THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 12, 2024

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/L. Musetti

6-4, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Novak, into your tenth Wimbledon final. Just sum up how that feels.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Surreal in a way because it has always been a childhood favorite tournament, so I keep on repeating that. I also remind myself not to take anything for granted, particularly when you are playing finals in the most important tennis tournament in the history of this sport.

Coming into Wimbledon really before the tournament, I wasn't sure until three, four days before the tournament whether I'm going to take part in it. Made an extra effort to recover as quickly as possible just because it was Wimbledon.

So I'm really, really happy to make the finals because I was not thinking about, particularly in the first couple of matches, of the eventual title match. I was just thinking about moving well, not injuring myself, to be honest, and feeling more free so to say in my movement.

That's what happened I think in the third and particularly fourth round. I felt like, Okay, I'm actually playing close to my best, and I can have a shot at the title.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Sunday could be the best sporting day for England in 58 years. We are all hoping that Gareth Southgate does it against Spain.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Brings it home. You're hoping he brings it home.

Q. Before that, you could break the heart of a young Spanish yourself on that Centre Court. Do you relish that prospect? Do you think the crowd will be rooting for you given that you are playing someone from Spain?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think that the English crowd will have best of both worlds because I think the finals is at night, so we are starting I think at 2, so they'll have plenty of time to enjoy the tennis and football as well.

I think Wimbledon finals is probably the most watched tennis match in the entire year in the world. So not only England, but I'm sure that a lot of people around the world will follow it. It adds more, I guess, to the importance of the match.

I'm not sure if I'm going to break his heart. I'm not intending to do that. I think he's so young, but still has three already Grand Slams under his belt and going for his fourth.

He surprised I think all of us last year the way he played in Queen's and Wimbledon, which he won back-to-back. You would think that for someone growing up in Spain, as he did, the way he's playing, clay court, Grand Slam win, which happened this year in Roland Garros, and US Open a few years ago was maybe not as surprising as Wimbledon, but the way he has moved, played the last couple of years on grass has been terrific to watch, to be honest.

I see a lot of similarities between me and him in terms of ability to adapt and adjust to the surface. I think that's probably his biggest trait, is that he's got skills to play equally well on any surface and to adapt to a given opponent that particular day.

So he's a very all-around player, very complete player. Impressive what he has done for such a young age. I said on the court, which I think probably all of us share the same opinion, that he's going to win many slams in his career.

Hope he's going to give me this one in two days, and let's see (smiling). After that I'll cheer for him.

Q. I think a lot of us, me included, thought you were a little crazy and a little reckless a couple of weeks ago when you were embarking on this. Does it give you extra satisfaction to be proving people wrong, whether it's doctors, idiot journalists like me, things like that?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Not really. You know, I don't want to prove people wrong. I was really focused on, you know, trying to make Wimbledon happen for me this year.

And I was not reckless. Any day 'reckless' means I was going against the medical experts that were leading the rehab process. And I was never against that. I never pushed anything.

So once we started rehab, I followed every single day everything that they said that I have to do. I did even more than that I think in terms of trying to make an effort for Wimbledon comeback. They were aware of it. But we agreed that we will not talk about my guaranteed Wimbledon participation until three, four days before the tournament starts.

So until we get to London, until I test my knee on the court, until I play the practice sets, until I really, yeah, really test my knee and see how it reacts.

So everything that we've done in the process of 20-plus days has been giving us a positive indication and signal.

Yeah, I mean, I understand why people were thinking it's premature, it's maybe reckless, as you use that term, but I don't think it was, to be honest. I just followed what they were saying, that they were evaluating in terms of my knee and how it was on a daily basis reacting to the load of the exercises that they were putting me on.

I keep on mentioning him, but let's not forget Taylor Fritz, you know. He was in the same situation, and he had even less days than I had. He came back after 21 days exactly after his surgery and played three rounds in Wimbledon, four-setter, five-setter, and four-setter. It was great.

I think for me it was really encouraging knowing that there was already someone like him who has been through pretty much same situation. He was, as I said, kind enough to share his journey, and that gave me even more confidence that I can make it.

Q. He didn't make the final, though.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he didn't make the finals, but he lost a tight four-setter in the third round against Zverev.

I didn't know if I'm going to make the finals, of course, but I did say before the tournament that I'm going to play only if I really feel that I can go deep in the tournament, meaning that I can compete with the best guys.

The first couple of rounds maybe I wasn't moving as well, and I was still finding that freedom to move, so to say. Then third, fourth round particularly onwards I felt like, Okay, I'm not thinking about the knee. I'm actually playing free, and I'm playing as good as I can.

Q. 37 days from the surgery. 37 finals on Sunday. Musetti just said out of the seven match that he played with you, this was by far the best for him and for you. I would like to know if you agree and if you think that he would have probably beaten 90% of the other players if he was playing somebody else.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I cannot speak about how he felt on the court or how he was playing. He obviously knows better.

