[Eden]

According to Austrian news Stefan is currently practicing with Roger in Zürich. Roger has invited Stefan and former icehockey player Peter Znenahlik for a week to Switzerland and pays their hotel. Roger and Stefan practice 2 hours twice a day until Friday. On the question why Roger would invite Stefan to practice with him Znenahlik said that Roger and Stefan would get along really well since many years and that Stefan would do exactly in practice what Roger and his coach would suggest.
Even though they would work really hard Roger and Stefan would have a lot of fun together. Both would make nonsense all the time and lough a lot.

Source of the Austrian article:

http://www.kleinezeitung.at/sport/ei...ig-roger.story

[Action Jackson]

Koubek makes the semis in Trnava, first time he has won 3 matches in a row for a long time.

[Action Jackson]

Stef back on tour after an injury break, he will be up against Kindlmann in Eckental.

[RafaFan95]

Koubek is in Final in Bratislava. After that week he will be in Rankings about 120.

[Eden]

Translation of a German interview with Stefan:

„Practicing with Roger is like an Advent calendar”

Stefan Koubek in a tennisnet.com interview from Dubai practice camp with Roger Federer.

Stefan Koubek is going to be 34 years old on January 2nd. His aim to reach the top 100 “one more time in my life” he didn’t manage this year but he had a positive ending of a difficult year when he reached the final of highly remunerated Challengers in Bratislava.
He prepares for the year 2011 on invitation of Roger Federer together with the Swiss superstar in Dubai. Koubek is already for the third time a practice guest of Federer. Tennisnet.com caught the guy from Carinthia after his first blog before his first practice with the superstar.

Stefan Koubek, are you already nervous before the first practice with Federer?

No, I’m not nervous, but of course you are tighter as when you practice with Björn Propst or Dominic Thiem. And of course you are more motivated.

Apropos motivation: Before we are going to talk about the upcoming days let’s talk about the next year. Do you want to make a new start again or want to finish it loosely?

I think I give up on speculating about my future. Before Bratislava I lost every close match because I put myself under so much pressure because of the top-100-thing. In Bratislave I just took everything easy.

… like one could read in your diaries on tennisnet.com. Was really everything true? With breakfast at Mc Donald’s, without playing warm before a match and so on?

1:1, absolutely. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if it would have happened anyone else.

Back to 2011: What is possible? What is your aim?

I’m no magician. To be honest: The top 100 will be very difficult. I have a lot of points to defend at the Australian Open and one month later in Dubai. You can’t expect with being 34 years old to defend these kinds of points easily. But we will see…

You arrived yesterday in Dubai and today the practice is going to start. Are you well rested?

Of course I have a bit of jetlag. It’s three hours later in Dubai and it’s difficult at the beginning to fall asleep. Beside this I was in the hotel only at 12.30 p.m.

You wrote in your diary that you arranged the practice camp with Roger Federer which sounds quite uncomplicated. Did it went like you called him and say: “Hey Roger, are we going to play again?”

Of course not. You are going to talk first with Severin Lüthi, his coach, and then send a textmessage and call each other on the phone. Then you ask how things look like. It has been a few months ago actually. Roger then planned his preparations for 2011, called me and said that I would be with him again and that he had time between December 10th to 21st.

You also wrote that beside Paul Annacone and Pierre Paganini there would also be a second sparring partner, Michael Lammer. You are alone?

My wife Dalia will arrive on Monday. But I think I will be able to defend myself against those 4 (laughs). They are all extremely nice, not only Roger but also Paul. I got to know him better the last time in Zürich when Roger was just starting to work with him. You can’t imagine it how friendly and normal they all are. There are 20years old players, who reached their first Challenger QF, who have more airs and graces.

You write that it doesn’t bother you that there will be a second player with Lammer. Is the practice with Roger Federer so much tougher as with anyone else?

Yes. Not because he is such a critter as Thomas Muster but because he just plays so well, so quick, so precise.
It’s already difficult to keep up with him during the warm-up. To say it a bit overdone: He still jokes around whilst you are already sweating. I’m going to be 34 years old and so the body is going to notice the practice.

Is there a practice plan? Do you have to especially prepare for a practice camp with Roger Federer?

A practice plan might have Paul, Pierre and Roger, but I’m getting to know just when I’m at the court what we are going to do. It’s like an Advent calendar: You are going to open every day a little door and get surprised what is in it.

And how did your preparation for the preparation look like?

Honestly?

Yes, please.

Really relaxed lately. I think under my T-shirt you are going to see a tiny little pot but I’m sure it won’t survive the next days. It was nice to have a party the day before yesterday in Mannheim were we celebrated the German championship in the club. Members got honoured for being a part of the club for 25 years, some even for 50 years. You could feel why Mannheim has a strong team: We are a band of blood brothers. I’m happy that Martin Fischer is going to play the next year for us. Even more Austrian quality for the German champion. (Laughs)

Do you live in Dubai in the apartment of the Federer family, in a guestroom or the like?

No, I’m living in the hotel. I’m not someone who piles into something. And we all know that Roger attaches great importance to his private life and that it really stays private.

Were you proud when you saw Federer’s triumph in London? In terms of: The guy, who just beats Nadal, is my practice partner?

I think there’s no one who wouldn’t be proud to be invited from Roger Federer to a practice camp. And when you watch him in the final of the ATP Masters when he beats Nadal it’s of course a special feeling. It was really awesome tennis…

Do you have a kind of responsibility as a practice partner? In terms of: The better you work as a practice partner the better prepared Federer is going to go into the new season.

