US OPEN

August 31, 2024

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

A. POPYRIN/N. Djokovic

6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Clearly Alexei played exceptionally well tonight. From your perspective, where were you most short?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Congratulations to him and his team. He definitely played better and deserved to win today. I mean, on my end, honestly, the way I felt and the way I played from the beginning of this tournament, third round is a success. I mean, I have played some of the worst tennis I have ever played, honestly, serving by far the worst ever.

So, yeah, if you play on a quick surface like this without, you know, the serve, without ability to win free points there, very low first-serve percentage, many double faults, then you can't win. You can't win, especially against the guys who are in form like Alexei who is serving big, puts a lot of pressure on your service game. Yeah, it was just an awful match for me.

Q. You mentioned a success just getting to the third round, given where your level is.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.

Q. If we go back a few weeks, given where your level was on that Sunday afternoon, which was maybe one of the best matches you have ever played, can you talk us through from there to here? Was it just too much after that?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. Maybe, maybe. But it's a different surface. I mean, obviously it had an effect. I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive to New York just not feeling fresh mentally and physically.

But because it's US Open, you know, I gave it a shot and I tried my best. I mean, I didn't have any physical issues. I just felt out of gas, you know, and you could see that with the way I played.

Just from the very beginning, from the first match, I just didn't find myself at all on this court. It's all I can say, you know. You know, life moves on. I mean, yeah, just try and recalibrate and look for what's next.

Q. Did you try to change anything up? Was there anything you were able to attempt to do to slow him down or...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, I tried so many things, and sometimes that's an issue, you know, is that you move away from the basics that work. Then you just lose the basics. You lose the foundation. You lose the movement, the timing, the rhythm, the tempo, everything, whether it's a serve or any other shot.

It was just really a big struggle mentally for me to play these three matches here, because I wasn't playing even close to my best. So, you know, it's not good to be in that kind of state where you feel okay physically, and of course you're motivated because it's a Grand Slam, but you just are not able to find your game. That's it. The game is falling apart, and I guess you have to accept that tournaments like this happen.

Yeah, you could argue that it's because of the Olympics, but I don't know. I don't want to analyze that right now. You know, I was just looking to really improve my game here on a daily basis, but it just didn't happen.

Q. Is Alexei Popyrin like a real deal here? Can he contend for the title or maybe not quite there already yet?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know what to make of that question. I mean, look, he's just beaten me, the defending champion here, so, I mean, he deserves credit for that and respect.

If he serves well, plays well, he can beat anybody. Look, Alcaraz is out, I'm out, you know, some big upsets. The draw is opening up. Obviously Sinner is the main favorite, but then, you know, Tiafoe is there as well as American favorite Fritz. Zverev, you have great guys playing well, and Rublev, Dimitrov in this part of the draw. Anybody can take it. It's going to be interesting to see who takes the title in the end.

Q. You said that tournaments like this happen, but they don't happen to you. What sense of appreciation do you have as you think about all the tournaments that you have gone way past this over all these years?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I mean, obviously fresh off the court, you have a bitter taste in your mouth and you don't like losing, even though I had so many more wins than losses in this tournament and really any other.

So I have to draw the line. Sitting from a larger perspective, of course I have to be content. It's hard to see the big perspective right now, you know. You're just angry and upset that you lost and the way you played and that's it.

But, you know, tomorrow is a new day, and I will obviously think about what to do next.