[인터뷰] US 오픈 ① : 조코비치
Q. You had such a great run here last year. I imagine you had some pretty great memories. How does it feel to be back?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It feels great, you know, to be back in the tournament where I did really well last year. I was really close to the title and I had some exhausting matches, but this is where I think I felt really confident after that, you know. I started believing more than I can win a Grand Slam title, which I did this year.
Now things are quite different. As a Grand Slam winner, you know, you get some kind of relief, you know, and you get motivation to have -- to claim even more titles. I think this surface and the balls and all the conditions here in New York are suitable to my style of the game and to my personality and everything.
So if I feel well physically, I think - I hope - I can get far.
Q. You said you have great memories here, but each Grand Slam is different. What's unique about this one?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it's entertainment, the show. I think Americans really know how to do it, and everybody who gets here has a lot of things to do. It's really interesting so for the fans.
And even for the players, you know, to be in the biggest stadium in sports, and to play, you know, primetime, you know, last year I played a couple of matches. So it was one of the best feelings I had, you know, stepping in the court in the finals match when, you know, 23,000 people stood up and, then, you know, applause.
It's really nice. They appreciate what you're doing, and they really enjoy. So it's a pleasure, and big entertainment.
Q. Now that you've been able to win a Grand Slam, how important is that experience to succeed in the final of a Grand Slam tournament, going into another Grand Slam knowing you've been able to do it before?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It gives you, as I said, relief and confidence. It gives you a belief that when you find yourself in that certain important moments when you just need to come up with something good and something special and just try to be calm and hold your nerves.
That's what happens when you have experience with winning Grand Slams, you know. That's why Roger and Rafa are so dominant and they look so good on the court when they have these important matches, important moments. They're really calm and they know what to do.
This is what I'm still trying to do, and I think it's getting -- it's getting in a good way.
Q. What does it feel like to look at the draw and see Roger not at the top of it anymore, whereas he has been for the last few years?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I haven't really looked at the draw. But, yeah, it's strange. He's been very dominant, of course, for the last four years. He was always in that first place.
But, you know, you've got to give a lot of credit to Rafa. He's been playing best tennis of his career this year, and he deserves to be No. 1.
Q. Aside from yourself, who is the favorite for this tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Them two, you know, first two favorites to win this title.
Q. Would you pick one over the other?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I would -- Roger of course is defending champ and he feels great here. But it's going to be interesting to see, because Rafa is playing the best tennis this year.
Q. James Blake, we were talking obviously about his victory over Roger in the Olympics, and the fact that Roger has not had success this year that he's had in the past and has not been quite as dominant. He was saying that as far as he was concerned, Roger hasn't lost anything. It's just that there are other players that are coming up and playing better than they played in the past. Could you reflect on that? Do you share that thought?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I would agree with that, yeah.
Q. Do you think that's an advantage to you that you're not the clear favorite?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sorry?
Q. Is it an advantage to you that you're not the clear favorite for the title?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think I'm a clear favorite when I'm playing next to these two guys, you know. I've never been, because they're of course first two players of the world. But still next to me there are a lot of players, like Andy Murray who is doing really well last couple of months. We can expect him to play well in this tournament.
Davydenko, of course. Roddick. Ferrer. There are players who are really motivated, and they're waiting for their moment. So anything can happen. I do have a lot of expectations, of course, always to go far in the event, towards semifinals at least. But I'm not trying to pay attention to that, even though most of the matches I get in I'm a favorite as a third player of the world.
But I just want to play the best tennis I can and results will show up.
Q. Are you somebody who suffers in any way from jet lag? I'm just wondering this trip that you did to Beijing and back...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, yes. I had my consequences, as well. But it's -- this year was special because of the Olympics, so the schedule was really, really tight. Last couple of weeks for me were really exhausting, so I had to travel all over the world and made a -- wound around the globe, because I went from Cincinnati, I went back home and then went to Beijing and then came here. Everything in 10 days. You can imagine how I feel.
Q. How do you feel right now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I feel -- I feel excited, you know. I look forward to the tournament. But physically I still need to work on some things hopefully till, you know, Tuesday, Wednesday, I can be fit.
