couple hours til joe willy time boyeeeeeeeee
?I'm looking forward to the match against Jo‑Willy. Obviously it's a big challenge playing him here in Paris,? said Federer. ?He's a great friend of mine. We had a great tour together in South America on a couple of the events, and we know each other well. I think we're both looking forward to this match. It's going to be a totally different match (than the one) I just played with (Gilles) Simon (where Federer came back from 2-1 down to win in five sets). I still believe Jo is best on the hard courts, but he's really improved on the clay in the last few years. We have played on clay as well, in Rome one time, but it was a pretty disappointing match (Federer won 6-4, 6-2 in 2011). It's going to be a totally different situation. He feeds off the fans as well,? said Federer, underlining what may well be a crucial factor in the match, ?and I think he's moving better than he has in ever in his life on clay - that's so important on this surface.?
Tsonga notably defeated Federer on the Swiss maestro?s favourite lawn in London SW19 two years ago, laying down quite a marker against the seven-time Wimbledon champion. ?I could turn it the other way and say I beat him in Australia,? Roger retorted, in reference to their most recent meeting in Melbourne last January, when Tsonga twice came from a set down but failed to see off the 31-year-old. ?But I could (also) say he's already beaten major players in the game in the past, and he's already beaten me in the past, twice I think (the third Tsonga "win" was via walkover). I think it's enough for him to believe he can beat me. He doesn't need any additional motivation.?
?I won't be taking him on any differently to how I have taken him on in the past,? Federer continued. ?I know him very well and there's no real secret between us tennis‑wise. He's a very good player ? he?s dangerous for everybody ranked in the top 4 in the world. He's proved his worth in the past. I believe in my abilities as well, and he should do the same with his ? no doubt he does.
?I know he can beat me and he knows he can beat me,? the 17-time Grand Slam champion concluded. ?But I'm going to make sure that that doesn't happen.?