As some of you know I was working at the ATP World Finals last month and had the chance to do interviews with Nadal, Federer and Roddick. Some of you wanted to know what it was like so here goes !
Nadal is just the nicest guy though he didn't take too kindly to my suggestions that he'd overplayed during the autumn after the US Open, got quite a few glares after that question.
Federer is too smooth for words, in press conferences he shifts between 3 languages with consummate ease. Even the established journalists feel his aura a bit, a great hush always falls over the room when he walks in....Nadal is the only other player to get a reaction anything like that from the media.
Roddick is hilarious with the media in press conferences though you have to watch out as he loves to take the piss and it can quite easily end up being you in the firing line if you ask the wrong question ! At the end of the week, having lost all 3 matches he ripped the sh*t out of everyone. Having already spoken to him one-on-one I thought I would be fine but he destroyed me too !
Djokovic on the other hand is nowhere near as charismatic as I'd imagined. Quite softly spoken.....same for Soderling, he's built like a brick outhouse and has this reputation as the former angry man of the tour but he comes across very shy
Murray really doesn't enjoy dealing with the media, more so than any other player and this definately comes across. After beating Soderling 2&4, if you hadn't known the result you would have thought he'd just lost by the same scoreline - came in looking fairly morose. However I had so much respect for him after his loss for Nadal. Just 10min after coming off court he had to do interviews and he gave everyone so much time, provided some really thoughtful quotes.