NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, very exhausted, but I've tried ‑‑ sorry you have been waiting for me over an hour. I've really been trying to pay attention on recovery priorities. So right now I feel better. Hopefully I'm going to be ready for next match.
Q. How's your hip?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, the hip was the problem, yeah, during the match, but it was more exhaustion.
The physio helped me a lot, and it was a hot day. So mostly, you know, I don't think I would feel that bad today if I didn't finish that late two nights ago.
So it was quite difficult schedule for me, but ‑‑ so you can recover two times playing four hours is not easy, so I had to really put an effort in.
Q. After the match, your mother sort of hit her heart and you did that, then you hit everything else.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's just probably mixed emotions after the match, just trying to show them, you know, how much effort I put into this match.
Q. Did you feel residual results? I mean, coming off of that late‑night match coming in today, did you, starting out even in the first set, did you feel like you had less in the tank than you would ordinarily like?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I did. There is no doubt about that. I didn't feel well. The moment I stepped on the court, I felt, already, as you said, less energy in the tank. So I really tried to forget about that, to eliminate those things, but I just had to, you know. I had to take a medical timeout a couple of times, go to the bathroom, because just many things involved. You know, I want to do everything to win.
Q. How's your ankle? Your right ankle?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, well, if we start talking about things that are bothering me, as I said on the court, we'll chat for a long time. It's better I skip all these things and leave it behind. Hopefully I can be better.
Q. Given all this, do you wonder how you won that match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Ah, well, again, trying to be positive. After that fourth set, I really doubted, you know, especially on that start of the fifth set, because I didn't know if I was able to continue on going on the high level, and he was just getting into the game more and more. Physically he was fitter than me, I had a feeling. And winning that fourth set, he gained confidence. So he was really going for the shots.
But somehow I managed. I managed to really stay focused and play the right shots at the right time.
Q. Was there any moment where you thought of pulling out? You really looked spent.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there was, of course, but I didn't want. I said to myself, if I play for three‑and‑a‑half hours, you know, four sets, I'll hold on for another sets. We'll see how it goes.
Q. Which match was tougher, this year's or last year's against Stepanek first round?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, it's difficult to compare, but both of them, they were really exhausting. This match had more rallies, I can say. And we played more ‑‑ with Stepanek, it was more on serve and volley, and, you know, varieties in the game.
But here it was, it was more from the baseline, so we both had really long rallies. Can't really say which one...
Q. What did you do to your hip? What exactly happened?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: After the long match on Sunday night, I didn't have so much time, as I said, to recover. One day I went to sleep at 4:30 in the morning. With all the adrenaline in my blood, all these things, you can't really sleep right away.
So I kind of, you know, ruined that biorhythm, and this morning I woke up, I didn't feel really great. I felt soreness in my muscles and mostly in my hip.
I made some quick movements in the match, and reacted. Luckily for me, it wasn't really that bad.
Q. Whoever wins, it's going to be a tough match, tough opponent in the next go around. The fact that you're able to, you know, wake up this morning, not feel well, come to the stadium and prevail under very difficult conditions, I mean, can you draw some confidence in that, whether you face Fernando or Andy in the next round?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's always good to have the tough matches in the Grand Slams. Not too much, of course, for physical condition, but again, mentally, you grow stronger. I get that feeling. Over the years, I've been playing, most of these long matches I have positive score, so this is very encouraging.
So I will have now more time to recover, and I think it's more or less matter of my physical condition, if I will be fit enough to challenge one of these two guys. Whoever I play is going to be really difficult encounter.
Q. Here they play the semifinals and finals back to back. If this was a semifinal, how would you feel going into the final, if this had been a semifinal today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's not a semifinal, so it was just the fourth round. And, you know, I play every match like it's final. Like, you know, it's very important for me to create this consistency in my head, especially, you know, just to try to not underestimate any opponents and play the same way against everybody.
Everybody's motivated more to play great against you if you're a favorite in that match. So most of the matches I play, I'm favorite on the paper, of course. You know, you have to get used to if you want to stay on top.
Q. How do you feel about the back‑to‑back semifinals and finals?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Which back to back?
