	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 22, 2009

Novak Djokovic

CINCINNATI, OHIO

N. DJOKOVIC/R. Nadal
6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Could you explain a little bit your feelings after a great performance like today.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, obviously I have to be very pleased with the way I played. This has been one of the best matches in the season so far. It came in the great moment just before the US Open.
I think I was trying to be from the first point in the control of the match, be very aggressive, and take the chances on each shot or ball that I had. That's what I did.
The serve was exceptionally well when it needed to be, so overall I'm very happy.

Q. Do you think you're at somewhat of a disadvantage with the quite late start and obviously a very early final? Roger has obviously had a lot longer rest.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, that's unfortunate side of today's match. But I'm not thinking about that in this moment. I'm just pleased to get into the finals, and then I hope I can recover physically and perform as well as I did tonight tomorrow.

Q. Despite your record -- you're 4 and 14 in the series and your four wins came on hardcourts -- do you go into this match with a lot of confidence? Talk a little bit about that.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes, hardcourt is my favorite surface, and the surface where I achieved biggest success so far in the career. I just feel quite comfortable playing on this surface. It just suits my game.
I was aware that I will have to raise the level of my game tonight in order to win against Rafa. That's what I have to do tomorrow as well.

Q. When you think about your meeting with Roger at last year's US Open in the semis, or when you even think about that US Open, do you think of that match, or did it get kind of lost in what happened in the quarters against Andy and all the ruckus that followed?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it was very strange tournament for me last year, the US Open. But the positives of it is that I reached the semifinals and played quite well. I've been playing last three years really, really well and reaching the final stages of the US Open.
So that's very encouraging fact for me for upcoming Grand Slam. Obviously US Open is the most important tournament for us in this period of the year, so everybody is trying to set up their form for New York.
But, no, I'm not thinking about that match before finals tomorrow. I'm just trying to stay focused and perform as well as I did tonight. Last two meetings we had this year I won, Miami and Rome. Both of those meetings I was a set and a break down, so I didn't have a great start. That's where I will try to make better tomorrow.

Q. So what specifically do you need to focus on to beat Roger tomorrow?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he's a different kind of player from Rafa. Rafa runs more and, well, gives you more time to do the things maybe you like.
With Roger, the points are shorter, so if he plays the way he was playing in most of the year so far, it's gonna be really difficult.
But, well, obviously I will have to be focused on each point. He's gonna put a lot of pressure on my service games and he's gonna go to the net.
As well as he played today, I hope we can have an interesting match tomorrow.

Q. I heard that there was a possibility for you and Rafa to play doubles here in Cincinnati; is that true?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, that's true. Unfortunately he wasn't ready physically to play singles and doubles, so he just decided to play singles. Maybe we have chance in the future.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297