Doris · @DorisLaRubia
17th Mar 2018 from TwitLonger
„Tennis is something of the few things which my kids should learn“
This is a translation of an interview which René Stauffer did with Roger for Swiss media:
„Tennis is something of the few things which my kids should learn“
Roger Federer sees himself more and more as an entertainer. His challenge is to manage the balancing act between worldstar, elite sport and family.
René Stauffer talked with Roger Federer
The nice story of your kids who sold lemonade at the roadside caused a big interest…
(interrupts): It surprised me that the people are so interested in this. Jim Courier asked me what I am doing here during the days. I‘m always feeling as well as the kids do. I don‘t need much. When I don‘t play tennis I‘m going home to my kids. Whatever they are doing I‘m part of it. Now they juiced grapefruits and oranges the whole time and mixed them. That‘s nothing new to me. It wasn‘t the first time. In the end there were many friends with them at the roadside.
What kind of friends are these?
There are always people with children there. Like the daughter from Michael Chang.
Do you have more of that stories?
It‘s really lovely with them. We try to let the kids grow up in a normal life as much as possible. Here in Indian Wells it is quiet, not like at the roadside of New York where the taxis speed past. When we are for once not in a big town we are making the most out of it. The quietness in here reminds me a bit of Switzerland. The kids love to come here.
How is the hierarchy amongst the twins? The girls are nearly 5 years older so they are probably the leaders.
Indeed. But as they are often having school in the morning or often go skiing they often don‘t see each other much during the day. When they are all together then they are having a good time. They really like to play together. And the boys can meanwhile good – or much better – communicate. In the beginning it was more a baby language but meanwhile the kids can talk very good between themselves. That is very cute.
So there is always something going on when you come back home?
Yes, and I like it that way.
How sporting are your kids? All go skiing, all play tennis?
Yes. In Switzerland they go skiing, in Dubai they are playing tennis like here.
You said it‘s important for you that they all play tennis. Why?
Tennis is something of the few things which I would like them to do. It is no necessitation but I told them: All our friends play tennis, all kids of our friends play tennis. And that I would like it if they would play an instrument and tennis. It doesn‘t have to be professional, not at all. But it would be nice if we could play doubles later on or that they could play with friends and have fun.
And – do they?
Meanwhile they enjoy it, also the girls. It wasn‘t always like that in the beginning. „No, I don‘t want to...“ But I was like that as well when I was young. I didn‘t want to practice sometimes. In the meantime they realize that it is only for their best. And the boys like to play more anyway.
Are they as crazy about balls as you were?
More than the girls for sure. My mother said to me that they are similiar to me when I was young.
Also as talented?
I have the feeling they know what they are doing. It comes easy to them. But what is normal when you are 3 or 4 years old? I don‘t know. I don‘t ask to much of them. They should play when they want to. And when we send them to have a tennis lesson and they don‘t want to go I say: Then there was no practice today, no problem.
Which instruments do they play: Drums, guitar…? Will there be a Federer-Junior-Band soon?
No, no. The boys are to young. The girls are playing the piano – and they enjoy it a lot. I‘m happy about this.
You also played piano?
Yes, but I was with my head all the time at the sport. I went to the piano lesson once a week for a while. I had to prepare a song and when I arrived the teacher asked: „Roger, you didn‘t practice, right?“ And I said: „No, I was on the soccer- and tenniscourt.“ Then she said: „Come on, let‘s try again.“ The girls practice more often which makes me very proud.
How does the homeschooling work? Isn‘t it getting more difficult with time and do the girls sometimes ask: Why aren‘t we in a normal school?
It‘s good that they are old enough to discuss about it, naming advantages and disadvantages. Public schools, private schools or homeschooling – everything has plus points and negative sites. I wish it would be different. Mirka and me always expected that they would go normally to school like we did. But unfortunately - or thankfully – everything came different due to my tennis.
Is it true that they already visited a normal school?
Yes, they were once in a school class so that they know what it is about. Through my foundation I can also raise their awareness how education works in other countries. They ask questions and sometimes wish they would be in a normal school. But on the other hand they also understand how lucky they are to be able to experience so much, to travel through the world and discover things. And that we can be together as a family.
Can‘t there be a mixture – that you only take them out of school when you are on the road?
You know that the Swiss system isn‘t so easy. You can‘t say: Now it‘s Wimbledon and we take them 3 weeks out of school. The older you get the more rigid is the system. And you don‘t want to ask for special treatment the whole time.
Could the school situation of your kids force you one day to end your career?
Indirectly at most. I always said: When the kids don‘t feel good on the tour or when I know that they are unhappy or when Mirka would‘t like her own situation or the one from the kids anymore it would be a reason to stop. The homeschooling itself shouldn‘t be a problem. The girls like to go to school. It works great, so I don‘t worry about it.
You revealed that you talked in 2016 with your wife if you should end your career or not. How did this conversation go?
It was more en passant. It was at a dinner when we were alone at the table once. I can‘t even remember if I asked her if I should end my career or if she thinks that I could still win. It was probably something like that. And she said: When you still enjoy what you are doing and when you are doing it right and feel good I don‘t see a reason why you shouldn‘t win a big tournament again or win against everyone. It was the same feeling I had. And I think I replied: Ok and what is the plan with the kids for tomorrow? (laughs) It wasn‘t a long conversation .
Isn‘t your wife fed up with this life meanwhile?