Q. Well, you play on Saturday semifinal here and final Sunday. Other Grand Slams you have a day between.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I can't ‑‑ I can't affect on that, obviously. Obviously it's not my decision, but depends, you know.
Last year was good, because I wasn't playing a lot of long matches in that second week. I had straight set win in the semifinals and quarterfinals, as well. But this year it's been different. So it's more or less same for everybody, you know. You can't really judge.
Q. Do you plan to watch the Roddick match tonight? If Roddick does win tonight, what are your thoughts on potentially facing him next round?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yeah, I'm going to have a look, of course. My coach more.
As I said, whoever wins, it's going to be a tough match. Both of them very experienced, great players. Many years in top 10, both of them. Roddick, we all know, he's former U.S. Open champion, couple times Grand Slam finalist, of course, and No. 1. So he has all the things, you know, under his belt that he needs to have. He's playing in front of his crowd, on his favorite tournament.
It's always a difficult one to play against Roddick wherever, but especially here. So I cannot say who I wish to have in quarterfinals.
Q. Last year the crowds loved you. You were doing the impersonations.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Not anymore. (laughter.)
Q. I know. This year you mentioned they were in favor of Robredo? Does that surprise you? And why do you think that is?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. I felt that, but it's ‑‑ I can't really affect on that too much. Maybe they didn't like the way I throw the racquet in one point, so I don't know. I just really don't know. Maybe they don't like me anymore.
Q. Andy, I mean, based on the comments on the court, Andy clearly upset you, angered you with some of the comments that became public. Was that a factor? How much were you angered by those comments?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Now, look, I had a very, very tough day yesterday. Physically I was feeling very exhausted and very empty.
I wasn't able to practice. One of the reasons was physically that, you know, I was exhausted and the other reason was that I just mentally had a lot of pressure.
Unfortunately, Andy made a statement ‑‑ I don't think it was intentional, okay. He made a joke and it was a misunderstanding, so I don't blame it on him. Okay. I did react on the court. Maybe I reacted. Maybe I exaggerated and reacted bad in that moment. No, I apologize if I reacted like that. But this was just impulsive, you know.
I had a lot of emotions in last two days. It's not nice when you get that from media all around the world and from players, and I never needed to make any excuses in the press. I just didn't need ‑‑ because I know that what I'm doing is right, that I have all the rights to take the medical timeout, that I'm doing it just for the purpose to make my physical condition better and just that I continue playing better.
I never made medical timeout because I wanted to distract the player, the opponent, or, you know, make the result look worse, you know.
And I just never did it. I didn't pay attention when I took the medical timeout. I just didn't care about it. Medical timeout is there because physiotherapist are there and doctors are there to help you out. This is what I did. I just took the medicals to help me out.
Maybe the people think that I'm exaggerating with these things, but it's just ‑‑ it's nothing bad, nothing negative, because I just ‑‑ I twist my ankle, I feel bad, you know. I get the pain in the back.
I just want to make it right, you know. Andy was always nice to me when I got to the tour, so this was just a clear misunderstanding.
Q. Have you spoken to Andy in the locker room already?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, but this is just between us.
Q. I think maybe one of the reasons you were maybe upset is he was maybe not the only one who said that? Robredo said some things, and he sounded serious, although thinks his English is not as good?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, look, Robredo had the right to say something like that if he lost, you know. Everybody has right to complain and right to say. I respect everybody's thoughts and everybody's opinion.
I never wanted to disrespect anybody. As I said, if I made ‑‑ if I exaggerated on the court today and I made maybe a mistake saying that in front of 20,000 people, you know, in his city and his favorite tournament, okay, I do apologize, but it was ‑‑ he was not bad intentions. So I just hope people understand.
Q. The crowd's attitude also strengthened you even though they were very obviously with Andy? Did that help you coming back and putting him away in four sets?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, no, nothing against the crowd. The crowd here in New York, at least I get that feeling, liked me last year, and really, I had such a fun time last year. You know, reaching the finals and they were behind me. In most of the matches I played I have not enough words to thank them. I just don't want this to happen in a bad way.
