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SHANGHAI ROLEX MASTERS

October 14, 2015

Novak Djokovic

SHANGHAI, CHINA

N. DJOKOVIC/M. Klizan
6‑2, 6‑1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Pretty comfortable start for you here in Shanghai. Talk about the match a little bit. Went pretty quickly.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, first four games went quickly. I had a little bit of a drop of concentration two, three games. Managed to hold my serve 4‑2. Played the rest of the match the way I wanted.
Klizan is a very flashy player. I knew that coming into the court. I knew that he's talented. He can play very fast but with a tendency to make a lot of unforced errors, which he did. He made my life a bit easier on the court today.
I was trying to serve, move him around the court. Just played as much as I needed. It was enough to win.

Q. When you come to a tournament like this, you've won it a couple of times, do you have a better feeling about it, more secure feeling that you've done well here?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, considering the fact that I've won so many matches this year and tournaments, probably the best season of my life definitely, anywhere I go I'm confident. Especially towards the end of the season, knowing that back in the previous years I've played consistently well and was very successful in the last couple months of the season. Yeah, that encourages me, gives me incentive to go out on the court and play the best that I can.
As I said, many matches won on this court as well helps me to be more comfortable starting the match and playing in it, as well.

Q. Yesterday Roger in the interview said you are the favorite to broke his record of winning 17 Grand Slam. After the US Open you said you thought about it. Do you think you can achieve that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In my case, obviously I've experienced incredible things in my career, my life. Nothing is impossible. I have that kind of mindset. I know that it's still a long way to break his record.
But people even mentioning and talking about it, obviously it flatters me. I'm honored to have such compliments from, first of all, Roger, and everybody else.
But, you know, it's one of the things that motivates me to keep going, of course. I love this sport. I feel like there are many more years in front of me. Hopefully if I'm able to sustain this level of dedication and level of performance, the way I play tennis, I think I have a good chance to compete for the trophy on any Grand Slam in the future.
But, again, I'm at the peak of my abilities now. Just depends how far and how long I can go. I can't predict anything. But I've achieved a lot so far in my career. I feel like there is a lot more to come.

Q. We're reaching the end of the year. How do you keep going?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I take care of my body. I respect the preparation and recovery routines that I have with my team. You know, it's all about self‑discipline and being able to understand what you need to do to have the kind of longevity and to endure throughout the entire year, to be able to play this many matches on a high level.
I think scheduling is also one of the key factors of my ability to be consistent throughout the entire year, just being able to peak at the right time and then recover, which is equally as important as the work, as the performance.
I've always liked playing in the last couple of months, as I was answering before, the last couple months of the season. For some reason I'm very successful at this period of the year.

Q. Is there any part of you that gets tempted after the type of year you've had to relax a little bit?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, I enjoy my life. I'm happy with my life in general, private life and professional life. So I do have time to reflect, to enjoy other things than tennis.
But this is my choice, you know, to come here and play. I do enjoy it. I do like competing. I also have responsibility towards myself, my family, people around me that are working hard to have me play at this level.
Of course, there are days when you're not feeling maybe as motivated as some other days. But generally there's this flair in me about this sport and it keeps me going.

Q. Do you feel sometimes that the players that are stepping up in front of you on the court maybe don't believe as much as usual that they can beat you because of how well you played today? They say sometimes the matches are already won in the locker room.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Probably. You have to earn the respect from the other players by playing well, being consistent, coming onto the court with confidence. I think that the other player feels that.
I'm aware of the mental edge that I might have over a certain amount of players, and I try to use that. I try to win and do anything that is possible and necessary for me to achieve that.
Yeah, probably that was the case, him not being able to maybe perform as well as he wanted.

Q. With experience you've become such a disciplined competitor. When you see someone like Nick Kyrgios who three matches in a row has had code warnings, any advice you could give him how to manage a situation like this?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I believe patience is first of all a virtue and something that many teenagers and young people are lacking. I did, too. I think most of us have experienced this kind of feeling of wanting everything to come our way instantly.
It's important to really understand what the big picture is. There is no doubt that he has the potential to be a top player. He has won against some top players. He is still very young. Has a big serve, big game.
He's confident on the court. I think that's from one side good. But he can get carried away a little bit because he's not able to sustain his concentration all the way till the end. I think that was the case today where I think he was the better player against Nishikori, and then Nishikori, because of his experience and focus, managed to stay more patient in the rallies and wait for his opportunities. That's why he won the match.
I think Nick has to learn from these kind of matches, listen to the advices of the more experienced people, especially from his country, Pat Rafter, Rod Laver, all the greats that have made the history of this sport. I'm sure they know, they understand the kind of mental challenges he's facing. They understand what it takes.
He needs to try to really work on it, getting mentally stronger.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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