Q. Did you do anything different in the last week or so that you wouldn't have done just because of an increase in the sort of the jet lag factor?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I tried to decrease the intensity of the practice a little bit in first couple of days, you know. Not to exaggerate, not to go really full, because as I said, I traveled a lot and the body reacted.
So I felt a little dizzy. But, you know, after a while, now, you know, I'm trying to increase the intensity and get ready for the matches.
Q. Jelena was talking earlier about how wonderful a time it is for Serbian tennis. Obviously a good summer for Serbian tennis. Top three players from Serbia. Just reflect on how this plays at home when you go home, the importance of the fact that Serbia has three great tennis players on tour now.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes, I mean, they appreciate really what we are doing, so we get a lot of feedback, and positive feedback and a lot of support from them, from the people.
It's just great when you come back home. The people, you know, recognize you and give you a lot of compliments, of course, and just tell you some nice things. This feels right, and this feels -- you feel proud of yourself because of that. That means that you've succeeded in your life, and it's great to share these moments with your people, so...
But, you know, as you all know probably, we travel a lot, so we don't get to spend as much time home. So we really don't have a clear picture of how big is tennis in our country, but I think it's the biggest sport in the moment, the most popular, and soon we're going to have a tournament there.
Q. How does that make your experience in Beijing different than your success on the tour at the Grand Slams?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, yeah. It's quite different, you know. I was playing with a lot of emotions in the Olympics, because it's something different, you know, top athletes all around the world in different sports participating in that event. Everybody starts from zero. There is no favorites whatsoever.
Anything can happen. Olympics, just to be there is a huge success and achievement for you as an athlete, and to win a medal is really something you remember for a lifetime. I got a lot of positive comments on that from my country. Of course, they're really proud.
So you represent your country in first place, you know. You bring your medal, you bring a medal for your country. That's what makes it so unique.
Q. Rafa was asked a similar question, and he says that he feels every time he steps on the tennis court he's representing Spain. It isn't just Davis Cup or the chance to play in the Olympics.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: True, true.
Q. Do you feel that way, playing for Serbians in the private homes?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Absolutely. Absolutely. As an individual, in an individual sport, of course you first of all represent yourself and your name, your family, and then of course your country every time.
Because every time you show up in any tournament, you play on the big screen and it shows up next to your name and it shows the name of your country.
So I think, you know, the sportists and the athletes, not just tennis athletes, any athletes in the world, who represent -- who are participating in the great event are one of the biggest and ambassadors of their country.
Because, you know, you show up and in a big country like this, United States, and then the people see where you're coming from so they get interested for the country. This is, I think, a great thing for us. Serbia is a small country, 9, 10 million people. Nothing comparing to States.
Q. You've been quite entertaining the last two years. Any plans for this year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no plans. If it comes, it comes spontaneous. We'll see.
§§ [R1] 8월 27일 수요일, N.DJOKOVIC/A.Clement 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 (Match Report)
Q. How is your ankle?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Right away. Let's cut to the chase (laughter.)
Well, it's okay. It's going to be good in two days, I'm sure. After that happened, I was thinking more of it than I was really actually feeling the pain, so it's not really a big deal. But in that certain moment, I felt big pain, so I just had to tape the ankle. But it's going to be all right.
Q. Happy with the match, the way things went out there today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, yeah. Always these first rounds in the Grand Slams, best of five, having tough opponent as Clement is; running all over the place and making you earn the points, which is not easy, of course, on any surface to play against him. I knew that, so I just had to be consistent and try to make high percentage of the first serves in.
I put a lot of pressure on him with serving well. I didn't return so well, you know. I had a lot of ups and downs and big frustrations. But it's the first match. It's always the trickiest one, but hopefully the next one will be better.
Q. You captured the hearts of so many fans out there. You were such a fan favorite, and, you know, to be back here, be back out on Stadium Court, has it sort of become a place that you've come to love, kind of considering last year's experiences?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, of course, you always like to come back to the place where you did well and you had a lot of success and a lot of great memories, and this is one of them. This is one of the best, the best places, you know, I've experienced, and best tennis sites. It's the biggest court, biggest stadium in the sport, and it's always a big pleasure, and, of course, experience to play every time on it.
