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ROGERS CUP MEN

August 14, 2010

Novak Djokovic

TORONTO, ONTARIO

R. FEDERER/N. Djokovic
6-1, 3-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. First set went by very quick, and the second set you were down 2-Love, but somehow out of nowhere it seemed like you turned things around. What happened out there? Why the difference?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I had a very slow start. I knew Roger is gonna take the ball early and try to take pressure on me. He did. He did it extremely well.
I kind of didn't find my rhythm, you know. After only half an hour it was already set and break up. But I managed to come back, and I started feeling the ball better. But overall, I think it wasn't the best performance by my side. I wasn't serving well when I needed to, and I made a lot of unforced errors on my backhand side.
So to be able to be in the position to win this match with the performance that I don't think it's good enough, it's okay, it's fine. You know, it's a little bit frustrating that I haven't used the opportunity I had in the end, but, you know, he was realistically a better player today.

Q. Any reason why you think you didn't have that rhythm when you came out in the first set? Anything you can pinpoint?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. I don't know. I just -- I just made too many unforced errors from the backhand side. I just don't know the reason for that.
I was too impatient, and as soon as I started putting more, one ball more than him in the rally, I won most of the points, you know.
That's what I was supposed to do. It was a big chance and 5-All, but yet again, on a break ball, another unforced error and things change. You know, if you don't use against a player like him, it will come back to you.

Q. What do you think as the rallies went longer that you thought you had the advantage?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. I just felt like I had more chances to win those rallies than he did. I thought I, as long as the rallies went, I felt more comfortable hitting the ball, and he -- I guess he knew that, as well. And he tried to win the points shorter, and he was doing that well, you know. I was managing to fight back, but, you know, in the end I didn't succeed.

Q. At the end of the match you came to the net and you were smiling and you said something to him. If it's not too personal, can you tell us what you said?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You ask him.

Q. Are you the kind of player who gets angry at yourself after this, or do you try not to?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I do get angry. You could see that at 5-all. (Smiling.) It didn't work for me, the racquet breaking, this time.
Well, as I said on the start of this conference, I am frustrated with the loss and upset about the loss. Of course I am. I am a competitor, and it doesn't matter the way I play. If I have a chance to win and I don't, I'm not happy and I cannot be happy.
But it's semifinals. It's a good result. Played couple of matches quite well, had a lot of hours on the court. Now I'm going to Cincinnati, trying to get even better result, and in the end in New York which is the most important for all of us.

Q. With that slow start, I mean, is this something you look at your serve in the first set trying to help you out at least a little bit, get some free points, maybe get a little 30-Love lead in the game so that you can start to find the rally?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, that's something that I wanted, but as I said, he was doing extremely well putting a lot of returns back and then just stepping in in each shorter ball that he had.
So I didn't find a solution. For 40 minutes, I didn't find any solution. Then I broke him in a good game, and then it was all square, I think, up to the end.

Q. If you were to assess your performance this week compared to, say, a year ago, how good do you feel your form is right now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's better. It's better. I'm -- well, I'm trying to compare it with the first five, six months of the year that I haven't played the best tennis, and I had a lot of ups and downs with the results, with the help and different side factors that kind of affected my game.
But since Wimbledon I'm playing much better, played in Davis Cup great, great matches, and here, as well. You know, just -- I'm a little bit unsatisfied with unforced errors that I had today, but overall, it's okay. You know, it's good result, and I'm confident that I can play good tennis in upcoming weeks.

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