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BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS

November 17, 2016

David Goffin

London, England, United Kingdom

N. DJOKOVIC/D. Goffin

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you feel out there today? How did you feel Novak's level was?
DAVID GOFFIN: Well, I didn't feel really well on the court. It was not easy. When you're not in the competition, you're just relax. You just practice a little bit, do some fitness. You try to be in the competition, to be ready to play.

When you know just the evening before that you have to play, and you have to play against Novak, who won two matches already, and he's in the competition, so it was not easy.

But I tried to do my best. I didn't feel really well. I didn't feel the rhythm. My groundstrokes, my best weapons, were not there. It's not easy against Novak when it's like that.

Q. It looks like it might come down to the final weekend for No. 1. How do you see that playing out between Novak and Andy? Who is your pick?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Be careful what you say now. I heard the question (laughter).

DAVID GOFFIN: I would say Andy, for sure (laughter).

No, both are really playing well this week. Andy is in a good shape. He won a lot of matches. And Novak is playing really well. Of course, he won three matches this week. He looks really fit, really motivated to play his best tennis and to fight for the world No. 1.

It's not easy to choose. I would say maybe Andy because he has the confident and he's playing at home in front of his fans. It could be a small difference.

Q. It's been a fairly brief appearance this year. How much encouragement does this give you that you could be back here again next year? If so, what do you need to do in your game to take another couple of steps?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, first of all, it was a great experience to be here, just to feel the atmosphere, to feel how it is. I practiced all the year with almost everybody, so it was a great experience. Even if I didn't play well today, I just played a match in front of the crowd against Novak, it's always a good experience.

Then, yeah, for next year, we try to improve in every part of my game, just to continue like I did this year. I'll try to work on everything, work on my serve, on my groundstrokes, my best weapon, try to be strong physically, and we will see.

It was nice to be part, a little bit, of this tournament. It gives you a lot of motivation for next year. I will try to be part of the tournament, in the top eight. We will see next year, but I will try to do my best.

Q. How does it feel to be here not knowing if you're going to play or not? How far in advance did you know you were going to play?
DAVID GOFFIN: So I knew it yesterday evening when Gael said he wasn't able to play today.

But it's not easy because during the week you don't know if you have to work a lot physically or if you have to practice a lot more not, because you can play in day session, night session every day. You don't know.

You have to be aware about the fitness of the other players, if they are fit and healthy to play every match. It's strange.

Now, for example, yesterday I was feeling a little bit on holiday (smiling), and all of a sudden somebody tells you, You have to play in front of 15,000 people against Novak.

It's not easy to come out on the court and play your best tennis. It was a strange feeling this week.

Q. Tomas and Jo decided not to be an alternate, but you did. Was that an easy decision to make? How much of a consideration in that decision is the fact that you get guaranteed money?
DAVID GOFFIN: Yeah, of course, a little bit. But you don't know, because after Paris sometimes you want to go on holiday, take your rest a little bit, then prepare the pre-season earlier.

Now after Paris, you have one week, then you have this week, so you lose two weeks. It was not an easy decision. But for me, yeah, I decided to come because, like I said, it's always a great experience. I've never been in a tournament like that, so it was nice. Even if I'm an alternate this week, it's nice to be here.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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