Last year's final was just remarkable and unexplainable, you know. The moment when we got into the court and 23,000 people stood up, so it's just some moments you can't forget in your life. I'm happy that the people remember me in a good way ‑ more for my imitations than for my tennis, but it's all right. It's good to be back.
Q. How much different of a person and a player are you as you arrived here this year as opposed to how you felt about yourself and your game when you arrived here last year, having reached that final and winning a Grand Slam?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, that was kind of a turning point in my career last year, playing the finals of US Open, and I started believing more after the finals that I really can win. I was pretty close in that match, even though I lost in straight sets.
I knew, you know, it was a matter of time. I just needed to work hard and really dedicate myself to it. So that's what I did, and I had really hard five weeks of preparation last winter, and it paid off. You know, I had the best season so far in my career, and I have a different approach to the tournaments, to the Grand Slams, because as a Grand Slam winner, you feel a little relief, and you gain much more confidence, you know, getting to the major events.
Q. Over this last year, you've had so many more people pay attention to what you're doing and follow you closer. Even when you hurt your ankle today, there was quiet in the crowd. Do you enjoy the increased attention? I mean, how do you approach that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I do enjoy, you know. It's normal with the success, the attention from the fans and from all the tennis, all the people involved in tennis, you know. It's normal. It's normal to get all this attention. It comes.
But you just have to make a balance in your life. It's all about balance. If you can enjoy what you do, you know, and love what you do. Every person is different. Every person has a different character, different personality. I like to have fun on the court, as you can see in the last year or so. And making more success logically gets more attention, and everybody's watching what I do. So I have to be more careful, right? (laughter.)
Q. Well, I mean, to follow up, what's the best part of it and maybe what's, you know, maybe not so good about it, from your experience?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's always nice to get the compliments and to feel important, to feel that people appreciate what you've done. Of course, that's a good part of it. The other hand, you lose some things ‑ you lose your private life, of course. It depends which country you are.
So it's all part of the life, all part of the sport, and you have to get used to it.
Q. Today Jelena was on the court almost an hour more than you were. Were you surprised that, you know, that match went as long as it did? And how does that affect when you're just in the locker room not knowing whether you should eat something or what was that like?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, well, it's going on and off, warming up, but that's tennis. It can turn around in a split of a second. Yeah, she had a tough match, but she won.
You know, I need to follow up; I always have the same routine, more or less, and try to be ready, warmed up, and fed up, you know, and everything before the match before me starts. So you never know what's going to happen.
Q. Back to the Olympics, you showed big emotion when you lost to Nadal in the semifinal, which is quite different compared to other occasions you played with him. Why is that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, because I accepted Olympics as a special event, and I played with a lot of emotions there.
I really wanted to go all the way, and I think I had the game for it, and I really played on a high level throughout the Olympics. And I was fighting for it, you know. There are tournaments where you just really want to give 110% of your ability to go all the way through.
So I was really close, and I knew that, and it was more or less all about one or two points. I just couldn't hold my emotions. It was different.
Q. Last year you came in after that, the great tournament in Montreal, I think, made you somebody recognizable to a lot of the American tennis fans who maybe didn't know that much about you prior to that. And you came in obviously on a high because of that, and you were, you know, you showed a lot of your own personality, the impersonations and the entertainment on court and so forth. This year you come in as a Grand Slam winner, a finalist here last year, as well, somebody who made a great run at the Olympics. How different is it? It's only one year separated, and yet it's quite a different gateway into this tournament than it was a year ago, isn't it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it is. As I was mentioning before, as a Grand Slam you have a different approach to all the major events, especially the Grand Slams. So what I try is to, you know, keep my confidence on a high level; be always motivated to win. I'm only 21.
Again, I had a lot of success, but still, there is many years to come, hopefully if I'm healthy enough. I want to win more Grand Slams. I want to achieve my lifetime goal. There is a lot of things I want to do and achieve in my life. So there is no lack of motivation. That's for sure.
But, you know, I always want people to remember me, of course, as a tennis player, as a great tennis player, a champion, whatever. I don't want them to remember me as a clown.
Q. What are your thoughts on many, many, many tennis people saying they'd love to see a rematch of the Wimbledon final, those other two guys?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'll make sure they don't have it. (laughter.)