You know, we had this connection, and this year, of course, this match, I mean, I didn't expect the crowd would be behind me. It's obviously that they will be for the home player and for Andy, you know. Their biggest hope to win the US Open. This is ‑‑ this is the biggest reason.
But I just, you know, I felt bad in the end.
Q. Prior to the comment, though, I didn't think that the crowd seemed overtly for Andy. I mean, they were cheering for good tennis. You made some beautiful shots out there tonight and I thought you had tremendous sport?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Of course, I always take the crowd out of the match, because we have to respect them, and I have big support here in the States. I just love playing here. My best results ever were here, in the States and in the hard courts.
So whenever I come back here for me, it's a pleasure to play in front of the full stadium, packed house, a lot of entertainment and a lot of fun. Makes emotions. So we just have fun. You could see that on the court, as well.
Q. You were saying you had so much pressure the last couple days. Why are you feeling so much pressure?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, the thing is that you know in the past, as well, I got asked from the press and not just asked, I mean, the press was the one who was, you know, saying a lot of things and maybe other players, as well, saying their opinions about my medical timeouts, that I was taking too much, and they don't believe that I'm injured enough.
So it was a little quiet now in last year or so, and now it's coming back again.
So it's not nice, really, when you are in the middle of something that you know that you're not doing wrong, you know?
I mean, to be honest, as I said before, it was never my intention to distract anybody. It was just doing for my own good, so press is a part of my life, and I mean, I always try to be nice to everybody, and I never been in any misunderstandings or any fights with any of the other players.
I would never disrespect anybody, and this is just ‑‑ it's not, you know, a way...
Q. So you feel like you deserve more respect for the person and player you were?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I just ‑‑ I just think that this should be reduced. That's all.
I mean, I'm not asking for it, you know ‑‑ you guys do whatever you need to do. You do whatever you feel you need to do. But it's just that I don't want to make excuses, you know. There is a lot of players, you know, they come and they make excuses. I'm not one of them. I don't need to make excuses, you know, why is my leg injured, why is my back injured. It's not me.
Q. We can be surprised by your way of playing. One day you're limping, the other you are not limping. So can you understand that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I can't understand that. The thing is you don't understand that in the middle of the match, you are trying to get yourself the best as possible. It doesn't mean that if I'm inviting a doctor to the court or physio that I'm dying, you know?
I'm having a problem, with the ankle, okay. I felt the pain in that certain moment, and I just want to make sure that everything is all right. That's all.
I mean, and then the big story comes out of it, and then suddenly I'm a bad guy, you know.
Q. Did you have any pain tonight? You did not call the trainer at all. Were there any moments where you thought, I'd like to call the trainer but because of all of this I'm not going to?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: There were some, but just ‑‑ let's keep that ‑‑ don't talk about it, because then, you know, you get me wrong again.
Q. Looking at Roger, what do you think you're going to have to do on Saturday to make it to the finals?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I said on the court, he's absolute favorite in that match, and for him, it's a big challenge now to win another Slam, and to at least stay in the race with Rafa to be No. 1 player of the world and end of the year, still big chances, of course.
It's a bit strange, though, to see No. 2 next to his name, you know. He was so dominant in last couple of years, and I lost to him here the finals last year. I took some, well, necessary thoughts, and things out of that match, so I can improve in the next challenges, and/or next encounters, and I won against him this year in Australian Open. That was my best tournament of the career, and against him, that was one of my best matches.
Hopefully I can do the same. I just need to be myself and need to be aggressive.
Q. Were you aware that if you win that match and go on to win the tournament that you will overtake Roger for No. 2?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm not thinking about that in the moment, you know. I'm going slowly, step by step.
Q. The weather for Saturday looks like it's going to be a rainout. If it is a rainout, how will the extra day off affect you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it's going to go in my favor. Physically I've been struggling in this tournament, so ‑‑ any extra day of relaxation and just recovery would be good for me, of course, but I would like to play soon, not wait here.
