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ROGERS CUP MENAugust 12, 2012Novak DjokovicTORONTO, ONTARIO N. DJOKOVIC/R. Gasquet THE MODERATOR: Novak Djokovic, the 2012 Rogers Cup champion. Questions. Q. First off, how did it feel to play a whole match without a rain delay? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Felt great. (Smiling.) The weather looked convincingly good this morning, so I was hoping that we can play a match without interruptions, which wasn't the case in last couple of days. Yeah, it's been a great week for me. Quite special in a way because of the fact that I didn't have much time really to get used to hard court and time change because of London and Olympic Games. I was never in doubt of coming here, and I love playing in Canada. Just very glad to be winning this trophy. Q. You were only broken once this entire tournament. In your opinion, what is it in your game that makes it so hard for guys to break you? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I'm not one of the biggest servers in the game, that's for sure, but I always try to focus on obviously the second shot after the serve. As many free points from the first serve as I can get, I'm really happy and I'm glad. I been working on the efficiency of my first and second serve, but also trying to be aggressive in the first ball. It's been working exceptionally well throughout the whole week. Q. It would have been very easy to get discouraged or frustrated this week. Do you take a special pride in keep your focus and sitting here as the champion? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Of course. It's a big tournament, one of the biggest we have in tennis. I'm very happy to be in this position. Truly did not expect myself to win this tournament, you know, after the emotional losses in Olympic Games. I really took it hard. I tried to bounce back and recover; I've done great, I have to say. Q. Was it especially given the conditions, given the travel... NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, it was. It was. The rain delays and interruptions weren't making my life easier, that's for sure, but I was really committed to do anything in my power that will make me more ready, let's say, and fitter and recovered for all the matches that I've played here. Q. You just talking about the emotions and disappointments of Wimbledon and the Olympic Games, on a scale of one to ten ‑ with ten being the best ‑ coming in here where would you have rated yourself, and coming out of tournament where would you rate yourself? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I have to disappoint you. I don't like scales. I don't like to give any numbers there.  But it was definitely disappointing. There is no doubt about that. The losses on Olympic Games were more difficult for me emotionally than Wimbledon, but I still played some great matches, played really good tournaments both on grass courts. If I could have done better, yes, maybe, but that's sport. But after I was finished with the Olympic Games, you know, I was sitting down with my team and trying to figure out what is the best solution and next step and if I should play the whole hard court season or not. As I said at the start of the conference, I was never in doubt of coming here. I really wanted to come. The two losses that I had in three days in Olympic Games gave me even more desire to come here and perform my best and try to win a title. So this is actually a huge confidence boost for me. Haven't won a title since Miami and played lots of finals. This is a great hard court season start. Q. Also after winning last year was it important for to you protect the points by coming here, too? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: There is always pressure of defending your points if you win a tournament. That's something that's part of our points and ranking system, the way it works in our sport. To be quite frank with you, I hope that we can make certain changes regarding that, because there is lots of lots of pressure on the players, you know, especially top players, of defending their points all the time and coming back over and over again. So hopefully we can get rule change in the future that will release us from that expectation. But it's something that I got used to over the years. As I said before, hard court is my most preferred surface, and I love playing in Canada. This is great success for me. Q. Over the summer you haven't received as much talk as maybe Roger and Andy and even Rafa to some extent. Now maybe with this title you'll get a little more focus going into New York. Do you prefer to sort of fly under the radar, or do you like having a little more pressure on you? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I can't really effect that. I really don't pay too much attention on the talks around. My job is to win every match that I play on and try to get as many titles as possible. Everything else falls up. Andy and Roger were the best two players in last month and a half, and so it's normal. It shifts; it changes. As I said, I will try to keep my focus and dedication for every tournament and try to get as many titles as possible. Q. Can you talk to us about the match tonight? Were you so strong? Was he that weak? What happened so that it was such a quick finale? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, the opening couple of games of the first set were quite close. I thought I served really well today. I wasn't trying to force my first serve speed‑wise too much. I tried to be precise and efficient with it and open up the court. I was really aggressive coming to the net, so I've achieved what I planned to do tactics‑wise before the match. I made a crucial break at 4‑3. Q. Can I ask you an annoying question? Was the fact that you were the only top four player here less pressure on you? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Less pressure? No, look, pressure is always present. Pressure is a privilege in a way. It's a challenge. When you have pressure, that means that you've done something in your life that matters. Over the years you learn how to deal with it. It's normal. Everybody has pressure and expectation. It's just a matter of how you cope with it. Q. Your comments last night about the roof, will you consider coming back to this event if they keep it in this facility without a roof? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, sure. I will be coming back definitely. It's one my favorite events. That was just a suggestion from a player's perspective and view, let's say, considering the last couple of days. I've seen the people mention that I stated that I wanted a roof. I didn't want a roof. I wanted covers. I think all the other players will agree. Roof is a little bit too much, but just the covers, that would save players and the tournament and all the people who are volunteers and working to clean the courts, saving us time so we can get on the court faster. Q. In the quarterfinals today and in the finals you were facing two of the best one‑handed backhands, which you didn't have for some years. Which one was more tough to handle? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Every match is different, so obviously finals is unpredictable and takes the best out of both players. Every opponent is different and has its weaknesses and advantages, so you try to focus on that. Q. Something just totally away from here, from this, I know you can't do anything about this, but I would just like your opinion. Do you think Bob and Mike Bryan should be given membership to the All England? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't understand why you're... Because they never won Wimbledon? Q. No, because they have and they've never been given a membership. Singles winners get memberships obviously, but the only doubles team as of late that has received a membership are the Woodies. Mike and Bob have never been invited. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: They definitely deserve it. I'll vote for that. (Laughter.) Yeah, it's tremendous what they're doing. I know actually Nenad Zimonjic who won it twice in doubles, he doesn't have it. So, look, I'm not getting into the politics of the All England Club. Obviously they know what they're doing and they're doing it really well. So if you are asking me if they deserve, yes, they deserve after all they have done. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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