Djokovic 四強賽後訪問 - 溫網 Tennis

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Q. Fought hard, but it was obviously a big mountain to climb, huh?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Thank you. Well, you know, it was my first semifinal in the
career of the Grand Slam. And I got in, you know, with a lot of motivation
and confidence. I know that I never won against him on this surface, but the
win in Miami gave me a little bit more belief that I can win, even though
he's probably in this moment the best player on this surface, not just this
year, in the last two or three years. He's very dominant here. He didn't lose
in the French Open.

So I knew that before the match, but I was not trying to think about it too
much. But as you saw, it was pretty close first set, even the second was
pretty close. I had a break ball in 5-4 for him and his serve, and he served
an ace.

So, you know, I was trying to hold on. And I think I had a pretty good
resistance. And it was -- it was really nice match to watch, and it was a big
fight. But yet again, you know, he deserved to win, you know. That's why he's
No. 2 in the world.

Q. What about your strength and conditioning? Was that a factor in the match?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, well, might be. You know, I was not really feeling great,
you know. And he was -- he's physically the strongest, probably the fittest
player in the world. And if you want to win against Nadal on the clay, you
have to be 100% physically fit. Plus mentally, of course.

I think the first two sets, I was, you know, hanging in there. But the third
set, I just dropped with energy. And, you know, he used his opportunities and
he made a double break, and I couldn't come back.

Q. At the beginning of the match, you appeared to be doing very well with
drop shots and all of that. And then we didn't see anymore of that. Did you
change your match plan along the way, or what was the plan?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I was trying to, you know, be aggressive on one hand,
but on the other hand, not too much, you know, trying to create the points,
create opportunities for me. And I was doing pretty well, you know, in the
first two sets, I can say. But, again, in this important moments, he played
better shots.

I was a bit unlucky, you know. I had the first set at 5-All, so, you know,
that's tennis. It can turn around either way, you know. I was trying to make
with those drop shots a little bit a rhythm change, you know, so I can, you
know, get him a bit more on the net and try to move him a little bit forward
and backward, not just left-right. But I think it was a pretty good idea, but
in the end, unlucky, you know.

Q. How important was that breakpoint you had on the second set when he made
an ace? How important was that ace for the game, for the match?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it was very important. It was important. Even the
second game of the second set, you know, I had the Love-40 on his serve, and
I think it was one of the crucial games, you know. If I won that game, who
knows what would happen, you know, in that second set. And it would be -- the
match would be open, still.

But, you know, he had really good serve on the breakpoint, on 5-4. As I said,
you know, that makes him, you know, a big player, big champion, you know.
That's why he's No. 2 in the world. He goes for the shots on the more
important moments.

Q. It seems pretty difficult to outhit Rafa on clay. Is it possible to
outthink him on clay?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I -- I will have to, you know, repeat, probably the
same things. You know, you can't win easy against him. Even if, you know, you
win on clay against him, you've got to do more, you've got to push him more,
push him over the limits. And you've got to play a really great tennis and
it's got to be your day.

You know, as I said, he's very confident playing on clay. It's his favorite
surface. He's very dominant. And, you know, it's just -- it's sometimes
frustrated his opponent before the match. And during the match, when we see
how fit he is, how much he can go left-right, running without dropping any
energy, you know. He was on one level all the time. And it's not easy to hold
on with him, especially on this surface.

Q. Also, the other day we asked you if you pictured yourself yet as a Grand
Slam champion. So I'm wondering what your answer is, if it's different today,
and what you're going to carry from this tournament into Wimbledon.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: From every match I learn something new. Especially this
tournament, is one of the four biggest tournaments in tennis, and, you know,
it brought me a lot of positive things, of course. And I can always learn
something new out of the Grand Slam.

You know, as I said in the last press conference, I still didn't picture
myself as a Grand Slam winner. You know, didn't wanted to think about it too
much, and I didn't think about it. I was trying to, you know, just play the
match, go step by step.

And now, I think I'll be, you know, again, Top 5 in the world after this
tournament. I played quarterfinals here last year, semifinals this year. I
won Miami, I won the major, I played the finals in Indian Wells. I made some
fantastic results this year, and I'm really confident right now.

And I think I have enough quality and I deserve to be in the top. That's --
we'll see what happens in the continuation of the season.

Q. Who is your favorite for the final?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, I can say that the match will be open,
because, you know, last match Federer won in Hamburg. But I would put Rafa as
a favorite, you know, in the finals, because he won the past two years here
in French Open. And he has so many wins on the clay, and he's, you know,
playing with a lot of confidence. But still, I think anything can happen.

You know, Federer is No. 1 of the world. And he's, you know, one of the best
players ever. So I think he can surprise him in this year's final. And he's
very motivated, that's for sure.

Q. There are many specialists that are considering you real No. 3 right now.
And they say that in a few months you can be very close to Federer and to
Nadal. Do you have that feeling?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, this year, looking at the tournaments this
year, the points, I made No. 3 in the race, ATP race, and I think I deserve
that place, because, you know, considering the fact that I had a fantastic
season so far. And I am one of the most consistent players on the
tournaments, which is a great fact for me and very positive thing. And, you
know, I can say that I have enough quality. I showed to myself and to
everybody else, that I have enough quality to be in the, you know, top three
and four of the world. And, you know, just try to do my best, and just go
forward.

Q. In the third set, it looked as if you kind of, maybe, dropped mentally the
match or lost concentration. Did it have to do with the feeling that it's
almost an impossible idea to overcome Nadal Love-22 down on clay?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, it's a little bit of everything. I think that
the main reason was my fitness. In that moment, I didn't move in that first
game well. I made three very bad drop shots, and, you know, he just started
-- he just felt that I'm -- I'm going down with my energy and mentally I
don't attack anymore. You know, I'm just starting to move not so well. And he
used his opportunity, you know. He started to play really well. He returned
all my serves, and he made -- he started to serve really well. So he was
making a lot of pressure on me.

Q. Last year, you go to the quarters, you had a breathing problems, but you
are new player, a better player. Even Roger needs a semi then a final. Are
you going to go on now on grass the rest of the year? How do you see it?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I just -- I just said that I see myself as one of the
best players in the world right now. I think I have, you know -- you know,
seeing the results I made this year. And this semifinal can bring me only
positive things, you know. Because I see that I can reach -- on the biggest
tournaments in tennis, I can reach the, you know, the last four, the last
couple rounds of the tournament.

And now the grass court season is coming. And it's, you know, very specific
surface, you know, not a lot of players like to play there. So I think I
played pretty well in Wimbledon the past two years, played the year the last
16. So we'll give it a try.

I don't have too much time to prepare for Queen's. I'm going to play Queen's,
but try to do my best and be ready for the most important one, for Wimbledon.

Q. You've given so much credit to Nadal and Federer, and saying you're not
ready to win a Grand Slam. Do you think a little more self-belief, since the
first two sets were that close, a little more belief would have made a
difference, a little more belief in your abilities to win?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think, you know, 20 years old, just turned 20, like,
two weeks ago, and so far I did incredible results for my age. And I don't
think that I am playing -- that I don't believe in myself. If I don't believe
in myself, and I don't have confidence, I wouldn't be here right now sitting.

So, you know, I really try to be positive in every situation. I say what is
realistic, you know. I think that they are two best players in the world
right now. On every surface, they are the biggest favorites to win the title.
And I think everybody knows that. But, again, I will work hard to try to one
day be, you know, best in the world.

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