[인터뷰] 호주오픈 (Pre~R2)
:: 01/17 Pre-Tournament: Novak DJOKOVIC(SRB) ::
Q. You read much into your loss to Tomic the other day?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, not really. I was saying that the result really doesn't matter that much for me. I just wanted to get some practice matches under my belt before I come to Melbourne Park because I haven't played the opening tournaments of the year. Considering the amount of the matches I played last year, I tried not to commit to any events and just practice and be fresh for Australian Open, which is, you know, the most important tournament.
Q. Are you happy with your preparation?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, yeah, I'm happy so far. In Kooyong, I haven't played a hundred percent of my capabilities because I was focusing on some other things and I was working hard off court, what people don't see logically.
But in these two days I will lower the intensity and just get ready for the opening round.
Q. Who do you think is the biggest threat to you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Uhm, well, obviously Federer, Nadal is the best two players of the world are the two biggest favorites to win it again this year. Then you have Del Potro, Murray, Roddick, Davydenko. They're all in great shape, great form.
I think it's getting very interesting, men's tennis. It's good for the sport to have a good group of the players that are able to win a major event or a Grand Slam. I think over the years this can be one of the most exciting Grand Slams.
Q. Do you rate Lleyton Hewitt has a chance at all?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, absolutely Lleyton is a big fighter. This is another year for him. He's trying to get back in the top 10. I think you can never underestimate his abilities. He's been winning against all the top players in the world, so there is no reason to believe why he shouldn't do it again. He's able to do it; it's just a matter of self-belief.
Q. Your win here in 2008 seemed like it could be the break of the duopoly of Nadal and Federer. Now they started dominating again. Does Del Potro's win at the US Open give the other guys more confidence that it could be the end of the two guys leading the way all the time?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Of course, it does. The last five, six years the dominance was obvious from Federer, Nadal. They've been winning all the Grand Slams they've played. But now in last two years or so the things are changing a little bit.
As I said, it's good for the sport and it's good for us, the group of the players that is trying to catch up with Federer and Nadal. We have more belief that we can win a Grand Slams.
You know, but they are still the best two players in the world. So as long as is like that, you still have to rate them as the biggest favorites.
Q. Davydenko has been around for the last five or six years. He's been playing unbelievable. What do you put that down to? Why is he playing so well?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I really don't know if he's doing anything differently. But he's definitely, definitely one of the fastest players in the game. And he was always a tricky opponent to play against on any surface. He's an all-around, all-court player. Very fast.
I think the element of the game that he has improved most is his serve. I think he hurts his opponent with the serve a lot, and it gives him a lot of advantage, I guess.
Q. You played Tomic yesterday. Did he take you by surprise a little bit with the way he played?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He has a great serve and I think he's a very talented player. He can have a bright future if he, of course, continues this way, to practice, to be professional, dedicate himself to this sport. I think he has the right people around him.
He's very young. He's only 17, 18 years old, and he's still able to play on this level with no problems. I think Australia can expect a lot from him.
Q. How much better are you as a player than you were when you won here a couple of years ago? How much have you improved?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think I improved on my net play and my, you know, physical ability, strength. Maybe because of the work that I've put into some variety in the game, some volleys and serve, that I've changed some things. Maybe I lost a little stability and confidence from the baseline, you know. I might not play as well as I did in 2008 from the baseline, but I still have a lot of belief that I have a great game.
I mean, as I said, I worked a lot on serve-and-volley game. Todd Martin had an influence on that. So I know it's a process and it cannot happen overnight and I cannot learn all the things as soon as I try to practice them.
So I'm going slowly. I'm taking things step by step.
Q. Do you enjoy it as much as you did a couple of years ago? Has it become very hard work all of a sudden as you get older and there's more pressure on you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know, winning a Grand Slam opened a lot of doors for me, gave me a lot of opportunities, of course, a lot of self-confidence. But on the other hand, it took a lot of responsibility, pressure and expectations. It was all new for me. I've been through ups and downs mentally and experienced some things that I never did before.
Right now I still feel that I enjoy tennis and I love what I'm doing. I love playing, traveling around, competing. I just can take that 2008 and '9 as a big lesson to my life.
Q. Do you think Roger might be in any way a little bit less sharp now that he has twin daughters keeping him awake at night a little bit longer?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You have to ask him for that. But he definitely still plays, you know, one of the best tennis in the world. He always tries to set up his form for Grand Slams, and we all know that. You know, maybe he has a little slower start, but then in the end his form picks up just before Grand Slam, and that's where he plays his best tennis. He plays a semifinal or more in last 25 Grand Slams. That proves it all.
Q. How did you feel after? Looked pretty comfortable in the end.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's the first match of the year so it was a little bit slower start, but I think that I had across the net an opponent who played exceptionally well today.
