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NITTO ATP FINALSNovember 14, 2018Alexander ZverevLondon, England, United Kingdom N. DJOKOVIC/A. Zverev 6-4, 6-1 THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. First set was very tight today. You were serving quite well. Even Djokovic said that you served quite well. What sort of changed in the second set? ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, on my serve, I served over 70% in the first, I believe 76%. I believe I served under 50% in the second. That's tough to do against Novak. Novak, when he's in the rallies, he's obviously very hard to beat. He's playing with a lot of confidence, hasn't lost a lot of matches. He's No. 1 in the world. Obviously I had chances in the first set. If I break him at 4-All, we'll see where the match goes. I think the match was much closer than the score says. For sure I feel that way. You know, it happens. I got one more group match to play here. We'll see how that goes. Hopefully I still give myself the best chance to be in the semifinals. Q. Were those missed breakpoints the turning point, do you feel? ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, for sure. If I made the break, it goes the other direction a little bit. I'm serving for the set. Even though I lost that game, I still feel very comfortable that I can hold. But it happens. He's No. 1 in the world for a reason. Q. Novak said he wasn't feeling 100% today. Were you aware of that? He also wondered if you were absolutely feeling your best. ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I haven't felt my best in, like, two months, to be honest. But maybe he was a little bit sick or something like that. But he still played like he felt at his absolute best. That's kind of all that matters. Q. You said you hadn't felt your best for a couple of months. What have the issues been? ALEXANDER ZVEREV: The issue is that our season is way too long. That's the issue. But I've said it before. We play for 11 months a year. That's ridiculous. No other professional sport does that. Q. When you play someone like Novak, world No. 1, you have a long way to go at 21, do you look at him sometimes and think you can beat these guys in the future and possibly be better than these guys? ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, I think that these days. I mean, I go out to a match, I don't think I will lose. That's not how I think. I'm going out there to play and to compete. Obviously he's No. 1 in the world, I'm not. But I still go out on court as equals. I still think that I have chances. Next time I play him, I still think the same way. It doesn't mean I always have to win, but I take every opponent as an equal. Q. In the second set, it looked like you were getting increasingly frustrated with yourself at moments. What happens to you during those sort of moments? Do you look to the crowd for inspiration or focus on yourself? ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No, I just started missing. I just started missing unnecessary balls. I was getting frustrated with myself about that. I mean, even the last game in the first set, I missed a few easy balls. I double-faulted on breakpoint. That's very difficult. But, you know, at the end of the day I don't want to think about it too much because in two days' time I will give myself the best chance I can to be in the semifinals. That's where I think I'll take it as a normal quarterfinal match at a normal tournament. To be in the semifinals here would mean a lot to me. For that, I have to play good tennis. Q. To work with Ivan Lendl is a plus. You were with Ferrero not very long ago. Is he different? Is he very disciplined with you? ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Sorry? Q. He makes you a lot of discipline? How do you feel about Lendl in general? ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, he's a good coach which helps me. I didn't understand a lot of your question, I'm sorry. Q. Is he very strict with the rules and training, things like that? ALEXANDER ZVEREV: No. If you're going to be strict with me with rules and stuff, the relationship is not going to last very long (smiling). He understood that very quickly, I think. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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