Q. (Indiscernible). After you said you were very tired, you needed a break. How do you feel now? NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I feel much more rested, yeah. It was a bad tournament for me. Just nothing went the right way but, of course, just turning another page and looking forward to hardcourt season.
Q. (Indiscernible.)
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, not too much. But I heard it was a great match.
Q. You are attending your championship from the (indiscernible). How do you feel? Would you be able to do that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I mean, I always go with highest intentions in, basically, every tournament I get in. Obviously, this is the surface which suits my game most. My most preferred surface, the surface where I did -- where I had my best results and biggest achievement of my career.
So I think it is enough reason to expect to do well in the hardcourt season. Obviously, defending this title, I have a lot of responsibilities and expectations but it is a challenge.
Q. Novak, tell us about your mind-set over the last month or so coming off Wimbledon. What have you done to refocus and, I mean, revamp from that loss?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I have just tried to be positive, not think about it too much. Just a bad day. You know, it was a lot of tournaments. A lot of dedication you need to put into the tennis. There is a lot of events. So now I'm fresh, I'm ready and hopefully I can do well.
Q. Novak, when you talk about the rivalry right now in men's tennis between you and Nadal and Roger, it is so exciting for people to watch. What do you think some of the similarities between the three of you and what do you think are some of the differences in terms of tennis or penalty?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Obviously, the difference between the top players and the rest of the guys is the mental stability or ability to cope with the pressure in the certain moments and most important moments.
You know, tennis is a really tough sport. You have to travel 10 out of 12 months all over the world and you have to be consistent because you have -- in my position, you have two guys winning all the time and getting to the final stages of basically every tournament.
If I am trying to be better than them, I have to win all the time as well. So it is not really --
Q. How much time were you off the court after Wimbledon? Did you take the first two weeks and rest? How quickly did you get back to it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I was resting as much as I needed. Not too much. I had good preparations for about 2, 2 1/2 weeks.
Q. You spent the first six months of the year getting closer and closer to Nadal and Federer. And over the last six weeks, it feels like they are pulling away again. Is that how you feel? Do you feel there is more of a gap, or do you feel like you are right there with them?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It has changed so much. I lost -- okay, I lost the match in Wimbledon which was a bit unexpected to lose in the second round. You know, from my position again, I am not really down. I am not depressed, whatever. I am not thinking negatively. I am just looking forward to the hardcourt.
And I have been playing really well in the first six months of the year. I have no reason to think bad about those first six months because of just one loss. I am not paying attention on how much points I learn or closing the gap or it is bigger or whatever.
You know, it is a matter of, you know, if I'm improving in my game or not. I just want to keep winning and results will come sooner or later.
Q. Continuing the theme of Wimbledon, you have a chance of facing Safin in this tournament. How do you feel about that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We have to go slowly. I have a very difficult opponent in the first round, so we'll see.
Q. Beating Rafael last year and coming close to Roger, did you feel this tournament for you last year was kind of a jumping-off point?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: This was one of the tournaments that was a turning point in my career. I can say this was a tournament where I won against the best three players in the world in the final stages of the tournament. So it, obviously, gave me a lot of motivation to do even better in the future and gave me a boost up, I can say.
So it was great -- it was a great, great victory for me. And since then I believed in my game and myself much more.
Q. (Indiscernible). You are on the Player Council and the ATP trial with the Hamburg tournament starts tomorrow. How much attention do you think you will be playing towards that and how much awareness is there amongst the players of the potential impact this case could have?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, the Players -- the Players Council is just reelected now, just a month ago. And we're trying -- we're trying to do -- everybody is trying to do the best for this sport. So the player's voice has to be heard, that's for sure. That's what we are trying to do. We are trying to be united and work on some things, some issues in this sport which we are trying to improve obviously.
But, first of all, we have to wait for the trial, which is going on tomorrow. Obviously, it is going to decide a future of this sport. And hopefully it is going to be, you know, in our favor, we hope, because we don't want any scandals. We don't want to send the picture to the world that in our sport is more problems, you know, than improvements.
So we'll try to win and progress in some things.
Q. When you say "our favor," you mean ATP?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean the players.
※ 7월 22일 화요일, N. DJOKOVIC/F. Dancevic 6-4, 6-4 (VIDEO)
Q. Just want to talk about your game. Frank said that you were on balance and ready for every ball, and he was really surprised, you surprised him with a lot of returns. Did you feel that, or were you surprised by a lot his returns in return?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I was trying to focus on my game, and this was a key fact, I think. One of the most important shots against Frank was return today. I was returning really well, and I was happy with that stroke.
I was very consistent throughout the match. I had little ups and downs with the serve. When I needed to serve it out at 5-3 second set I didn't make any of the first serves, which was not good.