Conditions were a little bit, you know, strange, because it was -- the balls were really fluffy and it was really slow. It was hard to make a winner. He's a very fast player. He was going for the shots and didn't have anything to lose. You could see that. He had a very high percentage of the first serves.
I was struggling in the first set. That's no secret. In the end I picked it up, and I was really happy overall with how I handled things.
Q. The passing shot he made in the 9th or 14th game, you had a smile to yourself. Was that a catalyst for, Right, I'll get you for that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, just a smile of being happy of winning the point, I guess.
Q. He won the point, though.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, so, I mean, I don't know. I can't remember. I mean, what does it matter, really?
Q. What do you think the key is gonna be for you to do as well as you want to at this tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I guess, you know, the Grand Slams are different than all the other tournaments because they're two weeks long and you play best of five. Every opponent you play against, you have to get him seriously and not underestimate, especially in the opening rounds where the players are lower ranked and really ready to give everything and have nothing to lose.
So the question is if you want to be tested early on or you want to go easy and smoothly past the rounds, past the opponents, and save the energy for second week. It's really hard to say. Both ways are good, I guess.
For me, as I said, to get a little bit more time on the court today was actually positive. So physically I'm ready. I mean, I'm moving well, and more or less game-wise overall I think I'm playing good enough tennis to challenge the best players in the world.
Now I have to take one match at time.
Q. Mentally do you feel better prepared than you did, say, during the Grand Slams last year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: During the Australian Open last year, I had a lot of, well, mental barriers I can say, because I was -- I positioned myself. First time I had the role of defending champion on a Grand Slam. So it was really difficult to cope with the pressure and expectations that I had. It was a different feel. You know, a feel that I never experienced before.
And I changed the racquet and I was struggling to find an exact racquet that I'm comfortable with. There was a lot of stories, should I change it? Should I have changed it or not? Obviously it all had an impact on my results.
But this year I feel that I can do better on Grand Slams.
Q. You were having great fun two days ago in the Hit-for-Haiti game. Will you keep this kind of rhythm during this tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, fun is fun, I guess, and work is work. I have to try to give my best and win on the court. That's my main priority.
Of course I try to enjoy every single moment of my life, and things I do off court. Actually, I was very happy with the way that exhibition went. I think we should gather around more often and try to have those exhibitions more often together.
Q. For the victims?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Exactly. And charity as well. It's really hard to gather all the players from men's and women's tennis in one event. It was a great idea, and we all tried to contribute in the best possible way for the people that need help.
Q. Do you think it's realistic to say that there's maybe six or seven guys that could win this tournament? A lot of Grand Slams you go in and hear that, but there's usually three or four guys. This time seems like a bunch of guys.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I agree. I think this is one of the most exciting Grand Slams in the last five or six years because of the reason you just said: You have a group of players that are able to lift the trophy in two weeks.
Next of course two big favorites, Federer and Nadal. I think Murray, Del Potro, Roddick, and myself. Davydenko plays exceptionally well lately. Gonna be interesting for the fans and for the sport to see who will win it in the end.
Q. I read some of your comments on the World Cup of Tennis. Clarify your position. You've got a big Davis Cup match coming up, and I would say that's been important to Serbia before.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Davis Cup is a different competition. It's very unique because it's a team competition, which, you know, you don't get to have team competitions in our sport that much. So for every country to have a Davis Cup, especially to be in the World Group, means a lot.
But, you know, we're still discussing with the current leadership and with the people who are in charge of our sport, and of course between ourselves, between players, what we can make to -- what we can do to make this sport better and more attractive to fans.
I think the ATP right now has a good understanding for what we want. But I wouldn't talk further than that. World Team Cup Tennis and bunch of other things are just ideas. They're still not, you know, going to realization.
Q. A slow start, and then on paper it looked a relatively easy game. You seemed a bit frustrated.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, definitely I was frustrated, especially at start of the match, because he was really giving it to me. He was very aggressive and stepping in and using ever opportunity that has been given to him.
So automatically I just became too defensive and didn't really make too much. Just waiting for his mistakes. That was a little issue there, but I managed to make that transition from being defensive to being offensive and changing pace and holding the game in control in the second and third set.
In the fourth I struggled a little bit, but I managed to make that important break.
Q. Why did you struggle in the fourth?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, why? Everybody plays tennis, I guess. You can't underestimate anybody. I was aware of his quality and aware that he likes to -- he likes the fast play. You know, I tried to play some high balls and, you know, change the rhythm all the time.
It worked and then in that fourth set, he stepped it up a little bit more. Just fortunate to go through.