It doesn‘t get easier, that‘s for sure. But as I don‘t play so many tournaments anymore the rhythm is better. We are one month in Dubai, one month in Australia, one month in the mountains, one month in the USA… It is more quiet now, not as in previous times – Rotterdam and Dubai and Indian Wells and Miami and Monte Carlo and Davis Cup, stuff like that, back and forth. As I go alone to certain tournaments that gives Mirka also more quiet moments.
Is all the planning for you with 4 kids very difficult?
It is more lucid – as we know what is possible and what not. With 4 kids they always have priority and they are one of the reasons why I play less. In former times we always thought we could quickly do this and that… We were more flexible when we just had the girls and it was more easier. Back then I was also in my best years.
In your best years? And now?
(laughs) Yes, exactly… Best years again.
Since your comeback you exceeded all expectations…
… Yes, my own ones as well...
3 Grand Slam titles, Laureus World Athlete 2017 and now you are #1 again which you didn‘t expected for yourself. Could it be that this leads to a satiation? Do you sometimes think: It‘s good now?
Hmmn, no, not necessarily. It isn‘t really a goal from myself to defend #1 but it would be nice to stay there. I can‘t deny this. It is always a great feeling to be #1. That is one of the biggest goals in sport in general – to be the best. I always said: I‘m either #1 or any other number. And when I can be #1 this motivates me. I didn‘t come to Indian Wells to prove that I‘m #1. But often that goes hand in hand.
A climax would be to aim for #1 at the end of the year…
Well, I have the feeling: When it happens then it happens. It isn‘t a goal though which I set for myself or defined with my team.
Because it could include the risk to play to much and to get injured?
It‘s just not my career goal at the moment. My aim is to be healthy and to stay injury free and keep the enthusiasm for the game. And to bring everything together with my family, with Mirka – that everything works for us. The #1 at the end of the year isn‘t important. And when there is a place for the claycourt season it‘s great and if not… Everything subordinates. It‘s the best option for me, I will enjoy it the most and can stay on the tour longer. In that respect it is easy.
Where are the problems?
To manage it all the time to get the motor going and to turn it off, that‘s the secret. How do I do it, repeatedly? Sometimes I think when I‘m on the treadmill with Pierre (Paganini, fitnesscoach): How often do I have to do this? It isn‘t easy to do it again and again. Therefore those blocks with fitness training are a huge challenge.
How do you motivate yourself?
I need a Super-Pierre, a Super-Wife, who always supports me and I need Super-Coaches, who adjust me to every new match, who motivate me in practice and who give me the feeling – when I look to them: Hey, they want as much as myself or maybe even more that we win. That‘s why we travelled half around the world. Everything is even more important when you play less.
How long can it continue like this? Indefinitely?
Indefinitely? What is indefinitely?
Ken Rosewall was able to keep up with the best players when he was way over 40 years.
Sure, but it were different times. There is much more going on for me now, with sponsors, media, the whole attention. Signatures, pictures… I‘m more under close monitoring as the old generation. Everthing is more intensive even though they all also played doubles in former times. But I really hope that I can play for a long time to come. And I don‘t want to compare myself to someone. I try to play this year. For the next one I have ideas how I could start it. But – hey, time will tell. One has to be flexible at this age, that‘s for sure.
Does the rage about your person bother you? It‘s getting bigger and bigger and to some extent there is even a kind of idolization?
Sometimes it‘s tiring indeed. Therefore the planning is important for me – that I can always back away from everything completely. If all the attention would be there the whole time I would be exhausted and couldn‘t enjoy it anymore. But when I can seal off from everything and come back full of energy I always think: That‘s exactly how it should be. That‘s the balancing act from which I speak and which is extremely important for me. But it is great and I‘m happy that there is such a hype about my person. That the people enjoy it so much to see me play – and above all that I still enjoy the game and love everything about it. And that I enjoy it to share it.
The reactions of the crowd are important for you?
Yes, because I‘m not only a tennis player but also an entertainer. It isn‘t just my success which counts but also the one from the tournament. When the crowd in San Jose from the Match for Africa or from Indian Wells go home and think: Hey, that was cool that I saw Federer play… This guy likes what he is doing, is having fun, loves the tennis, gave everything, talked to us. That is as important for me.
You don‘t set concrete goals anymore? For example Tokyo 2020?
No, no. The Olympic Games in Rio were a goal but now I don‘t want to plan that way ahead. When I take part I take part. But I don‘t say: I have to play in Tokyo.
Would the 100th tournament victory be a goal or the 109 titles from Connors?
At the moment everything is going smoothly but the main priority is to stay healthy, to have fun and success. Then everything is coming together - if I will achieve certain things or not. And when I have the feeling that I can‘t achieve my goals anymore it‘s better to stop one day, that‘s also clear. But I don‘t want to think to far ahead because it can make you gasp when you set yourself to big goals which are to far away. Then you say: Sorry, I don‘t see it, that‘s to much to ask for. And then you can‘t concentrate on the moment anymore when you are thinking to far ahead. Therefore it‘s good for me that I‘m finally flexible.
At the Hopman Cup in Perth you said you would be part-time worker. That was tough to believe. How big is your effort?
I need more recovery, more sleep. I also have to save myself on free days more than in the past. I‘m probably also a bit more professional because I don‘t play as much anymore. Because I know that I recover well away from the tournaments and do other things then I invest everything at the tournaments. The intensity, the pressure and the stress are extremely high there though.
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