US OPEN

August 27, 2021

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Would winning the calendar Grand Slam be the greatest achievement of your career?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it's an easy question. Yes, it would be. Obviously I know how big of an opportunity is in front of me here in New York where historically I've played really well over the years. It's probably the most entertaining tennis court that we have. Crowd will be back on stadium.

I can't wait. Honestly I'm very motivated to play my best tennis. But I have to hit one ball at a time, as they say, try to be in the moment, have a guiding star in a way, a dream to win a slam here which would obviously complete the calendar slam.

I'm hugely inspired and motivated by that, no doubt. But at the same time I know how to balance things out mentally, with lots of expectations obviously around. My participation here, without Rafa and Roger participating, I feel it. I know there's a lot of people who are going to be watching my matches and expecting me to do well and fight for a slam.

At the same time, regardless of Roger's and Rafa's absence, you still have tremendous quality tennis players that are probably right now on hot streak, like Zverev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, those are the three top contenders I see for the title.

But Grand Slam is a Grand Slam. It's a two-week-long event, best-of-five. Everyone wants to do well at the Grand Slam. Anything can really happen. Of course the top seeds are the top favorites to go far and go deep in the tournament, but I've been in this situation numerous times in my life.

There is a slight difference in terms of what's at stake and the feeling towards that, but I don't give it too big of a significance on a daily basis because I'm trying to be in the present moment.

Q. It's been a very long time since a man has done what you're trying to achieve. How much might you know about Rod Laver, his career, his accomplishments? How well do you know him, if you've gotten a chance to speak to him, if he offered or you sought any advice from him? Very few people who know what it's like to do what you're about to try to do.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I have not spoken to him about my position at the moment, the opportunity that I have. I'll try definitely to reach out. I always meet Rod in Australia, have a little chat. He is one of the all-time greats, legends of our sport, someone I admire, respect, and look up to. I have had wonderful success on his court in Melbourne, so over the years we've seen each other quite a bit in Melbourne.

But I have not spoken to him about the calendar slam. I'll take you up on that one. I'll try to seek for his advice. Hopefully he can tell me something that could help me.

Q. What is your level of concern about COVID, how vigilant you're being, the tour trying to get more players vaccinated?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, six months' absence from the tour last year wasn't easy for anybody in our ecosystem, but also in the other fields of life, of course. People are struggling around the world, getting back to their own countries, their own families, let alone doing their job in a way that they've done before, kind of going back to the normal, usual circumstances and conditions that they worked in.

Of course we all wish that we have every single tournament full capacity. But it seems like it's not yet possible. I mean, I'm not in a position, neither am I an expert, to debate what is the reason why we don't have everywhere full capacity, whether vaccines will help that or not.

I feel like that should be always a personal decision, whether you want to get vaccinated or not. So I'm supportive of that. So whether someone wants to get a vaccine or not, that's completely up to them. I hope that it stays that way.

Q. Coming into this tournament, some of the biggest names in tennis history on the men's and women's side have pulled out because of injuries. What are your thoughts about your own health at this point as you prepare for the grind of the Open?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, we mentioned two greats, two big names, Rafa and Roger on the men's side, pulling out, along with the defending champion Thiem. Then Serena as well. Those are some really big names in our sport. Of course, you never want to see them pulling out from one of the biggest tournaments in the world because other than being in the role of their rival, I'm also a tennis fan. Of course, I know it's an interest of all of us that they play on the tournaments because it attracts more attention, people want to watch tennis on the TV or live more if they're playing.

It is what it is. I wish them all speedy recovery. I can understand that Roger, Rafa and Serena, myself are not that young anymore. The new generation obviously can play probably more tournaments in a season. The bodies can sustain that effort and that beating in a way. We have to be I guess a little bit more selective. I can relate to what they're going through in terms of an injury. I had one major, big injury that took me out of the tour for a while, which was my elbow.

Once that becomes chronic, or any injury becomes chronic, then it's a real issue, not just for your career but also for the post-career life. As a father, I want to be able to throw a ball or kick a ball or run with my kids, not worry about some long-term consequences that are possible. Everything is possible obviously.

Sometimes we go against our body's messages and signals that it sends to us. Overcoming the pain is part of the game. That sounded well (smiling). But at the same time you have to find a balance of what works the best for you.

My preparations for US Open have gone well. I feel good on the court. I took some time, little bit of an additional time, off after Olympics. Have not played Cincinnati, which was previously planned, because I just felt exhausted in every sense after that long summer, which was very successful. I mean, it brought a lot of success to me, a lot of confidence.

Olympics, unfortunately didn't end up with a medal. It was a great experience of sharing the Village and the dining room with 10-plus-thousand athletes. It's a very unique experience that you remember forever. You take a lot of positives out of it, putting aside the tennis performance, just in general. I think you can learn a lot, you speak life, you speak sports. I really value that experience a lot.

As I said, I'm very inspired to play my best tennis here. I don't want to say it's now or never for me because I think I'm going to have more opportunities in my life to win slams. I don't know if I'm going to be having more opportunities to win calendar slams. That's why it's a very unique opportunity. At the same time, I don't need to put any additional pressure to what I already have, which is pretty big from my own self and from of course people around me.

But I thrive under pressure, as well. I've done that many times in my career. Pressure is a privilege, it truly is. This is what you work for day in, day out, all your life, to put yourself in a unique position to win Grand Slams and to make history. At the end of the day I'm a big tennis fan, fan of history. I admire this sport. I love it. I have this chance, and I'm going to try to use it.

Q. I was looking back at 2011 when you first won the US Open, what you said afterwards. Somebody asked you about the calendar year Grand Slam. You said, Look, nothing's impossible, I don't want to say it's impossible. At what stage did you really feel like it was possible for you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: After I won the first slam in Australia (laughter). Obviously, you know, when you kick-start your year in a great way, you win a slam, Australian Open has historically been my most successful slam, you say, Okay, I have enough time to prepare for Roland Garros, it's a long stretch. But I think Roland Garros is probably the one that is always probably the biggest hurdle for me. I won it the second time in my career this year.

After I won the French, I thought, Okay, I don't have a lot of time to prepare for Wimbledon, for grass, but I do feel more comfortable, and I like my chances more in Wimbledon than I probably do in Roland Garros.

Yeah, that probably would be identified as the moment where I felt it could be possible.

Q. Early in your career people compared you to Gumby. Now they compare you to Spiderman. Which do you like better?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What was the first part of the question? Spiderman or?

Q. Gumby.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What is Gumby?

Q. A little clay figure.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I was into Spiderman. But maybe after your question I'm going to think about Gumy or Gumby? Is that your favorite Super Hero?

Q. No.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What is your favorite Super Hero?

Q. I don't know (laughter).

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know what, maybe Spiderman. Who knows. I'm just seeing what is Gumby, the green stretchy. Yeah, looks fun.

I hope I get a chance to meet you in person and we could do a few stretches so maybe you will start liking Spiderman more. Thank you.