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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS MENFebruary 28, 2013Novak DjokovicDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES N. DJOKOVIC/A. Seppi THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. No late‑match bobble this time? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. Well, again, I didn't use my first match point. I've got to start thinking about, you know, using the first opportunity. No, but again, it was an even better performance than first two matches, so match after match I'm elevating the level, which is good. I'm trying to do my best on the court. Tomorrow obviously I have a big challenge, the biggest so far. Hopefully I can sustain the level from today. Q. No letdown today? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No letdown. Good serving in the right moments. Q. Was this a little bit of ‑‑I mean, after yesterday, was there some frustration you were taking it out on the court? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I mean, on 5‑3 and before the first point, I said to myself, Now you better focus. Do your job this game. Don't want to take this match any longer. So served well, and I'm pleased. Q. You did well in Abu Dhabi in December. You won. And now you're doing well in Dubai. UAE is obviously working well for you. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I like playing here. Conditions can vary, really. Can be quite hot, can be also very dry and windy. But, no, I won three titles here. I won last two years in Abu Dhabi. Yeah, Emirates have been treating me quite well, I have to say. Q. Andy Murray said a couple years ago that he wanted to focus on Grand Slams, that that's where he wanted to play his best. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. Q. But he said last year that he thought maybe that was a mistake, that he should always go out withhis best in every tournament. Is that your attitude? Every tournament the same? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. I mean, since I started competing, really, juniors and again in the professional circuit, I think I developed this kind of mindset that I should always give my maximum. Obviously your best changes day to day, but try to win every match that you play on without any calculations. For most of the times, it has been the right decision. So sometimes, you know, I push myself maybe over the limit and got injured in a few occasions in my career because of the strong desire that I had to win and played. But, look, it's the instinct of the professional athlete. You can't really go out there and just try to play nice for the crowd and let the opponent win because you want to save yourself for next week. You know, people come to watch you, watch you play, they pay for tickets. Especially if you're a top player, it's the responsibility for you to try to perform your best. I mean, as I said, it can change‑ you can't always be on 100% level ‑ but at least you can try. Q. Roger was talking about his outfit yesterday. Do you have any input on your outfit? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. (Smiling.) Q. Can you talk about that? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Is that a compliment or I should really start thinking of letting the other people do their job? (Laughter.) No, I mean, the last touch obviously has the great designer of Uniqlo that selects the collections, but I do have my input and I do participate in decision‑making. So hopefully you like it. Do you like it? Q. Of course. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You don't really look convincing, your face. I can change. Let me know. I can change. Q. It lacks pink. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Pink? Q. You have to follow Federer. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no. He should go with pink. I'll go with some other colors. Q. Lots of things have been happening in the world of sport, like Pistorius and before that was, you know, Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods before that. It's left the sports fan wondering whether they know their champion. You've always advocated a close relationship between the fan and the athlete. Can you talk a little about that and how much of an athlete, the champion, that the fans must know? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Absolutely. I mean, it's essential that professional athletes, especially the most successful ones, keep interacting with the fans, because they're the ones who are giving you support, sometimes unconditional love and support. It's incredible. I mean, in my case I have been looking at the videos and all the messages and support that I have been getting the last few years. Some people are just ‑‑it's breathtaking what they are making for me, you know, how much dedication and passion they have for what I do. You know, I try to give something in return obviously through my performance on the court and off the court, as well. You know, you try your best because they are the ones who carry you on, who give you wins. Sport is one of the, I guess, the purest ways of living. I think it teaches you a great deal of commitment, dedication, great socialization, love, passion. And just, you know, hard work really pays off in the end. You can't really cheat in sport. You need to be committed all your life in the sport like tennis, which is a very demanding sport. It's individual sport. It's all on you. You lose or you win. So I hope that tennis in this moment, I feel that it's probably one of the best eras in the history of the sport that is gaining more fans around the world because it's a beautiful game to watch. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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