Q. Why would you say he's such a favorite when you did play so well and beat him in Australia and showed that at your best level on hardcourts you can play with him and overcome him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm not saying I cannot win. Of course I can win and I won two encounters which we had in hardcourts. But look, he was four years No. 1 player of the world, and he's still better than me in rankings, and he has all the things under his belt, I mean, 13, 14 Grand Slams, I don't know how many titles, 50, 60 titles. He's very experienced, and he knows what he needs to play, how he needs to behave in the big matches in front of the big crowd and in big moments, what shots he needs to play.
I'm getting that experience slowly, but I'm still not in his, you know, level. If I play my best, yes, I think I have good chance to win, but still, I would give him as the favorite.
Q. Did you think you were going five sets tonight, Novak?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was very close. I mean, he was serving 5‑4 and 30‑Love, and plus staying on the better side on the court, so I really didn't think I would get myself out of that position, but, you know, obviously I played well.
Q. Last year you really endeared yourself to the crowd through, you know, your own behavior, on court, YouTube, picking up the impersonations, us talking about it, giving it some mileage and so forth. It just sort of seems this year that things are sort of almost the other way around. There's a lot of negative stuff. It's not that you have changed, although I do sense you're more guarded. You said the other day, I don't want to be a clown, for instance. Maybe you're not trying to, you know, get laughs or whatever. But I mean, you know, do you find yourself this year leery of exposing yourself, your emotions, or are you leery of media more than you were? I mean...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's different, you know. Once you win the Grand Slam title and, you know, win a couple more major events, you get more attention from everybody, and it's logical.
Again, you know, I don't want to make any impersonations more. It's not that I don't want, you know. This is something that people will get wrong, you know. And this is exactly the reason, and this is exactly the situation I don't want to be in. You know, fighting with people, with the press and this is absolutely not me.
And that's one of the reasons why I stopped doing this. I mean everybody is different. Everybody has different character, different personality, different way of seeing things on and off the court.
I always try to enjoy my life as much as I can, on the court and off the court. People who follow my career know that. And it was all from the positive side of life and just bringing the smiles on the people's faces. Not really insulting anybody. So, you know, it just turned around now. So hopefully we can get back.
Q. You were talking about Roger's big match experience, but tonight, very big match. You come up in the clutch. You hit the great backhand lob to break him. You played a brilliant tiebreaker, big struggle on the second to last point and a winner on the last point. You're really showing something to yourself and everyone else game‑wise?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, sure. Last three matches have been extremely difficult for me, as well mentally, you know, to survive two matches, four sets and one five‑setter is very important in these kind of events. I'm maturing more and more. You know, I know what I need to play in the certain moments and important moments.
I'm really trying to push myself to be as positive as I can, you know, not to think about, you know, the things that already happened.
So this was the case today. I lost that third set, and I was a break down. He was serving, and he was just getting into the rhythm of the serve. He was serving huge. And then suddenly he makes two double faults, so I used my opportunity.
Q. Was Roger just too good today, especially that first set?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, he was playing good. I think he deserved to win, absolutely. I was just a little disappointed from my side that I wasn't able, physically I wasn't able enough to give him a challenge.
I think I played well that second set, and, you know, was on serve in that third one. Then I was just unlucky to lose that third set and then more or less routine in the fourth for him.
Overall, you know, it's been a very exhausting tournament mentally and physically for me, so I'm happy that I got to the semi.
Q. Is that the main issue, exhaustion physically, or were there other...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, that's one of the main issues probably today. I knew that I have to really be 100% fit to win against the player who won four times here. So if you're not able to hold on then you're not able to win.
Q. Could you just elaborate a little bit on when you said that it's been an exhausting tournament mentally.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I've said what I needed to say in the last press conference.
Q. Was there something specific physically today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, if you finish, you know, a couple of matches 1:00 in the morning and then you go to sleep 4:00 in the morning, and then two days afterwards you got to play at 11:00 or 12:00.
It's not really the best thing you want to have for yourself, but what could I do? I had bad luck.
Q. The crowd was certainly in Roger's favor today. In retrospect, do you regret saying the things you did the other night?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I think they were pretty fair. I think they were pretty fair. It was obvious that they are on his side because he's ex No. 1 and still the second best player in the world and he's defending champ here four times and people love him. He deserves that support.
