LOSSES HAVE OPENED MY VISION

Novak Djokovic said you make age irrelevant, do you feel 33?

You played a lot of chip and charge this week, are you consciously trying to keep the points shorter?

What was behind your last-minute decision to play the Masters? How are you feeling physically heading into the indoor season?

There's lot said about other player's fitness regimes, especially with Djokovic, who is able to finish every season so strong...

You have a massive fan following at almost every venue that you play in. Does this put greater pressure on you, especially these last couple of years?

SHANGHAI: Roger Federer is like a kid in a candy shop when he talks about his upcoming India visit. "I'm so incredibly excited to be going to India," he says laughing, his eyes lighting up.The 17-time Grand Slam champion will be in New Delhi from December 6 to 8 for Mahesh Bhupathi 's International Premier Tennis League , a pan-Asian, inter-city affair, for which he'll turn out for the Indian Aces. "For me going to India is like going to South America, like I felt in my initial years," Federer said. "It feels unreal because you've wanted it to happen for so long, and then finally it's happening." Federer said India intrigued him."I understand that the north of India is very different from the south, culturally, languages, the food you eat and the clothes you wear," he said, "It would be impossible to experience all of India at one go. Whenever I speak to Indians anywhere in the world I notice that they speak of their country with a great sense of pride, which is very nice, very sweet. You all have a great history."I would love one day to travel across your great country and experience all there is to experience. My last trip to Chennai and then Pondicherry for relief work was incredible. My wife Mirka was also with me that time. I have great memories of India."Federer said he was itching to take the court in the capital city. "I can't wait to walk out on to the court, to see the fans, feel the energy. It's an honour and a privilege," he said. "Playing in India is something I've always dreamt of. But again my India trip will be so much more than just tennis. That's India really. It's got to be more than just tennis.""I hadn't originally signed up for the IPTL, that part of the year was already busy for me and I thought that it would be better to wait out the first year and see how it goes," the Swiss ace said. "Then suddenly this opportunity came up and I thought why not? It fits perfectly, right in the middle of my training. I wasn't going to change my training schedule radically, because obviously I'm looking to get ready for the next season. I play in Delhi and then I go back to training and then I play my charity match with Stan (Wawrinka) in Switzerland. It all fits perfectly.""Wait!" Roger Federer cautioned before picking up the Shanghai Rolex Masters trophy and placing it on his hip, cradling it as if it was a baby."That's better," he continued, as the interviewer got the camera rolling, "it shouldn't look like some second round win." The 33-year-old Swiss, father of four, winner of 17 Grand Slam titles, knows a thing or two about occasion.His title triumph at the Qi Zhong stadium late on Sunday moved Federer past Rafael Nadal to the No. 2 position in the ATP rankings, the first 33-year-old to hold that position since American Andre Agassi more than a decade ago.The Swiss, with 8020 points is 990 points behind chart leader Serb Novak Djokovic , is expected to make a push for the top spot with three weeks of competition remaining. "I haven't thought about it (No. 1 ranking)," Federer said, shrugging his shoulders, "It all comes down to what my goals are, what my energy level is like and what my priorities are in terms of tournaments." "Nevertheless," he said, "I'm going to be playing and hopefully playing well again." Excerpts:Age can be just a number, but it can be relevant too. For some reason I really felt it when I turned 33 in August. I was like noooooo! Not 33! I was perfectly fine with 30, 31, 32, actually enjoyed it, didn't feel anything at all, but this one… I was like, I don't feel 33.My kids were super excited that there was a birthday party and all that, but for the first time, I didn't really feel like celebrating my birthday, as in the part about getting older.A friend was also telling me that he felt the same when he turned 33 which was about the same time as I did. I don't know if the feeling is specific to 33.Still I'm very happy with what I've managed, that I can still play the way I want to, stay relevant. I'm pleased that the hard work I put in last year is paying off. I'm feeling good. I'm enjoying myself on the tennis court. This year everything is going really well. I have still so many highlights to look forward to for the end of the season. Usually everything slows down at the end of the season. Not for me, this time.I've always played aggressive, but I've found some confidence this year moving forward.You have to be really aggressive and agile moving forward. If you look back at the tournaments I've played this year, many of them have been on faster courts, it wasn't on purpose. Quick courts are encouraging for the all-around game and I like to see more of it.I'm very happy I decided to play here, it was a last-minute decision. I was on vacation after the US Open and the Davis Cup. I was really tired. Then when you are on vacation, you are enjoying it so much, that after a point you wonder about getting back. But I felt I had recovered, recharged. I was hitting the ball well. I spoke to my wife (Mirka) and my team and we decided that I should play here.This is one of the few weeks when I don't travel with my family because it is for a very short time and it's tough for the kids (the jet lag). It does feel strange though when I get back after a match, not go back to my kids and wife, not to have them around, not have them rush to me as I walk through the door.Everybody does a lot of fitness and works incredibly hard. You are a professional athlete and that's what is expected of you. I don't really follow an extreme diet, but I work very hard, it's just that I don't like to talk about it. I went from being a talented player to someone who could fight and win a match which I'm very proud about.You need to be able to back yourself. Doesn't matter how long the match goes, how you are playing, you got to be ready. I haven't had a cramp since '99. That was my only time, in Davis Cup, when I was panicky. I was young. I'm very proud of that, that I never pulled out, never had cramps, never lost very much because of fitness, especially later on in my career.I've been very fortunate and clever as well to understand how I need to work, when I need to work. I'm very happy to have stayed injury-free for so long. In my dominant years I didn't have to adjust so much to opponents. Now-a-days I have to adapt more to my opponent. I think losing a bit more has opened my vision, my sight, of how I can manage those situations better and how I can stay calm under pressure. I was great under pressure back in the day, but I always felt I was going to win somehow, whereas that has changed. I have to fight more now. It's almost more rewarding and a better feeling if you do win, coming through that way, having to change a bit.When I walk out on a tennis court I am very aware of everything, I notice everything. I know who is cheering for me (which section of the stands), for my opponent. I notice when the crowd goes quiet, when they get excited. Like the fans here in China, they really get into the match. Like we saw in the semifinals (against Djokovic), they need a lot of good, point-ending shots.They don't like it when people miss so much. They get a bit uncomfortable. I feel the energy they generate. Honestly for me that's an honour and a privilege. Pressure is part of the package. When I was young, starting out, that is what I wanted to do, play on all the centre courts of the world, of course you dream of being No. 1 and winning Wimbledon, but you also want to be on the main courts at prime time. That is every player's dream. Every match that I play now is on prime time and on centre court and I truly appreciate it.