Musician and friend of Federer, Gavin Rossdale was at the outdoor area of the U.S. Open player’s lounge this year on a sunny afternoon and he was kind enough to sit down and discusses his love of tennis…
“I grew up playing tennis and just loving it. I used to get a kick out of watching Wimbledon. I think that Wimbledon is a big deal for most British kids. I never thought that I’d end up one day watching a friend of mine play in the final on Centre Court, but that’s exactly what happened. I first met Roger through a mutual friend in New York about six or seven years ago and we’ve since become good friends. Roger is super cool and he has so much respect for everyone. I think that people connect with that quality in him.”
“I like to watch players with flair. Roger, obviously, but almost everyone in the top 100 is pretty good. There are no duds. The athleticism of the top guys is phenomenal. You get the feeling that they could excel in any sport. There’s a real intense artistry in tennis though, and there’s so much passion and commitment. I enjoy the game and appreciate it for what it is.”
“Of the younger players, I like to watch Ernests Gulbis. Gulbis is a particularly striking player – a crusher. And I think Gael Monfils has lots of potential. I like Andy Murray too. He reminds me a little of John McEnroe. He’s got such great hands and he just sweeps up everything with his returns. He’s an incredibly gifted tennis player and I like his attitude too. Also, the fact that I’m half Scottish makes me especially happy when he does well.”
“I love taking part in pro-am tournaments such as Chrissie Evert’s event in Boca Raton. Those events are a great thrill, not only because we get to play in front of large crowds of people but also I get to play in more competitive matches. I’ve played against a lot of good players in those tournaments – Jim Courier, Tommy Haas, Lindsay Davenport, Corina Morariu, Justin Gimelstob, Luke and Murphy Jensen. The downside is the collective groan you hear when you screw up – that’s a tough sound for me. It’s worse than being out of tune [laughs].”
“I play as much as I can when I’m not in the studio or touring. I often find myself playing against professionals, people like Wade McGuire, Mark Philippoussis, Vince Spadea and Sam Querrey. Sam’s a friend, he’s great, he comes to my house and plays. It’s not like I’m going to be able to beat these guys, so my goal is to hit properly and keep up with them the best I can. I’m competitive with myself, so I try to do things right. I don’t hit and giggle, I have fun by being intense.”
“The biggest appeal of tennis for me is that it’s one on one. Almost gladiatorial. Doubles is great too, but you can’t beat the feeling that everything is down to you.”
“The strength of my game is that I’m pretty athletic. So stamina is the key for me. I do a lot of off court training. Pilates is amazing. I do all the stuff like strength work, lunges. I used to think that playing was just enough, but I’ve changed my mind on that.”
"Gulbis is a striking player - a crusher"
Ad-out · October 8, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Great read! Another Gulbis fan.
Author comment by Scoop Malinowski · October 8, 2010 at 11:39 pm
They look like brothers sort of, don’t they?