[jimbomaxf]

The quote about Novak (or rather about players who retire in general...) was from an interview the day of the AusO quarterfinals.

Q. Were you surprised Novak retired?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, yes. I wouldn't have predicted it after the first point, but I mean, he was looking wary. He showed signs of struggling with the heat. I don't know what his problem was, I mean, on his body.

So it's ‑‑ I think Andy forced him also. If Novak were up two sets to Love I don't think he would have retired 4‑Love down in the fourth. Thanks to Andy that he retired in the end. Andy pushed him to the limits. Hats off to Andy.

Q. You're not a man that normally calls for trainers. Do you have a view on the habit of players to call trainers and possibly stop matches in the flow of the matches currently and whether that's right or wrong?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it's a fine line, isn't it? We'll never find the perfect scenario for that. What shall I say? I never usually call the trainer. Exactly.

When I came out on the tour and I was young, and I ‑‑ back then the rule was different. You couldn't ‑‑ what was it, a toilet break any time you wanted except obviously between the two games you were on the court. So you could basically take it at 6‑5 in the third set. So that's changed. Now you can only take them on set breaks, which I think really works out well now.

But then with the trainer, I guess it's a tough thing. I really felt when I was coming up the young players abused it, especially against a player like me. A little bit unsecure [sic] about finishing matches, you lose a set easy, and then you go to the toilet and call the trainer and strap your ankle.

Next thing you know, you're twenty minutes extra out on the court. Things go through your mind. Then once I got out on center court, you know, I guess I got the respect I deserved. People stop doing it against you. I think that's nice, in a way.

Probably on the outside courts it's still being abused at times. It's there to be used, so why not use it to give yourself a better chance to win? You don't fly to Australia to not give it your best shot.

I'm almost in favor to just say, you know what, if you're not fit enough, just get out of here.

But if something really bad happens, okay, it is just unfortunate, I guess. It's a tough call. I mean, I don't know. I guess we'll speak about it and see what happens. The other one about Jelena was actually a comment about Murray and his chances to become Number one:

Things change very quickly. But I hope if he were to become No.1 he would win a slam - not like the women's side. No disrespect to Jelena Jankovic but it took Rafa five grand slams to become No.1.