But then I managed to hold my concentration in the next game. He was serving extremely well. High percentage of the first serve, especially in the first set, which was making my job a bit tougher.
But I was aware that he doesn't have anything to lose obviously. A big Canadian hope playing in front of his crowd. Big support. There was a lot of people today. Really, really good atmosphere to play in.
Always the first matches are the most trickiest ones trying to keep the balance. I was happy with the way I was moving. Of course, there are still some things that I was not really happy about, but it's still only a first match.
Q. You mentioned the big Canadian crowd. Did you notice the number of Serbian flags, and did you hear the marriage proposal that you got?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I heard them bigtime. Really happy for that. I wanted to thank them, of course, for coming and supporting me. It's a big community here, Serbians. About 100,000 Sers in Toronto and in surroundings.
It's great to have so many people supporting you from your country. I think it makes you really happy and proud and excited to just play in front of them.
And not just them. I felt that the Canadian crowd really appreciate my victory last year and they are happy to see me again. It's my pleasure to play in front of this crowd.
Q. Did you accept the marriage proposal that you got?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Marriage proposal?
Q. A woman yelled out, Marry me Novak.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Really? How much money did she get? (Laughter)
Q. What did you think of Frank's game tonight?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I felt that he was serving well, as I mentioned before, but maybe he was a little bit too defensive in the baseline rallies. I took advantage of it. You know, I tried to be patient, you know, wait for my opportunities.
I knew that I'm going to get those throughout the match, but I wanted to be aggressive at the same time. Not to allow him to take advantage of the shots and just get to the net, because I know that in these moments he's the most dangerous. It's what he did in the first match I was watching against Ancic. He was returning well and playing very wisely.
Today he was maybe too defensive but he was serving very well.
Q. There's been so much talk over the past couple weeks about the Wimbledon men's final with Federer and Nadal. It was almost as though people stopped thinking about you for a little while --
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Really?
Q. -- despite the great year you had. Is this part of, I mean, tonight, in this tournament to sort of say there's three big players in the world right now, not just two?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, of course. I'm just happy to be a part of this group with the two best players in the world. Obviously they show their quality and they're improving year after year.
Even after four years of dominance of the two players they're still continuing to play fantastic tennis. I think they played maybe even the best match of the history in that Wimbledon final. I mean, they deserve that role: two best players of the world.
Me being right behind them and trying to be a big challenge for them, I think I did a great job in the first six months of the year. I was getting pretty closer and winning a Grand Slam and couple more major events.
I don't want put an extra pressure on myself. I'm just trying to focus on my way, on my career, and try to get the game as best as possible, as perfect as possible, improve on some things.
There are still some things and elements in the game that I need to improve on so I can be complete player.
Q. Roger Federer said just before the tournament that you were very strong on this surface, and he actually thought that the two of you were perhaps the best on hard courts and that Rafa was slightly behind the two of you. Does that fit with your assessment or not?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know, every surface is different. You have so many difference in today's surfaces. You have clay, grass, hard court. I mean, you just have to be complete so you can hold on with those two guys.
I mean, you have to be consistent with your results on every surface that you play. They're all-round players. Rafa, you know, I don't think many people believe that he can win Wimbledon three years ago because of the style of his play. But he was playing in the last three years two final and he won Wimbledon, and he absolutely deserved it. He's improving day after day.
And Roger, of course, being No. 1 player of the world is still playing fantastic tennis. I feel very confident and very comfortable playing on this surface. It's my favorite one and the surface where I achieved my biggest results in my career, so I really look forward to this season.
But I don't know, I wouldn't like to rank myself as the best player on this surface or not. I'm still the third player of the world, so I think this is what counts.
Q. How much is winning here in and of itself very important, and how much is it just preparation for the US Open?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's very important. US Open is the most important event on this surface for everybody. But to play well in Masters Series events is -- in Canada and Cincinnati is quite important, you know, so you can get a lot of the matches and get a good preparation for the Flushing Meadows.
Q. I don't know if you answered this, but are you going to the Olympics?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes.
Q. How important is that for you to win in Beijing?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Very, very important. Of course, every player has different opinion and different position on that. But for me, Olympics is one of the priority -- most priority events in my career.
I never participate in, for me, the biggest event in sports, so it's going to be a big honor and just pleasure. I'm very excited to meet the best professional athletes all around the world in a lot of different sports.
Just being around them in the Olympic village is great experience. Who knows what's going to happen in four years, so it's important for me being there.
Q. Would winning the Olympics be equal to a Wimbledon victory, or better?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think yes. It has a big value for me.
Q. You're established in third position. It's a big up between next and Nadal. Do you plan to attack Nadal and Roger Federer and to get closer to them?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm not planning to attack them. I wouldn't call it like that. I'm just trying to attack the ball on the tennis court. That's what I'm trying to do: be aggressive and results will come.
