Roger Federer says passion for tennis is still strong

World number seven Roger Federer said that his passion and love for tennis has never waned, whatever the results of the matches were.

The Swiss superstar won his first round match at the US Open 2013 on Tuesday against Slovenia’s Grega Zemlja.

“Clearly when you win everything, it’s fun,” he said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean you love the game more. You just like winning, being on the front page, lifting trophies, doing comfortable press conferences. It’s nice.

“But that doesn’t mean you really actually love it, love it. That maybe shines through maybe more in times when you don’t play that well. For me, I knew it, winning or losing, practice court or match court, that I love it.”

Federer shared some of his insights in the past as to whether his interest on the sport had wavered when he and his wife, Mirka, had their twin daughters four years ago.

“Clearly when I had my two girls, I also wasn’t sure right off the bat how it was going to be after that,” he said. “Was I going to be able to play the same schedule? Was my love for the game as big? Were we going to be able to cope with the whole thing, having twins or not?

“[I] managed it totally fine. They were at the court today. I’m so happy to see them before and after the match. I’m in a good spot right now. I want to enjoy it as long as it lasts.”

Federer revealed that his daughters have started to adapt with the lifestyle that their parents are having, with the travelling and the demands of the sport.

“I think they’re learning as we go along automatically, just getting to meet so many different people, cities and countries and languages, places and travels. I think just by travelling by itself, it’s unbelievable how much you learn. Being more independent. I’m still learning still today, I feel, even though I know my way pretty much around, what works, what doesn’t work,” he said.