AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 13, 2021

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/T. Fritz

7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Wow. What an incredible dramatic victory for you. First of all, it's clear you were struggling a little bit physically. How are you feeling? And how were you able to will yourself over the line in that fifth set?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, first of all, I want to congratulate Taylor for a great fight. I'm sorry that, you know, he lost the match today.

Obviously, I don't know, I just tried to stay in there, you know, and I was hopeful that whatever is happening there is going to feel better and towards the end of the fourth it start to feel better.

In third and fourth set, I just, I don't know, I just served and couldn't do much on the return. I was just going for my shots. I was hitting two first serves, and it worked. It worked well. I don't know.

This is definitely one of the most special wins in my life. Doesn't matter what round it is and against who it is. Under these kind of circumstances to pull this through is definitely something I'll remember forever.

Q. Such a unique match for the way we started the first half, if you like, with a very intense crowd, a very raucous crowd, and then of course we had the break, unfortunately the fans had to leave the arena. How do you feel the crowd were impacting on the match prior to the break? Did they really will you to raise your level particularly in securing the first two sets? And then also, how did you find that after the break?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, obviously with the bad news today that we got, everybody knew that midnight is going to be the deadline where we go into lockdown for five days.

In a way it's unfortunate for the crowd that we didn't finish the match with them seeing the end. They were enjoying it, certainly.

On the other hand, you know, for me regardless of the crowd in the stands or not, I was just trying to focus on what's going on with an injury and just praying and hoping that somehow it would get better and that I'll manage to win the match, which fortunately for me it happened.

Q. Well, next up in the fourth round you have Milos Raonic. You have an incredible record against Milos. What are your thoughts ahead of that match? Obviously I'm sure recovery will be high on the agenda.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I really don't know, my friend. Right now I'm -- well, I know it's a tear, definitely, of the muscle. So I don't know if I'll manage to recover from that in less than two days. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if I'm gonna step out onto the court or not.

I am just very proud of this achievement tonight. Let's see what happens tomorrow.