Data urodzenia: 22-May-87
Miejsce urodzenia: Belgrad, Serbia
miejsce zamieszkania: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Wzrost: 187 cm
Waga: 80 kg
Praworęczny
Zawodowiec od: 2003
Trener: Marian Vajda
Minęło jakieś dwa i pół roku od chwili w której dowiedziałem się o istnieniu takiego gościa jak Novak . Był poniedzialek 17 kwietnia AD 2006 . Mecz 1 rn TMS Monte Carlo ( Przegrana do Feda 3-6 6-2 3-6 ) . Nie będe wam tu wkręcał że już wtedy przeczuwalem iż ten chlopak o bujnym afro za rok stanie sie poważną konkurencją dla najlepszych , a za dwa na wybranych turniejach wręcz bezkonkurencyjny i nieosiągalny , ale już wtedy w ten poniedzialek wielkanocny dało się zauważyc u Serba duzy potencjał , sporo ciekawych pomysłów taktycznych i niestety mocno przeciętną wytrzymałość , mlodziutki Novak najmocniej ujął mnie jednak nie stylem a sposobem bycia na korcie . Impulsywność , intensywne zaangażowanie emocjonalne z tą charakterystyczną iskrą w oczach - to jeden Novak , drugi to ten klaszczący z autentyczna szerością , po magicznych zagraniach Feda . Ktoś by powiedział że klaskanie Rogerowi to automatyzm ruchowy :-) , ok , ale miło przekonać sie że Djokovicia stać na takie gesty walcząc z Seppim , Gremelmayrem i innymi mniej zdolnymi .
O ostatnich wydarzeniach związanych z osobą Djokovicia ani slowa :D
Novak, pomimo młodego wieku ma bardzo mocną psychikę. Potrafi wygrywać ważne mecze. Wg mnie to przyszły nr 1 rankingu ATP.
Novak still the third player in the world!
Although Novak failed to defend semifinal points from last year’s Masters tournament in Madrid, his third place in the ATP rankings was not threatened.
With 4575 points, he still has the ranking he’s been holding since August 2007.
Nadal is still world number one (7100), Federer is second (6805), and the champion of Madrid, Andy Murray from Great Britain, is fourth in the rankings with 3420 points.
There also weren’t many changes in ATP Race, the best five hold their positions.
Novak is next playing at Paris Masters tournament, which will be held from 27th October til 2nd May. That will be the last test before Masters Cup in Shanghai (starts on November 9). Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray and Davydenko have already secured their place at the final tournament of the year.
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A więc trzecie miejsce w sezonie 2008 ponownie dla Novaka ;)
Gratuluję i życzę awansu w przyszłym roku!
Ja mam pytanko do osób bardziej zorientowanych w temacie Serba; czy gdzieś kiedyś oficjalnie potwierdzono, że Novak jest chory na astme?
Ciężko orzec, aczkolwiek jest potwierdzone że jest chory na głowę, nieuleczalnie.
COA napisał:
Ciężko orzec, aczkolwiek jest potwierdzone że jest chory na głowę, nieuleczalnie.
Jasiu poproszę o konkretne dowody :P Swoją drogą z kim to Roddick na USO przegrywa :D
Co do astmy to wcale nie jest wykluczone, nawet prawdopodobne. Przeczytałem co nieco o tej chorobie i można grać w tenisa na takim poziomie i w takich dawkach jednocześnie z doskwierającą astmą.
Ostatnie wyniki Serba, a już na pewno Jego przedłużanie przerw między punktami w połączeniu z coraz cięższym oddychaniem faktycznie mogą wskazywać na tę dolegliwość.
Niestety żadnego oficjalnego źródła o Novaku i astmie nie znalazłem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTPnHN_y … re=related
Otóż i dowody.
Nie chce mi sie szukać innych kretyńskich scen, pokroju Miami 2008, gdzie wali sie piesciami po klacie jak małpa po wygraniu seta z Wawrinką
Dobra spoko, to zmienia postać rzeczy :D
Uwielbiam jak się tak zachowuje. :D
Ajjj, taki dzikus.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS THE BEST FOR ME!
#9) TMS Indian Wells 2008
R128 BYE
R64 Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-3, 7-6(3)
R32 Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-3, 6-2
R16 Guillermo Canas (ARG) 6-2, 6-3
Q Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 7-6(5), 6-2
S Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-3, 6-2
W Mardy Fish (USA) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
#10) TMS Rzym 2008
R64 Bye
R32 Steve Darcis (BEL) 6-4, 6-0
R16 Igor Andreev (RUS) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Q Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 6-1, 1-0 RET
S Radek Stepanek (CZE) 6-0, 1-0 RET
W Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
#11) Masters Cup 2008
RR Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 7-5, 6-3
RR Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 7-6(3), 0-6, 7-5
RR Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 6-1, 5-7, 1-6
S Gilles Simon (FRA) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
W Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 6-1, 7-5
Wiem, ze to jeden z najmniejszych problemow i glupich tlumaczen (:P) ale Novak tłumaczył tez swoja porażkę nowym typem rakiety.
I ze spotkanych juz dwa razy na stronie Atp zdjec Novaka wynika, ze Serb powraca do rakiety firmy Head. 
Kocham takie tłumaczenia, Novak zresztą chyba nigdy nie przegrał jeszcze meczu ze swojej winy ;)
No tak, oczywiste że rakieta, od 1,5 miesiąca biedaczek nie mógł się przyzwyczaić. Dziwne że plamy na słońcu mu nie przeszkodziły.
btw
Gratulacje za refleks Kuba. xD
http://www.atpworldtour.com/5/en/deuce/ … ntents.asp
Novak Djoković w magazynie DEUCE.
Dun nie wolno wrzucac na forum linkow do takich zdjec przed godzina 22 :D
Poruszajac juz temat Djokovica, ciekawe jak zaprezentuje sie w Marsylii. Przeciwnikow nie ma strasznych, wiec jest bez dwoch zdan faworytem. Pognebic go moze Tsonga, ale watpie by Jo po tylu tygodni gry podrzad dotrwal do 1/2.
Ciekawi mnie to bo Djokovic jakos od Wimbledonu znacznie obnizyl loty, zwyciestwo w Masters Cup owszem bylo prestizowe, ale nei oszukujmy sie caly turniej gral slabo i wykorzystal to ze Murray wykosil Federera, a potem zabraklo mu pary na Davydenke... Juz teraz uwazam ze ten sezon bedzie slabszy dla Serba niz poprzedni i pewnie ustapi nr. 3 Murrayowi.
Skoro już jesteśmy przy tym temacie, to również jestem bardzo ciekaw jak się potoczy dalej kariera młodego Serba.
My dużo mu zarzucamy, że zdechlak, że klucha kondycyjna. Tym czasem , zarówno ostatnia forma, jak i problemy zdrowotne każą wręcz się pochylić nad przyszłością tego chłopaka. O ile przy małych imprezach to nie jest problem (chociaż Brisbane i Sydney w tym roku przegrane) to przy większych imprezach jego sytuacja wydaje się być dramatyczna. Inni łomoczą po 9 miesięcy w roku na wysokim poziomie, Novak po pierwszej połowie 2008 roku wyraźnie zbladł, co powinno niepokoić jego fanów.
Aha, marzenia o nr1, przynajmniej w najbliższej przyszłości (o ile nie w ogóle) można między bajki włożyć.
Teoretycznie tak może być, jednak należy pamiętać , że obaj(z Murrayem) grają b.dobrze na hardzie,natomiast dotychczas Serb był zdecydowanie mocniejszy na clayu(vide 6-4,6-0 w Monte Carlo). Także sądzę, że w tym roku Nole obniży poziom w stosunku do ubiegłego sezonu, jednak ma spore szanse na utrzymanie swojej pozycji, wszystko zależy od tego na ile Andy jest regularny by grać przez cały rok na wysokim poziomie.
Na wszelki wypadek proszę o nieprzekraczanie cienkiej linii odnośnie tematyki danego wątku.
Kariera Djokovica - jak najbardziej tutaj
Ranking - w temacie rankingowym w dziale General Messages.
Tak profilaktycznie to piszę, bo później może powstać niezły bałagan :)
Co do łomoczących, to możemy zaliczyć do tego grona na poważnie jedynie Nadala,Federera,Denkę i Roddicka. Reszta zawodników z reguły łapie kontuzje bądź też na skutek przemęczenia ich forma drastycznie spada.Djoko jest jaki jest, jak pokazuje historia potrafi zagrać znakomicie pewne okresy sezonu(AO-Rzym,choć tutaj także pojawiły się problemy w postaci szybkich odpadnieć z Marsylii i Miami). Jednak w tym samym 2008 roku , przez niemal całe lato był dość,jak na jego poziom,bezbarwny. Finały w Queens,Cincinatti i Bangkoku, jednak generalni jego gra nie przekonywała, dopiero wskutek dość szczęśliwych okoliczności wygrał wieńczący sezon Masters Cup.
Ja bardziej się zastanawiam, czy ten stan podczas AO to jednorazowy okres potwornego zmęczenia, czy też początek przykrego okresu, połączenia bezsilności fizycznej z ogólnym kryzysem formy.
#12 Dubai 2009
R32 Cipolla, Flavio (ITA) 6-3 6-2
R16 Hernych, Jan (CZE) 6-3 3-6 6-4
QF Cilic, Marin (CRO) 6-3 6-4
S Simon, Gilles (FRA) 3-6 7-5 7-5
W Ferrer, David (ESP) 7-5 6-3
Widzieliscie ta reklame Head?
Klasyk! :D rotfl
Genialna reklama :lol: Ale ten motyw z gołą klatą mogli sobie darowac, nie powinni tego puszczac przed 22 ;)
Nie widział ktoś idioty, to proszę uprzejmie, oto dorodny okaz.
http://www.zczuba.pl/zczuba/1,90957,656 … adala.html
Hajde!
Mnie to rozbawiło i wcale nie uznaję go za idiotę. :P
Ciekawe czy Nadala też to rozbawiło ? Poza tym, ile k***a można ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SpGim0gsoY
Złości na jego twarzy się nie dopatrzyłem. ;)
COA napisał:
Ciekawe czy Nadala też to rozbawiło ? Poza tym, ile k***a można ?
Przecież on mu zabrał nagrodę, i dopiero jak ten go skończył naśladować wszystko oddał. Poza tym sam się śmiał.. Jeśli Rafie to nie przeszkadza to tobie tym bardziej nie powinno.
Na szacunek zasługuje robiący dobrą minę do złej gry Rafa. Bo przecież trzeba pokazać "dystans do siebie", kiedy pokonany rywal naśmiewa się z grzebania w tyłku. :] Na pewno Hiszpan wynikiem kolejnego ich pojedynku dobitnie pokaże, co myśli o tym uroczym wesołku.
Może faktycznie Rafa miał tylko dobrą minkę a w środku się gotował ale kto to wie..
No to grzebanie w tyłku rzeczywiście było nietaktowne, ale reszta jak najbardziej w porządku. Jak ktoś kogoś nie lubi, to zawsze znajdzie jakiś pretekst żeby najechać na tą osobę.
Rozumiem Soderlinga też pochwalasz, tak ?
Boza, co za duren... Naprawde nie widze w tych parodiach Nadala nic smiesznego, czy to robi Djokovic, Soderling, czy Roddick. Wałkowane wiele razy i zwyczajnie nudne. Raz moglo byc smieszne, ale nie po raz 1386. Djokovic - najwiekszy pajac w tourze, brutalna prawda.
Nie, Soda zachował się jak cham, większość żartów Nole było do przyjęcia na tej ceremonii.
jaccol55 napisał:
No to grzebanie w tyłku rzeczywiście było nietaktowne, ale reszta jak najbardziej w porządku. Jak ktoś kogoś nie lubi, to zawsze znajdzie jakiś pretekst żeby najechać na tą osobę.
Dokladnie.
Jesli juz szukac winnego, to dlaczego nie tego, kto wpadl na ten pomysl. :p
Ale Kuba, Djokovic sam daje preteksty. Raz poparodiował, pośmialiśmy się, wystarczy. Silenie sie na dowcip w takiej sytuacji cieżko uznać za dowód wielkie kultury. Niech inni gracze zaczną parodiować słanianie się po korcie, a Federer i Rafa niech wyciągają stopery i mierzą mu przepisowe 20 sekund na wykonanie serwisu, kiedy zaczyna się cyrk z kozłowaniem; zobaczymy jak wtedy będzie mu do śmiechu.
Przepisowe 25 sekund, prossze pana (to tak jesli juz czepiamy sie szczegolow). :p Szczerze, nie sadze, by Djokovic przekraczal ta granice.
No i poza tym, Roddick juz to kiedys parodiowal.
mayagaller napisał:
Przepisowe 25 sekund, prossze pana (to tak jesli juz czepiamy sie szczegolow). :p
No i poza tym, Roddickjuz to kiedys parodiowal[/url].
Ta, serio ?? Tylko powiedz mi, ile razy i kiedy ostatnio, i najważniejsze, kiedy po przegranym meczu lub kiedy podczas dekoracji ?
Bizon napisał:
Naprawde nie widze w tych parodiach Nadala nic smiesznego, czy to robi Djokovic, Soderling, czy Roddick. Wałkowane wiele razy i zwyczajnie nudne. Raz moglo byc smieszne, ale nie po raz 1386.
COA napisał:
Ta, serio ?? Tylko powiedz mi, ile razy i kiedy ostatnio, i najważniejsze, kiedy po przegranym meczu lub kiedy podczas dekoracji ?
Dlaczego ten negatywizm? :|
Tylko stwierdzilam fakt. Sytuacja miala miejsce? Tak. I to byl moj caly punkt, ktory nie mial na celu nic udowadniac.
Dlatego, że wyżej wymieniony fakt został już wyżej przytoczony w cytacie, który wrzuciłem na końcu swojego poprzedniego posta. Nie rozumiem więc skoro piszesz, że nie miało to na celu nic udowadniać, to po co się powtarzać ?
COA napisał:
Dlatego, że wyżej wymieniony fakt został już wyżej przytoczony w cytacie, który wrzuciłem na końcu swojego poprzedniego posta. Nie rozumiem więc skoro piszesz, że nie miało to na celu nic udowadniać, to po co się powtarzać ?
Czasami ludziom zdarza sie cos przegapic... Rozmowa na temat przypomniala mi o tym klipie, wiec o nim wspomnialam. Przepraszam za zniewage.
O Jezu, ale się gotujesz na tego Novaka COA, daj spokój już.
Prawda jest taka, że on sam te parodie wykonywał bodajże 2-3 razy, o wszystkie następne prosili go ludzie prowadzący wywiad po meczach czy właśnie jak ta babka z ceremoni. Miej pretensje do nich, nie do Djokovica. Fakt, pajacuje często w sposób mogący urazić innego zawodnika, ale ludzie się dobrze bawią i głównie o to w tym chodzi. Rafa też nie wyglądał na rozeźlonego, w wywiadzie zresztą podreślił, że to nie ma dla niego większego znaczenia, więc..?
jaccol55 napisał:
Jak ktoś kogoś nie lubi, to zawsze znajdzie jakiś pretekst żeby najechać na tą osobę.
Właśnie, i to już jest tak samo nużące jak w Twojej opini jego parodie. Chill;)
Dokładnie. Djoko na pewno sam nie wyjechał z propozycją parodiowania Rafy :] moglo to być coś w stylu: " Novak, pokaż rzymskiej publiczności Nadala - oni jeszcze tego nie widzieli" :/
i o ile pamietam, mielismy tutaj nie obrażać jakiegokolwiek zawodnika touru, a jesli chodzi o Novaka to robi się to notorycznie - przede wszystkim przez fanow Roda :]
To nie był pomysł Novaka, co więcej, on sam wzbraniał się przed spełnieniem prośby starszej pani prowadzącej ceremonię. Kobieta była jednak dość natarczywa, dołączyła so tego publiczność i chłopcy nie mieli wyjścia - Novak błagalnie spojrzał na Rafę, ten się zgodził ( cóż innego mógł zrobić ? ) i nawet potrzymał mu trofeum. Publiczność miała ubaw, Rafa i Djoko trochę mniej. Prawdopodobnie prowadząca chciała, żeby było zabawnie, ale nie wyszło.
Zgadza się, zawiniła prowadząca ceremonię. Bo że Nadala to nie bawiło, to jestem pewny. Mnie Novak jest obojętnym zawodnikiem i niech tam robi co chce, po prostu już dawno mnie te parodie nie bawią, kto i w jakiej sytuacji by tego nie robił.
Bo to jednak nie jest to samo, co żarty Agassiego i Federera, kiedy naprawdę była dobra zabawa dla wszystkich, obu graczu i całej publiki.
Skoro prowadzaca ceromonie go oto prosila to troche zmienia to postac sprawy, chociaz i tak powinien odmowic. Dorosły chłop, osoba publiczna a zachowuje sie jak 14 latek, ktory chce koniecznie zaimponowac reszcie towarzystwa. Na Davis Cupie w tym roku na pewno prowadzaca ceremonie nie kazala mu zdjac spodenek w meczu z Nadalem...
Robertinho napisał:
Zgadza się, zawiniła prowadząca ceremonię. Bo że Nadala to nie bawiło, to jestem pewny. Mnie Novak jest obojętnym zawodnikiem i niech tam robi co chce, po prostu już dawno mnie te parodie nie bawią, kto i w jakiej sytuacji by tego nie robił.
Bo to jednak nie jest to samo, co żarty Agassiego i Federera, kiedy naprawdę była dobra zabawa dla wszystkich, obu graczu i całej publiki.
Zdecydowanie zgadzam się z ostatnim zdaniem. Zabawnie jest wtedy, gdy wszyscy się dobrze bawią. Tutaj zabawiono się kosztem Rafaela i Novaka. Szacunek dla nich obydwu, że potrafili sobie poradzić z sytuacją i dzielnie uśmiechali się do końca ceremonii. Dla starszej pani, jedynka z zasad savoir - vivre.
#13) Belgrad 2009
R32 BYE
R16 Tipsarevic 62 46 60
1/4 Troicki 63 62
1/2 Seppi 46 61 62
F Kubot 63 76
Czy Nole może objąć pozycję nr 2 przed RG czy to raczej nierealne?
Fed-Expresso napisał:
Czy Nole może objąć pozycję nr 2 przed RG czy to raczej nierealne?
Od jutra będzie numerem 4, więc najpierw musi 3 pozycję odzyskać.
22.05.2009
Novak Djokovic kończy dzisiaj 22 lata :)
Wszystkiego najlepszego mistrzu, samych sukcesów :D
Wszystkiego Dobrego :)
Osiągnięcia:
Ranking: 4 (najwyżej w karierze - 3)
Wygrane turnieje: 13
Przegrane Finały: 9
Turnieje WS: 1/1
Mastersy: 4/5
Masters Cup: 1/0
Zarobki: $12,291,794
Najlepszego Novak. :)
Novak Djokovic has yet to win his first grass-court ATP event after missing his most recent opportunity at Halle, Germany. The Serbian had to concede defeat in the final to Tommy Haas and will now enter the Wimbledon tournament without the burden of being a favourite.
At Wimbledon players put in their greatest efforts at Wimbledon, and the same is expected of Novak at the most prestigious tennis event of the season. Given he was knocked out as early as the second round by Marat Safin last year, Djokovic expects to go further this time around.
- “I had an early exit from the Roland Garros and have had more time to prepare for Wimbledon. I am aware my game on grass needs improvement, that I slip too often, but that’s normal in the first couple of weeks. Still, I am confident that my movement around the court will be fine from the start in London. I want to achieve a better result than last year. I intend to improve my net play, while nowadays I use the slice more – a shot that can come very handy on grass,” says Djokovic, who has been placed by the bookmakers as favourite number four to win Wimbledon.
The Serb reflected on his performances at the previous two Grand Slams this season – at the Australian Open and French Open – tournaments where he underachieved in both cases. He was the reigning champion in Melbourne, but had to withdraw from the quarter-final match against Roddick due to exhaustion, having played another gruelling match – against Cyprus’ Marcos Baghdatis – only hours earlier.
- “There was no reason why my match against Roddick couldn’t have been put to be played in the evening. I understand the needs of the television, the sponsors and the like, but no-one can tell me it’s all more important than players’ health. After all it’s the players who bring all the show to tennis. As for Paris, I arrived ready as I had played two Masters finals on clay before the French Open and I had high expectations, but had one bad day and it all fell apart.”
Novak admits he is upset about the statements from some of his fellow ATP Tour colleagues – Roger Federer among others – who criticized Djokovic for withdrawing, something Novak has done on several occasions at Grand Slams.