But I thought that I maybe did not play my best. At certain moments I played very good. I think I played probably at the level that is good enough to win in straight sets.

I don't think I played my best tennis, to be honest.

Q. Your best this year?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I would say I played better than against Rune, to be honest. I felt better on the court. Again, it was a different matchup. It was Musetti who was in good form playing finals of Queen's, and now semis, and doesn't have anything to lose. First time in semis of a slam.

He's an awkward player to play against because he has that slice, defense slice. His drop shots. He can serve and volley. He's so crafty with his tennis. He has all-around game. He can play any shot. He's so talented. You don't know what to expect in a way. Each shot could be different.

So, yeah, I mean, he was playing well particularly in that second set and we went toe-to-toe. It could have been maybe different outcome if he would win that second set.

But again, I think in the important moments in all three sets, I probably played a little bit better than him, and it was enough.

Q. I just wondered what it would mean to you to equal Roger Federer's record and win eight Wimbledons? And also I noticed that Gareth Bale was in your box supporting you the other day. I wonder if you could talk about your friendship with him. Is he coming back on Sunday to support you again? Obviously, he won't be watching the England game.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Obviously I'm aware that Roger holds eight Wimbledons. I hold seven. History is on the line. Also, the 25th potential Grand Slam.

Of course, it serves as a great motivation, but at the same time it's also a lot of pressure and expectations. Every time I step out on the court now, even though I'm 37 and competing with the 21-year-olds, I still expect myself to win most of the matches, and people expect me to win, whatever, 99% of the matches that I play.

I always have to come out on the court and perform my best in order to still be at the level with Carlos or Jannik or Sascha or any of those guys, Daniil. This year hasn't been that successful for me. It's probably the weakest results the first six months I've had in many years.

That's okay. I had to adapt and accept that and really try to find also way out from the injury that I had and kind of regroup.

Wimbledon historically there's been seasons where I wasn't maybe playing at a desired level, but then I would win a Wimbledon title and then things would change.

For example, that was the case in 2018 when I had elbow surgery earlier in the year, dropped my rankings out of top 20, losing in fourth round of Australian Open, I think it was quarters of Roland Garros, and just not playing the tennis that I want to play. Then I won Wimbledon and then won US Open and then later on became No. 1 very soon.

Yeah, Wimbledon just extracts the best of me and motivates me to really always show up and perform the best I can.

Of course, I'm aware of what's on the line. It always is really. Any Grand Slam that I play, there's always history now on the line. I will try to use that as a fuel to, yeah, play my best tennis.

Gareth, I can call him a friend now. We've known each other before. I've, of course, followed his career closely when he was playing for Real Madrid and being one of the best players in the world and admired him a lot, not just for his football skills, but also his personality. I think he's really one of the nicest athletes that I've met in terms of character and personality.

Really humble guy. Loves his golf. That's where we actually connected more last year, the Ryder Cup All-Star match that we played together. Yeah, he was giving me some tips for golf. We had a dinner there, and we spent few days together. That's I think where we really developed a nice relationship.

So I invited him to come. And of course, I'll invite him again. I don't know if he's going to watch England match later on. I'm not going to comment on that. But he's always in my corner and that he can come and watch and support.

Q. You've obviously been hitting with Nick Kyrgios and you're probably in as good of a position to let us know where he is at and what we can expect from him when he does get better.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I can tell you a few days ago when we practiced - actually yesterday I think it was when we practiced - he hit a really good serve, and he said, Well, I might come back at the US Open. So I don't know if he was joking about it or not. But let me tell you, he's hitting the ball as good as ever really.

He's so talented. He's so good with his tennis. I think he said that the wrist bothers him mostly with the serve, but he's been increasing the load and the intensity and the speed. He's not going for full pace or full-strength serve, but he's close to that. He's close to that.

He's very positive. It's nice to see him full of life, full of energy. Like, he's really pumped to be here in Wimbledon enjoying our practice sessions and commentating. He's an extremely important guy for our sport. I think he brings new fans.

He's been doing a terrific job actually staying in tennis with his podcast and everything that he's been doing, interviewing Mike Tyson and some very interesting personalities from different industries.

Yeah, it's a little bit of a bromance that we are having in last few years, considering we really didn't like each other at all for many years. But now we are getting along very well. He was very nice also to my kids. He played with them.

Yeah, I think that the return is near, but it's hard to say really because one thing is really practicing for like an hour or two, but completely something different when you are out there on the tour playing in a tournament where you have to come back every single day maybe for four, five, six days in a row. I guess he will also not know if his wrist will react well until he actually plays a tournament.

So, yeah, I hope he can come back personally, and I think everyone in tennis hopes he can come back quickly because we definitely need him on the tour.