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ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 13, 2018

Alexander Zverev

Shanghai, China

N. DJOKOVIC/A. Zverev

6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Was it the case of Novak was too good or you were having a bad day or a little bit of both?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I did, what, 24 unforced errors and 7 winners? I don't think I'm beating anyone with that, to be honest. Especially Novak. I was also serving under 50%, and in the first set there is -- I mean, there is no way of actually even competing with Novak, because, I mean, if you do that, he's just too good.

All in all, it was just -- you know, obviously he's playing great. He hasn't lost a match in I don't know how many months. He's definitely playing well.

It was definitely probably the worst match I played here in Shanghai.

Q. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems this season your serve just doesn't go the way you want it to. Can you pinpoint why you can't find the right timing, or is there no special reason? Is that something you are working on?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: My serve? My serve has been especially good this season, actually. Other way around. I have won tournaments because of it. In Madrid I haven't dropped serve one time in the whole tournament. Nobody had done that in a Masters Series in 25, 30 years, especially on clay. So that statement is absolutely wrong by you.

Q. No, but I heard you say this year you weren't serving as well as you wanted to. That's why I was asking.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I never said -- I probably said that about one or two matches, but I didn't say that this year I've not been serving the way I wanted. That's false.

Q. Can you say in practice maybe that it's not going to be your day? Can you see that? Or were you really good in practice?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Look, I mean, there is just days like that. I mean, if you ask Novak, I'm sure he will tell you he had days like that, as well. I'm sure if you ask Roger, he had days like that, as well. It happens.

I got to the semifinals here, which I'm very happy about. This match, nothing went the way I wanted. I mean, from the start I did not feel right. You know, it's just those things happen. It's okay.

I mean, I still got big tournaments ahead of me. I qualified for London, which is positive. There are still positive things. I have been in the semifinals of a Masters once again. This is my fifth this year out of eight, and there is one more still to come.

You know, it's okay. It happens. I mean, I didn't lose to anyone that bad, either. He's a pretty good player. I mean, his record speaks for itself. But still, all in all, I think if you ask him that, he'll tell you, as well, that he probably thought I didn't play my best. Days like that happen.

Q. You haven't played against Novak very much, but in terms of performance across the net, how good was that? You admitted you weren't at your best, but how good was he?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No, I'm saying he's playing -- he's probably the best player in the world right now. He won back-to-back Grand Slams. He hasn't lost a match since Toronto. He's, for sure, the best player in the world.

But, you know, I wish him nothing but the best. He's definitely at the highest level he's maybe ever been or maybe equal to it.

I'm sure, as I said, if you ask him, he'll say it was kind of a weird match. It wasn't what probably both of us expected a little bit, just because I did too many early unforced errors, too many second serves, too many unreturned serves. You know, all in all, it just wasn't the best I could play. Nothing to do about that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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