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WIMBLEDONJune 27, 2013Novak DjokovicLONDON, ENGLAND N. DJOKOVIC/B. Reynolds THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. After the first set that was a little bit tight it got a little bit easier. You found your rhythm it seems out there. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I was serving well throughout the whole match. Still haven't dropped my serve, which is encouraging fact. Credit to my opponent today for playing well when he was breakpoints down. But I had a poor realization of my breakpoint opportunities today. Hopefully that's going to get better in the next matches. But overall performance was good. Q. After the results of the last few days, people are now talking and thinking about a potential final between yourself and Andy. How do you view that prospect? How do you guard against any hiccups that would stop that from happening? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't think about that final because it's still a very long way. I think the fact that the top players lost in the last few days gives enough reason for all of us to not underestimate any opponent and not look that far. So we got to take it step by step. It's sport, you know. This is what happens. Everybody, especially lower‑ranked players in the opening rounds, have nothing to lose really when they go on the center stage and they come up with their best game. Like Stakhovsky yesterday played a fantastic match. It's something that you should always be cautious about, you know, the potential upsets in the first rounds until you're trying to get the rhythm on the court and somebody comes out and is feeling the ball really well. These are part of the sport. There is also a huge amount of expectations for the top players always to reach the final stages, and, you know, predicting the top‑up matches. But in the end of the day we cannot forget all the other players who are taking a part of this tournament. You know, this makes it even more interesting, I think, the fact that in a way it was surprising that so many top players lost in last few days. But, again, we see some new faces and it's good for the sport. Q. On the eve of the tournament when we asked you about the draw, you said, It's going to be a great Monday. How would you describe now how the two halves of the draw look compared to when things began? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, as I said, it was a bit strange to see so many top players either lost or retired. There was many retirements, especially yesterday. But, you know, grass is a very special surface. It requires a different kind of movement. It's a big effort, especially for tall guys like Isner, Cilic. I understand they retired because of their knees. So even if grass at the start of Wimbledon is still not so used and I guess a little bit slippery, it can be dangerous, you know, until you really get your right footing on the court. That's probably the reason why they all felt uncomfortable and they all injured themselves, unfortunately. Even in the women's draw. You see Sharapova and Azarenka out. Yeah, it hasn't happened a lot in the Wimbledon history, but this is what it is. I try to, you know, obviously pay attention on what's coming up for me next. Q. What does it say about the unpredictability, though? Remember how things looked a couple days ago and how they look now. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: For me it looks more or less the same, I mean, in my part of the draw. Most of the top players that went out, retired, were in the other part. I mean, that part doesn't concern me. I try, as I said, to focus on my next rounds. Q. You talked about not having dropped your serve. Can you explain a little bit how the grass helps your serve? On the other hand, is grass the toughest surface to return on for you? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, definitely, because it's the fastest surface in the sport. You know, if you have players like Isner or Raonic or some big servers coming up, you know, feeling really well that day on the court with their serves, it's not easy to return. They put a lot of pressure on your service games. Really few points and maybe just loss of concentration in certain moments can cost you a loss, you know, in this surface. That's why you have to be extra, extra focused and determined to play every point, you know, at your 100%. Obviously, service games, those games you need to win and put pressure on your opponent. I'm not one of the bigger servers around, but I try to use my serve efficiently. My game is based on the baseline, but this surface makes me come to the net a little bit more often and makes me be aggressive, which I like, you know. I love playing on grass. Q. Andy Murray has challenged Serena to a match in Vegas. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Vegas? Q. Yes. Would you like to take on any of the top women? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Why is it Vegas? Q. He thinks it would be a good venue. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm sure of it (smiling). Well, I'll play Sharapova anywhere she likes since Serena is already... Q. Imitating her or as yourself? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no, playing. Why not? Q. A lot of players go from tournament to tournament and pretty much focus just on the tennis. Others are interested in ideas, so forth. There were reports you went to a Buddhist center here in town. Describe what that was like. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's very calm and quiet, obviously. I stay in a house which is very nearby. This is a usual place which we all visit. We like Wimbledon and London in general because there's so many beautiful parks and nature, you know, places which you can call get‑aways, where during these two weeks of a hectic Grand Slam atmosphere that goes around, so many people, obviously there is huge amount of pressure and stress and everything involved, so you need to have a place where you know you can switch off and recharge your batteries. Q. So it's like, I don't know, the impermanence that gives it a different perspective? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Absolutely. I can't talk much about that. I guess it's private, in a way. But I just can say that it's a very calm and very beautiful environment where I like to spend time. Q. Serena says that after seeing so many players falling and slipping yesterday, she came out there extra careful about her footwork, trying not to fall. Was it in your mind, too? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Not so much, to be honest, because I just try to do everything as I always do. Obviously, as I said, it's a bit surprising to see that many injured players slipping and everything. But in a way also it's not the first time that you see that many players, you know, slipping, falling on the grass because, you know, that's the surface we are playing on. Especially, as I said at the beginning of the tournament, if you have a little bit of a cloudy conditions, you know, or certain humidity, then the grass absorbs that humidity and becomes very, very wet and slippery. That's why it makes it dangerous. But, you know, I didn't need that extra concern in my head. I think I did well, even though at the start with the conditions today, with roof closed, it was a bit dangerous at the start of the match I thought. Then after it was really good. Q. So if Andy and Serena do have this match, what are your thoughts on what you'll see? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'll have to think about it, because I heard now first time about it. But I guess it would be a lot of fun, fun to watch. Q. What do you think the threat for Serena would be to Andy? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Game‑wise or personality‑wise? Q. Whatever you like. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. I don't know.  I have nothing smart to say really. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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