Federer talks tempers, more on New Yorker podcast

Touching on a wide swath of topics, Roger Federer guests on a new episode of David Remnick's New Yorker Radio Hour.

The reformed-teen aspects of Federer's history in the sport have been well documented. The Swiss went from a "volcanic temper" to tempering his on-court outbursts. As he tells host Remnick, "For the sake of winning, I changed my attitude."

About the mercurial-at-best behavior of Nick Kyrgios at, well, most events in which he competes, among some other hot-headed younger peers on the ATP Tour, Federer is measured.

"I laugh about it, because I think it's actual good, it's good that guys are showing their temper," he said. "I can relate to it ... and it's nice to see it still exists."

"I understand that people get upset, because it happens to me still in practice, I get super-frustrated as well sometimes," Federer said, perhaps alternately inspiring and disheartening his ATP fellows who might hear the podcast. "Tennis is a sport in which you will make mistakes. It just happens. I didn't want to be that kind of player, with that attitude, because I just felt so drained about midway through a tournament, getting so upset."

Steadying his in-match emotions, in a sport built on solo problem-solving, Federer has made the most of it, to the tune of 20 major singles titles. He still leads the hot-on-his-heels Rafael Nadal, who has 18, and Novak Djokovic, who owns 16 after topping Federer at Wimbledon fewer than two months ago. (Djokovic then became the first man in 71 years to win a singles final at SW19 after saving match points.)

With all the options in his match arsenal each time out, Federer shared that he also once had a strategy when it came to lashing out physically.

"I used to smash racquets, throw racquets, but very clever, so that I wouldn't break it," he said, adding, "Then I wouldn't have to explain myself to my parents, and my sponsor, having to ask for another racquet."

Of his everything-but-the-finish Wimby final against Djokovic, at just under five hours the longest in the tournament's singles-championship history, Federer allowed this: "I had all my chances, won more points than he did, and then to end up losing the way I did made me more angry than anything."

But he analyzed that match and moved on. After all, Federer said, he and his family had a camper-van getaway planned, with departure just a day away.

Indeed, no rest for the weary. Back to being Roger Fatherer.

"You organize your life differently," he told Remnick of having kids. (As a reminder: two sets of twins.) "It becomes a totally different life you're living" once marriage and child-rearing begin.

Good-naturedly press by the New Yorker journalist for post-career plans, Federer was upbeat. "I don't think I will have a major struggle being away from the game of tennis that I love so much," he offered, saying he will relish life-long friendships made in the game.

"I hope to be in tennis just a little bit," he said. "I could see myself in a mentor role. I don't see myself coaching or commentating, per se."

Of course he's well aware of the theater, the tension and the thrill, of a match like his Djokovic loss in London. He knows such encounters can make for "magic" in the arena for fans and other observers.

Ultimately, as Remnick put it, playing in Wimbledon versus Queens may be "the difference between a church service and feeding time at the zoo." He asked Federer which he preferred.

"Well, I think the church is more consistent. I love playing there, I love playing in New York."

Game on. Federer will open his assault on the 2019 US Open title against qualifier Sumit Nagal in the first day's night-session finale.