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SONY OPEN TENNISMarch 30, 2014Novak DjokovicMIAMI, FLORIDA N. DJOKOVIC/R. Nadal THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Congratulations on your win. Even though you won Indian Wells, it seemed like your form today, at least from what I could tell, was much more confident and much more secure than your win over Roger a couple weeks ago. Was it the court, your confidence, the opponent, all of the above? What would you say to that? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you're right. Indian Wells was a very special win for me because of the fact that I struggled throughout the whole tournament to kind of play consistently well throughout the whole match. Coming back in more than few matches from set down, played four‑out‑of‑six three‑setters, but, you know, still managed to win the title against Roger in the final. That was a great confidence boost for me that I carried on in this week, and this tournament has been perfect from the beginning to the end. The matches that I have played I played really well, and I elevated my game as the tournament progressed. The best performance of the tournament came in the right moment on Sunday against the biggest rival. Q. Was it the conditions or the opponent? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, just the fact that I'm playing against Nadal and playing in the finals, fighting for trophy is already a huge motivation and responsibility to try to perform my best and to kind of be at the right intensity and right focus. I didn't have any letdowns throughout the whole match. I was in a very high level: serve, backhand, crosscourt, forehand. I mean, I have done everything right, and I'm thrilled with my performance. Q. From upstairs I was watching and said, This guy cannot lose today. You were playing almost perfect. What was going through your mind when you were playing Nadal and playing so good? Do you also feel like, Today is my day? This guy is not going to beat me? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I enjoyed very much the performance and the whole match. With the way I played, I had to enjoy, had to feel good about myself, and I was very confident on the court. But I did not want to lose focus for a second, because I knew that Rafa is a kind of a player that if you allow him, if you give him a chance, he's going to capitalize, he's going to get that chance, and he's going to come back to the match and you're going to lose the momentum. So I didn't want to lose that momentum, and I kept it all the way till the end. I didn't want to play ‑‑ even when I was a break up in the second, I didn't want to have easier return games and kind of save the energy for the serve. I wanted to play each point 100%, because I knew that, you know, I am in the control of the rallies at the moment and I needed that to stay that way. So it was a great match overall. Q. But tell us the truth: You feel invincible? You were playing great, man. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think I explain to you enough how I felt on the court (smiling). Q. Today was the 40th match against Nadal. Can you elaborate a little bit about your rivalry with him? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, definitely biggest rivalry I have in my tennis career. It's a great challenge always when I play Rafa on any surface, of course, especially on clay. That is his most preferred surface, his most dominant there. I have had some thrilling matches in last three or four years, and they were decided by few points. It was very few matches that were one‑sided, so I knew what to expect from Rafa today. When he fights for trophy, he comes out with a great intensity from the first point, and he wants to make sure he sends the message across the net to his opponent. That's why at the start I faced the break point, it was quite even, and then making a break obviously gave me huge sign of relief and I could swing freely and more confidently. So that rivalry that we have is obviously great for the sport. It's great for us. I'm enjoying every single match. Hopefully we can have many more. Q. You have won every Masters title since Shanghai, the ATP Tour Championships. Should we be in for another 2011 from you? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I hope so (smiling). I can't predict what future brings. I can only focus my attention and energy to the present moment and do what I do best, and that is to, you know, try to prepare myself, recover now after. I have couple weeks till my first clay court match in Monte‑Carlo, a place where I live for last six, seven years. I won that tournament last year. I love playing in Monte‑Carlo. I couldn't ask for a better March of this season. Hopefully I can carry that confidence on clay. Q. Can you talk about how you were able to sort of take his movement out of the match? That usually works to his advantage. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I know if I have the best chance to win against Rafa, that would be hard court. That's my most successful surface. I knew what to expect from him, as I said before. I know that he's going to come out with a great intensity and focus and high level of performance. Now it was a question if I can realize and achieve what I have planned tactically before the match, and if I can, if I can get free points on the first serve, if I can move him around the court, not give him this comfort zone, I have done everything really well from the start to the end. It's easier said than done. Obviously he always makes you play an extra shot. He's a great competitor. He has champion's mentality. Today everything went perfectly for me. Q. Rafa mentioned that he felt a little bit disconcerted by your game. What changed? I mean, because you guys have played each other for, you know, many times. Did you vary something? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just prepared myself very well for this match, and I felt great on the court. As simple as that. As I said, there are no secrets between us. We know each other's game really well. We played 40 times. In general, our game will be more or less the same. Nothing mainly is going to change. He's not gonna serve and volley, or myself. So I knew what kind of game plan is ahead of me, and I have realized that in a perfect manner. Q. Today was so exciting and challenging. Would it be more challenging for you if you had the possibility to play all others from Big 4 in this tournament? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I played Andy and I played Rafa today. I haven't played Roger this week, but I have had tournaments where I played the top guys. But I cannot choose my opponents, you know. I play whoever I get to play. Q. We asked Rafa thathe likes challenges, was he glad that you existed. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Excuse me? Q. We asked Rafa, he likes challenges, was he glad that you exist because he like challenges. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Okay. Q. I'm going to ask you the same question. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What did he answer (laughter)? Q. You answer first (laughter). He said, No. I'm not stupid. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I'm going to answer differently. I think challenges, big challenges that I had in my career changed me in a positive way as a player. Because of Rafa and because of Roger I am what I am today, you know, in a way, because when I reached the No. 3 in the world and won the first Grand Slam title in 2008, the years after that I struggled a lot mentally to overcome the doubts that I had. And all the big matches I lost to these guys was consistent but not winning the big matches, and then they made me understand what I need to do on the court. I worked hard, and, you know, it's paying dividends, I guess, in the last couple of years. You know, obviously it's not easy when you're playing a top rival at the finals of any tournament, but if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best, you know. You have to win against the best players in the world. That's the biggest challenge you can have. Q. You won both titles with Marian with you. Is there a comfort level, the familiarity of his having been there for so long and everything that maybe presents a better or a more comfortable situation for you? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The situation is still the same. I mean, I don't know if you are referring to Boris or... Q. Just that he wasn't there earlier. NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I mean, Marian is there. There was a specific situation because of the surgery of the hip of Boris, and he couldn't come to Miami, so Marian stayed. I'm really glad. I'm very grateful that Marian accepted to stay and he was here with me and we won the title again. I mean, many times before I said that he's not just a coach to me. He's truly a friend, somebody I can rely on in the tough moments, shared good and bad situations and things in life that I experience. So he knows me very well. He knows me of course better than Boris, but Boris just started working with us, and we have a great communication. I look forward to seeing Boris in Monte‑Carlo. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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