ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2021

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/L. Musetti

6-7, 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 4-0 [Ret.]

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. As experienced as you are, whenever you are two sets down in a Grand Slam, is there a bit of a panic that goes through your mind? And talk about the last three sets when he was injured, of course.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, I actually felt, I would say, more nervous when I was starting the match than when I was two sets down. To be honest, I even liked the fact that I lost first couple of sets, because I just, I don't know, I just played under certain kind of tension and wasn't able to go through my shots, too many unforced errors and just not playing and not feeling great in the first couple of sets. But credit to him for playing well in important moments.

After I lost the second set and went out to change and came back on the court, I just felt different. I was a different player. I have had better feeling in my shots. I had just more confidence going through the ball. I decreased the amount of errors. Started playing the way I was supposed to play at the beginning.

Then, you know, towards the end of the third, beginning of the fourth, I saw that he's struggling physically. Obviously that gave me even more motivation, I guess, to try to apply more pressure on him and kind of finish him off. That was the case.

It's unfortunate for a young player like him, being two sets to Love up on the center court in his first fourth round, he was unable to physically sustain the level, at least to give himself a chance to win this match, because he was in a driving position, definitely, for the first couple sets.

Q. I don't think you have ever had a scoreline similar to that before, but do you also feel, considering what you also just said, do you also feel your experience and the number of five-set matches you have played also might have had a part in you turning things around?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, probably. Look, I was saying before that I like to play young guys in best-of-five, because I feel even if they are leading a set or two sets to Love as it was the case today, I still like my chances, because I feel like I'm physically fit and, you know, I know how to wear my opponent down, you know, in the best-of-five match. And, you know, I've won most of the five-setters I have played in this tournament and in my career, so I think that experience helps.

But again, it's unfortunate for him to finish the match the way it was finished, you know, with retirement. He was obviously struggling physically from probably the beginning of the fourth.

Q. I think is the fifth time you come back from two sets down in a slam. I was thinking about you when you were 19 or 18 years old. Sometimes you were struggling physically too. I mean, I remember you had to retire sometimes. Do you think that to be physically stronger to play five sets you need to be 25, 24? I mean, you need to have some years before you can make it? And now I also have to ask you, I'm sorry, about Berrettini who is your next opponent, because I don't know if someone will ask you.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, you're right. At the beginning of my career, I was also struggling with injuries and had to retire, you know, few matches at the Grand Slams at the beginning of my professional career.

That's obviously not fun. You know, it's not something that you desire to experience as a young player. But, look, Musetti won five sets against Cecchinato last round. It's not like it's the first time that he's playing five sets. I mean, he came off the five sets, first time in fourth round.

You know, it's a mix between, you know, emotions and kind of an excitement but at the same time the pressure of not knowing how he's going to feel playing first time on the center court against a top player. You know, it's a new experience.

A new experience can go both ways. It can give you really a boost of energy and strength, because you have nothing to lose, but at the same time, it could take away a lot, because as a youngster, you still may be, you know, are still developing your abilities to mentally and emotionally cope with these kind of pressures and expectations and excitement. You know, it draws a lot of energy out of a player.

At the beginning for young guys, it still takes some time to -- you have to experience in order to learn how to deal with it the next time. The experience is the best teacher.

You know, Musetti has definitely all the qualities in his tennis, in his game on clay particularly, but also other surfaces to be a top player. I wish him all the best. He's a nice guy. We know each other well now. We trained quite a bit, and now we played for the first time.

Yeah, I really wish him all the best. I think if he keeps going in this way, he's definitely on the right path to become a top player one day.

Q. Berrettini?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Berrettini, another Italian guy, I'm sure you'll be happy to see that match, as well. A big serve, big forehand. Two big weapons. He's in form. You know, he has finished the last year very strong. He started this year strong as well, beating Dominic Thiem in Australia, playing really good ATP Cup, reaching finals of ATP Cup with Italy.

You know, he just has so much firepower in his game. And you wrote "dropshot." Yes, also dropshot is pretty good.

He's very aggressive. You know, with his big serve he's got a lot of, let's say, easier balls in the middle of the court that he can penetrate through the forehand or he can dropshot. He's very good at the net.

He's a top-10 player for last couple of years. And right now quarterfinals of a slam, you know, you need to be at your best in order to have a chance to win.

Q. How important was your break during the third and break you said you felt different after that? What were you doing and how much you try to refocus?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I was changing my underwear and everything else. So if you really want to know what I was doing, I was not using the toilet at all (smiling). So as soon as I changed I came back, but I think sometimes even if it's a few minutes' break from the court to leave this environment, it just resets you, I think, mentally.

I have experienced that in the past, similar situations where I just feel like even if it's a very short break where you leave the court, it works very well, I think, mentally, just to kind of refresh, get few deep breaths, and come back to the court kind of as a new player.