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November 12, 2019
London, England, United Kingdom
D. THIEM/N. Djokovic
6-7, 6-3, 7-6
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Very exhausting match. Up and down. Nobody knew where it was going to go. Where was it won and lost for you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I thought he deserved to win. He just played very courageous tennis and just smacking the ball. He went for broke.
I mean, the entire match he played same way he played the last point. I mean, I have to put my hat down and congratulate him, because he just played a great match.
Q. What do you think of his level right now? Feels like he's really stepped up this year. Obviously before the US Open he had that kind of virus and wasn't ready there, but the rest of the year seems...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I mean, it's hard to judge by today's match. I mean, I don't think I have experienced too many matches like this where my opponent just goes for every single shot.
I mean, he was unbelievable, and in some stages it was just incredible that he was just literally smacking the ball as hard as he can and he was going in.
It's really hard to say -- I mean, of course his level was super high. This today was unbelievable. But whether he can keep that up, you know, every match, if he does, chapeau, you know. There is not much you can say. For sure, he's playing great tennis.
Q. From outside the court, it looked like one of those Rocky Balboa movies with Thiem throwing punches hard. From inside the court, how did it feel?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, as I said, he was taking every opportunity to smack the ball, I mean, as hard as he can. Flatten it out, backhand down the line. He didn't miss too many backhands down the line, really.
It was amazing. I have played him before. I know his game. But what he did tonight was just out of ordinary, so to say.
I mean, I know that he can play in a high level, but tonight was just phenomenal. I mean, I had to fight, and I did. I'm proud of coming back from, you know, 5-6 down. He was serving for the match.
I had the tiebreak. I mean, I was 3-Love, serve, 4-1 up, 5-4, you know, maybe should have played a little more aggressive in those moments, but credit to him.
Q. In any case, this is a round robin, and now you can pass to semis beating Roger. That's better for you or not? I mean, it would be a pressure or something that makes you play better?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As you said, it's a round robin system, so I'm still in the tournament. We go head to head with Roger. Winner goes to semis. Loser doesn't qualify. As simple as that.
Q. Roger kind of said earlier he felt it was a good chance to kind of get back at you a little bit for the Wimbledon final defeat. Is that win anywhere in your mind that you know you can dig in deep against him in these sort of big-pressure situations? Or is that match just so far in the past that it doesn't really matter?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Doesn't really matter.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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