Interview Aces This Week

Cincinnati Masters

Q. I guess this win gets you back in the top 10 when the next world rankings come out. Is that something you pay any attention to at all?
ANDY RODDICK: (Laughing.) Um, I wish I got to talk about it as much when I am in the top 10 as opposed to when I'm not. It's only a story when I'm not.

Q. Can I ask you about a serve that you didn't make tonight, but that's obviously being talked about a lot on the Internet. Is that for real?
ROGER FEDERER: Oh, that thing? Yeah. Well, there's a lot of the debate at the moment, you know. You know how it is with magicians. They don't tell how their tricks work, you know. (Smiling.) I don't do it that much, but, yeah, it was shot in one piece and it was — the guy took a chance. (Smiling.) It worked out. I'm happy.
[later]
Q. Back to the video for a second, have you ever done anything like that before, knocked something off somebody's head?
ROGER FEDERER: Um, well, I had to do it before so I knew I could do it, otherwise it was risky for him, right? But no — what was the — what did you mean exactly?
Q. Knocking the thing off the guy's head.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it worked out. I've done it before.
Q. So it was definitely real?
ROGER FEDERER: Not saying that. A magician doesn't tell how his tricks work, so... (Laughter.)

Q. First game of the match you hit a dropshot winner, and he [Andy Murray] gave you a stare down. You kind of looked over like, What's going on? I noticed that. And then even at the changeover he appeared to say something. Was something going on right out of the gate with him?
MARDY FISH: No. I mean, you know, we're not in the first round of a small tournament anymore. I mean, these are the big -- it's big money here; big points here; bigtime confidence going into the US Open, you know. So it's two competitive guys. I welcome it. I like a little bit of trash talk. It's fine. I was fine with it.

Q. Physically now you're 100?
RAFAEL NADAL: Physically I'm perfect. Give me two weeks to broke everything. (Laughter.)

Q. What's the difference between the two years that you can pinpoint in terms of your on-court results from 2009 to thus far this year?
ROGER FEDERER: Um, well, I mean, I guess in terms of playing, I had a wonderful summer last year with the French and Wimbledon, which wasn't the case, you know, this year. But last year sort of after the Australian Open when I lost against I think Nadal, people were also talking about how I was on a huge decline. I cried on center court at the Australian Open, which was a big tragedy for many people. Nobody ever believed I would come back. I won two slams and played the finals of the US Open and won the Australian Open, so — then everything changes and you don't win the French or Wimbledon, and things are all bad again. So it moves very quickly. I know the rules and how it all works.

Q. Does it feel different being No. 1 this time than it did being No. 1 last time, two years ago?
RAFAEL NADAL: Doesn't make any difference. Doesn't for me. Finish No. 1 in the end of the year, that's something that I would love to do it. But right now I don't think if I am No. 1 or I am No. 5. So I am Rafa, and I go to every tournament to try to play well and to try to be competitive and win as many matches as I can.