- “I think there have been some unfair comments. Some players have really disappointed me, especially because everyone knows what he playing conditions were in Melbourne and that my schedule of play was unbearable. My health will never come second to tennis. If my body sends me a signal that I must stop, then I must stop,” said the world’s number four.
Przed RG tak podskakiwał a wszyscy wiedzą jak się skończyło. Teraz chociaż jest świadom, że nie gra najlepiej i stara się usprawiedliwić. :)
Myślę, że czas przenieść dyskusję o Novaku tutaj, zwłaszcza, że jest nad czym dywagować :)
anula napisał:
Novak od Madrytu przeżywa znaczący, widoczny nawet gołym okiem spadek lub nawet załamanie formy.
Ja bym posunął się jeszcze dalej. Moim zdaniem ten kryzys formy trwa od Wimbledonu 2008, a okres bardzo dobrej gry wiosną to była tylko krótka zwyżka dyspozycji.
Bez przesady, 1/4 Wimbledonu zrobił, może rywali najmocniejszych nie miał ale jednak.
W ogóle odnoszę wrażenie, że każdy młody gracz który zgarnie kilka znaczących skalpów zostaje mierzony skala Federera.
Nie każdy dobry zawodnik odrazu musi robić notorycznie finały Szlemów,Mastersów, mieć passę wygranych meczów w okolicach 30.
Chyba za dużo się wymaga od tych zawodników, doszukujemy się w graczach jak Djoković, Murray dominatorów, a oni takich skłonności po prostu nie mają- i fizycznych, i technicznych.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Ja bym posunął się jeszcze dalej. Moim zdaniem ten kryzys formy trwa od Wimbledonu 2008, a okres bardzo dobrej gry wiosną to była tylko krótka zwyżka dyspozycji.
Niedługo wyjdzie na to, że miał kryzys od urodzenie. :P
A poważnie, to Novak to gracz o delikatnym organiźmie, taki ktoś długo ładuje akumulator, a dość szybko wyczerpuje zapasy; preferując styl gry oparty na dużej ilości biegania, Djoko przyśpiesza ten proces. Popatrzyłem sobie ostatnio na jego mecze z sezonu 2007 i cholera grał wtedy dużo lepiej(ciekawiej), niż w tym najlepszym niby okresie z sezonu 2008; było w tym więcej agresji i polotu.
Potem postawił na bardzo regularną grę z głębi kortu i przyniosło to wymierne rezultaty, tylko organizm wystawił rachunek. Moim zdaniem od jakiegoś czasu Novak chyba przestał się rozwijać pod wzgledem czysto tenisowym i to jest największy problem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNFhKS9x … L&index=16
No co się z tym chłopakiem stało?
Wierzyć się nie chcę, że on kiedyś tak grał.
Nic się z nim specjalnego nie stało. Każdy ma swój "peak" formy w innym wieku. Nole zabłysnął w wieku 19-20 lat, a później obsiadł. 600 razy kreowano go na nowego lidera rankingu, ale byli tacy co przestrzegali, że niewiadomo jak on będzie grał za jakiś czas. Takich przypadków jest cała masa. Tak jak gra zaskakuje i gracz czyni postepy tak i w każej chwili ten rozwój może zostać zatrzymany. W przypadku Novaka tak się chyba stało. No ale wyniki ma - 4 finały mastersów w jednym roku to pokaźny dorobek.
Zgadza się, patrząc tylko na suche wyniki można stwierdzić, że Nole gra bardzo przyzwoicie, ale mi nie chodzi o to, że sie zatrzymał w rozwoju, a wręcz cofnął.
W 2007 roku jego tenis był naprawdę urozmaicony, załóżmy, że z racji problemów zdrowotnych zniknęły spektakularne obrony, ale czy słabsza forma fizyczna jest przyczyna oduczenia się zagrywania dropshotów(cokolwiek znakomitych) czy atomowego fh.
Fed-Expresso napisał:
W 2007 roku jego tenis był naprawdę urozmaicony, załóżmy, że z racji problemów zdrowotnych zniknęły spektakularne obrony, ale czy słabsza forma fizyczna jest przyczyna oduczenia się zagrywania dropshotów(cokolwiek znakomitych) czy atomowego fh.
No Fana Federera to chyba nie powinno dziwić. Jak ktoś się zajedzie fizycznie to traci na regularności. I głównie w tym tkwi problem Serba. (bardzo uogólniając)
Brilliant Nole powers into the quarter-finals!
World no.4 Novak Djokovic defeated no.15 seed Czech Radek Stepanek in straight sets 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour and 46 minutes to book a quarter-final spot at the US Open.
Novak broke Stepanek’s service twice in the first set, in the fourth and sixth game, and then served out to love for 6-1.
Stepanek held in the opening game of the second set, but couldn’t hold pressure from Djokovic for much longer. Nole made two breaks to go 4-1 up. The Czech got one break back and held for 4-3. Stepanek was serving to stay in the second set, but with two poor forehands he handed Novak two break/set points. No.15 seed saved the first with a great first serve but Djokovic capitalised on the second chance to grab the set 6-3.
The 22-year old from Belgrade held to 30 to open the third set. The Serb made a crucial break in the sixth game and then held to increase his lead to 5-2. Nole was confident serving for the match and closed it 6-3.
Djokovic served 5 aces to Stepanek’s 4.
He hit 29 winners to Stepanek’s 19, and made 21 unforced errors, 7 less than his opponent.
The Serb capitalised on 6 of his 13 chances for break, while the Czech converted 1 of his 3 break points.
Novak will play against world no.10 Fernando Verdasco for a place in the semi-finals. The Spaniard beat American John Isner in four sets 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Djokovic and Verdasco have met 5 times, Nole leads 3-2.
Deconstructing Djokovic
James Martin
If there’s a player who likes to be the center of attention, the one who cracks up the crowd and becomes a favorite on YouTube, it’s Novak Djokovic. Just last month, after beating Radek Stepanek at the U.S. Open, Djokovic added to his body of work as the class clown. He looked up at the broadcast booth, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, and “challenged” Johnny Mac to a hit in front of the well-lubricated, late-night crowd. It was classic Djoker, a moment that revealed his charm and unfailing desire to be in the spotlight. Unfortunately, the 2008 Australian Open champion hasn’t been in the spotlight for much else, unless you count a striptease he did in Montreal.
Djokovic, the 2008 Australian Open champ and a finalist at the U.S. Open in 2007, was underwhelming at the majors this season.
While he’s still clearly one of the elite players in the world, with a more than respectable ranking of No. 4, Djokovic seems to have lost his cutting edge on the court when it matters most. This season, despite winning two small titles, Belgrade and Dubai, he came up short in five other tour-level finals and failed to seriously challenge for a major championship. He meekly retired in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open (the heat and the Djoker apparently don’t mix) and lost in the third round of the French Open to Philipp Kohlschreiber and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon to Tommy Haas.
But it was his defeat at the hands of Roger Federer in the U.S. Open semifinals that, if you’re a Djokovic fan, is most troublesome. Although the score (7-6, 7-5, 7-5) was close, the match wasn’t. While Federer played well enough, Djokovic never looked like he believed he could win. Perhaps he should have borrowed a pair of shoes from Melanie Oudin. The Djokovic of old, the one who crashed the scene in ’08, would have had a chip on his shoulder and not shown Federer so much deference. Instead, we got a smiling, seemingly content Djoker who had all the bite of a Chihuahua.
What happened to the player with the smug mug who delighted in the opportunity to knock the likes of Federer off his perch?
Todd Martin, who Djokovic hired as one of his coaches right before the U.S. Open, was there in Djokovic’s box when he lost to Federer, taking copious notes. When asked what he was jotting down, Martin dryly replied, “I can’t believe so many people are surprised that people in athletics know how to write.”
Moving on to his analysis of the match, he says, “It felt like, in the grand scheme of the match, Roger was ready and willing to take advantage of opportunities. Novak struggled a little bit at being at peace with himself and seizing the moment when it comes. Against the Top 5 guys, those moments are going to be few and far between. If you’re not alert to make the most happen for yourself, it won’t happen.”
While Martin won’t give away any company secrets, lest the information find its way into enemy hands, he intends to sharpen Djokovic’s strokes, strategies, and mind game. Martin would like to see his charge hit more forehands from the middle of the court. “His forehand is more temperamental than his backhand,” Martin says. “His backhand is like the morning news—it always shows up. His forehand has the potential to be a great weapon. Novak likes to use it in different ways. I’d like to see him hit more forehands, and make more of the opportunity of hitting forehands from the middle of the court.”
Martin also emphasizes the importance of keeping a steady focus regardless of the score. You see it in the most successful champions, he says, the ability to build momentum after a good point and, more importantly, to forget a poorly played one as soon as it’s over. “The best competitors are able to erase the chalkboard and go back to doing the things, the gameplan, that are in permanent ink.”
Djokovic’s mind may indeed be his greatest vulnerability. He’s not a headcase in the theatrical spirit of the game’s most celebrated underachievers, Marat Safin or Illie Nastase. But his meltdowns are no less spectacular. At times, when he finds himself on the losing end, he appears to put in the old college try, eschewing the percentages in favor of the kind of high-risk shot-making of a player who’s mentally checked out.
There’s no doubt that Djokovic is supremely gifted, the best jock in the Top 5. Martin, for one, marvels at his explosive movement and his ability to maintain a high level of ball control when he’s stretched out wide or in an otherwise awkward position. With his gifts, Djokovic should be putting together a more consistent record and adding to his single Grand Slam trophy.
And that may just be a matter of time. It’s not as if the Serb’s game needs a complete overhaul, of course. He’s like a sports car—high performance, and highly temperamental. Getting a tune-up might be all that Djokovic needs to get him back into the spotlight for the best reason of all, his tennis.
James Martin is the editor in chief of TENNIS magazine.
Kiedyś bardzo lubiłem Djokovicia szczególnie po wygranym AO 08, a teraz jakos straciłem do niego sympatię. Zmienił rakietę z Wilsona na Heada dostał więcej kasy ale przestał wygrywać, tylko zmienia narzeczone :)
Nole pewnie wróci na 3 miejsce w rankingu
Rozstawiony z numerem drugim Serb Novak Djokovic pokonał 6:3, 1:6, 6:1 Hiszpana Fernando Verdasco (nr 5.) i awansował do półfinału turnieju ATP na twardych kortach w Pekinie (z pulą nagród 2,1 mln dol.).
Tenisista z Belgradu ma szansę awansować na trzecie miejsce w rankingu ATP World Tour, jeśli wygra tu jeszcze jeden mecz.
22-letni Djokovic ma szansę wyprzedzić w tej klasyfikacji Andy'ego Murraya, który z powodu kontuzji nadgarstka zrezygnował ze startu w turnieju rangi Masters 1000 w Szanghaju rozpoczynającym się w niedzielę.
Szkot, mimo kłopotów z ręką, grał przeciwko Polsce we wrześniowym spotkaniu rozgrywek o Puchar Davisa w Liverpoolu, którego stawką było pozostanie w Grupie I Strefy Euroafrykańskiej. Chociaż zdobył dwa punkty w singlu i wystąpił w deblu, nie uchronił swojej drużyny przed degradacją.
Murray straci trzecie miejsce w rankingu ATP World Tour, jeśli w sobotę Djokovic pokona w Pekinie Robina Soederlinga. Rozstawiony z szóstką Szwed awansował do tej fazy pokonując 7:6 (7-3), 6:4 Chorwata Ivana Ljubicica, który dzień wcześniej wyeliminował Łukasza Kubota.
sports.pl
Dawaj Djoker, wracamy do gry! :)
I stało się Novak juz trzeci :D
Wcześniej awans do finału wywalczył Serb Novak Djokovic (nr 2.), po wygranej 6:3, 6:3 ze Szwedem Robinem Soederlingiem (6.). To zwycięstwo pozwoli tenisiście z Belgradu awansować 19 października na trzecie miejsce w rankingu ATP World Tour, w którym wyprzedzi Andy'ego Murraya. Szkot z powodu kontuzji nadgarstka zrezygnował ze startu w turnieju rangi Masters 1000 w Szanghaju rozpoczynającym się w niedzielę.
sports.pl
#14) Pekin 2009
R32 V.Hanescu 6/3 7/5
R16 V.Troicki 6/3 6/0
QF F.Verdasco(5) 6/3 1/6 6/1
SF R.Soderling(6) 6/3 6/3
W M.Cilić(8) 6/2 7/6
Brawo Novak ;)
The many different sides of Novak Djokovic
SHANGHAI -- How about the evolution of Novak Djokovic: court jester, petulant child, cerebral and political maestro.
And to think, the Serbian is only 22 years old.
Djokovic initially captivated the world of tennis with his breath-of-fresh-air demeanor and hysterical impressions of fellow players. Although not every player delighted in being mimicked, the prevailing opinion was that Djokovic was funny.
His nickname, "Djoker," is pure serendipity.
Nevertheless, a more serious Djokovic emerged following his 2008 Australian Open victory, and that seriousness turned to frequent churlishness, a result of self-induced pressure for greater success that became an albatross around his neck.
Now, there's a new version of Djokovic.
The Serbian's most recent, not to mention far more palatable incarnation, is as a thinking man's player, a transformation that coincides with his emergence as a tournament owner.
It's the Djokovic extended family's new business: ownership and organization of the Serbian Open, which successfully brought a professional tennis event to the country for the first time in May.
Djokovic did not disappoint the 100,000 fans who flocked to the Belgrade-based event by winning the inaugural edition. But he couldn't help becoming somewhat involved in the operational side, which has helped him develop a new appreciation for the all-inclusive nature of the tennis business.
"The main goal and priority is that every single person who came as a guest at our tournament feels good," said Djokovic, who also serves the tour in a political capacity as a member of the Player Council. "That's what we tried to do, starting from [the] restaurant and the courts, the hotel, transportation. I asked the players; every player who I spoke to was happy."
Djokovic understands that growing a tournament is not easy, especially when it was necessary to build the infrastructure from scratch, which takes time, money and dedication.
But he has big dreams for the future of the Serbian Open, even if the event is not of the caliber of the nine premiere ATP Master 1000 events.
"This is a hard part of the tournament, not having a lot of opportunities to invite the big stars," Djokovic said. "Obviously we're going to need a higher category of tournament, eventually, to attract the bigger players, and of course a bigger budget. I'm trying, with my own friendship with all these guys and trying to influence them a little bit, but their decision is their decision."
Djokovic knows a quality event when he sees one, and the Shanghai Masters 1000 couldn't rate higher in his estimation. In fact, he told new ATP president Adam Helfant, who briefly stopped by the event, to bottle Shanghai as the recipe for the perfect tournament.
Of course, it doesn't hurt that Shanghai has deep pockets, which many tournaments do not have.
The top eight seeds and top two doubles teams have their own private living rooms, bathrooms and locker rooms. And the player dining room features a one-star Michelin chef brought in from Italy.
"All the small details that the players care about: locker room, showers or balls, or space, playing room, quality of the food, everything is a very high level," Djokovic said, referencing Shanghai. "This is something that is important, and this tournament should be an example to all of the other tournaments. I am not saying that the other tournaments are bad -- there are many good tournaments, but this is the way it should look."
Djokovic serves on the Player Council with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, which happened when the threesome was dissatisfied with former ATP leader Etienne de Villiers, who left at the end of last season.
Now, they're working to rebuild a solid relationship with the new leader, and Djokovic believes Helfant is taking their concerns on board.
"It's a process," Djokovic said. "I think that there was not enough communication between the players and the tournaments and in one way, it's the players' fault. [They] talk about it between each other and in the locker room, [that] things that can be improved and then when the time comes to talk about it and really do something about it, they stop. So this is very important that we get united and everybody tries to do something."
Despite the outside interests, Djokovic's main dedication is to his tennis, and he arrived in Shanghai coming off a victory at the Beijing tournament last week. In an effort to improve, he's employed former two-time Grand Slam finalist Todd Martin as a tag-team coach to his longtime coaching relationship with Marian Vajda.
Martin has improved Djokovic's volleys, slices and shotmaking. And Martin offers a positive energy and calming effect Djokovic believes will counter his emotionally charged persona.
"I just want to continue playing tournament after tournament and building up a good shape, good form, and right now I'm in a good way," Djokovic said. "Physically I'm feeling very fit, and mentally I'm motivated to achieve good results."
Novak miesiąc temu otworzył swoją kolejną restauracje, ponoć już czwartą. Lokal nosi nazwę:
‘Novak Cafe & Restaurant’, a znajduje się przy kortach, na których w maju rozgrywany jest turniej Serbia Open, Belgrad.
Kilka fotek:
Why Novak Djokovic said no to Great Britain
We will never know how close Novak Djokovic came to representing Great Britain. But as his Cadillac was manoeuvred out of the Shanghai slow lanes and picked up a heady turn of speed yesterday, there was no holding back on his first account of a riveting tale that could have inspired a team from this country to win the Davis Cup rather than scrape around for its booby prizes.
As far-fetched as it might seem, Djokovic and Andy Murray may have become team-mates. Indeed, only Djokovic’s devotion to Serbia — a country struggling with its identity in 2006 and one that could not match the splendour that was offered to a starry-eyed teenager and his family by the British authorities — prevented what would have been the liaison to end all tennis liaisons. The Great Britain team may still have been preparing for a tie in Lithuania in March but, from there, watch out, World Group.
With Serbia trying to find its feet on many fronts, as the disintegration of its alliance with Montenegro accelerated through the early part of that year, we should not decry the LTA testing the waters with a family unsure of where it stood. Nothing wrong with a cup of tea and cucumber sandwiches at the president’s residence, is there? “To be honest with you, the talk was serious,” Djokovic said. “Britain was offering me a lot of opportunities and they needed someone because Andy [Murray] was the only one, and still is. That had to be a disappointment for all the money they invest.
“But I didn’t need the money as much as I had done. I had begun to make some for myself, enough to afford to travel with a coach, and I said, ‘Why the heck?’ I am Serbian, I am proud of being a Serbian, I didn’t want to spoil that just because another country had better conditions. A lot of athletes had been misunderstood in Serbia and it is still not easy always to be appreciated. But hope was there. If I had played for Great Britain, of course I would have played exactly as I do for my country but deep inside, I would never have felt that I belonged. I was the one who took the decision.
No one from inside the LTA has confessed that the discussions with the Djokovic family went as far as they did. There would have been a three-year hiatus — for two of which Djokovic would have had to live in the country — for him to be pull on a Britain tracksuit under the sport’s constitution, but it would have been worth the wait. No one was doing anything wrong; after all, the governing body had been persuader rather than persuadee with Greg Rusedski in 1995, tempting him from Canada with stories of riches beyond his imagination.
We now know, short of spending all Wimbledon’s annual donation on the Djokovics, it could not have done more than it did but it does make the battle between the present world No 3 and No 4 (Djokovic leapfrogs Murray again on Monday) all the more gripping. What a partnership they would have made. Imagine, we would have two players in with a chance of winning grand-slam titles, two to hound and harass in SW19.
“Andy comes from Great Britain, Great Britain has the biggest tournament in sport, when he plays there, it is madness,” Djokovic, 22, said. “All the eyes on him, all the hopes on him. This year he came close but [Andy] Roddick played very good tennis in the semi-final. But Murray has always been mentally a very strong player, he has to keep on and hopefully for him, he has what it takes to win.”
Returning to London next month for the Barclays World Tour Finals, Djokovic will be the defending champion, having won the old Masters Cup here last November. He appreciates his image will be less prominent on posters than those of Roger Federer, Murray and Rafael Nadal. “I don’t expect any kind of special attention because there are other players there more successful than me,” Djokovic said. “In a way, that’s better for me. But I’ve experienced a lot in the past few years, which has given me time to settle on my thoughts and experiences that can help me evolve as a player. I have always been a perfectionist, it has given me trouble and trouble to those around me, I put a lot of frustrations on myself.”
He sees what Federer and Nadal have done and is in awe. “I have seen and felt in my own skin what it is like to win a slam, but they have done it again and again and again,” he said. “People do not know what pressures they are under. Think of it, we have to constantly reset our motivations and our psychology. In Beijing [last week] I won the title, I had not done that since May, I was so happy, and the next day I was travelling here to prepare for a tournament that is even bigger, playing someone ranked 60 places below me. We do that throughout the year.”
