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NITTO ATP FINALS

November 18, 2018

Alexander Zverev

London, England, United Kingdom

A. ZVEREV/N. Djokovic

6-4, 6-3

ALEXANDER ZVEREV: That was the worst applause I've ever gotten after winning a tournament, but thanks (laughter).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you sum up what this win means to you.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: A lot. I mean, obviously this is the biggest title of my career so far. This trophy means a lot, everything, to all the players. I mean, you only have so many chances of winning it. You play against the best players only.

How I played today, how I won it, for me it's just amazing.

Q. Great speech. Great forehands. Incredible depth. Assess the match, what it meant to you, especially what you felt when you fell on the floor.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: What I felt? I felt my knees, so my knees kind of hurt.

Apart from that, I was very happy. Obviously it's quite astonishing, winning this title, beating two such players back-to-back, Roger and Novak, in semifinals and finals. Means so much. I'm incredibly happy and incredibly proud of this moment right now.

Q. Three aces in the key moment of the first set, but he did another break to you in the second. You were a little nervous or...
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, I lost my serve once against him today. I think this is a pretty good stat, especially he's the best returner we have in the game.

I broke him right back after he broke me for a second time, so I'm not too worried about it. I'm actually not worried about anything right now. You guys can ask me what you want (smiling).

Q. When we saw you yesterday, you were very upset by the crowd's reaction. Were you nervous going into the game today?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I didn't know what to expect, to be honest, because yesterday I felt like I've done everything right, to be honest, by the rules and how it should have been. But the crowd reaction wasn't too good to me.

I was a little bit sad because as tennis players, we take it very personal, this kind of stuff. It's a one-on-one sport, so we take things more personal than other sports.

Today, the mindset, I just wanted to enjoy being out there, I just wanted to enjoy competing and playing against the best player in the world. The trophy, I was very happy, but I was very happy to lift it up.

Q. Did you know before the match that nine times out of 18 the one who had lost in the round-robin won the final?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Yeah?

Q. And what is your idea about Tsitsipas, Khachanov and you, the three who beat Djokovic after Wimbledon, young generation?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: The first question, I guess I'll have that in the back of my mind and I'll try to lose one match in the group stage. That's what I'll try to do (smiling).

The second one, obviously us young guys, we're coming through. Khachanov winning the Masters in Paris was a big thing. I was very happy for him, as well. I wasn't happy that he beat me, but I was happy for the victory that he had because I'm quite good friends with him.

The victory for Tsitsipas in Toronto, I felt like Novak wasn't playing his best there, but obviously all the credit to Tsitsipas. You have to beat someone like Novak because he's not going to give you the match. He's done just that.

I don't know what you want me to say about my victory today? That's all I can say.

Q. Clearly all your coaches have done a great job. Ivan is obviously the most famous of them. Can you tell us a little bit about what his contribution has been? Did he have particular advice, because he has coached against Novak in big matches like this before?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: He didn't do anything. He talked about golf to me before the match. No, I'm kidding.

He obviously analyzed the match that I played with him a few days ago, told me a few things I had to do different. I was more aggressive today. I tried to take the ball earlier. Those kind of things.

But my dad is the one that gave me the base. My dad is the one that taught me the game of tennis. I'm very thankful to him for that.

Obviously Ivan, the experience he has on and off the court, is amazing. That helped me, as well, to kind of play the two matches that I played back-to-back now.

Q. How do you feel about being viewed as leading the future of tennis?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Those are very deep questions right now. I just can't be really bothered to answer them (smiling).

I don't know. This thing is blinding me right now (referring to the trophy). It's great, but the future, we still got multiple and multiple years for all of us ahead. A lot of things can happen. A lot of things can change.

I'll do everything I can to be on top. But the other guys are playing great tennis, as well.

Q. Do you feel like this increases the pressure on you to win Grand Slams or does it give you the belief you can go on and win at the most crucial moments?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I believe my holiday is going to be nice now, the next two weeks. That's what I believe.

Q. Where are you going?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I'm going to Dubai and the Maldives. That's where I'm going.

Q. You finished with the most match wins this year, 58. Do you think you could finish next year at the top of the rankings having beaten present No. 1 and a former No. 1 here?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I mean, obviously they're still going to be the guys to beat at the big tournaments. I will hope. I mean, I will do everything I can to get better, to compete with them always. I feel like I'm doing that.

But still I have a lot of things to improve. I'm still very young. Hopefully next year I'll be able to play better tennis than I did this year, even though it's been a good year.

Q. You mentioned your dad was going to be emotional until the beginning of next year. Talk about the impact your father has had. We focus a lot on Lendl.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I said, I mean, everything I do on the court is thanks to my dad because he's been there for the past 21 years. That's how it is. I mean, he built my foundation. He built the person that I am.

Obviously there's a lot of credit to Ivan. I always say that. But my dad deserves the most credit out of everyone.

Q. You have just met David Beckham.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I met him before.

Q. What was it like? What did he say to you? And you had the family dog on court. Tell us about that.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Family dog, I mean, family dog has been on a lot of courts. I think every court except Wimbledon, because they just would kick him off.

It was a great moment obviously taking a moment with the whole team, with my dog there, with my family. It was great.

Seeing David again, it was nice. I actually took a picture with him three years ago when I was doing ATP University here. I was here watching the final of Roger and Novak, where Novak beat Roger, went on to win this tournament.

Being here and being in this position now is quite amazing. I'm looking forward to what the future holds.

Q. You said you don't want to think too much about the future now. Novak said he thinks you're capable of surpassing him. What does it mean to hear that from a guy like Novak who has won so much?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Surpass him in what way?

Q. I think by winning more than him in his career.
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: Oh, Jesus. Oh, my God (laughter). I mean, I've won one of those. He won five. He's won, I don't know what, 148 titles more than me. Let's not go there for now.

I hope I can do great. I mean, but just chill out a little bit.

Q. Can you talk about serving to Novak. Coming into the match, what kind of pressure was there on your serve?
ALEXANDER ZVEREV: I wasn't trying to overthink it. As I said, I just tried to go out there and enjoy the match as much as I can, enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the moment. That's what I did.

My serve has been working well the whole week. I had a lot of confidence in it. It all worked out well.

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