London (AFP)

Roger Federer, beaten Sunday at Wimbledon by Novak Djokovic after an epic final, said he "missed an incredible opportunity" to win a 21st Grand Slam tournament.

Q: At 9 games to 8 in the fifth set, you're ruining two match points. How did you live it?

A: "I was always happy to be at 8-8 then 9-9, we try to see the positives, we try to take it as a good thing that the match is not over yet. could have chosen before the match to be at 9-9 in the fifth inning, it would not have been a horrible thing. (...) But yes, it was really hard to miss these opportunities. "

Q: You score 14 points more than your opponent. Were you the best player despite the defeat?

A: "It really does not really matter, I know what I did well, how close I was, I do not need to feel that, I think I can be happy of my performance. "

Q: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are trying to catch you by the number of Grand Slam victories. Does this motivate you?

A: "It was really, really a big thing when we were close. (...) It was huge, it's different now, of course, because this race is somewhere else. , not necessarily because I beat the record (the highest number of titles in Grand Slam, Ed) If anyone else does, it's great for him. (...) I'm not did not become a tennis player for that ... (...) It's more about trying to win Wimbledon, to try to have good exchanges in front of an incredible audience, on the central court, against players like Novak, etc. That's why I play (...) I'm very happy with my level of play today. "

Q: How to rebound after a defeat like this?

A: "Like when you get broken: you cash and you move on to something else." You try to forget, to draw the good things of the match.There are tons.As in 2008 (final lost against Nadal, Ed) ), I think about it and I say to myself: + It was not bad, after all + For now, it hurts, like any defeat here at Wimbledon I think it's a state of I'm very good at moving on because I do not want to get depressed when I think about an incredible game. (...) In the end, it does not matter (the face of the match, We can feel more disappointed, sad or angry, I do not know how I feel at the moment, I feel I missed an incredible opportunity, I can not believe it . "

Q: Can you compare the 2008 final to the 2019 final?

A: "There are of course some similarities (...) I am the loser both times, so this is the only similarity I see (smile)."

Interviewed at a press conference.

© 2019 AFP