	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

CHINA OPEN

October 11, 2015

Novak Djokovic

BEIJING, CHINA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Rafa was here saying he felt the first set was tighter than 6‑2. Did you feel the same way?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I think so, especially the first set. Had a couple of opportunities, especially on the 3‑2 game, Love‑30, 15‑40. Missed the volley. It was a bit unfortunate with some shots at that stage of the match.
But, again, I managed to stay calm and still stick with the game plan to be aggressive and to make him move. It worked very well.

Q. You've played at an incredible level this week. Do you think you can keep it up next week?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I'm hoping definitely. I know the conditions are slightly different. I'm going to get a couple days of rest and practice and get ready. I mean, it's not the first time I'm playing back‑to‑back weeks. Next week's tournament is going to be even stronger because obviously all the best players in the world are there.
This positive week definitely encourages me and gives me a lot of confidence for Shanghai.

Q. It seemed tonight in all of those times when you were down 40‑Love or breakpoint, a tight moment for you, you brought your best tennis, and I think you won all of those points. Does that make this victory even more pleasing for you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As we talked about just earlier, I mean, the scoreline, especially in the first set, doesn't indicate the real battle that we had on the court.
I'm aware of the fact that very few points can decide a winner of the matches I play against the biggest rivals, and Rafa is definitely one of them. He's the kind of player that is a champion and understands the kind of challenge that a big match presents, and he knows how to play on the big stage for the titles. He has won so many.
That's why I didn't want to give him an opportunity to come back to the match and eventually start playing better, kind of to dominate the rallies.
Obviously I wanted to take away his time. But I thought he did well from the backhand side. He was more aggressive. I was looking for my kind of room for maneuver on his forehand side. He usually opens up that side. I tried to make the angles with the backhand cross.
But I did well. I think I maintained that level of aggressivity and strength and power in my shots, and eventually I knew that he's going to make mistakes and he's going to give me shorter balls so I can dominate the rallies, which happened.
I think the serve helped me a lot tonight, over 80% of first serves in, the aces, finishing off with an ace. That's an element in my game that has worked very well throughout the entire week that has helped me to win many free points, obviously.

Q. You've played Rafa more times than any other rivalry in men's tennis. This was the first time you played him since Roland Garros. From the other side of the court, where do you sense his level at at the moment in terms of the improvements he's trying to make?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it's obvious that he's not having the great season this year. Everybody has been talking about it because he had an incredible 10 years, set up such a high standard with results, winning at least one Grand Slam per year. That allows people to expect a lot from him. So if he is not winning Grand Slams, not being in the top 5 of the world, obviously people start to talk that he's not having his season, which is logical and something that is happening for him, so he's not experiencing some confident time on the court.
I feel like the experience that he has from his career and all the championships that he has won on different surfaces, the biggest trophies in the world, at the end of the day he's one of the best players ever to play this game.
I'm sure he understands what he needs to do in order to come back to that highest level. He keeps on working hard. He's one of the most hard‑working guys on the tour. He spends a lot of time on the court. Sooner or later that will pay off.
He played finals here, so it's been a good week for him.
In terms of comparing his maybe level of the game from the last year or two years ago and now, there is difference. I can't pretend that it's the same because obviously results are showing that he's not, you know, performing as well as he did in last couple of years, and is making more mistakes from the forehand side.
But it's normal to go through some oscillations in your career, some ups and downs. If there's anybody that knows and is able to come back, it's him, because of all the history he has.

Q. I'm not sure if you've ever discussed this before, but you always seem to wear red here. Now you're in red.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it's obvious why.

Q. Is that a decision you've made with Uniqlo?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, it's Chinese color, exactly.

Q. Just brings you luck on the court?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it does obviously (laughter).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297