Djokovic’s breakthrough came at last year’s Australian Open. In 2008 Djokovic won the quarter and semi- finals (the latter against Federer) in straight sets, to find himself up against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, of France. Tsonga had reached the final on a wave of outrageously confident ball-striking and when he won the first set, he was still cresting the waves. But Djokovic, as he loves to do, dug in, clenched his teeth, and won. Laying flat on his back that pulsating night, what did he feel? “All my life went through my head, capturing images from my past, the things I went through, as a four-year-old who felt so much in love with tennis and dreamed that one day I would win a grand slam,” he said.
“I remembered how I used to turn up for junior events, the one kid with a bag with his socks, shirts and shorts folded and ready, because I had been brought up to be very professional, very disciplined. I remembered that the lady who used to coach me when I was a kid used to tell me when I should go to bed, how I should do my schoolwork and say I must never, never drink Coca-Cola because it was bad for me. To this day I think I have only drunk one litre of it in my life.”
He will cherish winning in Melbourne for ever, but one championship dominates his wish list. “I just want to put myself into the position when I can be out there fighting for the Wimbledon title,” he said. “It is irreplaceable for me, the event, the history. It was when I saw Pete Sampras, my childhood hero, lifting the trophy on television at home when I was 6 years old and my eyes were the size of tennis balls that I knew this was where I wanted to be.”
One was reminded of the football player who had once said that scoring a goal was better than sex. “Yeah, Ronaldo wasn’t it?” he said. So what was better, winning a grand-slam tournament or sex? “Nothing, nothing, nothing is better than sex, it is what God created us to do,” he replied. But what if he were to win Wimbledon? “Ask me the question again on that day,” he said.
Courts of appeal
Novak Djokovic The mainstay of the players’ party each year in Monte Carlo, he dances, he acts, he sings, he has brought crowds to life with impersonations that are among the most popular sporting items on YouTube. His finest are those of Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova. As such, he has been a guest on the Jay Leno Show in the United States.
Mansour Bahrami Djokovic’s equivalent on the senior circuit, Bahrami’s impersonations of his fellow veteran players bring the house down wherever he plays. The speciality of the Iranian is serving five balls in a row, holding four between the fingers of his left hand and a fifth in his palm.
Ilie Nastase, Though there was often a destructive streak to the antics of the Romanian, Nastase could often display his funny side. There was a distinct sense of humour in his on-court shenanigans, but he frequently did not know when to stop. “I am a little crazy,” he said, “but I try to be a good boy.”
Jonas Björkman The recently retired Swedish doubles specialist is another who loved to impersonate his fellow players, most notably John McEnroe and Boris Becker. Björkman was another of the players who was front and centre at the players’ annual laugh-in.
Andy Roddick Perhaps not quite in the court-jester category, Roddick possesses a keenly cutting sense of humour, the quickest one-liners in the game and a comic’s features. Has recently appeared in a humorous commercial with an American actor, Bill Kurtis, for AT&T, the American communications company.
Novak Djokovic: The man who met his match with Murray
They were rivals as boys and have stayed neck and neck ever since but the Serb has got his nose back in front in the race to the top of the tennis summit. Paul Newman speaks to Novak Djokovic
Given that they were born just a week apart, perhaps it should be no surprise that Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have matched each other rung for rung in their climb up the tennis ladder. Long-term rivals from their junior days, they earned their first senior ranking points within a fortnight of each other in 2003, broke into the world's top 100 within three months of one another in 2005 and reached the top 10 within one month of each other two years ago.
Djokovic, the younger of the 22-year-olds by just seven days, was the first to reach a Grand Slam final, at the US Open in 2007, with Murray following suit in the same tournament 12 months later. The Serb is one up in terms of success at the majors, having won last year's Australian Open, while the Scot has achieved the higher ranking, having briefly displaced Rafael Nadal as world No 2 this summer.
Nevertheless, when the world order was updated last week it was Djokovic's turn to look down once again on his contemporary. Five months ago, Murray took over the world No 3 position that Djokovic had held for nearly two years, but in the second half of this season the Serb has been recovering lost ground.
While Djokovic has been making hay in the Far East, winning the China Open in Beijing and reaching the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters, Murray has had to let the grass grow under his feet, having not played a tournament since the US Open in early September because of an injury to his left wrist.
Like most players, Djokovic insists he does not pay too much attention to the rankings, although he is well-placed to appreciate their value. Being in the world's top four for the last 27 months has meant that he has not had to face Nadal or Roger Federer – or, latterly, Murray – before the semi-finals of any tournament in that period.
What did it mean to Djokovic to reclaim the No 3 ranking last week? "I was world No 3 for a long time and to get it back feels great, because I think I deserved it, playing well in the last two or three months," he said. "I'm aware that another reason why I'm there is that I was able to play two weeks in a row [in Beijing and Shanghai] when Andy wasn't, but that's tennis.
"I'm trying not to pay too much attention to the rankings, because calculations can distract you. I just want to continue playing tournament after tournament and building up a good shape and good form. I'm feeling good right now. Physically I'm feeling very fit and mentally I'm motivated to achieve good results."
The key to Djokovic's current physical and mental well-being has been the introduction of two new figures to his entourage. Back in April he hired Gebhard Phil-Gritsch, Thomas Muster's former trainer, as his new fitness coach, while Todd Martin, a former world No 4, joined his team before the US Open. Marian Vajda is still officially Djokovic's coach, but Martin, a 39-year-old American, is a growing influence.
In hiring Phil-Gritsch, who helped Muster become one of the fittest players in tennis, Djokovic has shown a determination to improve upon an area which had been a weakness in the past. He had developed a reputation for failing to last the distance, having retired four times during Grand Slam matches. In the quarter-finals of this year's Australian Open he quit in the fourth set against Andy Roddick because of heat exhaustion.
"I've been putting a lot of work into the physical stuff," Djokovic said. "It's hard when you switch fitness coaches. You don't want to make a big change because it might ruin your system, so he adapted to my body and got me into his routine. It's been working well. We've put a lot of work into the legs, into my movement, because this is where I have a good feeling about my game. My advantage is my running ability. I like to be dynamic and show a lot of energy on the court."
Martin's influence, as a thoughtful coach and a cool head, has probably been even more significant. Djokovic, a forceful and demonstrative character, may not be the easiest of men to coach. He has had a knack for rubbing up tennis people the wrong way, upsetting some with his mid-match retirements and calls to the trainer and others with his impressions of fellow players. When does self-confidence become arrogance?
For all his ability to entertain crowds – witness his hilarious jousting with John McEnroe at the US Open last month – Djokovic can also turn the public against him. Twelve months earlier he had incurred the New York crowd's wrath with ill-judged criticisms of Roddick.
So how has Martin helped? "He obviously brings his great knowledge and experience – and great calmness," Djokovic said. "He's a very positive person and that's what I like. Before the US Open we had lots of time on the tennis court. We put a lot of work into it. I'm a temperamental player. I show my emotions, even in practice.
"When I get frustrated I throw my racket. Then I look at Todd and I'm kind of scared about what his reaction might be, what he's going to say. But he always says: 'The shot you made before the mistake was good. So keep it going.' He always tries to find the positive in everything. I think that's a great thing about him. He's going to bring a lot of freshness to the team."
Djokovic has made his name as a baseliner, but Martin has been working on his slice and volleys in order to give him more options. "I think it's great that I've improved my slice a lot," Djokovic said. "I have more variety in my shots now. I've gained a lot of confidence there. I've always been a good defensive player and a good baseliner. Now I will try to make my life a little bit easier and improve on my volleys and try to give myself confidence and push myself more to get to the net.
"When you've been a baseliner all your life, to try to get into the routine of playing volleys more often is a process," he admitted. "It's all about work and practice. It's like everything in life. You have to work, work, work. Some day I hope it will work into my routine that I get into the net naturally, without forcing myself."
Nevertheless, Martin's other commitments in the United States limit his availability. The former US Open and Australian Open finalist did not travel to China with Djokovic and may not be at the O2 Arena during next month's Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, although they plan to work together in the Serb's next two tournaments, in Basel and at the Paris Masters, and in the build-up to London.
"He has a lot of obligations," Djokovic said. "He's still very active and he's a father of three kids. It's hard to find the right times, but we're doing well now. We try to make compromises over who is going to work with me where. Generally I think it will be Todd I'll work with when I go to the States and Marian when I'm in Europe."
Earlier in his career Djokovic had seemed to run out of steam at this stage of the year, but he won the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai last November and is in fine form in the run-up to this year's end-of-season finale, which has since been rebranded as the World Tour Finals.
That represents an impressive turn-around given his poor form at the start of the year, which he put down to a combination of unease with a new racket and self-inflicted pressure. "It started with the Australian Open and defending my title there. I expected too much of myself and it wasn't good, with the racket change and distractions off the court. It all reflected on the court."
Although he had a good season on clay, Djokovic fell in the third round in Paris and went on to lose in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. His fortunes picked up with the switch to his favoured hard courts and he reached the final and semi-finals of the Cincinnati Masters and US Open respectively, losing to Federer, the eventual champion, on both occasions.
"Since Cincinnati I've been playing great tennis," he said. "Hard courts were always the surface that suited my game most and where I felt most comfortable. It's a good period. It's never too early or too late to find your form. It's a great time to find it now. I think I could have done a better job looking over the season overall. I could have done better in the Grand Slams but, except for a couple of ups and downs, I've had quite a consistent season."
As for losing his No 3 ranking earlier in the year, Djokovic gives credit to Murray for overhauling him. "I didn't think it was basically my fault, so much as Andy Murray's great season," he said. "He deserved to get there."
Playing by numbers:
1: Grand Slam tournaments won by Novak Djokovic (2008 Australian Open)
2: Brothers (Marko, 18, and Djordje, 14, are both promising junior players)
3: Current (and highest) world ranking
4: Masters Series titles won (plus 2008 Tennis Masters Cup)
7: Matches against Andy Murray (won 4, lost 3)
13: Matches against Roger Federer (won 4, lost 9)
14: Singles titles won
19: Matches against Rafael Nadal (won 5, lost 14)
31: Months in world's top 10
84: Matches played in 2009 (more than any other player on the men's tour)
94: Tie-breaks won in career (lost 48)
251: Career singles victories (86 defeats)
13,901,121: Career earnings in dollars (about £8.5m)
#15 Basel 2009
R1 A.Beck 6-3 7-5
R2 Hernych 6-0 6-0
QF Wawrinka [6] 3-6 7-6 6-2
SF Stepanek [5] 6-7 7-5 6-2
F Federer [1] 6-4 4-6 6-2
Novak Djokovic, what comes to mind about ...
Family "Unity, love and respect."
Brothers "The relationship with them for eternity."
Head advertising "Crazy stuff, I have made. With dancers and jewelry for the breast nipple. "
Jelena Ristic She is the love of my life. "
Beauty "Beast."
Children "The whole purpose of an adult life."
Serbian Humor "The Serbian humor is very good. Even if the people here do not know him, perhaps. Something unusual, and getting used to, but good. "
Swiss Indoors "A tournament is a great triumph for me (laughs). Until now. "
Fondue "Ah, yes. Fondue and, uh, raclette heißts. Two of my favorite Swiss courts. I'm really very happy. "
Pizza "The specialty of the Italians and that of my parents. They've got a restaurant for pizza, and pancakes. I swear it. "
Rafa "A great personality. Very enthusiastic and a very fair player. "
Roger "Roger who? (laughs mischievously) Roger Federer? Okay, okay. This is the best ever. "
Co to za reklama???
The BNP Paribas Masters is down to the semis. But we know that most non-Gallic eyes will be focused on the Bercy semi featuring Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, while Gael Monfils will thrill the home crowd with his Gumby meets Mr. Incredible act. A win by Djokovic further fuels his resurgent fall, and does anyone tread water better than Djokovic, who occupies that no. 3 position on the ATP Tour as if it were built for it?
For a few years now, Djokovic has given the numeral 3 new and enhanced credibility; in fits and starts, he's made the ATP rankings race a three-horse affair, reminding us of the heyday of Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. He appears to have inspired a host of imitators, he's done the job so well. There's Andy Murray, and Juan Martin del Potro along with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, to all of whom the number 3 now must have special appeal. These days in tennis, the third-highest mountain in tennis is no molehill. And in tennis, you have to climb that one before you set your sights on K-2, and ultimately Everest.
There's a fair amount at stake in Bercy today when Novak meets Rafa, whom he trails in the head-to-head tall by 14-5, each of Djokovic's five wins coming on hard courts, all in Masters 1000 events. But as important as it has seemed these past few months for Djokovic to resist the allure of the Best Supporting Actor role (something into which he slipped in a distressingly comfortable way all the way through the US Open), the other big question looming is how a win or loss might impact a potential Nadal vs. Roger Federer showdown in about a week, in London, in the last ATP event of the year.
Enjoy the tennis, and feel free to discuss it here.
#16) TMS Paryż-Bercy 2009
R48 Bye
R32 J.Monaco 6/3 7/5
R16 A.Clement 6/2 6/2
QF R.Soderling(9) 6/4 1/6 6/3
SF R.Nadal(2) 6/2 6/3
W G.Monfils(15) 6/2 5/7 7/6
OFF COURT - CREDIT SUISSE AND ROGER FEDERER ENTER LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP
Credit Suisse today announced a long-term partnership agreement with Roger Federer. The world’s top tennis player, Roger Federer has won 15 Grand Slam titles and 61 singles tournaments. In an exclusive video interview, Roger Federer discusses the importance of teamwork in his sport and what drives him to achieve excellence.
As part of the partnership agreement, Credit Suisse will make a significant annual contribution to the Roger Federer Foundation, which is dedicated to helping disadvantaged children and to promoting education, sports and play, particularly in Africa. This commitment underscores the importance of corporate citizenship to both Roger Federer and to Credit Suisse.
Brady Dougan, Chief Executive Officer of Credit Suisse Group, said: “Credit Suisse is delighted and proud to be associating ourselves closely with Roger Federer – one of the greatest tennis players of all time, known and admired worldwide. Our decision to enter into a long-term partnership is driven by the fact that Roger represents the values that we embrace as a bank. He has a passion for excellence and is a great player. He has achieved this through a combination of hard work and determination. He brings all of his talent to bear in his play and raises the level of his game to meet the challenge in even the most trying of circumstances. At the same time he sets an example for responsible conduct both on and off the court. We also particularly share his passion for giving back to the community through his sponsoring of educational initiatives and look forward to supporting his charitable foundation.”
Roger Federer said: "I am excited about this opportunity to act as a global ambassador for Credit Suisse. They have been an important and trusted banking partner with me for a long time and I admire their passion for excellence. I also value Credit Suisse's substantial support for my foundation. I look forward to our ongoing partnership and helping make a contribution to the bank's continued success."
Jakby się komuś nudziło... ;)
Steve Flink: Djokovic Continues to Shine
If the BNP Paribas Masters event in Paris demonstrated one inescapable fact above and beyond anything else, it was this: as another long and exacting season draws near to a conclusion, predicting the fate of the leading players is an unenviable task. Consider what happened at this tournament, which was the ninth and last Masters 1000 tournament of 2009. Out went world No. 1 Roger Federer in a startling second round meeting with world No. 49 Julien Benneteau. On the same day, Rafael Nadal somehow survived five match points to oust Nicolas Almagro. Later that night, No. 4 seed Andy Murray was pushed close to his outer limits before stopping a seemingly resurgent James Blake in a final set tie-break.
It was that kind of a week. The favorites were never far from jeopardy. Close observers of the sport were following it all with some bewilderment and an awful lot of intrigue. All of the players seemed to sense that it was a time to strike up opportunities, a moment to seize the initiative, a chance to step up and be counted. But when all was said and done, some order was plainly restored as the game’s most successful player since the U.S. Open added not only weight to his reputation, but also collected his first Masters 1000 crown of the year and his fifth tournament win of the season. Novak Djokovic--- who has now been victorious in 18 of his last 19 matches and ten in a row--- garnered his third championship trophy in his last four tournaments, a substantial feat that will send him into the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals with a clear sense that he should not doubt his chances to defend that esteemed title.
In the final at Paris on the indoor hard courts, Djokovic seemed headed for a decisive triumph. He had crushed Nadal 6-2, 6-3 the day before with the best two sets I have ever seen him string together. Displaying the same kind of panache at the outset of his contest with the charismatic Gael Monfils, the 22-year-old Serbian was a joy to behold. He moved his first serve around skillfully, took calculated risks with daring second serves, and was unstoppable off the ground. His two-handed backhand was sharp and punishing, both down the line and crosscourt. But it was off the forehand wing that he took utter control of the match.
As was the case against Nadal, Djokovic was firing away relentlessly off that side, aiming close to the lines, going inside-out at all the right times, driving the ball acutely crosscourt with devastating accuracy and control. He was masterful in his execution, and a shaken Monfils was out of sorts, missing badly off his forehand side as Djokovic peppered that wing with uninhibited and stellar ball striking. In sweeping through the opening set, Djokovic won 16 of 19 points on serve, broke a dispirited Monfils twice, and closed out the set commandingly when the Frenchman double faulted at 2-5 and set point down.
Djokovic stormed to a 3-0 lead in the second set, breaking Monfils in the second game with a crafty low crosscourt forehand passing shot that Monfils could not handle on the forehand volley. Djokovic was on the edge of breaking the match wide open. With Monfils serving in the fourth game, Djokovic was twice at deuce before his adversary held on with a pair of aces. Djokovic moved swiftly to a 3-1, 30-0 lead but then completely miss-hit a routine forehand long. On the next point, he netted a forehand down the line pass he could well have made, and at 30-30 he inexplicably pulled a forehand crosscourt wide. Down break point for the first time, he controlled the entire point, approached the net, only to bungle a backhand volley.
Suddenly, Monfils was alive, the crowd was ignited, and Djokovic was no longer brimming with confidence. Monfils is a spectacular athlete, one of the most emotional competitors in tennis, and a man who relishes playing in his home country in front of an audience of unabashed admirers. He held at love for 3-3, and now he had officially joined the battle. Both men held over the next four games, but Djokovic was wavering, his ego sorely deflated, his game falling into disrepair. Serving at 5-5, down break point, Djokovic missed his first serve and Monfils--- so timid on the return up until then--- ran around his backhand and laced a forehand return down the line into the corner. Djokovic had no answer. Improbably, Monfils was ahead 6-5.
Benefitting from a cluster of backhand mistakes from the sagging Serbian, Monfils easily served out the set. Yet Djokovic quickly reassembled his game at the start of the third and final set. He found his range again off the forehand by going for winners more selectively and covering his shots with more topspin. After holding at 15 for 1-0, he won the most dynamic point of the match to break serve in the second game. Djokovic and Monfils waged war from the back of the court in a rally consuming no fewer than 43 strokes. Near the end of that sparkling exchange, Djokovic drew Monfils up to the net with a well executed backhand crosscourt drop shot. Monfils went down the line off the backhand, and Djokovic responded by rolling a low trajectory topspin lob over the backhand side of Monfils.
Monfils managed to lunge and poke a high backhand volley crosscourt, but he was in a bind. Djokovic managed to get around and play a penetrating forehand with Monfils retreating from the net. The Frenchman drove a forehand half volley well over the baseline. Djokovic was ascendant again, ahead 2-0 in the third set. In the third game, however, he tightened up again, double faulting to make it 30-30, impatiently pulling a forehand wide at 30-40. The two players were back on serve, but Monfils faltered again. From 15-30 in the following game, he double faulted twice to allow Djokovic the luxury of a 3-1 lead. This time, Djokovic served a love game, surging to 4-1.
Surely, he would close out the match emphatically from there. But that was not the case. Monfils was still playing almost entirely defense, and the only way he could win points quickly was with his big first serve. At 1-4, Monfils played was all over the emotional map. He served two aces for 30-0, threw in a pair of double faults for 30-30, then held on with another ace and an unanswerable first serve. Still, Djokovic was ahead 4-2, needing only two more holds to seal the title. But he lost his nerve in the seventh game, and allowed a game yet weary Monfils back into the match once more.
Serving at 4-2, 30-30, Djokovic released a strong first serve that Monfils could only block back into play without much on it. Djokovic was stationed right where he wanted to be for the inside-out forehand, but he missed it long. At break point down, he feebly double faulted into the net. Match on again.
From 4-4, both players kept their nerves well in check, and held their serves without undue difficulty. They moved on to a concluding tie-break, a fitting way to settle the outcome of a match of wildly fluctuating fortunes. In that sequence, after all of the momentum shifts, after all of the excitement, Djokovic at last confirmed his superiority. The tie-break went with serve through the first five points, with Djokovic taking a 3-2 lead. Serving at 2-3, Monfils became uncharacteristically aggressive, but Djokovic defended ably. Monfils was off the mark with a forehand, giving Djokovic a crucial 4-2 lead. Monfils cracked an un-returnable first serve to make it 4-3 for his opponent.
