US OPEN

September 10, 2023

Goran Ivanisevic

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. First of all, just sum up what Novak has achieved today. What are you most happy about and impressed by from him?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I mean, 24 Grand Slams. I like these press conferences, because that means he won a Grand Slam.

You know, it's a pity, you know, for the Wimbledon, you know, one, two points, up and down, he could have all four. Let's not be spoiled, you know. He achieved something amazing. You know, he came here and made 24 Grand Slams. Still hungry, still breaking records, still playing unbelievable tennis.

It's just nice to watch from up there. Just have a good seat and enjoying myself (smiling).

Q. You mentioned Wimbledon before. What was it like when you first got back on the court with him after Wimbledon? Was it completely in the past, or was he cranky or determined? What was that period of bounce-back like? What did you talk about?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: He's always cranky on the court. Doesn't matter Wimbledon. (Smiling.)

We came to Cincinnati. It was not even mentioned one time that Wimbledon. It's past. When you lose it's past. You know you can't get it back. That day Carlos was better player, and he won. Very simple.

So we came to Cincinnati. Prepare for this tournament. He won Cincinnati. He's the guy who just forgetting the things and moving on. That's why he's so good. That's why these couple, four-and-a-half weeks in the States, and he was happy that he could play here. It was really, really enjoyable and fun.

Q. Novak is one of the most fierce, most skilled competitor any sport has ever seen for decades. Where does that fighting spirit come from? Is that something he works on, or is it just from who he is as a person? Could you talk about that and share.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: I don't think you can work on that. You are born. You know, some people who are born, he's a genius. He's one of kind. Not too many people in this world like him in sport-wise.

This is one of the biggest achievement in the sport history. We're not talking about tennis. We are talking generally in sport.

He's a winner. He's the guy who is motivating self. He had luck to have a guy like Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer, they came before him, so they pushed each other.

But he's a born winner. For him, when you tell him he cannot do something, it's even worse. Then he's going to show you that he can do it. It's no excuses. He always try to find a way how to win, how to fight, even when he's not feeling well, injured, not injured.

It's just something I cannot say that we all like that from Balkans, because we are not. But he's one of kind, and that's why he's the best. He's something that who knows when ever is going to be born, you know, sportsman like that.

Q. When you talk about not feeling well, was that sort of mentality in your mind on display tonight where obviously the first set goes away, the first set goes, but looks like he wasn't feeling at his best in the second set, stretching out the legs and the hip, all of these things? Was that mentality most on display during that time when he had to fight through this?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yes, yes. He had a little luck, because Daniil gave him a first set. That break in the second game was, like, gift.

With Daniil, you know, you have to always be careful. You know, he has these games. But it was a lot of rallies. A lot of tough points.

Then in the second set, actually, he was amazing how he won that set. You know, I thought was not looking well. He was little lucky with -- I mean, not lucky. I don't say "lucky." He played some unbelievable shots actually in the end. Coming to the net. Some unbelievable volleys at the net. Set point for Medvedev. He read him well at the net.

Tiebreak was already back then he kind of regain his energy, and he was much better. That tiebreak was crucial. That tiebreak was crucial in the Wimbledon, the most crucial. If he win tiebreak in Wimbledon it would be 3-0. Same today. If he would lose that tiebreak, it will be completely different match, completely different outcome maybe, and completely different match. After that set that he won, was just question how fast is going to be the third set.

Even he got broken, was, I knew he's gonna break back soon.

Q. Do you think there is any chance when Novak wins his 25th Grand Slam title, whether that's in Australia or soon after, he'll say, That's great, thanks very much, I've achieved all I wanted, I'm done?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: That question you have to ask him when he comes very soon. I don't think so. No, no, he's planning to play Olympic Games in Los Angeles. (Laughter.)

When is this, 2028? You know what's going in his head. It's like 24 hours something to achieve. So I don't think so.

Q. You know from having been a player and doing it what the grind is like of a Grand Slam tournament. Tournament after tournament, year after year, are you surprised at all what Novak is able to do at this age and keep winning?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Maybe I'll be surprised if I'm not so close to him and see what he's doing.

No, I'm not surprised. He just enjoying, he likes the challenges. Like you ask me 25, yeah, if he wins 25, he's going to think, If I win 25, why not 26? It's always one more, something more.

He's taking care of his body, he's taking care of everything, every single detail has to be perfect, prepared. He's never happy on the court. I don't know if that's good or bad, not good for us (smiling).

Generally, you know, he just does drives him through and he wants more and more. That's why he wants to everything perfect to be on the court, on the practice, and that's why he has unbelievable results.

Q. Medvedev joked about winning of singles and slams. You have won 22 singles and one slam. Is that kind of joking in the team with the numbers of the tournament?

GORAN IVANISEVIC: We're not joking about the numbers. You know, he taking numbers very serious. It's always something more to achieve. I know it's not easy to motivate yourself for the smaller tournaments. It's always Grand Slams, Olympics are for him the most important.

But to play well at the big tournaments, you have to motivate yourself on the smaller tournaments, to put yourself ready and competitive for the big ones, like he did in Cincinnati, and he came here playing very good tennis. After that unbelievable match with Carlos in Cincinnati, that help him to maybe overcome Wimbledon and just gain some more confidence for this one.

So numbers are very important.

Q. He looked up to you related to his toss. That went on throughout the tournament, the ongoing struggle maybe with the toss at certain times. He'd get frustrated. Like the game when he got broken in the third set, he made one first serve and a double fault, and he looks at you and I see you constantly doing that (raising arm). Talk about that.

GORAN IVANISEVIC: Yeah, yeah, when he gets kind of nervous or something, he's not tossing the ball, just tossing too far in front and rushing.

But then, you know, he needs something different. You know, I'm telling him, toss, he needs to process that in his head. Then after he lost the serve, I don't know, had a little fight. He was screaming up there.

But then he focused, broke back, and then he served actually much better next game and game to win the match.

But happens a lot to him, just, you know, out of nowhere. When he's little nervous his ball toss is going too much in front, and then he's bending too much.

But it's these things, you know, he's also human being and can happen also to him, you know.