Q. You said you don't want to be remembered as a clown. Is that something in that you try and keep in check? Maybe last year it was all fun, there was some fun and games and so forth. Maybe this year, have you actually put some walls around yourself and said, look, this is serious business, you know, I can't be quite as...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, the people, the thing is that the people may be ‑‑ before I won a Grand Slam the people thought of me, okay, as a big joker of the sport and a big potential and pretty good player, but still I wasn't able to make that step forward and win a Grand Slam and just prove. I did this year.
So I did prove I have enough quality to be potential Grand Slam winner on any surface I play on, so this is the most important thing for me.
Q. Now that you've won one major, Novak, do you find yourself being impatient to win a second one, too?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I just want to go slowly, step by step. I was saying even before, there is a lot of pressure involved and a lot of expectations, but it's all part of the sport, and you just have to deal with it in the best possible way. And I know I play well on all surfaces; I'm an all‑around player. I've been playing my best tennis on all the major events and on the Grand Slams which is the most important thing, so I'll try to keep that up.
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§§ [R2] 8월 29일 수요일, N.DJOKOVIC/R.Kendrick 7-6(8), 6-4, 6-4 (Match Report)
Q. He really went for his shots. What surprised you about him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I kind of knew that before the match he's going to go for his shots, because we played one time before, and I know him from a couple of years already, but he served really precise, and really, really strong.
So it was very difficult for me to get any rhythm on my returns, and, you know, I had to keep the high percentage of the first serves in order to really stay with him, because, you know, he hit some good returns, and he was being aggressive, and that was the right tactic. But I managed to stay...
Q. In the last weeks, maybe since the Olympic Games, you have a relation with an athlete from Paraguay; is that true?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I've heard that this has been the main subject in the papers, and I've heard that even they showed it on the TV two days ago when I played my first match, so I'm denying this, and I'm saying that we don't have a romance like people call it already. I even heard that she's here, so it's kind of strange, because I would be the first to know, probably.
Yeah, the papers are probably trying to make another scandal of it, you know. Another romance. This is part of my life, and I have to accept it like this, but we know each other, that's true, and we met, and then she came to watch my matches, but there is nothing more than friendship.
Q. What's been the greatest comeback in a match you've had in your career and worst blown lead?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sorry, what can you ‑‑ can you repeat?
Q. Of all the matches you played, what's been your greatest comeback in a match, and the opposite, your worst blown lead?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't know if I've won any matches from two sets down. I was not in that situation, but ‑‑ one ‑‑ I had couple of really long five‑setters, marathon matches, actually the one against Monfils, when I just collapsed on the court, it was like three, four years ago, so it was one of the great matches I had.
No, most of that five‑set matches I play, I won, so I have this positive score, which is good, you know, and the important moments when I need to play my good, best tennis and when I need to step it up, that's what I do. So you gain more experience having those matches, and for me, today, was very important mentally to survive that first set, you know, and when I was 6‑2 up, he came back, he had set point and the serve. It could go either way, but these tough matches are making you stronger mentally, especially, so, you know, you can use that experience for the future.
Q. And the opposite? Your worst blown lead? Where you had a lead, control of the match, and you lost it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, again, I don't think I ever lost when I was two sets up.
I don't know. I mean, nothing comes up in my mind right now, but I've had some loss, you know, leading a set and a break, but not many of those.
Q. You were moving pretty well today, but I have to ask you, how does your ankle feel? Is that pretty much done with? Are you okay?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yeah. I think it's already history. I don't want to ‑‑ I don't want to challenge it, you know, again. I wish ‑‑ I wish that doesn't come back, but today I didn't feel any discomfort on the movements, especially the quick ones. Where I had to tape when I fell dead in last match, I had to tape my ankle. I decided with my physio that there is no need to tape my ankle now even though for the cautiousness maybe I had to do that, but I didn't feel anything, so I think it's history already.
