ATP Tour - Federer: Fatherhood won't affect focus

Eurosport - Mon, 16 Mar 12:04:00 2009

Expectant father Roger Federer believes impending parenthood will not affect his chances of breaking Pete Sampras's record of 14 Grand Slam titles.

Roger Federer during his second round win at Indian Wells - 0

The Swiss world number two revealed earlier this week that his girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec was in the early stages of pregnancy with their first child.

"I think it's not going to really disturb my mindset on tennis a whole lot," said Federer, who has won 13 Grand Slams to stand one behind American Sampras on the all-time list.

"I've always made sure that my schedule is (to) get away from tennis a little bit and then come back when I'm ready to play again. That's why I didn't play for the last five to six weeks.

"I think it's going to be pretty much the same. I don't really have to adjust a whole lot. If it does something to me, I think it's going to motivate me to play for a long time."

Federer would not be drawn on when exactly the baby was due, other than to say it would be sometime in the (northern hemisphere) summer.

"I'm completely excited. I've been thinking about something like this happening for the last two or three years," he added.

"So for me, this is not a massive shock. But when it does happen (that) your girlfriend (or) wife is pregnant, it definitely changes your mindset.

"All of a sudden you're hoping everything goes well, whereas before you're just joking about it. From this respect, I'm excited that the baby comes out healthy and everything ges okay.

"Other than that, it's just happiness. And everybody around me, all the people I talk to, everybody is like, 'Wow, it's such great news.' It's a nice time."

Reuters

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  1. When will Murray stop being so self centred and self­ congratulatery!!! Note how Nadal and Federa all speak­ well of their opponents and not all about how good they­ are themselves. I dislike his conceit . It doesn't­ belong to tennis!!!!

    From viollette_uk, on Tue 17 Mar 2:12PM

  2. On comment 4,5,6, i know you wants to come up for Nadal­ i can see on ur words ur attcking Federer and plzz­ nadal's chance of vreaking 14gs is low like 35%??­ he wont get the number one spot longer than the all­ time federer 237 weeks top spot... im almost sure about­ my case...

    From aus11123, on Mon 16 Mar 10:08PM

  3. Roger will have more motivation now that Mirka is­ expecting a little one. He will equal Pete's record­ and more than likely will go over it. Roger has been­ thru a lot with the mono and the bad back but he will­ bounce back and really go to town. I am looking forward­ to a lot of wins from Roger. GO ROGER!!!!!!

    From mitzi.heim, on Mon 16 Mar 10:00PM

  4. a\nd congrats fed

    From alex.dunkshot20, on Mon 16 Mar 9:22PM

  5. comment 13 must be a complete plonker! What about­ Murray you weirdo?

    From alex.dunkshot20, on Mon 16 Mar 9:20PM

  6. not only will not affect him bad, i think it will be­ very positive for him,might rejuvenate him

    From Nikolay, on Mon 16 Mar 6:21PM

  7. not only will not affect him bad, i think it will be­ very positive for him,might rejuvenate him

    From Nikolay, on Mon 16 Mar 6:21PM

  8. happy for you roger... wishing you and your family all­ health and happiness

    From aaditya, on Mon 16 Mar 4:23PM

  9. congratulations... :)

    From James L, on Mon 16 Mar 7:43AM

  10. these comments are from a countrywhose only­ contribution to world tennis for 10 years was tim­ friggin henman....LOL

    From ,...,, on Mon 16 Mar 7:30AM

  11. lets hope baby doesnt arrive during wimbledon. king fed­ rules

    From rupertmaehle, on Mon 16 Mar 1:15AM

  12. please someone should provide norton anti-virus for­ andy murray before his body system crashed, contact me­ if u can provide it

    From Mba E, on Mon 16 Mar 12:56AM

  13. oh oh roger - another rivalry ...
    catching up to­ Tiger...he has two now...

    From dfortin54, on Sun 15 Mar 9:35PM

  14. OH DOES ROGER HAVE TO PLAY THE TREE IN HIS NEXT MATCH­ THEN.GOOD LUCK ROGER IN THE FINAL I HOPE VS RAFA WHAT A­ MATCH THAT WOULD BE.

    From AJ, on Sun 15 Mar 9:10PM

  15. Good luck in the next round Roger, take a sweet revenge­ of Karlovic, btw it was karlovic that made him lost the­ nr. 1 ranking in cincinnati or toronto.

    From aus11123, on Sun 15 Mar 8:59PM

  16. ROGER WILL STILL BE UP THERE REGARDLESS OF BECOMING A­ FATHER LATER IN THE YEAR.COME ON ROGER WE YOU'RE­ FANS LOVE YOU.
    CONGRATS TO YOU AND MIRKA.
    GOOD LUCK IN­ INDIAN WELLS HOPE YOU IN THE FINAL VS RAFA.

    From AJ, on Sun 15 Mar 6:47PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Fed maight do a pete sampras once we see feds fruit of­ love with mirka.

    From Ray V, on Sun 15 Mar 5:12PM

  18. if family gets in the way, i would understand if­ players such as federer would fall off the rankings.­ pete though competed mostly only on GS in his final­ moments in tennis took some of the trophies.

    From Ray V, on Sun 15 Mar 5:09PM

  19. i remember when agassi married brook shields, he fell­ off the rankings and so was pete sampras when he­ married his hollywood star wife.

    From Ray V, on Sun 15 Mar 5:08PM

  20. What a great attitude but exactly what would be­ expected from Federer

    From beryll, on Sun 15 Mar 5:06PM
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