I'm not really in a lot of tension and pressure that I need to reach the second or the first place in the world in this year or next year. I'm only 21. I have all the time in the world. Just need to be healthy and keep on playing well.
※ 7월 24일 목요일, N. DJOKOVIC/R. Soderling 6-4, 6-4 (VIDEO)
Q. Were you pleased to close that out so efficiently?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, sure. Straight-set win is always good. I had same scores in the first two rounds. I played more or less in the level which was satisfying for me.
I played enough -- as much as I needed to play. Although in the start of the match, as it was in the first match, I didn't serve well. He put quite some pressure on me.
The most important moments I played my best tennis, and that's what matters.
Q. Was he the kind of opponent that could get quite difficult and dangerous?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He's a powerful hitter. From the baseline he likes to hit. He doesn't like to move so much forward, backward, so I was trying to change the pace all the time.
Q. You said that you came here much fresher than you had been at Wimbledon. Is it nevertheless important to conserve energy and not get into long matches?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, this is what you learn. Time to time, of course, obviously it comes with experience. Playing so many matches of course you want it save your energy.
Again, you cannot just focus on your upcoming matches. You have to focus, you know, on your next opponent and try to see what you can do so you can get the job done quickly and spend as less energy as possible.
Again, there's a lot of players in the world who are improving day after day, practicing a lot. And me having the role of a favorite in most matches I play, obviously I'm put in a lot of pressure. I have a lot of responsibilities and expectations, so it's not easy.
Q. Without looking too far forward, Roger going out of a tournament is fairly notable at this stage. Do other players take note of that? What do you think of it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just pay attention to my matches.
Q. That said though, is there a lesson for the top players that everybody is vulnerable at some point to a lesser player?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Of course. As I said, tennis has changed a lot in the last 10, 15 years. Obviously physically you need to be very well-prepared to hold on. You just have to keep up all the time.
As I said, the upsets are happening because you are put in a lot of pressure, obviously a lot of expectations, and the players don't have anything to lose against you. You know, they're going for the shots and they're being aggressive. They just have so many motivation.
For you, being in that position, you just have to hold on and try to use your experience from the big matches and big events and try to win it.
You know, it's not an easy thing.
Q. You mentioned that you already noted that Roger Federer lot his match. Does it influence your play?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just said...
Q. Does it put more pressure on you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no.
Q. Coming into this tournament, we're all looking at Roger and Rafa because of the waves that the Wimbledon match created. For the first half of the year I think you were the best player on tour. Do you feel forgotten or overshadowed at all, given you're right around the level of those two guys, but right after Wimbledon they're the subject of conversation and not you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. Well, look I played the best tennis of my career in the first six months of the year. As I was saying before, I just want to care and keep my focus about my career.
I know that if I continue going forward the same way and I'm on the good way the results will come. That I will have a positive outcome if I have a, you know, just positive position and very confident play wherever I go.
This is where I feel most comfortable. This surface just suits my game perfectly. Everything about it. Having said that, you know, and having so much success on this surface, obviously it gives you a boost up when you have tournaments on this surface again.
So I really look forward to the continuation of this hard court season.
Q. You're known a little bit for your impersonations of people's serves. Have you been working on any new ones that you want to show the fans in Toronto?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. This has passed.
Q. What's the happiest moment in your life?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I'm still not a father, so probably winning a Grand Slam is one of the happiest moments of my life.
Q. Does it feel any different at all coming into a tournament as champion? A little bit of a boost, or just the same?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As the defending champion on this tournament?
Q. Yeah.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I didn't do such a great job in Miami as defending champion, so here it's quite different. Started pretty well, so I'm happy about it.
It's kind of like a challenge, you know, and the people welcomed me in the best possible way. I would like to thank everybody for that. The first night, the way I felt, it was just great.
So many fans in Canada, and plus the Serbian people who are living here. A big community of Serbs. Just everybody is coming.
For me it's a pleasure to play in front of such a crowd.
Q. Will it affect you when you get on the court?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You always have pressure and you always feel a little bit nervous about the match. You have a lot of eyes on you, and as I said, a lot of expectations.
But it's all part of the sport. You have to deal with it.
Q. You are the defending champion, but last year's tournament was at a different site in Montreal. Does it feel different, or do you still feel like you own the tournament coming in being that it's in a different place?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Actually, I don't notice so much difference. I think I'm trying actually to imagine Montreal, so...
It's all going well for now.
※ 7월 25일 금요일, A. MURRAY/N. Djokovic 6-3, 7-6
Q. 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.
Q. 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.
Q. 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.
Q. 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.
Q. 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.
Q. 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.
Q. 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.
Q. 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.
Q. How did seeing all the seeds falling out of the draw affect you tonight?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Next question.
Q. 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.
Q. 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.
