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ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2019

Filip Krajinovic

Paris, France

S. TSITSIPAS/F. Krajinovic

7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. It was a tough loss, but it looks good for Serbian tennis. I mean, first time there are four players in the third round of Roland Garros. So I just wonder, what kind of material or moral support help you get from Novak?
FILIP KRAJINOVIC: Yeah, it's amazing that a small country like Serbia has so many good players, and so many No. 1's. Zimonjic was No. 1 in doubles. Jelena was No. 1 in women's singles. Ana won the French Open, No. 1.

So we are small country. Very hard mentality, good mentality. We fight a lot. And then, of course, we have a big support from Novak. He's amazing, one of the best ever. So it's pleasure, and we are so proud to have him. And, of course, he give us advice. He went through all this situation like we are now.

So we are very pleased and happy that we have Novak, of course.

Q. Can you talk about what it's like to have the suspended match where you finish later last night and then you start kind of midday today?
FILIP KRAJINOVIC: It was not easy. I think I had so many chances yesterday to finish third set. Had a chance first set to finish and didn't. I had so many chances, and then I went home losing two sets down and 5-All and serving tomorrow to stay in the match.

And was tough to sleep because I went very late to sleep, and I was thinking about the whole situation and everything. But that's the tennis. It's the same for other players. So you have to be ready for that and to challenge yourself.

Of course, I started well today. I think I started well. I played good tiebreak. Serving for the fourth set, didn't take a chance, and I'm sad for that for sure.

Q. Going back to the Serbian tennis question, what do you think -- they say like, oh, it's a fighting mentality, but can you just kind of talk more about the differences?
FILIP KRAJINOVIC: I don't think there is any difference. We just small country, and we have a lot of very good sportsmen. And I think we do everything like other countries, I think. We just strong and we work a lot. That's it. I don't think that's anything else.

Q. Maybe just a couple of details. You have a very strong Davis Cup, so maybe Novak helps, you know, to set up trainings for the Davis Cup sponsors, some talented Serbian players. Or you can call him anytime and say, Novak, I have a problem, can you help me with that? So what is the relationship between --
FILIP KRAJINOVIC: I'm close friends to him. And I never call him and say, I need help. I just -- if I need any advice, you know, I see him and I ask for advice. But I don't ask for the help, to be honest, just because I know there's so many thousands of people need help of him.

And, you know, we are friends like normal friends. It's not that because he's No. 1 that's why I'm close to him. So it's not that point that, hey, please can you do something for me? No, I just -- if I need something, we have a normal conversation. And I don't ask anything for the help. I don't need it.

I just follow advice in tennis, of course, yes, always. But for other thing, I don't need it really.

Q. Speaking about yourself and the match over the past couple of days, what do you think it was in the little details that made the difference between taking the match into a fifth?
FILIP KRAJINOVIC: I think I had chances. He gave me a chance, and I was maybe a little scared to take it. I was not maybe aggressive enough, and I was waiting for his mistake. This didn't help, because the guy is No. 4 in the world right now. So he's really, really having the best season and playing really aggressive and well. So if I need to improve my game, I need to step it up on those moments and take it. And I think I was waiting for him to do something, and that didn't help, and it's not going to help with the big guys.

So I need to improve that, and I think I'm in a good way. I think I'm playing good tennis now, and it's been very good season so far for me. I'm going to just keep working.

And these matches like this, it's very important for me to get used to it, and the next step is for me to beat some top 10 guys.

Q. Do you think you have it in yourself to be aggressive when you have to be aggressive.
FILIP KRAJINOVIC: Yes, I think I have. I just need more matches like this, and I think at one point it's going to come to my way.

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