Djokovic undoubtedly knew how critical the next points would be, but kept his composure and focus admirably. At 4-3, he sparred with Monfils in another bruising rally, this one lasting 34 strokes. He ran around his backhand for a crackling forehand, provoking an error off the forehand of Monfils. It was 5-3. The next point featured a 21 stroke exchange. Monfils drew Djokovic up to the net, but Djokovic was ready. He played a semi-drop volley short down the line, knew that Monfils could only scrape that ball back down the line, and closed in for a high forehand volley winner.
Now it was triple match point. Despite his many missed opportunities, Djokovic was right where he had always wanted to be. Monfils was spent. He double faulted long. Match to Djokovic 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (3). When it was over, Djokovic understandably needed to release all of the tension he had carried inside of him for such a large chunk of the match. He screamed out in relief, sat down at his courtside chair and screamed again, and then hugged his coach Marian Vajda and his parents in their seats. It was a highly significant win for the Serbian, who had fallen four times without a compensating victory earlier this year in Masters 1000 events, losing to Murray in Miami, Nadal at Monte Carlo and Rome, and Federer in Cincinnati.
But his exultation and relief stretched beyond that stream of defeats. Had he failed to halt a game Monfils despite having victory within his grasp so frequently, it would have been a devastatingly penetrating defeat, a loss that might have scarred him for a long while, a setback that would have had lasting implications. Instead, despite his baffling insecurity from the middle of the second set on, Djokovic righted his ship, regrouped several times, and kept imposing his game and his will on his determined yet outplayed opponent. He refused to stop believing in himself, and carved out a hard fought and well deserved triumph over not only Monfils but his own inner demons.
Against Nadal in the semifinals, Djokovic was absolutely composed and purposeful, and in that instance he suffered no lapses, never allowing Nadal to get his teeth into the contest. Up until 2-2 in the opening set, it seemed entirely possible that these two formidable rivals--- meeting for the 20th time in their career series which started in 2006--- would have a long and hard struggle. But Djokovic had other notions. He swept seven games in a row and never looked back. In the last four games of the opening set, he won 16 of 17 points.
Maintaining that level of concentration and supreme execution off the ground--- Nadal seldom had a chance to dictate a rally, and Djokovic was on song throughout--- Djokovic swept 13 of 17 points to establish a 3-0 second set lead. Although Nadal managed to hold serve the rest of the way, Djokovic was unrelenting, refusing to allow Nadal a break point opportunity. He won convincingly 6-2, 6-3, finishing his near masterpiece appropriately with a forehand down the line winner.
Since his comeback in August after knee injuries kept him out of Wimbledon, Nadal has now played six tournaments, reaching four semifinals, one final and one quarterfinal. He has lost twice to Juan Martin Del Potro, twice to Djokovic, once against Nikolay Davydenko and once to Marin Cilic. But this was his most comprehensive defeat. And yet, he was not discouraged, at least outwardly. The day before, Nadal had played an inspired match to beat defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-5, 7-5, breaking his rival at 5-5 in both sets, holding his serve throughout, and moving freely and explosively from beginning to end. He looked slightly dazed by Djokovic’s combination of outstanding ball control and his rival’s power, but that was justifiable; Djokovic kept the rallies relatively short, prevented Nadal from establishing any rhythm, and was impenetrable on the day.
Although Nadal was hoping to win his first title since the Italian Open in May, and looking to close the gap considerably between himself and Federer in the race for No. 1 in the world, he realized he could have fared a lot worse. Against Almagro, he was so passive and his forehand was so shaky that he nearly suffered an abysmal loss. Almagro--- who had never taken a set off Nadal in four previous meetings—won the first set, saved two set points at 4-5 in the second set, and served for the match two games later. He reached 6-5, 40-0, triple match point, but in an instant the world No. 2 flicked on an inner switch, and for the first time brightened his outlook and elevated his game decidedly. At last, Nadal was really Nadal.
On the first match point, he made a superb forehand return deep into the corner, provoked a short ball from his countryman, and moved in to drive a low forehand into the clear for a winner. The next point lasted 13 strokes and Nadal lured Almagro into a forehand error with a deep crosscourt backhand. Two match points saved, three to go. Now Nadal took charge of the next really, stepping in for an inside-out forehand winner for deuce.
Down match point for the fourth time, Nadal escaped again as Almagro missed an inside-out forehand long. Almagro served an ace for match point No. 5, and Nadal scampered here, there and everywhere, retrieving brilliantly, using his backhand slice adroitly, biding his time. Almagro finally missed a backhand crosscourt wide on the 19th stroke of the exchange. Nadal broke back for 6-6 with a sparkling forehand crosscourt winner off a short ball. He won that set confidently in a tie-break 7-2, but, after breaking in the opening game of the third, reverted to a shadow of his normal self.
Almagro went ahead 3-1, and then got to 5-3. But he had started cramping in the previous game. Nadal survived, prevailing 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5. In his next assignment against Robredo--- another player who had never taken a set from him--- Nadal seemed in good shape when he served with a 6-3, 2-3 lead. But he lost that set. At 4-4 in the third set, Nadal was down break point. He missed his first serve, and then curiously went for a wicked slice serve wide on the second. He missed it by a wide margin, double faulting flagrantly. Robredo was serving for the match at 5-4.
Robredo was twice two points from a stunning upset in that game, but Nadal kept going down the middle with no pace, daring Robredo to come up with the goods to beat him. Robredo was not up to the task. Nadal broke back for 5-5 and finished strong by collecting eight of the last ten points for a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory. From there, he lifted himself up immensely to beat Tsonga, but Djokovic was waiting for him, and that was that.
As for Federer, he did not play a bad match against Benneteau. Playing his first match since losing to Djokovic for the third time in five matches this year in the final at Basle the previous weekend, he lost his serve only once in three sets against the wily Frenchman. Federer was on course for a straight set win, or apparently so. He took the first set 6-3, and both players held serve all through the second, which was settled in a tie-break. In that sequence, the inspired Benneteau did not lose a point on his serve, releasing one ace, a pair of unstoppable deliveries to the backhand, and stifling his opponent with unerring ground strokes hit with excellent depth. Serving at 4-6, Federer was caught off guard when Benneteau took a backhand return early, hit it flat and deep, and approached the net. Federer was rushed into a mistake off the backhand.
In the final set, Benneteau was fueled inordinately by the growing euphoria of his audience. He saved a break point at 0-1 with another penetrating first serve that Federer could not get back into play off the backhand. At 1-1, he broke Federer when the Swiss miss-hit a topspin backhand wide. Benneteau sensed he could win. He advanced to 3-1 and nearly broke a second time, but Federer aced him at break point down and held on. In the sixth game, Benneteau was down 15-40, but he saved those two break points with outright aggression, releasing yet another service winner to the backhand, followed by a crisp forehand volley winner crosscourt.
It was 4-2 for Benneteau, and once more Federer wandered into danger. He fell behind 15-40 on his serve, but his best instincts kicked in. He went in behind an impeccably placed first serve down the T, and used a swing volley to elicit a lob long from Benneteau. A service winner to the backhand saved Federer on the second break point, and he held on for 3-4. Would Benneteau finally realize he was playing unconsciously well, and choke?
The answer was forthcoming. Down 0-30 in the eighth game, he drove a forehand into the clear for a winner, nailed a backhand down the line into another empty space, punched a backhand volley winner, and aced Federer down the T. Just like that, Benneteau moved to 5-3. Two games later, he served for the match. At 30-15, Federer probed as much as he could in a 15th stroke rally, which ended with an explosive Benneteau crosscourt backhand travelling into the corner and out of reach. At 40-15, Benneteau aced Federer down the T. Federer challenged the call, hoping the Hawkeye Technology could save him. But the replay confirmed that the ball was in. Benneteau had played the match of his life to oust the world No. 1, who was only slightly off form.
That win opened up the draw for the fleet-footed and dynamic Monfils. He took apart Benneteau the next day, came from behind to defeat Marin Cilic in a high quality three set showdown, and then held back Radek Stepanek in three tumultuous sets. Monfils served for the match in the second set, did not close it out, but battled tenaciously to take the third, winning 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. Stepanek had attacked ceaselessly, approaching the net no less than 95 times, winning 62 of those points. But it was not enough to get the job done.
Stepanek had produced a significant upset when he beat Murray in the round of 16. Murray had not concluded his long match with Blake until 1:45 in the morning, and here he was back on court the following afternoon. Murray easily took the first set but thereafter looked weary and a step slower than usual. Stepanek hurt him frequently with excellent use of the drop shot, and first rate attacking play. He came away deservedly with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph. Meanwhile, U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro, hindered by an injury, retired at 4-0 down against Stepanek in the first set of their quarterfinal. Gone was another of the favorites.
Yet Djokovic was victorious in the end, standing up proudly for the established guard, reminding all of us that he is a great player when he does not get in his own way. His victory will only heighten interest in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Federer might find a late season spark and capture the event for the fifth time in his illustrious career. Murray will have the British fans cheering his every move, and is fully capable of winning the tournament. Maybe Nadal will assert himself and close his season on the highest possible note. No one is a prohibitive favorite, but the man who is playing the best tennis now among all of the top players is none other than Novak Djokovic.
:zdziwiony:
Przez aktykuł o Rodzie przebrnąłem, ale to już przesada lekka...
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/DEUCE- … kovic.aspx
Djokovic Plots His Rise To No. 1
Novak Djokovic might not have added another Grand Slam championship to his 2008 Australian Open title as he had hoped in 2009, but former and current members of the Serbian's coaching team believe he has taken a step closer to becoming the next player to rank No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.
The older players from Belgrade remember Novak Djokovic back then as a 'little-old person', so serious was he about his tennis. He was known to arrive early at the Partizan Tennis Club so he could observe the senior players training and his kit was always prepared for competition; racquets, change of shirt, towel, bottle of water, banana and a tube of balls were all neatly organised and packed inside his bag.
"One day we were still training when he [Djokovic] began to jog around the court and started some agility exercises," recalls fellow Serbian Dusan Vemic. "And I said, 'Hello', and asked him a couple of questions. He paused a few seconds, and then looked up at me straight in the eyes and answered quite seriously that he needed to improve his footwork if he is going to get much better. I just stared at this little kid who was barely bigger than his racquet bag and thought, 'Incredible!' He was only six years old!"
Djokovic would soon begin to go from good to great and each year he rose steadily up the South African Airways ATP Rankings. That was until this year.
"This is first time in his tennis career where he has not seen improvement through the rankings," continues Vemic. "I mean he has had a very good year, but I expect that this will bother him because he wants to be the best very badly."
Djokovic, Nadal, ParisThis year Djokovic has been happy to sit back while Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro have taken the greater share of the plaudits, but somewhere between January and November he has quietly managed to win an ATP World Tour-best 76 matches. Still for all that, the tennis world has had more questions than answers. Had Djokovic become too comfortable? Had he peaked? Even the player himself admitted, in September, that he "expected something greater" this year. It was not until back-to-back ATP World Tour titles at the Davidoff Swiss Indoors Basel and at the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris that his grand plan began to bear fruit.
In order to understand the plan, we need to understand the man.
The Kopaonic Mountains of Serbia could have come out of a storybook fairytale with their thick forests filled with maple, pine and Balkan beech trees that cast long, dark shadows over ancient monasteries and big stone fortresses. It was here among the thick grasslands and river gorges, that the seed of greatness was planted in Novak Djokovic.
Jelena Gencic runs a children's tennis camp here each summer. It was Gencic who discovered a five-year old Monica Seles. Fourteen years and hundreds of kids had passed before her eyes before she spotted greatness again."He was only six years old but he had the eyes, and the heart and the soul of a champion."
"When little Novak came to me I needed only one week with him to be sure," says Gencic. "On the fifth day I asked him in front of his parents, 'Novak do you want to spend the next seven, eight years training very hard every day, sometimes with smiles and sometimes with tears?' He said, 'Yes, I want to be great.' He was only six years old but he had the eyes, and the heart and the soul of a champion. I was so sure that he would make it.
"He was always a very emotional child," Gencic continues. "Every day during our tennis camp I would walk with the kids in the forest after tennis. And I saw that Novak was picking these wildflowers and putting them together. One day I asked him, 'Novak for whom are you picking these beautiful flowers?' And he answered to me, 'For my mother.'"
They would spend the next six years together, and Gencic would teach Djokovic about music, literature, poetry and life. Then, the inevitable happened.
"He became too good," admits Gencic. "He needed stronger sparring and better players. So, I called my friend Nikola Pilic in Germany and asked him to please help this special boy."
With more than half a century in tennis Pilic had pretty much seen it all when Novak Djokovic entered his life.
On one occasion, Pilic was running late. Inside his tennis academy in Munich he noticed Dijana Djokovic sitting nearby and stopped to join her for an espresso. Suddenly, Novak stormed past mother and coach without saying a word.
Djokovic training"I was surprised and called out to him and asked him why he was so angry," Pilic says. "Novak answered that I was late for practice and he didn’t want to waste his time. He was not yet 13 years old, but even then at that young age he knew exactly what he wanted in life. I had no doubt that he would be a great player. Novak is an extremely smart person and besides his talent he has a very high tennis I.Q."
The intelligence factor is something that keeps popping up when Djokovic is discussed. Backing up Pilic's claim is two-time Grand Slam finalist Todd Martin, "I think that he [Djokovic] is a very smart person. In talking with him you can tell that he understands whatever topic is being discussed, whether it is tennis, world events or culture." If all of that praise is not enough then consider that his signature shoe is advertised as, "The Genius Novak".
What people outside the Djokovic camp may not have realised when they began to write him off this year was that Novak had been forming a plan in his assault on the summit of professional tennis. In order to improve his fitness and flexibility he hired Gebhard Phil-Gritsch, former strength and conditioning coach of Thomas Muster. Djokovic and Phil-Gritsch went straight to work. Soon Novak's body began to take shape; chest and biceps were carved firm while the shoulders broadened and abs sprung tight.
Still, Novak was not satisfied with his performance and while long-time coach Marian Vadja would continue by his side, Novak felt that he needed extra insight with tactical coaching and asked Martin to join his team.
"His volleys are technically sound, but there is a lot of feel that is garnered in recognising opportunities to move forward."
"I was thinking about working with somebody that can help me out with my serve and my volley game," Djokovic says.
"The circumstances were that he has been in a relationship with Marin [Vajda] for several years and was interested in having some additional feedback," says Martin, who will continue with 'Team Djokovic' in 2010.
Determined to attack the net with greater success, Novak worked persistently on the transition from the baseline.
"Compartmentally, his skills are very good," continues Martin. "His volleys are technically sound, but there is a lot of feel that is garnered in recognising opportunities to move forward."
It is that very feel that Martin mentions, a certain spontaneity, that one would think comes natural to Djokovic. Or does it? Federer has often been portrayed as an artist and Nadal as a raging bull, but how would you describe Djokovic? For all the stand-up comedy and improv, lies a keen observer and very methodical young man with a scientific mind for tennis. Study Djokovic's shot selection and you will notice that it is consistently high percentage. And when he whips a backhand passing shot cross-court and dips it inside the service line you get the feeling that he has measured out an acute angle with all the precision of a mathematician.
Still all the best laid plans in the world and brilliant thinking mean nothing if you cannot execute under pressure. Especially so, if you are trying to defeat Federer, the World No. 1. For Djokovic the moment of truth has arrived, and he is at the crossroads that just so happens runs right through Switzerland.
Djokovic, Federer, BaselThe frustration inside the Stade Jakobhalle in Basel, venue of the Davidoff Swiss Indoors, is growing with every errant Federer forehand. The partisan crowd seems to waiver between agitation and impatience. Up until this game Djokovic has lost only two points on his serve, but while he is trying to close out the first set against an out of form Federer, ATP World Tour umpire Lars Graff is required to announce "deuce" for the 11th time this game. Djokovic shakes his head slowly side-to-side and exhales a few times. Clenching the grip of his racquet like an axe-handle he steps up to the baseline and delivers a jack knife slice serve out wide for an ace. Yet another set point for the Serbian. Djokovic would approach the Federer forehand once again, this time successfully, and that burden of greatness so long ago strapped to his back in the Kopaonic Mountains just got a little lighter.
"To reach that goal [World No. 1], I'm going to have to be very successful at the major tournaments," Djokovic states. "Throughout the whole of 2009, I've been playing quite consistent, and especially on the lower category tournaments where I was winning a lot and playing a lot of finals in [ATP World Tour] Masters 1000 events. But I haven't done a great job at the Grand Slams, which wasn't the case in the last two years. So I just hope I'll make that better in 2010, because that's what makes difference, obviously, between the top players rankings wise.""He is definitely not satisfied to be number three or four."
Martin confirms, "I think that deep down inside he [Djokovic] realises that he has talent to do more than he has done, although he has done an awful lot."
"He [Djokovic] is definitely not satisfied to be number three or four," states Pilic. "He wants to be number one. His dream was always to be the best."
For many it is no longer a question of if, but when will Djokovic become World No. 1. Somewhere in Serbia, or maybe Munich, there will be an old coach who says, "I told you so."
:D
Djokovic changes his clothes to Italy's Tacchini
Novak Djokovic has swopped sponsors with the season nearing an end as the Serb prepares to lead the return of Italian clothing company Sergio Tacchini back into the tennis arena.
Djokovic may have jumped before he was pushed, with his current company Adidas signing Andy Murray only weeks ago for a reported $5 million per year. The sky-high contracts for both players could evidently not be tolerated in the current business climate.
No. 3 Djokovic has been with Germany's Adidas since the start of his career, starting out learning the craft in Munich with Niki Pilic.
Tacchini was once a force in the sport a few decades ago, kitting out the likes of John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Gabriela Sabatini and Pat Cash over recent decades. Tacchini was also worn by Goran Ivanisevic as he won the 2001 Wimbledon title.
Djokovic will lift the company profile by a huge factor, leading a stable which currently includes Spain's Tommy Robredo and the Croatian Ivo Karlovic.
Djokovic, also reportedly been sought by K-Swiss, will have a made a complete change of gear by the start of 2010 after changing from Wilson rackets to Head, a process where it took months for the player adjust to his new stick.
Kasa, kasa :) No raczej można było się tego spodziewać, biorąc pod uwagę to, że do Adidasa przyszedł Murray i to on będzie teraz twarzą firmy.
No nic, mam nadzieję, że wymyślą coś fajnego dla Novaka :)
Djoković: Nie czuję się faworytem
Początek roku w wykonaniu Novaka Djokovicia stał pod znakiem niespodziewanych porażek na kortach ziemnych. Wydawało się wówczas, że efektownie grającego Serba zabraknie w turnieju zamykającym tenisowy sezon. Djokovic zdołał jednak pokonać kryzys i obecnie jest głównym faworytem do zwycięstwa w WTF.Na początku listopada, Djokovic pokonał w finale turnieju w Bazylei lidera rankingu ATP, Szwajcara Rogera Federera. Przed tygodniem, w drodze do triumfu w Paryżu, ograł Hiszpana Rafaela Nadala, który sklasyfikowany jest obecnie na drugim miejscu na świecie. Wszystko wskazuje na to, że również w londyńskich World Tour Finals nikt nie będzie w stanie powstrzymać 22-letniego Serba przed wygraniem piątego w tym roku turnieju.
- Nie uważam siebie za faworyta - powiedział skromnie Djokovic, który w poniedziałkowym meczu grupy B zmierzy się z Nikołajem Dawidienko. Poza Rosjaninem, Serbowi przyjdzie rywalizować w grupie z Nadalem i Robinem Soderlingiem.
- Na początku roku myślałem nawet, że to będzie mój najlepszy w karierze sezon na kortach ziemnych. Później jednak musiałem zweryfikować swoje przemyślenia. Na pewno nie pomogła mi zmiana rakiety, na którą zdecydowałem się tuż przed rozpoczęciem sezonu - przyznał Djokovic. - Obecnie moja gra wygląda dużo lepiej. Dojrzałem. Wychodząc na kort, wiem już dokładnie, czego chcę.
- W ostatnich miesiącach dużo czasu poświęciłem treningom fizycznym i fitnessowi. Teraz dopiero pojawiają się efekty tej pracy. W końcu czuję, że jestem w stanie wygrywać w pięciosetowych pojedynkach. To dodaje mi wiary we własne siły. Nie muszę już grać ze skrajnym ryzykiem, starając się możliwie szybko zakończyć rywalizację na korcie - stwierdził Djokovic.
