ROGERS CUP
Date: 2008-07-25

ROGERS CUP

July 25, 2008

Novak Djokovic
TORONTO, ONTARIO
A. MURRAY/N. Djokovic
6-3, 7-6

The Moderator Questions, please.

Question You worked very hard and got back to within a point of set all. Do you think that would've tipped it for you if you managed to get that one?
Novak Djokovic: Yeah, probably. It's a different story if you're a set all and then you're coming back from 2-4 and winning the set 6-4. And then continuing going on from there I think I would have more chances.
In general, I wasn't really happy with the performance, and especially the serve was not -- it was not functioning in my favor in important moments when I really needed to serve it out and try to get out from the dangerous positions.
He put pressure on me. He was playing solid and wisely, waiting for my mistakes, and I had too many of those.

Question I know you wouldn't be taking anything away from an Andy with his win, but why were you not functioning as you wanted to?
Novak Djokovic: I came to the match -- already first couple games you could see that I was pretty nervous and unpatient (sic). This is very dangerous to be in that position if you're playing against a player like Andy.
He's very patient, he's waiting, he has a lot of talent, great touch. He knows what shots to play in the right time. He served well. He was just waiting for me.
It could go either way if I won that second set, but he deserved to win.

Question The nervousness, was that related to physical condition?
Novak Djokovic: No, not really. But, you know, you always have a little pressure here and there going on to the court.
But, well, can't explain it now. Just another bad day in the office.

Question Were you surprised at the fact that some shots of yours that looked like were going to be winners he was able to get to repeatedly throughout the match?
Novak Djokovic: Not really. I know that he's not the fastest player on the tour, but he moves great. As I said, he reads the ball and he has great anticipation on the court. Obviously he was reading my shots more than he used to.

Question I was struck that there was a very key point in the second set where you had made a winner after a huge point. You hit a serve and he hit a smashing return straight past you. You stopped and immediately applauded with your racquet. Appeared that it was really important to you that it was a sporting contest rather than just a battle. Can you comment on that?
Novak Djokovic: We are rivals, you know. It's normal that on the court you have a lot of emotions and you want to win. That's absolutely normal and part of the sport.
You know, every person has a different behavior on the court. I admit when somebody makes a great shot. Why not? I congratulate them.

Question When Roger lost earlier in the week it was a shock to a lot of people. You losing, even to Andy who you had never lost to before, I think would also qualify as a shock. Does this almost underline how hard it is to do what you and Roger and Rafa have done over the last few years, which is to consistently get deep through very difficult fields?
Novak Djokovic: Yeah, well, it's not easy to explain. Obviously as a player who has to travel all the time, you know, and the top players are usually getting to the final stages of the -- 90% of the events they play. This was the case with Roger, Rafa, and myself in the last year and a half.
I had my ups and downs this year maybe more than I'm supposed to have, but it's not easy. It's not easy. I have to cope with a lot of things. You have to just try to be consistent as much as you can if you want to stay at the top.
You have players like Andy, still young and up and coming. He was struggling with some injuries in the past year or so, and now he's motivated and playing great tennis.
Now there's a lot of great players, and everybody is working hard to get to the top.

Question When you're at the top, the pressure would come every match, because everybody is gunning for you and will rise to you if they can.
Novak Djokovic: Yeah, sure. It's part of the sport for everybody.

Question You've said before that you thought sometimes when Andy plays against you he plays too defensively. Do you think that he did a better job tonight of going on the offensive more than he has in the past four times you've played?
Novak Djokovic: Yeah, yeah. He was going for some shots. It's the right game. I mean, he has a lot of variety in his game. He can change it up. He can change the pace any time he wants.
As I said, he has great touch. Today he was playing pretty well.

Question How did seeing all the seeds falling out of the draw affect you tonight?
Novak Djokovic: Next question.

Question You seemed a little disturbed by the shouting of the fans in the second set. Large Serbian support I guess tonight.
Novak Djokovic: It happens. It happens. I don't blame anybody. People don't understand when you're on the court you just have to focus. Tennis is a sport which, you know, is not allowed to shout during the point. I mean, it's allowed, but it's not appropriate for the players in order to focus.
But people want to support you.

Question Can you talk about the tiebreak a little bit? You had that bad dropshot to start and then never seemed to really get back in.
Novak Djokovic: Last couple months I'm not playing really well tiebreaks. It's not really what I want to have for the future, but usually I was always good in the tiebreakers.
Now I kind of get nervous when I get to that stage. So I have to -- I just have to stay positive. I know that I have good game for hard courts, and I know that I'm there and I can beat anybody. I just need to believe in myself.