"But so far I have the feeling that the chances are there to repeat last year's season"
About this Quote
Federer’s line is confidence delivered in indoor voice, the kind of understatement that only plays if your resume is loud enough. “But so far” does a lot of work: it narrows the claim to the present tense, making ambition sound like mere observation. He isn’t promising domination; he’s reporting a feeling. That’s the Federer persona in miniature - precision, control, elegance - applied not to a backhand but to expectations management.
The key phrase is “the chances are there.” It’s probabilistic, almost clinical, a way of putting desire at one remove. Athletes are trained to talk in process terms, but Federer weaponizes that caution. By framing success as something the conditions permit rather than something he intends to seize, he stays insulated from the melodrama of prediction. It’s humility with an escape hatch, and it keeps the narrative in his hands.
“Repeat last year’s season” is also a subtle flex: it assumes last year is the benchmark, the standard worth duplicating. That’s not a rookie talking about making the playoffs; it’s a champion treating excellence as a repeatable habit. The subtext is physical as much as psychological - health, form, rhythm. Tennis careers hinge on tiny fluctuations, and Federer nods to that volatility while implying he’s reading the indicators correctly.
Contextually, this is press-room diplomacy. Give sponsors and fans optimism, deny opponents bulletin-board material, and keep your own mind from turning the calendar into a verdict. It’s ambition disguised as professionalism.
The key phrase is “the chances are there.” It’s probabilistic, almost clinical, a way of putting desire at one remove. Athletes are trained to talk in process terms, but Federer weaponizes that caution. By framing success as something the conditions permit rather than something he intends to seize, he stays insulated from the melodrama of prediction. It’s humility with an escape hatch, and it keeps the narrative in his hands.
“Repeat last year’s season” is also a subtle flex: it assumes last year is the benchmark, the standard worth duplicating. That’s not a rookie talking about making the playoffs; it’s a champion treating excellence as a repeatable habit. The subtext is physical as much as psychological - health, form, rhythm. Tennis careers hinge on tiny fluctuations, and Federer nods to that volatility while implying he’s reading the indicators correctly.
Contextually, this is press-room diplomacy. Give sponsors and fans optimism, deny opponents bulletin-board material, and keep your own mind from turning the calendar into a verdict. It’s ambition disguised as professionalism.
Quote Details
| Topic | Sports |
|---|
More Quotes by Roger
Add to List