- Marzeniem mego życia jest osiągnięcie pierwszej pozycji w rankingu ATP. Zadanie nie będzie jednak proste. Przede mną sklasyfikowani są Federer i Nadal, którzy wspaniale radzą sobie w turniejach wielkoszlemowych. Dzięki tak znakomitym rywalom mogę jednak nieprzerwanie podnosić poziom mojej gry - zakończył faworyt rozpoczynających się w niedzielę World Tour Finals.
Ehh ten eurosport, Djoković wygrał już 5 eventów w tym roku, to jest szansa na 6 skalp.
Kubecki napisał:
Kasa, kasa :) No raczej można było się tego spodziewać, biorąc pod uwagę to, że do Adidasa przyszedł Murray i to on będzie teraz twarzą firmy.
No nic, mam nadzieję, że wymyślą coś fajnego dla Novaka :)
"transfer" do St to moim zdaniem strzał w "10". Przyniesie to korzyści obu stronom. Djoko nie będzie "rywalizował" z Ryżym na tym polu, a ST też przypomni o sobie sportowemu światu. ;)
Zapis z konferencji prasowej Novaka po meczu z Soderlingiem:
Q. It's obviously been a very grueling few weeks for you. Did That rather show up today? Running on empty a little bit, perhaps?
NOVAK Djokovic: Yeah, well, I didn't enjoy playing today's match, that's for sure. He was serving really well. All credit to him.
Q. How tired are you?
NOVAK Djokovic: Very.
Q. Do you believe you can pick yourself up and be ready for your Nadal match?
NOVAK Djokovic: I don't know. I will see.
Q. Do you think the late finish you had against Davydenko affected you today?
NOVAK Djokovic: I don't think so. No, not that much.
Q. Thinking about this year, which do you think you played too much? Was your tournament too much? Which moment of the season was too much for you?
NOVAK Djokovic: I don't think I played too much. I just played very solid in all the tournaments that I was committed to play.
So I played all the tournaments that I had to play. I played them all.
Q. Is it only fatigue of the year or is it something special today?
NOVAK Djokovic: It's just fatigue of the whole year.
Q. It's something you've discussed at length. I know it's difficult now, but in terms of calendar, you're in a position of responsibility on the Tour.
NOVAK Djokovic: I don't know. I prefer not talking about it now, because I don't feel like.
Q. How well did Soderling play today? Are you surprised how impressively he's come into this tournament?
NOVAK Djokovic: Well, he has nothing to lose. I think it's his first Masters Cup. He won four straight sets and absolutely deserved to qualify for semifinals. I think he's the best player so far in the tournament.
Novak and Viktor actors in Banja Luka spectacle!
The best Serbian tennis players Novak Djokovic (3) and Viktor Troicki (29) played an exhibition match in Banja Luka hall “Borik” in front of more than 4.000 spectators. Troicki won 7-6(6).
The great entertainment spectacle lasted more than 1 hour, and we could see all the specialties we’re used to seeing from Novak during his career. The most interesting were impersonations.
On several occasions, tennis players were replaced by children who had opportunity to play several points against their idols. The player who was not on court at that moment was surrounded by children, taking pictures and signing autographs. The same was after the match…
Unlike Troicki, who has participated at the Banja Luka Challenger before, it’s Djokovic’s first appearance in front of spectators in the capital of Republika Srpska.
“I’m in Banja Luka for the first time, but I am in touch with the people who live here and they’ve been telling me that people here love tennis so much and follow my matches. I'm glad we came here and we'll be happy to spend several hours with the citizens of Banja Luka and Republika Srpska”, said Novak on the court before the match.
34.000 convertible marks have been raised. The money will be used for building playgrounds for children with disabilities who reside in the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation "Dr Miroslav Zotovic" in Banja Luka.
The organiser of this charity exhibition match was "M: tel" company, under the auspices of government of Republika Srpska.
Djokovic played 97 matches (78-19) in fantastic 2009, won five titles (Dubai, Belgrade, Beijing, Basel, Paris) and reached five more finals.
Novak will now have time to rest and prepare for the 2010 season and attempt to take over the world no.2 spot.
http://www.novakdjokovic.rs/news.php?ak … 38&jezik=2
Novak’s tournament calendar for the first five months of 2010!
The best Serbian tennis player will start his eighth professional season on January 13, 2010 at the exhibition tournament in Kooyong, a suburb in Melbourne.
Novak is making his first Kooyong appearance. The 22-year-old is the highest ranked player in the field. He will be joined by Juan Martin del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Fernando Verdasco, Robin Soderling, Fernando Gonzalez and Tommy Haas.
The 22nd “AAMI Classic” at Kooyong will traditionally last four days (January 13-16). Eighth spot is being kept for defending champion Roger Federer. World no.1 has not yet decided on his Australian Open preparation.
Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi and Michael Chang have all won the tournament three times.
It’s a warm-up event for next year’s Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season, which begins on Monday, January 18, at Melbourne Park.
Novak’s tournament calendar for the first five months of 2010:
13.01. Kooyong, Australia (exhibition tournament)
18.01. Melbourne, Australia (Grand Slam)
09.02. Rotterdam, Netherlands (ATP 500)
23.02. Dubai, UAE (ATP 500)
02.03. Belgrade, Serbia (Davis Cup)
09.03. Indian Wells, USA (ATP 1000)
23.03. Miami, USA (ATP 1000)
13.04. Monte Carlo (ATP 1000)
27.04. Rome, Italy (ATP 1000)
04.05. Belgrade, Serbia (ATP 250)
11.05. Madrid, Spain (ATP 1000)
25.05. Paris, France (Grand Slam)
Novak will play one more match in 2009, against his compatriot and friend, Serbian no.2 Viktor Troicki. The exhibition in Banja Luka is scheduled on Monday, November 30, at 18:00 CET.
Novak was declared the best promoter of Serbia!
Novak Djokovic was proclaimed the best promoter of Serbia at the sixth annual prize award "Best of Serbia", held yesterday in Belgrade.
The contest was organised by Ministry of Commerce of Serbia, Serbian Chamber of Economy and economic journal Economic Review with 150 companies and 200 brands competing. Prizes to the best brands were awarded in 17 categories.
Slobodan Milosavljevic, Serbian Minister of Trade said at the ceremony in the SCE that the action promoted the best, and the fact that some brands were awarded again, was evidence they invested in quality.
“Winners of the awards are characterised by constant quality, they achieve success in the market of Serbia and abroad, and thus help to improve and reduce the deficit in foreign trade”, said Milosavljevic.
Tennis champ Djokovic to play Yugoslav king on TV
BELGRADE — The Serbian world number three tennis player Novak Djokovic is to play Yugoslavia's first king in a television series to be shot next year, local media reported Thursday.
The 10-part series will retrace the life and reign of king Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, first monarch of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, who unified the kingdoms of Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia after World War I.
The tennis champion and first-time actor will play Aleksandar during his reign, which came to a brutal end in 1934 when he was assassinated in the port of Marseilles while trying to set up an alliance with France against Germany.
Djokovic's younger brother Djordje will play the king as a young man.
Filmed on a budget of almost three million euros (4.2 million dollars), the show is set to air in 2011, its director Stojan Stojcic said.
The 22-year old Serb player finished 2009 as world number three for the second straight year.
Djokovic won his first Grand Slam singles title at the 2008 Australian Open. He had been runner-up at the 2007 US Open and won a bronze for Serbia in the singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
I po Polsku:
Djoković zginie w debiucie
Novak Djoković w 2010 roku zadebiutuje w nowej roli. Serbski tenisista zgodził się zagrać w serialu telewizyjnym. Djoković dostał rolę Aleksandra I Karadziordziewicia, króla Jugosławii, który po I wojnie światowej doprowadził do zjednoczenia Serbii, Chorwacji i Słowenii.
Zdjęcia rozpoczną się w ciągu kilku miesięcy, premiera przewidziana jest na rok 2011. Jak zapewnia reżyser Stojan Stojcić, budżet 10-odcinkowego serialu sięga prawie 3 milionów euro.
Poza 22-letnim Djokoviciem w zdjęciach weźmie też udział młodszy brat trzeciego tenisisty świata Djordje, który zagra Aleksandra I Karadziordziewicia w czasach młodości.
Dla Novaka będzie to debiut na wielkim ekranie. Serb wcieli się w postać króla Jugosławii z lat 1929-1934, czyli czasów jego panowania. Dlatego jego premierowy występ w telewizji nie będzie miał happy endu, bo gdy w Marsylii próbował zawrzeć sojusz z Francuzami, Aleksander I Karadziordziewić został zastrzelony.
Fajnie fajnie Nole, to zawsze nowe cenne doswiadczenie, a jesli sie 'powiedzie' to moze byc nawet jakas metoda na zycie po zakonczeniu sportowej kariery. ; )
To raczej forma zabawy a nie szukanie zabezpieczenia na czas po zakończeniu kariery. no ale zgodzę się, fajne doświadczenie :)
Sportu z aktorstwem nie powinno się łączyć. To dwa przeciwne do siebie stany...
Wielu sportowców miało jakieś aktorskie epizody, myślę, że jak zagra w jednym serialu to się świat nie zawali.
Ale jak dla mnie to dość dwuznacznie świadczy o osobie. Wykorzystując swą popularność skrupulatnie garnie się na kasę poprzez coś innego niż robi. Profesjonalizm wymaga profesjonalnego podejście do reprezentowanej czynności.
Pomijam to, że aktorstwo może być wielką pasją Nolego. :]
Mnie osobiście się nie podobają takie zachowania i koniec kropka...
Co w tym niby dwuznacznego? :zdziwiony: Przecież to nie Nole jest tu stroną zyskujacą, ale producenci serialu, liczący na podniesienie oglądalności historycznej ramoty występem narodowego bohatera. Biorąc pod uwagę skromny budżet tej produkcji, Djokovic raczej nie otrzyma za odcinek tyle, co czołowy aktor w serialu amerykańskim; a może się to negatywnie odbić na wynikach na korcie.
Fed-Expresso napisał:
Wielu sportowców miało jakieś aktorskie epizody, myślę, że jak zagra w jednym serialu to się świat nie zawali.
Tego to nie byłbym taki pewien . Najpewniej dni zdjęciowe będą dostosowane do terminarza Novaka , przez co nie dojdzie do kuriozalnej sytuacji w której będzie musiał sie wycofać z turnieju , ale moje obawy dotyczą raczej samej pracy na planie , bo to nie będzie spontanicznych inscenizowanie przyruchów Sharapowej i Nadala , czy spot reklamowy Wilsona , tylko ostra zasuwa na planie bo te aktorstwo to niestety , ale podobno ciężki kawałek chleba jest .
Nie rozumiem za bardzo po co w tym punkcie kariery chce spróbwać sil w szołbizie , już jest postacią wyrazistą , rozpoznawalną przez ludzi nie interesujących się na co dzień tenisem , i jeszcze mu mało ?
Nie chce tu czarnowidzieć , ale to rozmaite następstwa może mieć , tak samo niewinnie zaczął się sportowy odwrót Ronaldo , po przyjsciu do Realu sezon czy nawet połtora na poziomie zagrał , pózniej calkiem stracił motywacje , treningi opuszczał , bo akurat miał szereg waznych zajęc poza boiskiem np. zupełnie przypdkiem w jury konkursu miss bikini się znalazł , i musial lecieć tam prywatnym jumbo jettem . Taki styl bycia spowodował że roztył się chłop , przyplatały się kontuzje , zanim się zorientował już dla europejskiej piłki był skończony .
Cóż pozostaje wierzyć że rzeczywiscie w przypadku Djokovicia będzie to jednorazowy przerywnik , i gdzieś tam zaaferowany obowiązkami aktora nie zapomni że przedewszystkim jest tenisistą , i zawsze to sport bedzie dziedziną zycia w której może osiągnąć najwięcej ;)
Tak jakby się ktoś nudził :D
AUTOMOBILE and I: Novak Djokovic!
Serbian number one racket is not only a top athlete. He is widely known as the charming guy who likes to talk and entertain. When he’s not on court, he surfs internet, watches movies and follows football. He’s a Monaco and Red Star fan, and his favorite player of Serbian national team is Nemanja Vidic.
Although he’s a professional player, he practices other sports. He is very interested in golf, and especially loves skiing, which was his sport no.1 until he turned 12. His favourite mountain is Kopaonik, which in some way determined his fate - he started his tennis career there. Despite the risks of injury and suggestions to avoid ski slopes, he’s ready to take a risk and is not afraid of snowy challenges.
Versatile Nole has been drawing attention, not only with his success on tennis courts, but also with his impressions of his colleagues, especially Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, Nadal and Federer. The videos have become an absolute hit on "Youtube", and he sometimes entertained audience at the request of the organisers of competitions. However, it seems that he will not do imitations anymore, because he doesn’t want to ruin relations with those colleagues that don’t like it.
Novak has tried out modeling. Like almost every athlete he has carved body and isn’t ashamed to show it. He walked the catwalk in a silk bathrobe at the fashion show in Montreal. He was teasing the audience unlacing it, and in the end he remained only in his underwear. He wanted to take off everything, but he wasn’t allowed.
Novak has stepped out into the world of music. He’s a guest on a debut album of his colleagues, the best doubles team in the world, brothers Bob and Mike Bryan. He was asked to rap part of the song "Autograph". Nole’s music taste is quite varied. When he has time, he goes to the theatre, to opera, because classical music relaxes him and takes him to another world. He listens to Serbian folk music, legends Toma Zdravkovic and Miroslav Ilic.
The world number three has got acting offers. Novak said he had an offer for a major role in a series and a smaller role in a Hollywood movie, as well as in a series about King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic.
He should appear in the sequel of the Hollywood action hit "Iron Man" with Robert Downey Jr. in the title role. The world premiere of the film is expected in early May 2010.
Novak is a role model for many children and is aware of that. His aim is to advance and to bring happiness to children and young tennis players in Serbia.
He is happy to spend time with young colleagues at the big tournaments. It’s a bit different with older players, because they are rivals. "We all see each other every week. We respect each other, because we know how much work is needed to become a professional player, especially at the top of the list. It's not good to be too close, because I try to beat them, and there is a rivalry, but there are no negative and bad thoughts", commented Novak. He has good relation with Roger, and he’s closer with Nadal. He has only words of praise for the young Spaniard, both as a player and a person.
He often gets a car as a prize from the sponsors when he wins a tournament, and while participating in the competition he is driving official cars. His personal favorites are German Audi, BMW, Mercedes, but he also likes small Mini Cooper.
He usually drives in Monte Carlo, where his official address is. He really likes it there, because it is peaceful, and he has everything he needs to relax, nobody disturbs him and he can lead a normal life. It is one of priorities for a top tennis player.
With so many obligations, Nole always finds time for his girlfriend Jelena Ristic. They’ve been in a relationship for more than three years. He presented her to the world at the tournament in the Netherlands in 2006, when he won his first ATP title. Statistics says that with the help of his girl he reached the third place in the world, winning a total of 16 tournaments.
"Jelena is a solid tennis player and a great athlete. She is very smart, smarter than me. She makes suggestions and helps me become a better person. I like that", said Djokovic once.
When you are young and desirable, it is normal that people connect you with various beauties. It all started with a gossip that he was in a relationship with an old friend and colleague Ana Ivanovic. Then came a story about alleged adventure with the Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova, with whom he was seen having fun in a night club in Miami. During the Olympics, there was a story about attractive Paraguayan javelin thrower Leryn Franco, and even rumors about alleged romance with Natasa Bekvalac. But it’s clear to everyone that Jelena is the love of his life.
Due to the nature of his job, Novak has traveled a lot, Jelena studied in Milan, and they usually see each other during the holiday season. Nole bought a two and a half million worth yacht "Manhattan 60", so he could enjoy cruising at the Mediterranean. The yacht has four cabins, lounge, kitchen, bathroom and a speedboat. Ceiling is trimmed with leather, but partly with plexiglass, and the sweethearts can enjoy the view of the moon and the stars, in the company of Nole’s dog Pierre, beautiful maltezer, from whom Jelena does not part.
Nole would not be where he is today, if it weren’t for his family. He’s one of the few players followed by parents, and often brothers, at every tournament.
"I am attached to my family. It is, after all, the purpose of life. To have a family, people who will be there for you and with you always. Of course, there are moments when I want to be alone, because I grew up. Thank God they know how to recognise when I need support and they can be with me whenever I need them,” said the Serb honestly.
Novak Djokovic is the most successful Serbian tennis player of all time, but he has not yet realised his childhood dream: when he was only four, he wished to become no.1 racket in the world. There is no doubt that Nole will make it true.
Novak Djokovic trains for two hours in hot, deserted Kooyong stadium
A GRUELLING two-hour practice session by Novak Djokovic in deserted Kooyong stadium yesterday sent a powerful "I'm ready" message to other main Open contenders.
Djokovic learned a harsh lesson from last year's embarrassing heat-exhaustion retirement that he had to be better prepared for a tilt at a second title.
High-altitude training on a mountain near Turin in northern Italy, further intense training in Dubai and the early arrival in Melbourne has convinced the world No. 3 there will not be a repeat of that meltdown against American Andy Roddick 12 months ago.
"I sincerely hope and I believe that I will get used to the conditions here better than last year," the 2008 Australian Open champion said yesterday.
"Last year I ended my title defence in the quarter-finals with the retirement that was what you would call the ugliest way that I could have finished that tournament.
"We always try to set up in the best possible shape and form for the grand slams which are the most important tournaments for all of us. I have all the reasons to believe I can perform my best tennis this year.
"I've come 10 days before the first round, so I will get a couple of matches under my belt here and try to be 100 per cent ready."
Djokovic's marathon workout came only 12 hours after he was the first arrival for next week's elite eight-man AAMI Classic at Kooyong, where the leading title favourites will fine-tune for the Open starting on Monday week.
His oxygen-enhancing work in the Italian Alps, home of the 2006 Winter Olympics, was designed to have his body ready for the on-court toil under new American coach Todd Martin.
Martin, 1994 Australian Open finalist and former world No. 4, was the hitting partner yesterday as the tall serve-volley exponent works to instil belief that Djokovic is equipped to advance to the net.
"Todd is just the person I need. He's very calm and brings this calmness and freshness to the team. And he's very strategic about everything that goes into tennis," Djokovic said.
"I know that my game can always be improved and we're trying to put some variety into my game, improve volleys and serve, elements that have been a little bit critical in my game."
Pierwsze zdjęcia Novaka w strojach ST.
Szczerze mówiąc to nie wygląda to zbyt dobrze :D
Dość specyficznie te stroje.
Oby odwrócił od nich uwagę dobrą grą.
Oby :)
Lewe zdjęcie przedstawia prawdopodobnie strój treningowy, prawe już bardziej przypomina komplet meczowy. Być może ze względu na pozycję, którą przyjął Djoko po uderzeniu wygląda to tak nieciekawie. Może w rzeczywistości będzie to wyglądać lepiej :)
Djokovic ready to work for 2-month ATP offseason
Djokovic ready to work for 2-month ATP offseason Novak Djokovic hopes for a two-month minimum off-season on the ATP with the Serb ready to throw around his weight on the Player Council in order to see his dream through.
"We're trying to fight for player rights," said winner of five titles last season and a key member of the council headed by Roger Federer, with Rafael Nadal also included in the body.
"It's important that people understand how we feel. The season is too long, four or five weeks before the start of a new season is so little. We need at least two months at a minimum."
In the absence of Federer, Djokovic heads the field at this week's AAMI Classic at Kooyong club, considered the top tune-up for the Australian Open beginning Monday.
Also in the event: Robin Soderling, Chile's Fernando Gonzalez, German veteran Tommy Haas, US Open winner Juan Martin Del Potro, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Spain's Fernando Verdasco. Croatian Ivan Ljubicic was added as a late replacement for Federer, who declined a spot being held open for him by tournament organizers.
Djokovic fit and Ready for Opening Slam
Novak Djokovic claims to be in the best shape of his career as he bids to put last year's ugly exit from the Australian Open behind him.
The Serb's bid for a second consecutive crown at Melbourne Park wilted under the baking sun as cramps forced his early retirement from his quarter-final against Andy Roddick when trailing 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 2-6 1-2.
"I was in the role of defending champion at a grand slam for the first time in my life so I was going through a lot of tough periods at the start of 2009," said Djokovic. "I didn't feel 100% physically ready for the tournament, then I changed my racquet and I think it all reflected on my game and on court, and I was going through a lot of stress periods. Unfortunately, I finished the way I did - but this year is quite different and I just hope it won't finish that way."
A change in off-court personnel - and attitude - has the world number three excited about his prospects for 2010.
