THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 9, 2021

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/D. Shapovalov

7-6, 7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What would it mean to you this weekend if you win a sixth Wimbledon final, and of course level with Roger and Rafa on slam No. 20?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it would mean everything. That's why I'm here. That's why I'm playing. I imagined myself being in a position to fight for another Grand Slam trophy prior to coming to London. I put myself in a very good position.

Anything is possible in the finals. Obviously experience is on my side. But Berrettini has been winning a lot of matches on grass courts this year, winning Queen's. He's in great form. He's serving big, playing big. So it's going to be a very tough match I think for both of us. But I'm looking forward to a great battle.

Q. What can you say about what you saw from Denis today? You've won seven times against him now at the professional level. What evolution have you seen in his game?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I never lost to him, but last three, four matches that we played against each other were very, very close. Today, again, three very tight sets. He was the better player I think for the first couple sets.

He was serving for first set. He was better for most of the second set. Had a lot of opportunities and just didn't manage to close it out when he needed to.

In important moments I think I probably held my nerves better than he did and just make him play an extra shot, make him do an unforced error, which was the case.

It's tough to play Denis, particularly on grass and quicker surfaces with the lefty serve that he's got. He can hit any spot. I think he's one of the best serves on the tour, without a doubt. When he's on, when he's feeling that serve, it's a weapon on any surface against anyone.

I think he has matured as a player. I feel like he's probably taking down the number of the unforced errors comparing to maybe last year. I feel like he's always been a very aggressive player, trying to make winners, come to the net, dictate the play from the back of the court.

But I feel like now he's probably a bit more patient in his game. He's understanding how to construct the point. Unfortunately for him that was maybe lacking in important moments. I just managed to force him to do an error, just play the right shots at the right time.

But it was not straightforward match, even though it was a straight-set victory. It was very close. He's had a fantastic tournament. I told him after the match he should keep working, keep believing, because with a game like that he's going to get a lot more opportunities in the future without a doubt.

Q. On Sunday you and the England football team are going to have something in common. Both up against Italian opposition. Every match on Centre Court, you seem to be winning the crowd as well. How much would you like or appreciate having home support as you seek to make your own bit of history on Sunday?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I am not sure if I'm going to have the home support, as you mention, but I hope that I will have, yeah, the stadium on my side. Every player hopes in big matches, coming into big stadiums, that he's going to have a majority of the crowd behind him. Having the crowd behind you, against you, it's a big difference.

Yeah, I mean, Berrettini, his first time in Grand Slam finals, he's kind of an underdog there. People also like to see someone win who is an underdog or is not maybe expected to win, is not the favorite to win.

But hopefully people can also recognize also the importance of this match for me, the history that is on the line. Yeah, I'm prepared for anything really that is going to happen in terms of the crowd support on Sunday. I've had many different experiences throughout my career. I just need to focus on myself and what I need to do.

Q. You obviously won playing your best tennis on important points and important moments. When did you feel that became an asset for you in your career? Was that from 2011 or earlier, something you were born with?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think you're born with it. I think it comes with time, with experience, with mental and physical work obviously. The more matches you play and the more times you're in these similar situations, the more confident or more comfortable, I would say, you feel every next time you get to face these particular circumstances where you're breakpoint down or playing in Grand Slam final stages against top rivals.

Yeah, so I think that experience definitely favors me every single time, next time I get to work on the court, knowing that I've been through everything that I could possibly go through as a tennis player. I know my strengths. I know what I'm capable of. I rely on that.

Obviously it's not a guarantee that when you are in this situation that you're always going to find a way, but at least you can rely on the things that you know that work for you.

Again, today I found a way to win all three sets that were very close, that could have gone different way. The final result is what counts.

Q. I wanted to ask you about your ability to slide so well, even on grass. Is it something you always managed to do? How much would you say it has to do with your everyday work on your elasticity and flexibility?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I wouldn't say that my coaches or coaches in general would recommend sliding on grass to young players. I guess this is my authentic kind of movement that I've been practicing and doing throughout my entire life on all the surfaces. I think it has a lot to do with skiing, as I've mentioned in the past, as well as the flexibility on my ankles.

I'm used to. It's kind of my habit to slide for the shot if I have to stretch for a ball that is far away from me. Nine out of ten players would probably not do that, especially on grass. They would look to hit the ball and then make a few steps and come back. For me, I would rather do one large slide step, try to get the ball.

Whether that's good or not for young players is something you would teach them, I'm not sure what to answer to you on that. It's not in the tennis book, so to say. And it also has something to do with Spiderman. I've been spending a lot of time with Spiderman the last couple years, so he's been helping me with my stretches (smiling).

Q. Obviously you played Matteo at Roland Garros. What is he doing maybe better now than he's done before? What makes him such a dangerous opponent on grass?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He's one of the best players in the world in the last 12 months I think. I mean, he's had some big wins against Dominic Thiem in Australia, had semifinals of US Open few years ago. He's just working his way up.

With big weapons in serve and forehand, I mean, he can play well, which he has proven, on any surface. Finals of Madrid this year. We played against each other in quarters of Roland Garros, which was a very tight and very tough four-setter.

Obviously grass favors him even more, favors his game. If he serves big, as he did throughout the entire tournament, it's tough to break his serve, it's tough to go into the rhythm, to find a good positioning to return, make him play.

But I believe in my return. I think return has served me very well throughout my career. Hopefully I'll be able to get a lot of those serves back and wait for my chances.

I will have to also serve myself efficiently as I've done today. I think I served very well, especially when I needed a first serve, getting myself out of trouble, I found it.

It's finals. It's really anybody's game. He's arguably the guy who has been in the best form on grass courts this year, winning Queen's. He's red hot. It's going to be a great battle.

Q. Berrettini will play his first slam finals. I want to know what do you remember of your first slam finals? Which were the emotions?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Ubaldo, it was 15 years ago almost, my friend, 2007 in New York. I lost I think three tough tiebreaks to Roger. Yeah, I remember that I was just so thrilled to be in the finals. I was close. I had a good match against Roger, but I just probably did not maybe believe enough I guess in the victory at certain moments when the scoreline was close.

Yeah, I mean, it really depends. We're all different. For me, I played first Grand Slam finals really young, was 20 years old. Matteo is a bit older. He's had more experience playing on the tour. He's already had notable results on the biggest tournaments in our sport and some big wins against the top players of the world. So it's a different situation, so to say.

But I expect him to be on really high level because that's what he's been delivering in last couple weeks.