In a way it is like this. The invitation isn’t just an honor but also a task. And you want to show that you are up to this task.

German source: http://www.tennisnet.com/de-AT/Szene...Interview.aspx

[Filo V.]

Great interview. Nice to see he and Roger get along so well. Stefan really has a good head on his shoulders. And these preparations should definitely help for the 2011 season.

[Action Jackson]

Stef won his 1st qualie match in Brisbane over Cabal 6-0 6-3

[Filo V.]

Good start, Stefan.

[Eden]

Austrias press is reporting that Stefan could replace Gilbert Schaller as captain of Austrias DC team next year.

Stefan is in Paris right now and said it would be an interesting job and that he knows the players well. He wouldn't impose himself but that it would be fun to work with the team. He wouldn't want to do the job alone though and thought that it would be a good solution to do it together with Joakim Nyström who would have the experience.

Stefan mentioned that the decision would depend on Jürgen Melzer. Jürgen said that he didn't wanted to comment on this yet as he would be in Paris to concentrate on the tournament but that they would sit together afterwards to discuss about it.

[Eden]

I translated an interview with Stefan from Austrian media:

„You notice in the do-it-yourself store that the people look at you“

INTERVIEW | CHRISTIAN HACKL, 29th July



Stefan Koubek ends his career is Kitzbühel. The 34 years old one can’t and doesn’t want to continue anymore. He makes up the balance, talks about his childhood dreams and his friendship with Roger Federer.

How difficult was it for you to put an end to your career? Was it deciding for you not being able to keep up with the opponents anymore?

Koubek: It got easier with the time to say: Ok, that was it. I lost so many points at the start of the season and dropped out of the Top 200. Then I knew: You are not going to be able to fight back once more, your body and soul won’t endure it.

Are you afraid of the retirement and the void?

Koubek: I’m relaxed, even though I don’t have concrete offers yet. I’m going to play a bit in the national league, but this is only for fun and not a life task. I don’t know if I’m going to fall into a hole. I heard from players who spent the days after their retirement to sit on the sofa and not being able to fill the day. I hope it won’t be that bad for me.

An alternative would be to party, to feast, to drink alcohol. Even Thomas Muster nearly duplicated his weight for a little while.

Koubek: I’m not really a party-goer, don’t drink, already had those expeirences. I’m looking forward to have an own family, that is a huge task and the real responsibleness.

What remains of Koubek?

Koubek: The career which I had. I can’t form an opinion though how long the people will remember it.

Were you able to satisfy your own claims?

Koubek: When I was a kid I wanted to reach the Top 100. I managed to go to #20 and fullfilled my childhood dream more as I could have hoped for.

Did you actually love tennis?

Koubek: I had to learn to love it. At the beginning I thought I would bury my rackets when I would retire one day and never take them again. But now I want to go out on the court on every occasion – with friends, to have fun. Don’t forget that tennis is a lot of work. Nobody likes to go to the office every day. Just now I’m able to appreaciate what I was allowed to experience. I travelled around the world a few times. Even in Australia people are waiting for me. Friends, acquaintances, who I can visit whenever I want. They would be happy about it.

They say that top athletes have to be egoists, nearly pigs. Have you just been a piglet?

Koubek: Maybe. They said about me that I would be arrogant as well. Sometimes you just don’t look beside you and have a tunnel view. You can’t please everyone, especially in times of success. Then it is difficult to judge people correctly. Who is backslapping you? Who is honest?

The name Thomas Muster has followed you in your career and you got compared to him. Was his success stimilus or skid?

Koubek: Both. You couldn’t live up to his achievements, he was an exception.

Have you made it financially?

Koubek: No. Everyone can look it up that I won 3.4 Mil. $ prize money in 10 to 15 years. 30 % of it are taxes, which you don’t see and which get discounted from the tournaments. Then you have to pay taxes at home and pay for your coach, advisors, charges. That are about 100 000 € a year. Then you have to live somewhere. I have an appartment in Vienna. But I don’t complain. I can’t build castles in the air. Bollocks. Everyone can build castles in the air. I can’t afford a real castle. I have paid off for a row home and have money in reverse. But I need and want to work.

What are you going to miss?

Koubek: The excitement, the competition, the moments of success. When you have won the last point in Davis Cup your teammates carry you on their shoulders. From now on nobody is going to carry me off the court.

You are good friends with Roger Federer. What characterize this man?

Koubek: He is like he appears. There is no facade. He is extremely friendly and respects everyone. He plays incredible tennis. Roger is the proof that a top athlete doesn’t have to be a pig. He is a world star but then you go to him, he sits on the ground and plays with his twins. I can tease him. He is just more successful as me and has a bit more money.

Has Federer opened the eyes for you?

Koubek: Roger taught me realism at every common practice. I never belonged to the league of the Top 10. I was talented but that goes for many players. Maybe it could have been 5 tournament victories instead of 3.

Is Jürgen Melzer better than Koubek?

Of course.

You never made your way into the gossip columns. How known and popular have you been or still are?

Koubek: That depends if I have been on TV the day before. In the town centre of Vienna not even this is enough because there are a lot of tourists. No Japanese knows this Koubek. But you can notice in the do-it-yourself store that the people look at you. Is it him or not? But I have always been respectfully recognized.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Koubek: Somewhere in tennis. And as a father who likes to go to the Parent-Teacher-Evening.

Original article can be found here: http://derstandard.at/1311802303380/...-Leute-schauen

[Eden]