Djokovic spent almost two weeks in high-altitude training in the Italian Alps followed by further intensive training in Dubai.
The contrasting conditions, he believes, will hold his body in good stead for the harsh Australian summer.
"Training up high helps the blood cells and gets more oxygen to the body. I always try to get to the mountains and then rest two weeks," he added.
Former world number four Todd Martin has joined the Djokovic camp as a new coach to work alongside long-time mentor Marian Vajda.
"I think (it) is a good decision because he's a great person, very calm, and he brings this calmness to the team. It's totally opposite from me," Djokovic said.
"He was at the top of men's tennis for many years, and he knows what the deal is on the court and he can help me a lot. He has a lot of experience."
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Djokovic happy to fly under the radar
With media attention focused on Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro, Australian Open third seed Novak Djokovic has flown under the radar in the lead-up to the year’s first Grand Slam.
Arriving at Melbourne Park, the world No. 3 has played no ATP tournaments in the New Year, opting instead to train privately and play the Kooyong Classic exhibition event during the week.
The Serbian star won the Australian Open in 2008, but has failed to re-live that glory in the two years since.
“Winning a Grand Slam opened a lot of doors for me, gave me a lot of opportunities and self-confidence,” Djokovic said on Sunday.
“But on the other hand it took a lot of responsibility, pressure and expectations. I’ve been through ups and downs mentally and experienced things that I never did before.”
With an opening round clash against Spain’s Daniel Gimeno-Traver on Tuesday, Djokovic felt confident his preparation was complete, and he is pleased with his form.
“I’m happy so far. I haven’t played to 100 per cent of my abilities because I was focusing on some other things and I was working hard off the court, what people don’t see.”
Djokovic said his confidence had not been shaken by a surprise loss to young Australian player Bernard Tomic at the Kooyong Classic.
“The result doesn’t really matter that much for me,” he said.
“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.”
And the 22-year-old would not be drawn on who he saw taking the title in 2010.
“Obviously Federer, Nadal as the best two players of the world are favourites to win it again this year. But, 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 players that are able to win a major event or a Grand Slam.”
Djokovic played one final relaxed match on Sunday as he participated in the Hit for Haiti fundraiser before a packed stadium at Rod Laver Arena.
“In these two days I will lower the intensity and just get ready for the opening match,” he said.
ao.com
Przed AO - wywiad z Nole Djokoviciem
An interview with:
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
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.
Wywiad z Nole po I rundzie AO:
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.
Wywiad po II rundzie AO
An interview with:
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
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.
Mr Invisible
There are many terms that can be used to describe Novak Djokovic, but quiet is not one of them. Funny? Yes. Talented? Certainly. A showman? Most definitely. A bit of a looker? Surely. But quiet? Nah.
Yet the likeable Serb has been moving silently through the Australian Open 2010 draw like a shark on the hunt (all right, then, a shark with a gift for impersonations). He did drop a set against Marco Chiudinelli a couple of days back, but he soon steadied the ship and ran away with the rest of the match. And as the first week of the tournament drew to a close, he headed for the fourth round with the simplest of 6-1 6-1 6-2 wins over Denis Istomin on Saturday.
Djokovic hardly put a foot wrong, but Istomin was having a horrible day. His 11 winners were overwhelmed by 31 unforced errors – and against a player of Djokovic’s quality, that is never going to work. In just 97 minutes, Serbia’s finest was back in the locker room and looking forward to an appointment with Lukasz Kubot on Monday.
It is all so different from last year, when Djokovic and his new racquet arrived at Melbourne Park for the defence of his title. Trying desperately to keep his nerves under control, he finally succumbed to heat cramps and Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals. It was an unhappy end to his stay in Australia, but it did teach him a valuable lesson about the business of being one of the world’s true elite: winning a Grand Slam is hard, but defending one is eye-wateringly difficult.
“There were expectations that I never faced before,” Djokovic said. “I never found myself in the role of defending a Grand Slam title and I didn’t do a great job in holding my nerves by defending that title. I had a lot of ups and downs, and then unfortunately I had to retire in the quarters against Roddick due to the heat and everything. Everything kind of came up. After a great finish to the season in 2008, I started the season last year and then all the problems came, you know, mentally: me being very emotional on the court and off the court. I started thinking about too many off-court things that affected my game badly.”
Something, then, had to be done, and even after a good run through the clay court season and decent showing on the American hard courts, Djokovic was still searching for the answer. Finally, he found it in the tall and thoughtful figure of Todd Martin. Martin joined Djokovic’s team just before the US Open last year, and since then, the former champion has been feeling like his old self again.
“It’s all about details,” Djokovic said. “I can’t, for example, change my game, definitely the whole style – I can’t suddenly start to play serve and volley because that’s not me. But there are some particular things, as in movements, how you hit the ball, when you recognise the moment to get to the net, transition from defence to offence.
“So these things are very important, they are actually crucial. And when you hear that from somebody who was top five and was two times a finalist in Grand Slams and who has a name in this sport, it definitely makes a better impact. His experience is great, he’s a very positive person, he’s very calm. He brings that calmness to the team and to me particularly, which is important.”
The Djoker should be feeling quite calm about playing Kubot, the world No.86 from Poland, too: the two have only met once before, and Djokovic won in straight sets. The Pole has never been this far at a Grand Slam event before – he has only played two prior to this – and got his ticket to the last 16 when Mikhail Youzhny withdrew from their scheduled match with a right wrist injury.
ao.com
Wywiad z "Novaczkiem" po III rundzie:
Q. Was that the best performance you've put up in the tournament so far?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Probably was, yeah, out of three matches. But, yet I don't think my opponent played on the level that he could. He was helping me out with a lot of unforced errors, and basically we didn't have a lot have long rallies.
So, you know, I just needed to be consistent and try not to ‑‑ ‑ you know, try to maintain the focus and get it over with as soon as possible. So that's what I did.
Q. It seems it's gonna be a replay of the Belgrade final against Kubot.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah definitely we talked about it in the locker room. Yeah, he's a good player, singles player, and doubles as well. I think he's playing best tennis of his life in the last year or so.
So it's ‑‑ for him, going to the fourth round, even though he got a walkover today, it's still a great result. He's a quality player. I had a tough match against him in finals, actually.
He's very aggressive and I know his style of the game. I'm gonna do everything to prepare well.
Q. You chose not to play in a ranking tournament before coming in here. What was the thinking behind that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it was one of the main reasons is because I've played almost hundred matches last year, and it was ‑‑ I got fed up, to be honest, with tournaments and matches. I didn't have a lot of time really to recover and just to relax like most of the top players.
I already started preparing, so I ‑‑ first of all, I wasn't ‑‑ tennis‑wise I wasn't ready for those tournaments, so I didn't want to go there to play one or two matches. Didn't make any sense.
So I just decided to come here earlier, ten days before the Australian Open starts, and put in some intensive workout. That's what I did.
Q. Do you feel fresh now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I do. Actually, I do. I think this workout is paying off.
Q. The top players say you like to work into a tournament. How much of a game like that today will actually help you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think at some stage in the tournament you want to have a straight‑sets win, an easy win, so you can get fast off the court and try to save all the energy as much as you can for the upcoming challenges, which are obviously gonna be more difficult.
So it was good to have the match like this.
Q. You seem to have a slightly perhaps lower profile here this year than last year. Are you enjoying that more than usual?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, look, I think there is many other players that you can talk about that are playing well. I think the player who's a little bit undertalked is Davydenko. He's playing the best tennis of his life. He's on the roll and he's definitely one of the players that can win the title this year.
Besides him, of course Federer, Nadal, Murray, Del Potro. I think it's very exciting for the fans as well to follow the men's part of the draw and just wait and see who's gonna win the title.
Q. Has the locker room respect for Davydenko grown over the past couple months?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In my own opinion, I don't look at him in a different way. I always had the respect for him because I always was aware of his quality as a player. He's an incredible fighter.
As I said, he was one of the players that was kind of underestimated in the last five years. He's already five years in a row in the top 10, top 5 in the world were you got to give him credit for that. Basically 80, 90% of tournaments he's reaching quarters. That proves his quality.
Lately he just stepped it up. I think he feels it as well. He feels that he can beat anyone now.
Q. Are you kind of just quitely excited about looking forward to next week? Would that be a proper descriptor?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I am excited. Of course I look forward to it. It's a big challenge for all of us. Most of the top players are still in the draw.
As I said, it's gonna be very exciting interesting for us and for the fans to see who's gonna go all the way through.
Djoko: Kubot to klasa. Muszę się przygotować
- To dobry tenisista, zarówno w singlu, jak i deblu - chwali Łukasza Kubota Novak Djoković. - Od zeszłego sezonu moim zdaniem gra najlepszy tenis w swoim życiu - mówi rywal Polaka z 1/8 finału Australian Open. Kubot do najlepszej szesnastki turnieju dostał się bez wyjścia na kort.
Polski tenisista miał grać z Michaiłem Jużnym, ale Rosjanin oddał mecz walkowerem. W meczu o ćwierćfinał przeciwnikiem Łukasza Kubota będzie Djoković, który przed rokiem bronił tytułu Melbourne, ale w piątej rundzie przegrał z kontuzją i nie mógł dokończyć spotkania z Andym Roddickiem.
Kubot grał z Djokoviciem dwa razy i nie urwał mu jeszcze seta. W 2009 roku spotkali się w finale w Belgradzie. Serb wygrał wtedy 6:3, 7:6. Poznali się w 2004 roku w challengerze w Budapeszcie. 14-letni "Djoko" pokonał 19-letniego Polaka 6:4, 6:3. Faworyt Serbów jest jednak pełen uznania dla naszego tenisisty.
- Czwarta runda to świetny wynik. Co z tego, że dostał walkowera? - mówi o Kubocie Novak Djoković. - To klasowy tenisista. Miałem z nim ciężki mecz w finale w Belgradzie. Jest bardzo agresywny i ma swój styl. Muszę się dobrze przygotować - zapowiedział Serb.
Australian Open. Djoković: To będzie powtórka z Belgradu
Po wycofaniu się Michaiła Jużnego Łukasz Kubot awansował do 1/8 Australian Open, gdzie zagra z Novakiem Djokoviciem. Serb dobrze pamięta Polaka z meczu finałowego na turnieju ATP w Belgradzie w 2009 roku. - W ciągu ostatniego roku gra najlepszy tenis w życiu - komplementuje Polaka.
Pytany, czy mecz w 1/8 finału będzie powtórką finału z Belgradu, przyznał, że pamięta tamten mecz. - Rozmawialiśmy o tym w szatni. Kubot to dobry gracz zarówno w singlu jak i w deblu. Myślę, że w ciągu ostatniego roku grał najlepszy tenis w karierze. Czwarta runda, mimo że dostał się po niej po walkowerze, to świetny wynik - stwierdził Serb.
Djoković nie spodziewa się prostego mecz. - To klasowy zawodnik. Gra agresywnie, ale znam jego styl. Pamiętam finał w Belgradzie, to był trudny mecz. Zrobię wszystko, żeby dobrze się przygotować - dodał.
Konferencja po IV r. AO:
Q. It appeared a very straightforward match. Was it on the court?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's the fourth round. I knew that from a seeded players, if you, you know, if you look at the draw, I probably had, you know, the best possible draw at the moment.
But I didn't want to underestimate my opponent absolutely, because I've played him the finals of Belgrade, Serbia Open last year. I knew that he's a tough opponent to play against. So I just went to the court willing to play my best from the start.
I think the first two sets I was very dominant on the court, then he lifted up his level of the game a little bit. That's why we had a longer third set. In general, I was very happy with the way I performed today.
Q. Any particular part of your game that you're happy with?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think serve was much consistent today, much more. And I better serve percentage of the first serves.
I got more free points there, which gave me a lot of advantage.
Q. Would you have preferred to play a seeded player to give you more push and preparation into the quarters?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it doesn't ‑‑ didn't really matter, you know. If the player comes ‑‑ if he's seeded or unseeded, if he comes to the second week of play, he must be a quality player. It's a Grand Slam, you know. To reach last 16, last 8, it's not a piece of cake.
Whoever I play next round it's gonna be a tough opponent. I'm aware the matches will get more difficult throughout this week. So I'm ready for it. Physically I've been putting in a lot of work and intensity into the practice. It's paying off right now. I feel great.
Q. Australian Open is first Grand Slam of the year and of course very important to prepare well. What do you think about this so far and how important is it for you to do well in the Australian Open?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's the most important tournament of this part of the year for all of us. I didn't have an official match before I started Australian Open, so the opening rounds were quite challenging for me. One of the reasons is obviously that I haven't got any matches for a month and a half.
So I'm happy with the way things are going. Surface is quite suitable to my game. I won this tournament two years ago, so I just look forward to the upcoming challenges. I'm ready to give my 100% and try to get a step further.
Q. So like last year, you had feet problems. Did you do something particular for preparing this season?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, last year was specific. I think it was quite different than all the others because I had made some radical changes. I changed the racquet and I faced the role of defending champion for the first time in my career at a Grand Slam.
There were a lot of side factors. I think my game wasn't really feeling great throughout the 2009 Australian Open. This year is absolutely something else. I just feel very confident playing.
Q. You will play Almagro or Tsonga next. Can speak a little bit of those?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I haven't played Almagro for a long time. I can't really remember last time we played.
But, you know, he's a big hitter and he has a good serve and strong forehand. He's a clay court specialist but still can play really well on hardcourts. This hardcourt is a bit slower than the others, so that's where he has his chance.
On the other side, I played Jo many, many times in the last two years. Probably the biggest match that we played was finals here two years ago. He's improved so much, and he's a top 10 player. Just has a big tournaments behind him. He has been winning the big matches and knows what it feels like to be on a big stage.
So absolutely it's gonna be very difficult for either of us to play against.
Q. If you face Jo, what do you have to focus on especially?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, Jo can beat anyone if he's really on the roll and if he starts hitting the ball well. I just to have keep pressuring him and just apply my style of the game, not allow him to control the match.
Q. You had a great season last year, but didn't do so well at the Grand Slams. Did it bother you to have such a wonderful season but not build on your first Grand Slam in 2008?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In a way I was expecting a lot, especially from Roland Garros in 2009, because I had the best year on clay courts by far.
But, you know, these things happen. I could have done a bit better in the Grand Slams. I agree on that. Probably that was one of the reasons that I didn't get the step further in the rankings.
But, you know, I will prioritize Grand Slams and try to set up the best possible form for these tournaments.
Q. What do you mean by prioritize?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Just as I said, I want to try to set up the best possible form and game for Grand Slams. That's where I want to make the best impact, best result.
Q. Does that mean shortening your schedule a little bit more?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's really hard to shorten the schedule at this moment. We have a lot of commitment events. You got to show up at, you know, 17, 18 tournaments a year, plus Davis Cup. So the season is not gonna be much shorter than the one in 2009.
There are certain things you can do in order to perform better in Grand Slams.
ao.com
Beware the more serious Novak Djokovic
NOVAK Djokovic is on the road to redemption here in Melbourne. Tonight the young Serb has the chance to alter the perceptions many people harbour about him.
Many will remember the ultra confident champion who dispatched Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to take the trophy in 2008. Others will remember the man who melted in the heat last year, adding to a suggestion he was too fragile for the big time.
Under the coaching of former Australian and US Open singles finalist Todd Martin, Djokovic is back and has quietly slipped under the radar. He has effortlessly moved into tonight's quarter-final and another Australian Open confrontation with Tsonga.
He dropped a set in his second-round match to Switzerland's Marco Chiudinelli and then thrashed Uzbek Denis Istomin and made a meal of Lukasz Kubot of Poland.
In one eight-set spell he conceded only 12 games. It would be fair to say that while others have battled through five-setters, most notably Tsonga on Monday evening against Nicolas Almagro of Spain, the Serb has not been remotely extended.
In the lead up to the Open 12 months ago I wrote in this paper that I had doubts about the mental toughness Djokovic possesses.
I felt vindicated by his withdrawal in last year's quarter-final against Andy Roddick.
In the year past he has reached the quarters at Wimbledon and a semi-final against Roger Federer and has won five titles, including a win against Federer in Basle.
I have noticed a considerable change in the young man. No longer Joker-vich, he has been restrained and focused, concentrating on maintaining his No. 3 world ranking and looking to add to that solitary grand slam title.
He looks stronger and he needed to work on that facet of his game. He has all the shots and is always a genuine contender.
The match against Tsonga will be a severe examination. Seeded at 10, the Frenchman had a win over Federer last year in Montreal and thrives on the physicality of the occasion. He won popularity worldwide for his toughness and grit.
Since their Australian Open final on Rod Laver arena two years ago they have met five times with the Frenchman winning four. He is an opponent to be feared and their match will be a highlight. I think it will Djokovic in four.
In the first of the quarters Roger Federer meets a man who has beaten him the last two times they have met, in the Masters Cup and in the season opener in Doha.
I cant imagine Nikolay Davydenko making it three in a row.
That is not to say the No. 6 seed is not without a chance of upsetting Roger's plans of making it 16 grand slam singles titles on Sunday night. Davydenko has played unbelievable tennis over the past six months and at his best is one of the great sights on the court.
His image may be workmanlike, bordering on dour but my colleague on Channel 7, the two-time Australian Open champ Jim Courier, has been giving him a crash course in personality at their post-match interviews. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing.
Wywiad po przegranym meczu 1/4 AO10:
An interview with:
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. What was the problem with your health?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, first, I would like to congratulate Jo. He played a great match. Deserved to win.
It was unfortunate that I couldn't perform on the level that I wanted to in the fourth and fifth set. I don't want to find excuses for my loss, but, you know, I went to vomit and I had diarrhea before the match. Just a terrible feeling.
You know, it's been a great tournament for me, so it's just a bad way to ‑‑ not to be able physically go through the whole match.
Q. Was it something you ate?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was the same routine like every day. I mean, I just didn't eat some kind of shrimps or something. It was pasta.
Maybe. I really don't know. It's too bad.
Q. Did you have any memories of last year here when you had to withdraw from the match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. No. No.
Q. When did you start feeling ill?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I had a little problems with the stomach even before the match as I said. No, the big deal I started feeling after third set when I just ‑‑ I couldn't hold on.
After two games I had to go to the toilet. There was no way, otherwise I would throw up on the court. That's when I had to do it.
Q. Are you injured in your legs or something like that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. Well, look, when you lose a lot of fluids and your engine a bit stop working, that's how I felt. Very bad with my legs in the fourth, and especially in the fifth set. I wasn't able to run him down at the baseline, and that was the major problem. You know, he was serving well and just got confidence boost to be aggressive.
It was unfortunate.
Q. How did you think he'll go against Roger Federer?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know and I don't care.
Q. You still were playing some great points in the fourth and fifth sets, some great rallies. What would you put your level at in that fourth and fifth set?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I said, I wasn't able ‑‑ wasn't able to move. I wasn't able to physically try to involve myself into the strokes. That was ‑‑ so you couldn't really ‑‑ I couldn't really judge my game in the fourth and fifth set.
It was more like, Okay, let's stay on the court and hope he'll make a mistake. That was more or less the philosophy.
I think overall, the whole tournament I played well, even today, you know, it's a good tennis. A bit disappointed for the loss because I thought I could win today with my game.
But life goes on. It's just the start of the season.
Q. Did you think to give up?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no. I wasn't thinking.
Q. You will be No. 2 if Murray doesn't win the tournament. Is it important for you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, for me it was important to get as far in the tournament as possible, you know. I had a high ambitions here because I felt well and played well and just feeling confident on the court, and then this happens. This is the most disappointing thing.
I wasn't thinking about rankings. If it happens it's great. It's something that I wait for many years already. But, you know, definitely I have to deserve it.
Djokovic determined to avoid another Slam pullout !
Novak Djokovic was determine not to let unpleasant history repeat itself, with the Serb soldiering on to defeat against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga despite an upset stomach complaint at the Australian Open.
Djokovic has failed to complete four Grand Slam singles matches since 2006, but was able to play on for a five-set loss after a medical timeout to vomit off court early in the fourth set.
Despite the waves of discomfort, the third seed said he was determined to see the nearly four-hour, five-set contest through: "No, no. I wasn't thinking," he said of any retirement plan.
The loss cost Djokovic an admittedly long-odds chance to increase his ranking, which would have been dependent on losses from the likes of Roger Federer and Andy Murray. "For me it was important to get as far in the tournament as possible. I had a high ambitions here."
"I felt well and played well and just feeling confident on the court, and then this happens. This is the most disappointing thing."
Djokovic said that he had followed his usual dietary routine: "I didn't eat some kind of shrimps or something. It was pasta. It's too bad."
