THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 4, 2024

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/J. Fearnley

6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Novak, a bit of a test out there today, but feeling good?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, credit to him for playing a really great match. I thought he fought. He kept believing even though he was two sets down and a break down. Yeah, he got the crowd involved.

I dropped my level. I think I should have done some things better in the third set to finish it off.

Yeah, very challenging conditions today. Very, very windy. Not easy to find the right tempo and the right rhythm on the ball.

But yeah, I think I just did enough to win there in the fourth. Was a bit lucky to really get out of the trouble, not to go break down.

Hopefully I can raise the level in the upcoming rounds.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Oftentimes players come back from an injury and they're nervous, worried about reinjuring it, what step they might take. Did you feel that at all today?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, not really. But I do feel that has an impact on my movement a little bit in terms of the speed. It's not yet there where I want it to be. Kind of late on the balls that I'm normally not late on.

That's the part which I guess comes with matches. So the longer I stay in the tournament, I think the better the chances that my movement will improve.

The earlier rounds is where I'm still a little bit rusty on the movement, I think. That's what I felt today, at least.

But yeah, I don't worry about reinjuring my knee. I don't have time nor energy to think about it, nor do I think it's worth it. I wouldn't be here unless I think that - not just myself, but the whole team - that I'm ready to compete at this level.

Q. Can I ask you about your next opponent. You played him earlier this year in Australia. What are your thoughts there?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I saw he won in a five-set thriller today. Big serve. Big forehand. He loves that serve-plus-forehand play.

We had a good match, very good match in Australia. I think he improved his backhand a lot and his movement. That was maybe not as good in the past. He's becoming a very complete player. Tall guy. He's not afraid to finish the point at the net.

Yeah, if he serves well, it's very tough to play. Anybody on the grass that serves as good as he serves... I guess one of the keys will be in that match how good I will be able to read his serves and get it back in play, make him work for his points. On my end, serve well as well.

Let's see. I'm expecting obviously a tough challenge.

Q. What are your first memories of Andy, when you first saw him and played against him? Do you ever reflect how weird it is you spend so much of your life playing with or being around, not just Andy, but like Monfils, a lot of your life?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Exactly. The first time I met Andy, I was 12. We go very long back. We were never too close on the tour because it's difficult, you're rivals. We always had tremendous respect for each other, shared the stage, so to say, for many, many years.

I think there is only maybe one week difference in age. Our trajectory to the professional tour and top of the men's game is pretty similar. I mean, not much was separating our careers.

We played some incredible matches all over the world, finals of different Grand Slams - all Grand Slams actually. I played him in finals of all Grand Slams, which I think maybe could be the only player I faced in the finals of all Grand Slams. Maybe Rafa. I'm not sure.

He's definitely one of the three guys, other than Roger and Rafa, that really has impacted my career and my growth as a tennis player a lot.

So if this is his last match, obviously it's sad that he's not able to finish in his own terms in singles. Playing alongside his brother is probably even more emotional for everyone - for them, for the family, for this tournament, for the tennis in general.

I do wish him all the best in his farewell. But I wouldn't be surprised if he decides to come back again. He's incredible competitor. Resilience that you can definitely study and teach young athletes.

Q. You talked about wanting to raise your level. You mentioned the way in which the knee is preventing you from being 100%. Are there other ways you might already have in mind, other ways, areas in which you can improve as you want to keep getting better? Would you ever watch either Tuesday's match or today's match to see if there's anything you can pick out that maybe you could fix?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I always do. I don't watch the entirety of the full length of the match. I do watch highlights. I do watch specific moments where I thought I've done well or moments where I haven't done so well, and just try to analyze that myself. Then, of course, with my team members. Draw some conclusions, take it to the practice court and work on it.

First part of your question? The answer is, just play as many matches as possible. As the tournament progresses, as I said, the more matches I have, the better the chance I'll have to feel more comfortable moving around and gain that speed, agility, change of direction, that freedom that I'm looking for, really.

I had it in certain moments today, certain moments in the first match, but then it's still not there. In a way, it's expected and normal when you come back from surgery, the body's trying to understand what's going on. Very early after surgery, already competing at the highest level on a surface that is, again, slippery. Kind of have to be careful with the way you move at times.

But I'll take this any day of the week, comparing to the pain that thankfully I'm not feeling. I'm not feeling the pain, but I'm struggling a little bit with movement. That's fine. That's something that is workable. I can work on it on a daily basis.

But it's going to have the biggest effect on matches. The more matches, the more of those type of situations I have, the better I will play and move.

Q. How did the sensations in your knee change from day to day on and off the court?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I said, I didn't experience any pain today. The first match I did have one or two situations. Today none, which is great.

My knee has been responding really well in the days off, as well. I haven't had any swelling, inflammation, so that's great.

The muscles around it are contracting and getting sore more than usual because they're compensating and protecting the knee, which is normal. There's more work on those muscles. Maybe because they are sore, they're also not really giving me that kind of dynamic speed and power that I need and want to have.

But it's all part of the process on the opening days. As I said, first two, three matches is probably something that I have to accept as part of the process. Hopefully I can go through and then build from there.