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US OPEN

August 28, 2019

Novak Djokovic

New York, NY, USA

N. DJOKOVIC/J. Londero

6-4, 7-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You made us worry. Before the shoulder, now the late coming.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I had to take time to address the injury that I have. It has caused hindrance to my game for sure tonight, especially with the serve and backhand. It was not easy to play with this kind of sensation, to be honest. I did not experience that too many times in my career.

I was also lucky to find my way back in the second set and to win in the straight sets. I had obviously, you saw, a medical timeout. At changeovers, I tried to use within the rules as much as I can physiotherapy and medical help. That has definitely helped me stay in the match.

The way it has started for me, especially midway through the first set, I didn't know if I would be able to finish the match. I'm really glad I have.

I'm going to assess this injury tomorrow even more with further consultations with experts in sports medicine. I'm hoping that in two days' time I will be able to play pain-free, if that is possible.

Q. You said on court that it's not a new problem. What is the history of the problem?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it is new in a sense that I've never had that particular issue in my career. It's not new in a sense that it has bothered me now for almost couple weeks. It has been there. I've been experiencing some days of higher intensity of pain, some days less. It has been really fluctuating a lot, going up and down.

What happened today on the court, actually how I felt, was quite rough and unpredictable. But, as I said on the court, you have to deal with this particular situation the way it is.

Again, I did have not too many times in my career, but I did have certain situations where I had to, as probably anybody else in professional tennis, go through pain and just figure out the way I can finish the match and hopefully win. I got myself that win.

Good thing about Grand Slams is you have a day off in between the matches. As I said, I'm hoping that with a proper medical help and treatments, I'll be able to get myself in a better state than I was today in few days.

Q. On top of the physical difficulties that you faced, the fact that you finish the match in three sets, were you surprised by the level shown by Juan Ignacio?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I was impressed also with his tennis in Cincinnati. He played against Roger I think second round. I watched that match a little bit. Roger won in straight sets, but he was just playing on a really, really solid and good level.

I watched him against Querrey a little bit. I saw that he is a great fighter. He brings focus and intensity on the court. He showed tonight a great spirit of someone that never stopped believing.

Unfortunate for him, he was leading 3-0 and serving in the second set, and I kind of found a way to get back in the second set. But he was playing well. He was hitting the ball really, really nice from the forehand side especially. He made me work. I had to run a lot to earn this victory.

Q. Excuse me for different topic. Japanese fans are welcoming you coming to the Japan Open for the first time. It will be played in the Olympic venue. Is it one of the factors that you'll be coming to Japan?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes.

Q. What do the Olympics mean to you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's one of the biggest reasons I'm going to Tokyo this year for the first time. When I was sponsored by Uniqlo, I visited Tokyo once, only for a few days. I haven't seen much.

I look forward to visit your beautiful country, play in this tournament that judging by a lot of players' opinions that have participated in this tournament, is a very good tournament. They have a lot of positive impressions of the city, of the organization of the event. Stands are full all the time all week.

So I look forward to be part of that, feel the venue where we're going to play Olympic Games next year. Obviously that's one of my highest goals, so to say, in this stage of my career.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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