01.02.2010 - Novak Djoković nowym wiceliderem rankingu!
W dzisiejszym notowaniu rankingu ATP Entry, Nole awansował na 2 miejsce, co jest Jego najwyższym rankingiem w dotychczasowej karierze. Gratulacje. ;)
Novak był bliski tej pozycji już rok temu, ale przegrał decydujący mecz z Jarkko Nieminenem w 1/2 turnieju ATP Sydney 2009.
Nareszcie, gratulacje Novak! :)
#17) Dubaj 2010
R32 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 6-4, 6-4
R16 Viktor Troicki (SRB) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
Q Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
S Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-4
W Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 7-5, 5-7, 6-3
Djokovic Commits To AEGON Championships
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic will try to win his first grass-court title and set himself up for a Wimbledon challenge after adding his name to the growing list of Top Ten players signed up to compete at the AEGON Championships.
Djokovic, a finalist at The Queen’s Club in 2008 and a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2007, joins three other Top Ten players, No. 3 Rafael Nadal, No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro and No. 7 Andy Roddick in already announcing plans to compete at the tournament, which takes place 7th-13th June at The Queen’s Club in London.
"It would mean a lot to me if I could go one step further than in 2008 and win the AEGON Championships at Queen’s, and then to do well at Wimbledon," said Djokovic. "The grass-court season is unique and it is very exciting to play at Queen's because the atmosphere is fantastic and there is so much tradition for tennis in England."
Buy Tickets
The Serbian won the Australian Open in 2008, before showing his potential on grass with a run to the final at The Queen’s Club six months later. He beat former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt 6-2, 6-2 along the way, and his high-octane final against Rafael Nadal ended with a 7-6, 7-5 defeat. Nadal went on to win Wimbledon three weeks later.
Last year, Djokovic reached ten ATP World Tour finals, winning five of them, including the Masters 1000 event in Paris at the end of the year. In 2010 so far, Djokovic has successfully defended his Dubai title, and led Serbia to victory over the United States in the first round of the Davis Cup, winning both of his singles rubbers.
The AEGON Championships will be broadcast live, every day, on BBC Television and Eurosport.
For more information, please go to the official AEGON Championships website.
Djoković kończy współpracę z Toddem Martinem
Drugi tenisista świata Serb Novak Djoković zakończył swoją współpracę z byłym finalistą US Open i Australian Open Amerykaninem Toddem Martinem. Jego jedynym trenerem pozostanie Marian Vajda.
- Kończę współpracę z Toddem Martinem - powiedział Djoković reporterom przed poranną sesją treningową w Monte Carlo, gdzie w tym tygodniu będzie grał w turnieju. jego pierwszym rywalem będzie zwycięzca meczu Florent Serra - Stephane Robert.
Martin współpracował z Serbem od zeszłorocznego US Open, ale zawodnik uznał, że praca z dwoma trenerami jest zbyt skomplikowana. - Oni nie rozumieli się zbyt dobrze - tłumaczył tenisista.
- Todd to fantastyczny człowiek, ma wielkie doświadczenie, którym się ze mną dzielił, ale wspólna praca po prostu nie wyszła. Nie mam mu nic za złe - dodał Djoković.
Decyzję o rozstaniu z Martinem tłumaczy się słabą grą Serba w ostatnich turniejach. Djoković bardzo szybko odpadał z ważnych turniejów Indian Wells i w Miami. W Indian Wells odpadł w czwartej rundzie, w Miami z turniejem pożegnał się już w swoim pierwszym meczu w drugiej rundzie.
- Teraz będę pracował znów tylko z Marianem Vajdą i mam nadzieję, że uda nam się powtórzyć nasze sukcesy - zakończył Djoković.
Dobra decyzja. Od kiedy pamiętam Martina w serbskim boksie to gra Novaka była mocno średnia. Prędzej czy później musiało to się skończyć rozstaniem.
No i tak i nie. Od US Open Nole wygrał 4 bardzo prestiżowe turnieje.
Słabą grę tej wiosny da się wytłumaczyć w inny sposób, aniżeli konflikty na linii dwóch coachów.
Ale kto wie, może to ta sprawa miała wpływ na formę Serba.
Fed-Expresso napisał:
No i tak i nie. Od US Open Nole wygrał 4 bardzo prestiżowe turnieje.
Ano wygrał, ale w żadnym z tych turniejów nie grywał przez większość spotkań na takim poziomie, na jakim zwykł to czynić dawniej. Nie obwiniam Martina o tę jakość gry Novaka, ale wiem też, że od kiedy pojawił się w boksie #2, nie wniósł nic do gry swojego podopiecznego, co mogłoby w jakikolwiek sposób poprawić ową jakość gry Novaka.
Djokovic took a loss but got his confidence back
Novak Djokovic remains convinced he has cracked a minor slump despite his loss to Fernando Verdasco in the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters.
"To be honest, I'm disappointed for a loss, I don't like to lose," said the No. 2 Serb. "But I've played well throughout the whole tournament."
"But it's tennis, it's sport, life goes on. I have to be ready for the next tournament. As a a professional tennis player, you can't really look at the past - the next tournament is already coming up very soon."
The player who lost the final here a year ago to Rafael Nadal now heads for a week off before tackling the clay of Rome, where he also lost the 2009 final to his Spanish rival.
"Actually, I got back my confidence this week, I started feeling better on the court," Djokovic said after early losses last month in the US. "I'm confident that I'm going to play better and better towards Roland Garros."
Djokovic has to live with Belgrade scheduling
With his small home tournament sited in an uncomfortable position on the road to Roland Garros, there is little for Serb Novak Djokovic to do save grin and play and play without complaint in the event his family owns and promotes.
The Belgrade tournament falls directly between the high-profile Rome and Madrid Masters, with other top players pleased to have a much needed week off in the run-up to the French Open start on May 23.
But Djokovic must play on as top seed at his own event, now into its second edition.
"I would love to have it in a different period but this is the week that we got and we can't complain," said Djokovic. "Just to have the tournament in my city is already a big event -- it's a great pleasure and great satisfaction for all Serbian players.
"Winning the title in Belgrade (2009 inaugural edition) for the first time - and for the first time we organised a tennis event is in Belgrade - was a great event for me. It was very emotional, I really look forward to playing there again."
While the field for the small 250 series remains low-key - Djokovic is the obvious exception - the world number two hopes for an improvement over the coming years.
Djokovic is not the only elite player on court next week - Roger Federer, who only began his clay campaign in Rome, is headline at another small event in Estoril, near Lisbon.
Djokovic: Gdyby nie Nadal, byłbym najlepszy na ziemi
Rozstawiony z numerem 3 (chyba z drugim :)). Novak Djokovic awansował do ćwierćfinałów turnieju w Rzymie po zwycięstwie nad Thomazem Belluccim z Brazylii 6-4 6-4. W piątek czeka go znacznie poważniejszy test, gdyż naprzeciw stanie dobrze ostatnio dysponowany Fernando Verdasco.
Serb, który od początku turnieju porównuje nowy kort centralny kompleksu Foro Italico do samego Koloseum, będzie miał okazję dać upust swojej żądzy walki i zwycięstwa w jutrzejszym meczu przeciwko Fernando Verdasco, który pokonał dziś w dwóch setach Guillermo Garcię Lopeza. Wyżej klasyfikowany Hiszpan zanotował jednak kilka problemów. W pierwszym secie w ostatniej chwili odrobił stratę przełamania, a w drugiej odsłonie przy stanie 5-3 nie wykorzystał szansy na zakończenie spotkania przy własnym serwisie. Mecz zakończył dopiero w tie-breaku.
Również Djokovic, mimo breaka w obu partiach na rzecz Brazylijczyka, odrobił straty i wyszedł z tego meczu bez utraty seta.
- Zdaję sobie sprawę, że jutro muszę zagrać mądrze taktycznie i przede wszystkim agresywnie. Miałem dziś już dobry sprawdzian z Belluccim, który przecież bardzo przyzwoicie gra na kortach ziemnych. Ale ta nawierzchnia też i mi sprzyja. Wychowałem się na ziemi i gdyby nie dominacja Nadala, to byłbym na pewno jednym z najlepiej grających na kortach ziemnych. Moja gra pasuje do mączki, a szczególnie tutaj w Rzymie, gdzie korty zwykle są nieco szybsze - tłumaczył po włosku, którym posługuje się niemal bezbłędnie, Djokovic.
Z turniejem pożegnali się rozstawiony z numerem 4. Andy Murray i piąta rakieta rzymskiej imprezy Robin Soderling. Przegrali odpowiednio z Davidem Ferrerem i Stanislasem Wawrinką.
Na zakończenie w sesji wieczornej bez problemów do ćwierćfinału awansował faworyt BNL Internazionali d'Italia - Rafael Nadal. Po dwóch jednostronnych setach 6-3, 6-2 odesłał do domu Rumuna Victora Hanescu.
Organizatorzy, a szczególnie turniejowy DJ z lubością puszczał w przerwach na korcie centralnym ostatni hit Shakiry "I'm a gypsy", który z wiadomych powodów jest Hiszpanowi szczególnie bliski...
Z trybun mecz Nadala uważnie śledził m.in. piłkarz rzymskiego klubu AS Roma - Francesco Totti.
Niestety przygoda Serba z wiceliderowaniem niebawem sie skonczy, Nole nie moze sie odnalezc po tym katorzniczym sezonie 2009, i caly czas najwyrazniej odczuwa efekty tamtego przeforsowania.
Naprawde dobrze byloby dla rozgrywek, by ten zawodnik wrocil do swojej optymalnej gry, podobnie jak Murray.
Generalnie, brakuje bardzo wyraznie silnej czolowki w tym sezonie.
Mottem Pudziana rzuce teraz . Novak ! Mniej mówić , więcej robić . Mniej mówić , więcej robić ! :]
Djokovic looking for clay court redemption in Belgrade
Novak Djokovic will need to bounce back at his home event in Belgrade next week after losing a quarter-final marathon lasting for more than three hours in Rome to Fernando Verdasco.
"I have two more weeks of tournaments now before the French Open, including my home event in Belgrade and Madrid," said the world No. 2 Serb, who won the inaugural a year ago in Belgrade, an event which he and his family own and manage.
"Of course it's important for me and the expectations from everybody is that I'm the No. 1 favourite to win the title. Let's see -- if I'm playing this way, then I have a big chance and I will just need to work hard for the next couple of days.'
Djokovic said that while he has not duplicated his 2009 clay showings of Rome and Monte Carlo finals, he's still far form disappointed with his form.
"I still have time, I've had real problems with allergies for the past two months and this has been really troubling. But everything else is in order and I'm happy with the way I played."
"Definitely the French Open is the place where I want to get a good result."
Djokovic fighting springtime allergies
Novak Djokovic is fighting his allergies as he prepares to defend his title on clay at home in front of an adoring Belgrade public.
The Serbia Open top seed admits that he's not feeling on peak form as the run-up pace to Roland Garros quickens.
"I don’t want to go into details too much, but I have some health issues that are hampering me and it’s very important for me to be fully fit," said the world No. 2. "Playing on clay demands immense physical efforts.
"I’ve been going through a difficult period over the past couple of months. It’s springtime and I have a strong allergic reaction to pollen. It’s never been this bad and no medications are helping it.”
So far this spring, Djokovic has failed to match his 2009 finals at Masters events in Monte Carlo and Rome, where he lost on both occasions to Rafael Nadal.
His last effort was a Rome quarter-final last week, going down to Spain's Fernando Verdasco for the second time in as many events.
But Djokovic still believes that if he can keep his physical worries under control, he can make some serious preparations for the May 23 start of the French Open.
"I probably could have done better this year. The positive thing was that I was able to assume control of matches and find my rhythm. The No. 2 ranking is a big achievement for me and I’m happy to have finally gone one place up after three years."
Djoković ma dziś podjąć decyzje co do startu w Madrycie.
Djokovic: Allergy creates problems, uncertain and Madrid
Top-ranked Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic said tonight that because of allergy had to hand the match to Philip Krajinović in Belgrade and do not know if he will perform at the Masters in Madrid.
"Light is in the first match that I have problems to deal with the positive thing is that I gave Serbian player and not someone else. Allergy really bothers me," said Djokovic after the match.
"My participation in Madrid is in doubt. I do not feel so good. That's what we will decide within the next 24 hours," he added.
"How many will be present, depends on the rest. When you have that kind of problem, recovery requires rest, rather than physical effort.'ll See next week, but it is important to play at Roland Garros and Wimbledon," Djokovic concluded.
Madryt nie dla Djokovicia. Winny smog w Belgradzie
Serb Novak Djoković, wicelider rankingu tenisistów, w wyniku problemów zdrowotnych wycofał się ze startu w turnieju rangi ATP Masters 1000, który w niedzielę rozpocznie się na kortach ziemnych w Madrycie (z pulą nagród 3,7 mln euro).
Djoković miał duszności i gorączkę w piątek podczas ćwierćfinałowego pojedynku turnieju ATP w rodzinnym Zagrzebiu i skreczował po tym, jak przegrał 4:6 pierwszego seta z innym Serbem Filipem Krajinovicem.
Badania lekarskie wykazały, że powodem infekcji dróg oddechowych o objawach alergicznych było zbyt duże zanieczyszczenie powietrza w mieście, w którym bronił tytułu zdobytego przed rokiem. Wówczas w finale pokonał Łukasza Kubota.
Novak kończy dzisiaj 23 lata. Wszystkiego najlepszego mistrzu! :)
Wszystkiego Dobrego :)
Osiągnięcia:
Ranking: 3 (najwyżej w karierze - 2)
Wygrane turnieje: 17
Przegrane Finały: 11
Turnieje WS: 1/1
Mastersy: 5/6
Masters Cup: 1/0
Zarobki: $16,917,370
RG 2010 - wywiad z Novakiem po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
Q. You didn't play in Madrid last week or the other week. How did you feel on court today? It was quite a while you hadn't played a match.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I haven't played a real match since Rome this year, I think. I knew it's gonna be a little bit different feeling stepping on the court and playing a match than practicing in last two weeks. I felt the ball really well in the practice. Right now I feel physically fit and ready to go the distance.
I had ups and downs. I didn't play a good second set, but, you know, I overcome it. I overcome it, I think. From the start of the third set I started playing better, started serving better. It's important, you know. It's going slowly, but I have to be positive about it.
Q. What are your expectations in this tournament? Do you feel you can win?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I wouldn't think about winning a title. It's very far away for now, because it's just the start of the tournament. You know, Federer and Nadal will be obviously the two best players in the world and two biggest favorites to win the title.
But if I'm able to play my best and if I'm able to maintain that good level of the performance, I think I have a good chance to go far in the second week.
Q. How about next match? Could be Nishikori from Japan or a Columbian, Giraldo. What are your expectations for next match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, in the opening rounds, in the opening rounds, usually play against the players who are not seeded. You know, all of them are dangerous, because they're motivated to play well on the Grand Slams.
So, whoever I play, I will not underestimate the opponent and I just I will try to play well and get the control of the match whoever I play against. I know that I have enough quality to beat anybody.
Q. Is your problem of allergic completely resolved now, or you're afraid that it could come back?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, the thing is that this year has been a struggle for me because it was the first time that I had such a strong reaction, so the season or the Spring already started, and you couldn't do too much with it, so it's still a little bit active, but it's much less than it was in last two months.
So I'm happy that the tough period is behind me, and now I can focus on the court on what I do and try to do it best. For next year I will prepare myself better health wise.
Q. You're not No. 2 anymore. Is that something that matters to you, or are you disappointed?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no, actually what it matters to me is to get the right rhythm back and right shape on the court. Everything else will come sooner or later.
Q. Talking about motivation, we as journalists or crowd take for granted that every sportsman has to be motivated every day, every minute. How difficult is it really to keep the motivation all year long, all day, all matches, all practice session? What helps you to get motivated?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's a good question. I think what makes the difference between the guys like Federer, Nadal, whoever is on the top, myself and, you know, maybe the guys that are not able to get there, is that mental difference, I guess, you know, to be able to be strong all the time and focused and understanding what you do in your life and getting it solved in the best possible way and giving the maximum in every moment of your life.
Sometimes you don't play your best, and you have to find a way to win on the court or, for example, if you practice and you don't feel like practicing, there are many days when you stand up and you just don't feel like getting on the court.
But, you know, this is your life. You have to accept it. This is the path you have chosen, and the big desire to be on the, you know, to be on the top. I guess that's what drives me, gets me motivated and gets me excited every time I step on the court, you know, because I have a big desire to win a Grand Slam and to achieve many more things to come.
You know, I'm only 23, so as long as I have this mentality, I will play professional tennis.
Q. Have you ever had problem with your motivation at all?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everybody has good and bad days, as I said. You cannot always be 100% positive about everything, you know. There are days when nothing goes right for you, but the important thing is to rise up and find yourself again the next day.
RG 2010 - wywiad z Nole po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
Q. Watching the match, I turned to the guy beside me and said, Is he ever gonna serve and volley? Would you think about, even on a second serve, just the element of surprise? What's the hesitation for not doing it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, it's not that easy as it seems. For you to say probably easier for me to do it. I'm not a typical serve and volley player. My game is based on the baseline. I have a good groundstrokes. That's where I feel most comfortable.
I agree that changing the tactics sometimes and the rhythm and the pace and being able to surprise the opponent with serve and volleys is the right play. But as I said, you know, it's not easy. It's gonna come with the time, I guess.
Q. Two years ago Kei Nishikori, your opponent, beat James Blake. After that match when James was asked, Was there are any top players who plays similar to Kei Nishikori, at the time James said it might be you in terms of a play style. You played him today. What do you think about James' statement?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there is some similarity in our styles. I would agree in some way, because we both play from the baseline. We both like to keep the control over our opponent, be aggressive on the forehand side. He's very fast, and he's able to play both styles of the game, being defensive and offensive at the same time. He has a solid serve.
I don't think that clay courts is his most preferred surface. I think it's hardcourts. But today he has shown that he can play equally well on clay.
It was a tough two sets, second and third. The first set I won quite comfortably, and then the second and third took one hour each set.
So you couldn't really say even though he was 6 4, 6 4, can't really say that it was, you know, a cruise for me, because I was facing a lot of break balls on my service games. He was playing well. He's a very talented player, and I think he was struggling with injuries lately.
Now he's coming back, so I wish him all the best.
Q. I would like to know if you choose your balls when you play. Is it important for you to choose your balls, used or not?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Before the serve, you mean?
Q. Yes.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. Well, this is one of the rituals that I think every player has a different way of focusing himself before the serve, and, yeah, I like to have a ball that is a bit more fresh, new, so I can be able to serve faster.
It doesn't really make a difference when you look at my serve, but it's just mental, I guess.
Q. It's a nice, sunny day, not too high a temperature. You've had some problems with allergies and stuff. Is this a good day for you to play?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, lately I have been facing that problem, and it has been a struggle, definitely. I think it was obvious for the people who have seen my matches in Indian Wells, Miami, and then Monte Carlo, Rome. I really could not feel physically 100% ready on the court, and it reflected on my game, on my results.
You know, this is a way of is a part of my life, part of my genetics, and I will have to prepare better for next year. Because the reaction, allergic reaction was very strong this year. I didn't expect it, really. I never faced that before.
But next year is gonna be better, I'm sure, and that period has passed a little bit now. I don't feel as strong a reaction as it was in last two months.
Q. Do you know anything specific about which pollen it was or what it is that...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's pollen and dust, and clay courts is not the best surface for my allergy. You know, I have to go through it. I have learned how to go through the difficult periods, how to put that aside and just focus to play my best.
Q. You change clothes during workouts and practices, and sometimes even during matches. How much laundry do you generate that you then submit at the end of the day?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: That's the first time I got this question. Interesting.
Q. That's good.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In the juniors I used to wash the laundry by myself, with my hands. Then, you know, every Euro meant a lot, so I didn't want to spend too much on that.
But right now, since we have good conditions, good organizations with the tournaments, so they organize the laundry service for us. We do give them our laundry and we have to wait two days.
But, yeah, we have well, we change a lot of shirts. I guess I get at least, in average, three shirts a day.
Q. So do you ever try to sneak stuff in to have maybe your friends' shirts or maybe some other clothes done while you're here?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't want to be fined or punished by the tournament, because it's not allowed. I think it's only players. But I do sneak in sometimes.
Q. In a semiserious question about that, one reason it comes up here is because of the clay. Do you have any issues with getting stuff back going, Oh, jeez it's still all red here?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I think they have a quite good laundry service. It's all quite white and clean when you get it back. When you wash it with hands then it stays red, but...
