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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2019

Novak Djokovic

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

N. DJOKOVIC/J. Tsonga

6-3, 7-5, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said on the court there was tension through this match. Why do you think it was this much tension?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Playing on the center stage against Jo, who I consider one of the greatest rivals that I had throughout my life, my career. First Grand Slam final I had, I played against him. We played many thrilling matches, Olympic Games, all over the world, every possible surface.

As I said on the court, because of his injuries, he dropped his ranking, but the ranking is definitely not showing the right picture of his quality. I'm glad to see him playing. I hope that he can get back where he deserves: at the top of the tennis game, men's game.

Yeah, I mean, knowing the history of what I had with him, I guess that's what brought even more I guess weight on this encounter tonight. I did feel a bit more nervy than I usually do. But that made me focus even more, I guess.

Q. We had an interesting chat with Denis earlier about how he would go about preparing to play you. He said he would spend time watching videos of Nadal's matches.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Good.

Q. Do you notice any similarities between his game and Rafa's, beyond being a lefty? Does that worry you that he's coming out with Nadal tactics?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everyone has access to YouTube. Doesn't worry me at all. Actually I'm glad to hear that, that he's doing his homework and research. It's important for a young player. He's impressive not just as a talented tennis player but also how he goes about his professionalism, his commitments, how he deals with pressure, how confident he is on the court. Quite impressive. I've been following him the last couple years because he's one of the NextGen stars, promising young players.

Yeah, he's very pumped. He brings a lot of energy to the court, which is great to see. I expect a really interesting encounter. He will not have anything really to lose, so I'm sure he's going to come out really pumped.

On the other hand, in terms of his preparation, I guess he knows what he's doing. Nadal and him, yes, I mean, the only thing they're sharing I think is the left hand. I don't think they share many similarities in their game. I think it's quite different.

Q. We just had the latest start to a match at the Australian Open. Konta and Muguruza started their match at 12:30. Is this the next step in terms of addressing this kind of thing? Do you think it should happen at a slam with the stakes so high? Is it unavoidable?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know Konta and Muguruza, the process of the decision making. I would assume if the rules are the same, both for men's and women's tennis, that they could have said if it's post midnight they could have postponed it for tomorrow. By assume that's the case. I guess they both wanted to play after waiting for a long time.

It is what it is. It happened many times in the men's part, women's as well, that you go after midnight. You get to this kind of particular situation where you wait for hours and hours and hours, then you are about to make the decision whether you want to go out on the court or not.

Of course, you're tired, waiting for the entire day. At the same time you just want to get it over with, just play the match. So I understand why they probably decided to go out and play.

Q. There's such a strong Serbian community in Melbourne. Do you have any particular memorable moments with people here in Melbourne either on-site or around the city? Have you gone to the Serbian restaurants around town?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, there's a place called Lygon Lodge in Lygon Street. I used to go there. Haven't been there for several years, but used to go there. Many other Serbian tennis players go there, as well.

Serbian church is a place I guess where we get to see the Serbian people, community gathers for the orthodox new year, which is between 13 and 14 of January, or our Christmas, which is on 7th of January. That's when over the years I did go to church when I could, saw a lot of people, interacted with them. Of course, at the tennis site.

I'm very grateful to experience a lot of support. It's quite a big community, as you said. Very loud. It helps at times.

Q. Do you find yourself craving the feelings of home being around Serbian people?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm really glad to meet people from my country, absolutely. Anywhere I go, I try to embrace the fact that there might be a community, regardless of how big or small. I try to meet with some people and exchange words or whatever it is, invite them to come and watch me play. Whatever that is, it's nice. I guess it nurtures the culture and tradition.

Me as one of the athletes from our country that is internationally successful, I feel there is also a responsibility to represent the country in a right way. For a lot of those people, especially who live here, they have not seen or been to Serbia for a long time. So for them it's quite a treat to have me playing here and other tennis players from Serbia, other sports events. It's quite far away from home.

Q. You were asked on court about your journey for the last 12 months. Talk us a little bit through that journey. What has been the biggest thing for you to get to where you are now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think probably one of the biggest lessons I had to learn is really patience, trusting life, trusting the process that things will come, that things will I guess get to a point where I want to be or where I would like to achieve or how I want to play. I just needed to trust the process, be patient.

I was impatient, to be honest, especially after surgery. I was rushing way too early to get back into competitive tennis. I was able to play a month or five weeks after surgery, which was quite fast considering. To be honest, probably everyone around me was against me playing in Indian Wells and Miami, but I was insisting.

If I can turn back time, would I change it? No, I wouldn't, because I don't regret anything. I really believe that has also kind of shaped and formed me months after that where I just had to learn the lessons the hard way, I guess.

There was an amazing, I guess, switch and turning point around grass court season time, beginning of grass court. Probably those mountains in France where I went to climb and visit with my wife, four or five days, we had an amazing quality time together hiking, contemplating on our lives and everything. After that, it was all straightforward kind of upwards trajectory in terms of my tennis. So if I have to pick one period, that would be the one.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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