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WIMBLEDONJune 29, 2013Novak DjokovicLONDON, ENGLAND N. DJOKOVIC/J. Chardy THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Jeremy wants to know if you can read his mind because he can't understand how you are always guessing. Was that a perfect match for you? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it was a fantastic match. I felt great from the start till the end. I had that super focus, you know, and tried to, you know, be out there every point and not allow him to come back to the match or to have any chance. I saw the stats that I won 100% of first serves and I served over 80% of serves in in the whole match. That was incredible for me. I enjoyed every moment of it, especially at the end. I managed to read his serve. Everything went well. So when you play that well, obviously you feel great, you feel confident. This kind of performance came in the right time for me. Q. Did you ever feel sorry for Jeremy at all? The ball hit the baseline, incorrectly called out, you looked like you were going to challenge it. Did it cross your mind you didn't want to put him through too much pain? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I don't think when you're at the court you feel sorry about your opponent, you know. You want to win the match regardless of what is the scoreboard. Of course, he didn't feel like he could do much on the court. You know, that's too bad. But on the other hand, me, I wanted to finish off the match as quicker the better, you know, and win every game. Q. Has that been almost a perfect first week at Wimbledon for you, not only in the way you have played but the way other results have gone? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I look at my results only. My results are getting better and better, so this is very encouraging for the first week, front of the second week. Now every match I'm going to play, every opponent I'm going to face is going to be more difficult. I'm going to expect a tough challenges in front of me. I'm ready for it. As I said, it came exactly at the right time. I'm striking the ball really well. I'm in a great balance on the court. Hopefully I can maintain that rhythm for the next opponent. Q. Nothing to do with you, but we've had a lot of upsets here this week. Going into Monday, which is a unique day in Grand Slams, a lot of different faces. What do you make of that? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think it's good for change in a way, you know, because it's always expected obviously from top players to reach the final stages of major events. When it doesn't happen, it's a big surprise. It is a surprise, there's no question about it. It's a bit strange feeling not to have Federer or Nadal, you know, at the second week of a major. In the last 10 years, it was always one of them. But, you know, it's the way it is. There's some players who have been playing great tennis. I think it's interesting also to see new faces for the crowd, for tennis world in general. Q. How do you assess your game on Monday with Tommy? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Against Tommy Haas, it's going to be a big challenge for both of us. I think it's his most preferred surface. He loves playing on grass. He had a few great wins lately. He beat Roger in the finals of Halle last year. He played again really well this season on grass. In general, this season he played great. I mean, he's 35, 36 years old, and he's been playing very close to the best tennis of his life, in my opinion. He's very fit. He doesn't look like 36‑years‑old man, for sure. He's full of confidence on the court. Look, there's no clear favorite in that match. I need to try to repeat the performance from today. If I do so, if I feel this well, I think I have a good chance. Q. Presumably the match in Miami was a little misleading? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, for me that was one of the worst performances I had in last few years definitely. Not taking anything away from his win. As I said, he's been playing really well on different surfaces. You know, you wouldn't expect him to play quarterfinals of French Open with his game because clay is not his surface, but he did. He's proven everybody wrong because he's so fit and he moves around the court really well, is very solid from both sides, on the baseline, great serve, variety in his game, changes the pace, which is perfect for grass. But on the other hand, I feel also really well, especially after today's match. It's going to be a good one. Q. Obviously the level of play in the ATP is getting better and better. How would you compare your game now to where it was when you first won here? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's difficult to compare the years because every year is a different challenge and it brings something new, new experiences, new tournaments, new challenges, you know, some obstacles that you have to overcome. Life brings you challenges everywhere you go. The way I look at it is that, you know, from the best season that I had in my career in 2011, now comparing the two seasons, of course, 2011 is maybe more successful, but this year I feel that I'm physically more fit, mentally just more stable, and I'm able to endure on the court more, of course. But, as I said, it's kind of difficult to compare and it's difficult to repeat what I've done in 2011, going six months without a loss. But I'm really happy with where I am at this moment, at this stage of my career. Q. Do you think your serve is better now? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It probably is. It probably is. It varies, though. It's not always possible to maintain this high level of performance or serve, for example, if you take that part of my game. But the important thing is always to have that motivation, that drive inside of you to always become better because, you know, I feel that there is few things in my game that I can work on and always room for improvement. That's something that always inspires me to be on the practice courts every day and, you know, to try to play my best. Q. Do you prefer playing with or without the roof? Yesterday Andy said he preferred the roof is open. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, the roof. Well, if I compare the two matches, second round, third round, I prefer with the open roof. Q. Andriy Shevchenko has been watching you. Do you know each other? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, we know each other for few years. I have lot of respect for him, for what he's done with his career. I'm really glad he likes tennis. His kids love tennis. They've been coming actually for World Tour Finals in London last few years to watch my matches. Now they came again. Q. How did you come to know each other? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Actually we met a few years ago in O2 Arena. He likes to watch tennis with his kids, as I said. Wanted to make picture with me and his kids. That's how we got to know each other. We stayed in touch since and became friends. Q. Can you tell me more about the smiley faces on your bag. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, they are representing the numbers of Masters tournaments that I won in my career. Q. You mentioned you were super‑focused tonight. When you were fielding questions yesterday on Social Media, focus was one of the questions that one of your fans, Kevin Spacey, was asking you about. Are you guys staying in touch at all? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, he watched the US Open, Australian Open final. He's a big tennis fan. He loves his tennis. I'm really glad, you know, to see such a big star. An incredible person also on the tennis courts, you know, enjoying the big matches like that. So he's a big fan of Andy Murray. Comes to watch our matches. I'm glad. As I said, a very kind man. We stayed in touch ever since. Q. Just because of the support for Andy Murray, do you expect in the second week the Wimbledon crowd will be largely against you? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I cannot predict that. But, you know, I try to focus on what I do on the court. Of course, I always want to have crowd on my side. It's not always possible. But, you know, I'll do everything I can in order to have them on my side. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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