Q. They were even cheering when you had unforced errors. There were times they were cheering in the middle of your serve. Did that rattle you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Not so much.
Q. Was his serve particularly good today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, in the important moments he served it out really well. There were a couple of games in that third set, as well, when I was, you know, pretty close, 30‑All, Love‑30, you know, deuce.
Every time, you know, I got ‑‑ I didn't ‑‑ he didn't give me a chance because he really served well, so I wasn't able to get in the point.
Q. How much of a battle was it between your ears today? How frustrating was it knowing you didn't have probably everything you'd like to have and the whole general situation?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: This is life, you know. Not always everything comes in your favor. You have to deal with it in the best possible way. I tried to focus myself and get all the strength that is left, you know, for me.
But, you know, I knew that this third set was really crucial. If it went my way, you know, I could have the bigger chance to get the victory, but unfortunately didn't.
Q. Having played Roger in three of the last five slams, how would you compare his level during those matches from last year's Open through Australia to here?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, he's been very dominant in the last four years. He's been the best player in the world. This year you have to give credit to Rafa, because he was ‑‑ he's playing the best season, best year so far, and he's been winning so many matches. I mean, it's incredible what he does. All around, all the surfaces.
But Roger is still there, you know. And even though people are talking about him not playing so well this year, he's still very consistent, you know. All Grand Slams he was semis, finals, you know, semis at minimum.
So I think today he played pretty well, even though throughout this tournament he had some difficulties. But that's his strength, you know. Whenever he needs to play well, he plays his best.
Q. But do you look at him the same way today than you did a year ago when you faced him here in the final?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I'm always trying to win whoever I play against, so I didn't really pay attention to his game or whatever he does. I'm just trying to get myself together and try to win.
Q. If you could change one thing about this year's US Open, what would it be?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. Just ‑‑ I'm not looking at the things that have passed already. I'm just looking at the future.
Q. Overall, how would you assess yourself...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm satisfied. I've said already. I'm happy to be in the semi.
Q. About the summer as a whole with the silver medal.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, of course, summer in general is great. I mean, okay. I haven't won the title on the hardcourts, but I've been pretty consistent with the results.
I had lost against the great players, so I think ‑‑ I think I still need to improve something in my game, but still there is a lot of time.
Q. How do you need to improve? What are the things you'd be working on?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, physically, obviously, some things, and, you know, some elements in my game. I'll try to be more aggressive, you know, get more to the net and use the opportunities that have been given to me.
So I think this is one of the things that is quite important, variety in the game. And like that, I think I can be even a better player.
Q. You didn't do very well at all last fall. I know it's hard to think ahead right away now, but are you sort of looking forward to the fall to be able to make a good move?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I am. I am, certainly. This year has been different. I've been doing really well in clay court season, as well, which is very encouraging. Indoor season, like you said, wasn't really great for me. I had some difficulties, you know, on these indoor events. I haven't won any match in Shanghai.
So really look forward especially to Shanghai this year and win some matches.
Q. As someone who made your first Grand Slam final here last year, what advice would you give Jelena as she plays Serena?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Win. (laughter.)
I mean, she knows best. I don't need to give her any advice. She's very, very ‑‑ you know, very good player, complete. For women's tennis she's, you know, at the top, one of the two, three best players in the world now, and she's been very consistent.
I think she's going to be very motivated to win her first set Grand Slam title.
Q. Each Grand Slam is different and presents its own unique challenges. What would you say is the most difficult one for this tournament, having gone to the final last year and now the semifinal?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, every tournament is a challenge. You know, but being in the Grand Slams is a pleasure for everybody just taking part in such a great event. Being a part of the finals last year, for me, this year was a challenge to get there.
I played well, you know. I had ups and downs throughout the tournament. As I said, the schedule was not the best for me. But overall, I'm happy. You know, semifinal, being one of the four best players in such a strong tournament is a good achievement, even though I lost a round before last year.
Q. What did you learn about yourself this tournament and about New York fans?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, I just want to forget some things, you know, as soon as possible. I always remember this tournament in the best possible way, so I don't want to take the bad memories out of it and just turn the next page and try to do better next year.