Q. What are your expectations for the tournament? Would you feel it would be unsuccessful if you achieved anything less than the title? Where have you set the bar for yourself coming into the season?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, I always try to have the highest possible ambitions, and that's to win the tournament. But I'm well aware of the, you know, quality of the other players. Of course, some of the other players have probably more expectations than me to win the title. That's normal.
But I try not to put too much pressure on myself. I try to take one match at a time. I really had some bad experiences last year. Unfortunately finished the way I did. So I'm just trying to focus on my own matches put the best possible effort. Then I believe the results will come then.
Q. When did you work on in the off-season to help improve your game from last season?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We were unfortunate because we didn't have a lot of time in the off-season. Tried to use it in the best way. That's one of the short, off-season period was one the reasons that I didn't participate in the opening tournaments in 2010. Tried to work really intensively. I came ten days before Australian Open started and spent a lot of hours in the heat. I'm just happy the way I feel.
I believe that I can even play better.
Q. Are you playing well enough to win the tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, there are some things that I obviously have to improve in order play better. But, you know, the opening rounds, especially at Australian Open, are where a lot of surprises happen.
Opening rounds are a little bit tricky because you're playing against the players that really have nothing to lose and played a little bit more matches than you. I kind of feel that little pressure. This is what I felt a little today.
As I said, I'm taking it step by step and I'm sure that in two days' time I will play even better.
Q. There's been a lot made of the 2:00 a.m. finish this morning of Cilic and Tomic. What are your feelings on the late games and late finishes?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, this is something that not me individually can discuss. I think a lot of people have to discuss about it.
In one hand, it's really good for the crowd. It's really good for the TV and that's what they want. More entertainment. Night matches is what drives fans really crazy and excited. I absolutely understand from that side.
From the other hand, maybe in Tomic side was maybe a little bit too much pressure. He got used to playing during the day and I guess that's understandable as well.
Q. How hard do you think it is for a 17 year old to deal with that way past his bedtime? What's your advice to him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I mean, he's 17 years old and he's already playing on this level. I mean, you have to give him credit for that. I played him in Kooyong and I said only good things about him. That's what I honestly feel.
I think Australia can expect a lot from him. He's a great talent. He just needs to work physically on some things and to be able to play consistently on this level throughout the year.
But as I said, you know, that all comes with the time. I mean, he's only 17.
Q. You and Roger and Rafa have been at council now for a while. Describe how that's working with the three of you. Do you feel like you have been able to see at the same level on the issues? You talked about the World Cup. What other things are important to you guys as far as the tour is concerned?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, I think the most important thing is that the top players are together right now, and that share more or less the same opinion. That's very important.
And we are fortunate enough to have the present leadership of the ATP very understandable on the issues that we have and on our problems that we want to solve.
So we are all working towards the future and making this sport better for players and better for everybody. It's not easy, because we have to take sides on tournaments and players and sponsors and, you know, -- there's many, many issues that we have to discuss about.
Unfortunately I can't say more than that because everything is still in the process and it's pending. Hopefully next couple of months we can make some decisions.
Q. To shorten the season, is that a high priority still?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: That is the highest priority, because players feel like the season is just too long.
Q. A lot better players like yourself have a particular trademark shot or style: Federer, movement, say, forehand; Roddick, serve.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You tell me what's mine, because I cannot figure it out. (Laughter.) I still didn't figure out. I wanted to hear if you maybe know.
I don't know. It's hard to say. I like the backhand long line. I'm a baseline player and my game is based from that part of the court.
But, you know, I've been starting to work a lot lately on my volley game, net play, and trying to take the balls a bit earlier and use the chances and be more aggressive. Of course, the serve.
So I could say for myself that I'm all-around player, but probably the backhand long line is...
Q. Are you searching for a style still?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, not too much. Really, I just want to get my game as far as possible. That's all. I'm not trying to copy anybody or get a particular style that is gonna look beautiful to the fans.
Q. You won the singles title last year in Belgrade. Are you happy or satisfied overall with the attendances in Serbia?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, that was a very positive thing that we had a tournament organized for the first time in the history of our sport in Serbia. I was very happy about it. Of course, it couldn't be better. I even won the title in the end, and it was very emotional.
This year we have another tournament going, and we are trying and we are really focusing to improve facilities and to make the players and all the guests who come there feel good about it.
Of course, considering the popularity of the tennis right now in our country, we definitely need to do more. Because the people love it, support tennis, and you can see, wherever we go we have lots of support.
Q. What will you be doing for the next two days? We don't have the heat wave that we normally do in Melbourne. Do you spend more time on the practice court, or stick to the same routine?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's more or less same routine. I can't do anything in particular between the matches, you know. That's where you want to just work on some specifics and save the energy for upcoming challenge.