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BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALSNovember 7, 2013Novak DjokovicLONDON, ENGLAND N. DJOKOVIC/J. del Potro THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You are in the semis. What is your opinion about Del Potro? The second set, you lose your control a little bit or... NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes, I played a poor game on 3‑2 second set. He used his chance to come back to the match. As you could see, all three sets were decided with the breaks of serve on 3‑2, same score. Just a little bit of lack of concentration on his side, on my side, you know, decided this match. He has one of the biggest serves in the sport. He has one of the most aggressive forehands. You know, I just needed to stay tough. I saved a few breakpoints in the start of the third set. Had opportunities in that game on 3‑2, used it. He made unforced errors from the forehand side. I just tried to make him play. I served very well towards the end of the match. Q. You're on a tremendous winning streak right now. Talk about how your confidence is right now compared to six months ago? What's the difference? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I had a great start of the season and great now ending of the season, for sure. I would pick these two parts of the year as the best for me. Summer was up and down. But after US Open, even during the US Open, I played some good tennis, was a good match in the finals. Then 18, now 19 wins in a row for me after Davis Cup. I just feel well at this particular part of the year. I know most of the players are exhausted physically, mentally, emotionally, after a long season. But, you know, I try to find that as an opportunity for me, you know, to get extra motivated to kind of push myself to the limit and deliver the goods when needed. Q. You've qualified with a match to spare. How do you focus on your final group game? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I have to say, considering the scheduling on back‑to‑back Bercy and World Tour Finals, I had luck that my group was selected to play Tuesday, Thursday, and I played night matches, so it gave me more time to rest, gave me more time to get ready. I overcomed the two big fights against Roger and against Juan Martin today. Both matches went the distance. Both matches were decided in a few points. So I'm just very glad to be able to play my best when it's needed. I did qualify for semifinals, which is definitely a positive news, but I still want to try to win the last match of the group. Q. If I could put you on the spot. You just mentioned both Roger and Juan Martin. Having gone three sets in both, beating both of them, who would you expect to see come through for a semifinalist, the two of them go head‑to‑head? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's difficult to say really because all the matches that they played against each other this year, lately, had went the distance. The last one was in Bercy that also was decided with a break of serve in the end of the match. I mean, Roger is definitely playing better than he was throughout the whole year. He loves these conditions. He likes this court. Today he had a great performance against Gasquet. But on the other hand, Del Potro has big serve. I can expect a three‑set battle. I can't pick the winner. Q. How frustrated are you because you cannot be the No.1 at the end of the year? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, you know, it's not frustrating for me. For me, actually it's a very encouraging circumstances I am in right now the last two months. I'm playing the best tennis I think I played throughout the whole season. That's something that I take as a positive for this moment and for obviously next season. I'm definitely feeling confident, more confident than I was a few months ago. And Nadal has ended as world No.1 in 2013, and he deserves that. No question about it. He won two Grand Slams. He played the best tennis this year. Q. You've had some great battles with Juan Martin this year. Would you see him as potentially one of the real rivals next year in terms of Grand Slam titles? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. He's a Grand Slam winner. He knows how to play on a big stage. He was winning against all of the top players. He definitely has skills and he definitely has qualities. Now, if he's able physically to, you know, sustain that challenge of consistency, that's something that obviously is the biggest hurdle for any player. If you're managing to stay fit and stay healthy throughout the whole year, then you have a good chance to be in the top spot and obviously a contender to win Grand Slam titles. Q. You're on a streak since the final of the US Open. Some players lose a Grand Slam final, you lose Wimbledon earlier, you seem to have reacted perfectly. You seem to be motivated by that loss. How hard was it? How did it spike you to do even better? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm happy to say that I have plenty of motivation regardless of the results that I have because, you know, I'm young, I feel fortunate and blessed to be able to play tennis, the sport that I love. I cannot complain. There is plenty of motivation. As long as it's like that, I'll be pushing myself every day to work hard and hope that that work will pay off on the court. I did lose two big matches, finals of Wimbledon and US Open, and the one in semifinals of French Open was probably the toughest loss of the year. But that's sport. You cannot win all the matches. The most important thing is that when you're down, you stand up and you become stronger. That's kind of a motto that I have. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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