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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPSFebruary 26, 2014Novak DjokovicDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES N. DJOKOVIC/R. Agut THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Congratulations. How do you focus throughout the match when it seems like you're winning quite comfortably? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's not the first match that I, you know, these particular situations where I win comfortably the first set and I have to come into the second focused. So the experience that I have playing, you know, the top players for many years help me to understand what I need to do and what kind of approach I need to have, so I have done really well today from the first to the last point. There was no major ups and downs, especially with the serve that helped me to win comfortably my service games, a lot of free points. He's a quality opponent. He moves really, really fast around the court. He always gives you an extra shot to play but made a lot of winners. I was covering the baseline really well. Q. When you get broken when you're serving for a match, how much do you read into that? And is it more a lapse in focus from you or more your opponent just... NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I mean, this surface here is quite fast, so, you know, things happen very quickly. He made a couple of good returns. I missed a forehand, and there it goes, you know. The game is away. But most important thing is to not to look back in the past and try to, you know, focus in the present moment and capitalize on the opportunities. Q. You've spent some time now with Boris. Can you give us a little idea how his coaching style might differ from Marian's? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, they are getting along really well. That means a lot to me, because Marian is more than just a coach to me. He's like a friend, like a brother. We have a very good and friendly relationship. We shared a lot of good and bad moments in my life, in my career. So he knows me really well. And Boris, you know, when he was joining the team, obviously he had some meetings with myself and with the rest of the team, especially with Marian, to try to understand, you know, who I am as a person, as a player. That's important thing. Obviously now they are working together, you know. Whatever he's trying to work on, you know, he discusses with all of us, and, of course, we all have a big respect for Boris. I'm really glad that he's in the team, and I feel like he can contribute in a positive way to my game and to my mental approach on the court. Q. But how is he different? How does he give you a message that might be different? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I can't speak about what we talk about, you know, on the court, but generally it's very positive for the start and hopefully he can bring us a lot of success. Q. How match‑sharp do you feel ahead of the quarterfinals? Youzhny quarters, Federer semis, Berdych/Tsonga final. How match‑sharp do you feel? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just think about my next opponent. It's Youzhny. I will do my best to win that match and I will see after that. Q. Dubai might be the only tour event that a player comes straight in after the match. Obviously we like it. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I like it, too, as long as it's not too long. Quite sweaty. Q. I'm asking your opinion. Do you like this arrangement? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I like this arrangement, and I like even more the ‑‑what's it called? The Mixed Zone, that's right, that you have in the Olympic Games. That's a concept that I think should be used in tennis more often now as a general, you know, press with players, because Mixed Zones, you kind of pass through and you have it in football, you have it in basketball, you have it in Olympic sports. If anybody wants to attend your press conference or hear what you can say, they are welcome. If not, the player can go and do his recovery after the match. Q. The color of his T‑shirt is exactly the same color as the ball, Roberto's shirt today. And also Tsonga's this morning. Is it ever difficult to see the ball when playing them? It sounds like a pretty good strategy. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Camouflage (smiling)? I don't know if he was intending to have the shirt the same color as the ball. I didn't notice that, but if you noticed it‑‑ I don't know what to say. It's fine for me. I mean, sometimes it's better to have the shirt the color of the court than of the ball, because then you can really maybe can make some kind of difference, but I don't feel it too much. Q. Into the quarterfinals, a match against the Russian, Mikhail Youzhny. You have a good record against him and you beat him twice last year. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Mikhail has been around for a long time, and he has one of the nicest and most efficient one‑handed backhands on the tour. You know, it seems unorthodox a little bit the way he holds his racquet and then releases with two hands and in the end with one hand. He has a bit of an unorthodox game. But he's a very talented player. He anticipates great on the court. He played semifinals of a few Grand Slams. He's been top‑10 player. He knows how to play on a big stage. I think the last time I played against him was in quarterfinals of the US Open. I remember well that match. It was a tough one. I don't expect anything less this time. Q. What do you think about the ITPL concept, the international tennis league? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Okay. Well, I think it's a fantastic concept if it happens, obviously. I hope and I believe it will. You know, one of my colleagues, Mahesh Bhupathi, is on top of that concept. Most of the players have been informed about it for, you know, a long period of time. We have been discussing about eventual participation in the event, and it's a very positive thing for the sport. It's going to promote tennis in the Asian part of the world. That is a huge market. It's a fun concept. It lets the players enjoy in the court and off the court together. It's something that we don't get to see that much, you know, the kind of concept of the teams, you know. Of course they are going to determine the rules for it. Generally it needs to happen. It's not that easy to realize, because it's a huge program and project, and hopefully does, and if it does, I'm going to try to be part of it. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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