US OPEN

September 2, 2021

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/T. Griekspoor

6-2, 6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Could you just give us your thoughts on the match tonight.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Great performance. Better definitely than the first-round match. Obviously I'm very pleased with the way I came out on the court. I served very well. I found the rhythm on the serve. It was important I came up with the goods.

I made him play. I saw him first time playing in his first-round match a couple days ago with Struff, saw he was serving really well. So I knew that the keys of the match, one of the biggest keys, is my return, trying to make him play, trying to make him move. He's not the greatest mover on the court. I tried to give him always a different look.

All in all very good, very good. I'm very pleased with the level of my tennis. All is going in the right direction.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You have Kei coming up next. Do you feel like you've got his number?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I actually do, in my phone (smiling). I don't have anyone's number on the court until I win.

We played many times. I have very good score against him. I lost I think last time here in New York in semis in 2014. Historically I think his most successful Grand Slam is here. He's one of the quickest and most-talented players that I've seen in my lifetime, in my career.

I think it's important for me to serve well and try to take off the pace a little bit because he likes the pace. He likes to hit the ball early, protect the line.

But I know his game well. We played in Olympic Games. I know what's expecting me. I look forward to a good challenge.

Q. I've seen a lot more of your face around the city than usual, obviously because you're going for the Grand Slam.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know if it's good or bad. It's difficult, you have a mask so I don't know...(smiling).

Q. Seeing yourself more, too, on the posters. Most of them are you and Naomi. Are you seeing yourself more? Do you get the sense it's the occasion of being the main character of this tournament?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, that's not going to affect my game. But, of course, it's a privilege and of course it's flattering to see my photos, most of the posters of the promotion of the tournament around the city.

Of course, as a tennis fan, as well, I'd like to see as many people as possible. If I and Naomi manage, along with other players, to attract more people to the US Open, to the stands, great. If not, not great.

Of course, the absence of Serena, Rafa, Roger, Dominic, of course, Venus, is affecting, no doubt about it. But we are here. I feel also the players who are here, along with me on the men's side, deserve the credit.

They're the next generation. We need to do more promotion of their own stories, their own brands. I know that people like to see the three of us on the men's side, of course Serena, Williams sisters, Naomi, probably some big stars on the women's side.

I always felt like we need to put more players in the mix, so to say. But we are also a particular sport that has only one winner. It's an individual sport. You get the most highlight, I would say, most attention when you win a tournament. It's kind of difficult with the team sports. You have teams, and it's quite different. There's big machinery, commercial machinery, behind the teams in basketball, say, or whatever, football.

But I think tennis is doing well. I mean, I've seen some stats that they're showing that we are the third- or fourth-most popular sport in the world, along with cricket that is kind of sharing the third spot, which is great.

Whether we have used all our potential, I don't think so. We can do much better I think collectively as a sport. TV broadcasting rights. I'm talking in general commercially, promoting maybe players and brands and stuff.

But it's going in the right direction.

Q. Was there a fan or fans making noise during points while you were playing?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes.

Q. Could you explain for spectators, people new to tennis, why that's a problem?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, when tennis players talk about that, someone who is watching team sports would say, What a spoiled brat. These guys are talking about the hindrance during the point.

But it's a different sport. Look, there's a lot of noise happening on the stadium, particularly in the night sessions. I don't mind that. Even sometimes during the point it happens that people out of excitement, they just scream or they release like a sound or whatever, sigh, whatever you call it. And that's fine.

But if someone intentionally does it over and over again, then I have tolerance up to a certain point, then it's not correct, then it's not fine. It's not fair. I feel like it's not good for us players. I mean, particularly that guy for some reason was calling, raising the sound and kind of screaming just before I would hit my smash, which was a big point. Before that he would do a few times. After that again.

I think, you know, that wasn't nice. That's all. I don't mind the noise. Don't get me wrong. I think it's important for the entertainment, for the crowds, the music. I get it. But if someone does it over and over again, particularly when you are at his side, he knows why he's doing it.

The guy that I pointed out, he knew exactly what he was doing, and that's all.

Q. You've been saying you're a student of the game. The tournament is largely about your quest for this great achievement. You also just said that Roger and Rafa have pushed you to where you are. I'd like to ask directly who do you think is better on a neutral surface, or just talk about the attributes they bring.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Who is better between the two?

Q. Between the two, yes.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What is neutral surface? Is it ice, is it water? (Laughter.)

I think actually one of the best I think images that I've ever seen from tennis is them playing on a half-grass, half-clay court. I thought that was fantastic. Whoever came up with the idea was genius. As a tennis fan, I enjoyed that very much.

Whoever won that much, you have your answer (smiling).

Q. So...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's difficult to say who is better. Three of us, we're all so different. We have different styles. We have different trajectories or journeys to where we are at this moment. We all had tremendous success, some more particularly on one surface, some the other surface.

We do complement each other. I think the rivalry between the big three, so to say, it's phenomenal for our sport. So the more traction, the more conversation there is around the three of us, the G.O.A.T. discussion, et cetera, the better in general for our sport.

Yeah, I hope people still keep on talking about it.

Q. A nontennis question, if I may. I've asked a few players how they handle long-haul flights, whether you're flying private or commercial. What do you do on a flight from Europe to Australia or to come here? Is it different if you've got the family with you, as well?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, never flew private Europe to Australia. That would be a little bit too much. But it is a huge difference if you fly private, particularly overseas. I've done that a couple times. New York, Europe, it makes a big difference.

Obviously direct flights comparing to the connecting flights, if you have to do two or three flights, every additional flight I think wears your body down even more. I have a feeling it takes, every extra flight, takes an extra day to adjust maybe to the time zone or conditions, et cetera.

There are some so-called biohacks that you can do, I feel like, to avoid heavy jet lags. Well, now I'm just quoting people who are medical experts whose information I read, the more you hydrate and the less you eat during the flight, the better it is. So I try to eat before the flight. During the flight, get some sleep, depending on the amount of hours. If it's an eight-, nine-, ten-hour flight, read a book, watch a movie, maybe not eat too much.

I found it's actually helpful, you know. Again, we're all so different. As tennis players, you have to find a way to adjust very quickly. That's why usually before slams you come at least a week early to get some training and to adjust to the conditions. Particularly the heavy one is Australia, without a doubt. That's why most of the players come few weeks early prior to Australian Open takes place, some of the events before ATP Cup, any other tournament.

Sometimes you don't have that luxury. Sometimes you have to adapt in one or two or three days to big-time differences. I've done that, as well.

I think when you are under adrenaline, all of a sudden the tiredness, everything fades away somehow. You get the most out of yourself. It's not fun how it feels afterwards. But we're part of that sport that just changes the time zones so much. Every single week or two weeks, we're in a different country, in a different continent.

We're blessed. This is a great sport. I don't mind traveling. Not as excited to travel as I was 15 years ago. I've had a lot, maybe more than enough. But I am trying to not take these travels for granted, being in the greatest cities in the world like New York. It's wonderful that you get an opportunity.

There's so many people that don't have passport or they never traveled with a plane. I just recently traveled with someone few months ago, he's 30 years old and never traveled with plane.

For us, it's incredible that there are people that never traveled with plane. We're always in the plane. But that gives you, I guess, reality check in a way.