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MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 13, 2016

Jiri Vesely

Monte Carlo, Monaco

J. VESELY/N. Djokovic

6-4, 2-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You've had about an hour to calm down. What are your thoughts now?
JIRI VESELY: Well, to be honest, I still don't think much about it. Still completely out of thinkings of what happened out there one hour ago.

I'm just very, very happy. It's something amazing actually. When I went on court, I had completely different thinking, like I hope to win a game or I really hope to do well. But I really had no idea that I really would be able to beat Novak today.

So for me it's just something what I still can't believe it really happened.

Q. It's not every day you beat someone with 11 Grand Slams. What will this do for your confidence?
JIRI VESELY: Yeah, I hope it will give me a lot of confidence, a lot of self-belief. I think I've struggled pretty much the last few months where I really didn't play good tennis. Obviously last week was the first week of the year where I played a little bit in good form and in good shape.

I was definitely today in a better form than a couple weeks ago. But, you know, yesterday I was actually 3-6, 3-5 down. It could go bad yesterday and nothing would happen today.

I'm just amazing happy the way I fought today and the way I finished the match.

Q. Could you tell us the top three moments of your career, the best memories of your tennis career.
JIRI VESELY: The best moment just happened.

Q. Without today.
JIRI VESELY: I mean, when I won Auckland in 2015, I think that was one of my highlights in my whole career. I think one of the top wins in my career was against Gael Monfils at Wimbledon two years ago.

Besides that, I think there were still some really good wins throughout my whole career. I can't just say what were probably the three best moments. It's tough to say.

Q. Juniors?
JIRI VESELY: Maybe the juniors. I was No. 1. This was a very nice time for me, for sure.

Q. This is obviously about you today. But what did you think of the way Djokovic was playing? Did you sense he was tired?
JIRI VESELY: As I said on court, I think Novak wasn't at his best level, that's for sure. He did a lot of mistakes from the beginning on. I think that was something that gave me actually a little bit more confidence and I was more passionate, was a little bit more creating the rallies. I wasn't in a hurry, I wasn't in a rush to end up the rally soon.

From my side, I think I didn't give him too much rhythm. I was just trying to change the rhythm all the time and not play the same game every single ball because I think otherwise he would get in the rhythm and, you know, start to play better and better.

I've had a lot of dropshots. I was obviously serving very well. I think, yeah, I just got it somehow done. I don't know how (smiling).

Q. What were the nerves like at the end? You played that lovely dropshot. You looked pretty calm.
JIRI VESELY: To be honest, obviously at the first match point, I was nervous. But, you know, Novak played a great volley. I think I didn't play too bad that point, but he just went for the point and he deserved to win that point.

At 5-4, of course I had thinkings like, This could be it. You have to serve it out. Whatever happen, this is your chance.

For me it was definitely a special game. After he won the first point, I was like, Oh, now you have to win the next won otherwise Love-30 is going to be bad for me.

Playing a dropshot after I think it was a long rally, it was actually probably the only shot I was really believing in that I could play it great. Yeah, I did.

Of course, my serve helped me a lot to get the next point to 30-15. Then I just said to myself, Now just go for it. You have nothing to lose. If you lose, everyone is expecting it. So just go for it and enjoy the moment.

Q. When you were a kid and a top junior, were you looking to someone in particular that you were admiring as a tennis player?
JIRI VESELY: I mean, for sure, once you get to the top level, you're not trying to copy someone; you are trying to build up your own game.

But, of course, when I was a small guy, I was supporting Federer because he was at that time winning every single Grand Slam. Yeah, I mean, he was definitely my idol. The same as Tomas Berdych. He is practicing at the same club, so we got closer to each other.

But, you know, I think it's a dream of every single player to beat a top guy, a top No. 1 guy. So for me it's definitely a dream that become true today.

Q. After the second set, probably no one thought that you could really do what you've done. What did you think when you went to sit and thought, Now is the third set, what can I do?
JIRI VESELY: After the second set, I actually went to toilet. I really had to get focused again because I completely lost the concentration. Novak just stop missing, and I did a lot of easy mistakes.

I was like, Okay, now, you really have to go on and work again for every single ball because otherwise it's going to end up bad for me, which wouldn't be too bad for me because I still won a set. I think against Novak, it's pretty tough sometimes to even win a set.

It definitely helped me when I won the first game and I broke him to 1-Love. That helped me a lot to get back little bit confidence and just try to enjoy it a little bit more.

Then there was an important moment at 2-1 where I held my serve to 3-1. I think it was one of the most important moments in that match.

Q. Strange day with Berdych losing to someone ranked 99 and you beating Djokovic. What do you think this will do you for you in the Czech Republic? How will people see you now?
JIRI VESELY: You know, I'm not trying to think much about that. Of course it's something really huge and great what happened today to me. But on the other side, I think there's still so much work ahead for me. I think every single day is the same.

It's definitely huge. But tomorrow's a new day and a new opponent. This win today will not help me to win tomorrow. I have to focus and go on.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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