Predictions on match outcomes mean little to players as the French Open progresses towards the weekend finals, with Roger Federer for one ignoring the scuttlebutt around the grounds as he does at every other big event.
“(Predictions) have no impact,” said the Swiss of the constant talk that the event belongs to Nadal and the equally constant denials from the Spaniard that he’s not a favourite.
“Like the other years (2011), they said Djokovic was going to win the four Grand Slams in a row, that Rafa was a favourite to win the tournament. Then he (Nadal) says it’s not true. It’s always the same thing every year.
“Am I a favourite or not? I don’t care, because it doesn’t give me any more opportunities to win the tournament,” added Federer. “You want to remain focused on what you want to do, and then let the storm go by.
Federer tries to keep the hype in perspective.
“I’m not focused on what journalists say. Of course there is more pressure when I arrive in Wimbledon and I have to defend 2,000 points. This is not the case here. I have fewer points to defend,” he said.
“With tennis, you never know what’s going to happen. You need to play every single match, and that’s what makes it interesting. As for the rest, okay, it sells copies. That makes for good stories. But I haven’t got anything to say.”
