the start of a new tournament?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I guess a little bit because I think it's the only Grand Slam that both sections of the draw play the same day. I think Monday, Wednesday and Friday, whereas maybe the other Grand Slams it's still overlapping. So I think, yeah, it seems like it's, you know, down to business in the second week.

I mean, sure, it's nice to start off, you know, with the second week. But this is where it gets really interesting for me, you know, as a top player.

Q. When you enter a match against Soderling with such a lopsided record in the past between the two of you, does that enter your mind at all either as a confidence boost, thinking he never has beaten you on any surface anywhere, or is there part of you that thinks maybe at some point he's got to win against me?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, there's a bit of both. I mean, obviously you always figure there's only so many times you beat a player. But then at the same time, you get ready for every match, you know, in the best possible way.

I try not to underestimate because I respect all the players in a big way. And he's definitely one of those guys you come out and you might play well, but it still isn't enough, you know.

It's like today, for instance. Kohlschreiber, he hung in there even though I was playing great. That's what I expect with Soderling, as well. He's got a huge game. Now he's also got the taste of beating the top players. That only makes him more dangerous.

But I still think most important is, or what stands out to me, is that I've beat him so many times that it gives me an incredible amount of confidence, knowing that if I do play my game well, I should be fine.

But you never know. That's why I have to be very careful.


(via www.wimbledon.org, photo/Getty Images)

Wimbledon 2009: Roger Federer's 26. June Interview