Q. Just talking about the media paying attention to your life a little bit. Since you kind of became one of the top three, one of the top ranked players in the world last couple of years, how much do you pay attention to the media reports?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I try not to too much. Media is part of every professional athlete's life. You cannot avoid it. Certainly I do follow, but, you know, you try not to pay too much attention, because media can, you know, make you a star and can bring you down in a day, so it's just big power in media, and I accept them as a part of my life, part of my business, my profession, and, you know, it's a matter of balance, again, you know, it's just ‑‑ you are a professional player, you're one of the ‑‑ as you said, I'm one of the top players in the world so I get a lot of attention from the crowd, from the public, from the media, as well. So I have to be careful what I say, right? And just get used to it.
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§§ [R3] 8월 31일 일요일, N.DJOKOVIC/M.Cilic 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6(0) (Match Report)
Q. He proved to be a very, very difficult opponent; how tough of a match was it out there?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Very tough. I mean, you could see by the result and by the time we spent on the court, in general I was really trying to stay in the match all the time, because even though I lost that first set, which was crucial, I think if I got that first set under my belt, it would be maybe easier in some way, but the good thing about that second set, is that I stayed really focused. Whenever I needed to serve it out, he was stepping in, really, and he surprised me there.
Obviously he didn't have much to lose as a youngster, and he's on the road. He won New Haven and he won a couple matches here, and he was on the Center Court for the first time, if I'm not mistaken, and so he was really stepping in and I played a bit too defensive. I was waiting for his mistakes, and I was wrong.
Q. Is it, in a way at this stage, is it good to have a match ‑‑ obviously it wears your body out but is it good to have a match like this?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Last year I had a match against Stepanek which was really extremely difficult, one of the toughest in my career. I reached the finals, so it could be the same this year, hopefully, I mean. But it's always good to have in the early stages long matches, a little hustle, you know, struggle on the tennis court, so now I'm motivated to get far.
Q. You had so many rallies that were 20 shots or more, and they could have gone either way. What, in your opinion, why did you triumph in the end?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, little experience here and there, but I think it was more ‑‑ it was more just the fight and just the focus I had in the end in that crucial fourth set tiebreak. I think I managed to get myself together after that two match points, you know, he saved, and he was 6‑5 up, he won that first point, won 6‑5 on my serve. I didn't feel good in that moment, that's for sure.
As I said, I was mentally strong. So for me, this match is extremely important mentally to continue on going.
Q. Is that mental strength, is that something you feel as if it's something you always had, or does the success you had here last year and in Australia this year, does that...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I always kind of managed to get through those tough matches. You know, I lost some and but I won more. Even in the juniors, I was managing to play the best tennis when I needed to play.
You know, this is very, very good thing and very encouraging for me for the future, you know. Bottom line is that everybody's playing great tennis, physically they are very fit, but if you're mentally able to play the best tennis in the most important moments, then you're different in the others.
Q. Do you feel old at 21 when you have all these teenagers...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What I have been through in all these years, yes, I do feel a little old, like I played tennis all my life, but, no, it's good for the sport to see new teenagers and rising stars coming up, couple of really tall guys, Cilic and Del Potro and Nishikori. They're all top 10 players. I'm sure we're going to see them in the future.
Q. How surprising is it to you like Cilic making the strides that he's made here, he won two of the Grands, Australia and at Wimbledon, like you say he has the New Haven victory?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The thing which surprises me a lot with his game is his movement, you know, when he you look at him physically, he's very tall, and the way he walks, you know, doesn't seem that he has a great coordination best of your recollection on the court he's just great, so this is a great thing, and plus he improved his serve a lot. For him, relief is that he's ‑‑ he can use his height, you know, and he can really rip that serve, and he was putting a lot of pressure on me.
I'm not surprised that he was doing well lately. He's certainly going to do even better.
Q. If you could talk about Tommy. He's, you know, he's beaten Marat and he beat Tsonga. I mean, he's well‑tuned coming into this match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sure, sure. I can expect big fight from his side, and he knows that he's confident and he's going to go. He's going to go for the victory, that's for sure.
The good thing about Grand Slams, you have a day off. You can recover. I have good team of people around me, and I'm sure I'm going to be recovered enough for the upcoming match.
I just need to play my game, you know, be aggressive like I always played ag2inst Robredo, won a couple times, and I lost, as well. It's going to be interesting. We haven't played for a long time.
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