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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS MENFebruary 29, 2012Novak DjokovicDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES N. DJOKOVIC/S. Stakhovsky THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. He was tough to get on top of, wasn't he? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, you know, he's been playing well last couple of years here in Dubai and reached quarterfinals last year. Had a good match with Roger. I was expecting a lot serve and volley attacks, especially after first serve. She was using it really well, you know, making my return games very difficult. But we both controlled our service games quite well up to maybe the beginning of the second set. I had one bad service game; he had couple. I was fortunate to use the opportunity when it was presented. Q. Over the last year, you've had such a wonderful time. You win most times at the crucial points, even in this set just now. When it comes to the tiebreak, you always win the crucial points. What is it you can do that other people can't? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't think I'm the only one. But, you know, let's say it's probably, you know, the fact that ‑‑ the difference between the top players and maybe the lower‑ranked players is actually those moments, you know, and managing to keep your composure and cope with the pressure and just focus, have an extra focus, mental strength. That's all really. There is not much difference in the shots. We don't hit, I don't know, ten miles stronger shot than our opponents. It's just everybody is practicing, and we all took the game to another level. There is a lot of great players on the tour. Again, it's just the match experience I think as well, and knowing what to do. Q. How do you look at your next match? Are there any things that you would like to improve from what you've done in the last matches? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, it was the first day match for me this year in Dubai. I remember in last couple of years I did struggle coming from the night match to the day match more or less every time, you know. So that's what happened a little bit here, you know, trying to find my position on the court, rhythm in the returns. Obviously I had a very tough opponent for that. But, look you know, next one is Janko. He's a great friend of mine, somebody I know really well. He's now established top‑10 player. He's playing equal well on all surfaces, so it's going to be a good match. Q. When the two of you took a vacation after London last year, was there A, any tennis played, and B, any tennis talked about? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: A, no; B, yes. We have talked; not too much. We try to keep our heads off the tennis courts and of the tennis subjects, because we really played so many matches in 2011. Throughout the whole year we need to be committed to our obligations and on the tour traveling, so tennis is more or less everything we do. So it was nice times for us to spend together there on the small island where they had a tennis court, but we always tried to take the road around it, not to see it. (Laughter.) Q. Was there any competitive things? Swim race you out to that buoy out there? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, no, no, no. Actually, his wife and my girlfriend, they were more active. We just took it very easy. Took a nice you fruit cocktails and adjust enjoyed the sun. Q. What parts of his game will you really watch out for? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Of his game? Q. What parts of Janko's game? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, he's very solid from the baseline. I think both shots are very good. You know, when he has time and he steps into the court, he's very dangerous. Well, I need to try to be aggressive. You know, I need to try to stay close to the line. That's all. He doesn't have many weaknesses in his game. Q. He's only recently started winning titles. What's the difference now? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: About him? I guess we all believed, you know, within the Serbian tennis players, and I think a lot people who grew up with him and play tennis with him, we knew that he has potential for top 10. You know, it was just a matter of time when he's going to realize that, when he's going to start to believe in his game and his abilities and his goals. He did. You know, he did. He became more professional and figured out some things. It's all mental at that level. There is not much difference game‑wise. But that's what we talked about right now. Q. At the start of last year you were already No. 3 in the world; you had a slam win and soon another; a big success. Nobody would say, Wow that guy is a failure. Yet, you still had this thing where you wanted to push it more and made some hard changes to do that. I'm wondering where you think that kind of rare drive comes from? Is it something you have? Something you learned? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, knowing all the athletes from Serbia, the tennis players, we all have that hunger for success. You know, always a very dedicated mindset, you know, and wanting to succeed and wanting to get as far as we can go. You know, reach the international stage. We all dreamed of being the best in what we do. I was one of those people. Even when I reached the No. 3 of the world and won a Grand Slam, still was a lot of good success that I had until end of 2010, but I was just not satisfied enough. You know, I needed make that extra step. I wanted to achieve my life goal and to win Wimbledon and more Grand Slams to really prove to myself in the first place and to everybody else that I have the qualities to be the best. I guess that will to win, you know, decided. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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