Q. Which surface do you think asks more and says more about a great player? Roger Federer said the other day that you don't need a great serve, a great volley for a player to play on clay. What do you think about this?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, again, every player is different, has a different approach to the matches, a different style of the game.
I think it's very individual. Each preference has some difference. I do agree that in a way you have to adjust to each surface. The clay, as the slowest surface, requires a lot of rallies, physical strength, and endurance on the court. You have to be ready to play long matches, especially if you have a Spanish or South American guy across the net who are able to play for hours and hours and produce a lot of spin and get they're getting all the balls back.
Sometimes in those situations serve is not the crucial element in the game, but it is important. You know, serve is very important. In my case, I have been struggling with that shot in last year or so, but I'm working on it. Because I know that in those tough situations you need to have advantage over your opponent and to serve well and to open up the court for you.
Q. How much did you enjoy your karaoke with your buddy? I was wondering who came up with that idea to sing like a gypsy?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Gypsy. Oh, my God. I've seen it. My brother sent me. I've seen it last night, or it was this morning before the match. It make me relax a little bit. You know, I was nervous before the match, and then I was laughing unbelievable for two minutes.
What we have done? It's just crazy. Sometimes I'm not aware of the things that I'm doing. I think you have to ask Troicki, as well, my partner in that video.
We are very proud. I haven't spoken to Nadal still what he thinks about it. I think he would be proud of my performance of Shakira. I really put a lot of energy and effort into that. I've tried to, you know, impress my partner who was sitting on the chair and playing a little guitar. I was shaking whatever I had in there.
Yeah, it was fun.
Q. Although you haven't played there today, do you have any difference between Philippe Chatrier and the rest of the courts here in terms of size, ability to retrieve balls in some sense?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it is a big mental difference when you are playing on Chatrier, which is the biggest court, center court. It's very wide on the sides and behind, and so it's a different feeling from playing on the other courts, as well.
I think speed wise, Court No. 1 or 2 are very fast comparing to the two big ones. And especially the Chatrier, I think it's a little bit slower.
Q. Would you say it favors players like Nadal, for example, who has had great physical ability and can be running and trying to retrieve balls?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think Nadal really cares too much if it's fast or slow. He plays on clay he plays amazing.
Q. We all know you're a big football fan. Of course we have Wimbledon at the time, and they will be playing World Cup. Are you going to watch the match, your country?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I'm gonna watch. Not live, unfortunately, because we have grass court season going on. I would go. If it's a little bit closer, I would go to watch live. But it's still a long trip to South Africa, so I will have to support them next to the TV.
Q. World Cup is gonna steal the spotlight from Wimbledon, of course, and other sports.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, I mean, football is a most respected and most important sport worldwide, I think. World Cup is something special, happens every four years. Everybody watch, you know.
I mean, I don't blame World Cup for stealing the spotlight from tennis. I'm just excited to see my country play in that competition.
Q. I just want to know, what do you need to do after a long match on the clay to take care of your body? I mean, maybe with your physio or...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I prefer woman, but unfortunately I have to stay with physio (laughter) for two hours. Yeah, I'm just getting back. I did some work now stretching, and now I have to go back to massage and regular stuff we do after the match.
But I'm playing already tomorrow, so it was good to win in three sets today.
Q. A lot of people think that this year is Nadal's year, and also think that the final will be against Nadal and Federer. Do you have a chance to be in the final this year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everybody has a chance in a way, you know. You have to believe that you can go all the way through. Only with that thinking you can beat those guys. Of course, they're two biggest favorites to get to the next Sunday.
But it's a long way through, you know. You never know. I mean, it's support sport. It's tennis.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Medi … oicki.aspx
Nole w swoim żywiole :)
No dirty laundry for Novak in Paris
Novak Djokovic can remember the days before stardom when he used to wash the gritty red clay out of his own clothes to save a euro or two at tournaments.
"In the juniors I used to wash the laundry with my hands. Back then every euro meant a lot, so I didn't want to spend too much on that."
But now, the millionaire world No. 3 is comfortably cushioned in the VIP world of tennis, where laundry is all part of the service at tournaments everywhere. That, of course, includes Roland Garros.
"We have good organizations with the tournaments, they organize the laundry service for us. We do give them our laundry and we have to wait two days."
Djokovic confessed that he goes through at least three shirts per day during a tournament. And he gave a nod to the unseen workers who do the dirty work at the French Open. "They have a quite good laundry service. It's all quite white and clean when you get it back. When you wash it with hands then it stays red..."
RG 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
Q. What do you think contributed to your surge after two sets? Why did you seem to struggle in the first two sets?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I'm really not a morning person, so it took a lot of time for me to get into the rhythm and warm up basically for the match.
He was very aggressive from the start. He played well. I was lucky to pull out that first set in my favor. Second set, as usual in these tournaments, went the other way for my opponent.
Unfortunately I lost focus. But I overcomed it, you know, again. Third and fourth were really, really good. I was aggressive, I was serving well, and playing from all over the court.
With that kind of game I performed in the third and fourth set, I think I have a good chance against anybody on the court now.
Q. Do you feel that Ginepri in that match was maybe getting tired? Did you have any feeling when you saw his moves?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, he was moving well, I think, all the time. The difference is that I was being in the control of the point in the third and fourth. I was very aggressive. So then, you know, I made him move more and make more unforced errors.
Q. Comparing to your first set, you especially struggled more in the second set. It looked like some Bermuda Triangle there. What happens? A physical thing or...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Why do we have we keep on getting back on negative things, you know? Always struggle, struggle, struggle. I won the match. That's what happened. I think I finished in a good way with a lot of winners and aggression and the game that is recognized when I'm on the court.
It's in my style, and I just need to be aggressive from the start and keep on playing all the way. Of course, I did have some ups and downs, and you could see that in second set. But, you know, you cannot always perform 100% in every single point.
So it happens.
Q. You're playing Jurgen Melzer now. This is his first quarterfinal at a Grand Slam tournament. You played him twice; you beat him twice on different surfaces. What's your prospect on that one?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He's been playing great. Definitely a player to look up to. In this tournament he made a surprise win against Ferrer. But, with the way he was playing, he was playing for top 10, definitely.
It's gonna be a tough match for both of us. I wouldn't give myself too much, you know, chances to win, because now it's a second week of the Grand Slam quarterfinals. The matches are getting tougher.
Physically you have to be very fresh and you have to expect the longer rallies. But he's very aggressive, you know. He can play defensive and offensive at the same time. So that's what makes him very dangerous.
I will try to keep up the good rhythm that I had in last two matches, and the better will win, I guess.
Q. I don't wish to be negative after the way you played those last two sets, but you looked at times as if you were really filling your lungs with air and that you were struggling a little bit for breath, particularly early in the match. Was it a problem today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Not strange with me. I always have these kind of problems.
Well, you know, after a long point you lose a lot of air, so it was nothing unusual in my side, you know. I was just trying to get as much as energy and air for the next point. I had some long rallies and some intensive points where, you know, I had to give 100% of my abilities on the court, and that's what I did.
Generally looking, my physical feeling is right now it's good, which is a positive fact for upcoming challenges.
Q. Are you willing to play aggressive and offensive all the time? And if you don't, can you win the tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, I am aware that I have a good defensive game. I can run a lot on the court, but this is something that I don't want to have in my game, you know, in the future. I want to have more variety, of course.
You cannot always be aggressive. I'm not a typical serve and volley player, so I will have to base my game on the baseline, which is for today's tennis it's usual, because, you know, all the top players are baseline specialists.
But I do have to be aggressive, because that's when I feel confident and that's when I feel comfortable on the court, taking the ball early and using every chance that has been given to me.
Q. You made a very funny video with Viktor Troicki. Can we expect other things this week? Do you know if Rafael Nadal liked it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I hope he gave a positive comment about it. I heard he stated that he's seen funnier things from my side.
I was sad I didn't do it with him, because then it would be very original. Still, it was a fun I try to enjoy every moment on the court, and of course off the court, as well.
I like to relax when I don't have matches and don't have practices, so I've done it before and I had lots of fun. I was sad that they didn't have it in last two years, the karaoke. But I don't know if you can expect this week now you know, with the upcoming challenges that I have, I will try to keep my focus on the court.
Q. Talking about Rafa, still is one match away, but there's a chance you play him in the semifinals. I wonder what you remember from the semifinals you guys played in 2008 in Hamburg, and if that was the best match you ever played on clay, or at least against him on clay?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yeah, that was a great match in Hamburg, but I think even better was in Madrid last year where I had three match points. It was obvious after that match we both kind of lost our rhythm on the court physically, emotionally, and mentally, however you want to put it.
We were exhausted and left out of the tank, and we didn't make such a great results after that. But it was a match to remember. Of course, for me, not in the best way, because I think that was the closest that I got to win against Nadal on clay.
But in case I get to play him here in Paris, definitely I will try to play a similar game that I played in Madrid, because, you know, you need to be aggressive against him. I mean, that's the only way you can win.
Q. As you say, our questions sometimes tend to be negative, but don't you think your serve, you have been a little bit negative about your serve towards end of last year and beginning maybe of this year, and you try consciously not to be negative, to be more positive?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, you always try to do that, of course. You always try to get the brighter side, the things that you have done good in the practice, in the match. That's what keeps you going.
That's the right thinking, because if you I mean, I learned a lesson, of course. You know, I'm still only 23. Even though I have played many years on the tour, I have experienced the highs and lows of the career of a professional tennis player.
I'm very emotional, so I get to those stages where I feel bad or I feel good on the court, but with the time I get experience, experience that is gonna show me how to deal with things in the future. And right now I feel that I'm on the right way and the right path. I just need to keep on going.
Q. Would you be so kind to give your word again to Melzer? What makes him so dangerous, especially at this stage of the tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, since it's his first quarterfinals of the Grand Slam, definitely he doesn't want to stop there. He has nothing to lose right now. Nobody expects him to do to play finals here. That's why he's very dangerous, because he's gonna go for the shots.
As I said, he's very aggressive, and his probably preferred surfaces are the faster surfaces. But, still, he has proved here that he's one of the best players on the tournament, definitely.
You know, as I said, in those conditions like they were today, I think we both have good chances to win.
Q. I guess you were in pretty bad shape when you pulled out of Belgrade and didn't play Madrid. To think back to that time and now, how surprised are you at the level of tennis you're playing?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I'm not too surprised, because I was I knew that if I took some time off that physically, first of all, and health wise, I would get back and feel good, and then the good game will follow. That's what I was hoping for.
It was not easy, of course, keeping the home tournament, you know, retiring there, and then Madrid where I did well last year.
It was definitely surprising for all the people, but I knew that it's for a better good, it's for something bigger, and that's Roland Garros. This is the tournament of the year on clay courts, and everybody wants to make their best results on this tournament.
So this was my goal. This was my ambition, looking back three weeks ago.
Q. Most all of tennis loves you for your showmanship. Could you take a minute and assess Robby's form on his pushups during the match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was funny. You know, I like it. I tend to do some crazy stuff in the match, as well. It's what keeps me a little bit more relaxed. Everybody has a different personality, so I like to have more relaxation throughout the match or throughout the tournament where I can keep my mind off the focus a little bit, you know.
Because you go through very stressed situations where you're constantly under pressure to play well, and you have to think about points. Of course, you always want to keep your concentration on the level where you want to beat your opponent, but what he did today was funny.
I think it was just finding a good way to make the people laugh in that situation when he fell down. He showed that he's very strong.
Q. You mentioned you're not a morning person. Do you know any tennis player who is?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think Nadal. Any time you wake him up, he's gonna play the same.
Q. When you hear a lot of people talking about Federer and Nadal in the final, I don't think you agree with that. I hope so. But how do you feel about that? Is it better for you, less pressure?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it's normal to talk about a Federer/Nadal final. I mean, since both of them have been so dominant in last five years, it's nothing unusual, and people expect that. They have played so many Grand Slam finals in the last four, five years.
But I'm in this small group of players behind them that is trying to get that final and force something surprising, you know, something that people don't expect.
I mean, I try not to think about semis or finals. Right now I'm playing really well. I'm taking one match at a time.
RG 2010 - wywiad z Nole po porażce w ćwierćfinale
Q. When you were up 2 0 in the third set, not many people would have expected that you gonna lose that match. What is the reason for that? What do you think?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I want to congratulate him first. I think he played really well in the last three sets.
But I made a big mistake, you know, there. I made him come back into the match with my unforced errors, and then he caught the momentum and he was playing really well, especially on his service games.
Yeah, I'm very disappointed, obviously, to lose the match that I was in control of totally a set and a break. This is tennis, you know. This is Grand Slams. You always have to play up to the end, because these things happen, especially at this stage of tournament.
Q. Your passing shot on the last game, was it touching the line for you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We can talk about this. If it was, it was. I don't know, really.
From my side and from my perspective, it was looking good. There was no space between the line and the mark, and that means the ball is good.
I don't know why the chair umpire got that decision. And there was another ball on 4 All, my advantage, as well, and the ball was out. But, you know, this is all part of the sport. What can you do?
Sometimes you have to be lucky as well with the calls.
Q. Do you know that Hawk Eye showed your passing shot was good, just barely? Did anybody tell you that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What can I say? Should I complain or what? I don't know. This is life.
Q. During the last two sets we saw you very often looking across the net at your opponent and shaking your head. Can you tell us what you were thinking about in those moments?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No.
Q. Were you wondering about how your opponent was playing?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I said I don't want to speak about it. Next question, please.
Q. To get back to the line call and Hawk Eye, you said, What can you do? Well, you are a member of the player council, and as a player on the council, you could suggest to the Grand Slams that Hawk Eye is adopted on clay as it is anywhere else.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I don't think there is any sense on getting Hawk Eye on clay courts. You can see the mark. I mean, for somebody there is a chair umpire and so many years and years experience, and to make such a mistake at that point is unbelievable, you know.
I mean, I don't know what was going on with him, but the ball was looking good from everywhere. Even on the TV you could see it was good. So, yeah, I mean, I can't blame him for losing this match, of course. That's one call.
Maybe that call came in my favor and maybe I would break him on that that game would be Love 30 and he would feel a little pressure. But I should have done my job earlier. That's definitely my fault, and I paid the consequences.
Q. What do you think the biggest difference is in Jurgen maybe from a year or two ago? He's not a young player, but he seems to have improved, especially in his toughness mentally.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He's definitely a good player. I didn't expect an easy match today. I was very surprised with the way I was playing for two and a half sets. I was really aggressive and didn't make a lot of unforced errors and putting a lot of returns back.
But then, you know, I backed up a little bit and he used it. He started making much less unforced errors, and he was very aggressive using his serve very good. He definitely is a quality player.
What can I say else? I wish him good luck to the end.
Q. Concerning good luck, he will need good luck and a lot of good shots against Nadal. What do you think? Does he have a chance?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everybody has a chance against everybody. Look, I mean, it's semifinals. For him it's first time. He doesn't have anything to lose, so Nadal is favored, but that's it.
Q. I know it's very difficult to feel positive on a day like this, Novak, but another Grand Slam is quickly around the corner. Do you think that's a good thing you, that you have a big, big tournament to concentrate on straightaway?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I don't know what I'm thinking in this moment, because disappointment after the match that I was supposed to win. So I'm not thinking about I'm not thinking about Wimbledon in this moment.
Tomorrow is a new day, so I guess this is not the first time I have this feeling. I will have to overcome it in order to get ready.
French Open 2010: Novak Djokovic claims 'no sense' in using Hawk-Eye in Paris
Djokovic threw away a two-set lead to lose a four hour, 15 minute marathon 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) 6-4 on Suzanne Lenglen Court on Wednesday night.
The third seed struggled to contain his fury when an umpiring decision went against him while Melzer was serving for the match at 5-4 and 0-15 in the decider.
The Serb was adamant his shot had clipped the line, and although Carlos Bernardes came down to check the mark on the clay, the official was equally convinced the ball was out.
Hawk-Eye showed the ball was in, but Roland Garros remains the only grand slam not to employ the technology, largely because of the advantage of being able to see the impression the ball has left.
When Djokovic was told what Hawk-Eye had shown, he said: "What can I say? Should I complain or what? I don't know. This is life.
"I don't think there is any sense in getting Hawk-Eye on clay courts."
Djokovic refused to blame Bernardes for his defeat, despite branding the umpire's decision as "unbelievable".
He added: "There was no space between the line and the mark, and that means the ball is good.
"I don't know why the chair umpire made that decision. And there was another ball on 4-4, my advantage, as well, and the ball was out. But this is all part of the sport.
"Sometimes you have to be lucky as well with the calls."
Melzer was playing in his first grand slam quarter-final at the age of 29 after 31 failed attempts to reach the last eight.
Despite having turned professional back in 1999, he insisted he never stopped believing he could reach the latter stages of a major.
The Austrian said: "For me, it was never a question of talent. It was more in the head."
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Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
Q. What was the difference today than from Monday?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, two different opponents. Rochus is obviously a player who runs a lot, gets a lot of balls back. Very tough to play with him from the baseline.
And today I had a very big server. Especially in the first set, he had a good percentage of the first serves in, as well. He was putting a lot of pressure on my serves.
I think it was very important for me to overcome that first set to win it. I think that was one of the turning points in the match. I managed to get the match under my control after that.
Q. How difficult was it to play someone with such a big serve? He got the record at Wimbledon on speed of serve.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think 151 was one serve that he didn't put in and 148 was the fastest.
Yeah, it's incredible. He had so many first serves over 140 miles. That's gonna stay the dream for me to make it in my life ever. But he obviously on this diamond day did it great. It was a fantastic day. You know, when there is sun, the ball goes faster. Obviously, his serve gets more effect.
Q. Were you relieved to get that one finished tonight after such a long contest on Monday?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, yeah. In the first match, I had a new experience playing under the roof and lights. Today on the diamond day, it was different. Just happy to get through. Hopefully I'll continue the same rhythm.
Q. When you saw you were last on Centre Court...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I was happy. It's great to get a lot of matches on the show courts, of course. In a way, it gives me a sense that I did something in my life, in my career. Of course, it's a pleasure playing in front of that crowd.
There's so much history and tradition in the Centre Court, especially, that we don't need to talk about it too much.
Q. Will you watch the football, as well?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, yeah, I'm very eager to watch the Serbia/Australia match. It starts right now. Hopefully we'll get through. I think we have good chances on this diamond day.
Q. Were you upset by your five sets in the first round?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. Look, I was expecting a tough match. I lost to Rochus last match we played in Miami, and I did have a negative score with him. So he's a tricky opponent for my game.
But I think the break of the lights when I was two sets to one down gave me more chances to, you know, recover, get my thoughts together. After half an hour, I came back as a different player on the court.
I was happy to play well.
Q. Do you feel in better shape now in this tournament than in Roland Garros where you had maybe some wrist injury?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I didn't have wrist injury. I was very fit there. I played great, actually. I thought I was gaining that confidence, the right play that I had in last couple of years. In that quarterfinals, just very strange turnover. I was very disappointed after that match.
But it was great from my side that I managed to keep that momentum going on. Right now in Wimbledon, I feel great. Let's see how far I can go.
Q. The history has been written while you play, because it's 46 46 in the fifth set. 8 hours and 15 minutes. What are your thoughts about that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I mean, what can you say about that? I mean, I am very surprised. Everybody's watching it in the locker rooms, everywhere. That's the longest match by far any tournament, any Grand Slam. Of course, two big servers.
But I'm amazed that they can both hold their serves this comfortably for the whole day. I mean, it's unbelievable. You have to give them credit, both of them.
Whoever wins today, I think both of them are winners. Obviously, the loser will be disappointed. Yeah, I don't know, maybe they should agree on playing tiebreak if it's 50 All. That's maybe one of the solutions (laughter).
Q. Will you send a message to Stankovic on this diamond day?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's very important we play for this diamond.
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie
Q. After a bit of a tricky start, you seemed to have found a real rhythm in the last two games. Has the confidence built up with momentum?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, it is. It's building up. I'm happy about that. It's important prior to the second week of the Grand Slam, which obviously gets more difficult. I'm gonna have, of course, a better‑ranked opponent, playing a winner of Monfils and Hewitt, which is going to be a very tough one.
So two days are going to help me to work on my game a little bit and get physically and mentally fit for the upcoming challenge.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about the relationship with your coach? You've been together for a few years. Don't want to compare it to a marriage, but how do you keep it fresh?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: That's not getting too personal (smiling).
Q. How do you work on things so the messages keep coming across?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think every player has a different personality, character. And, of course, with it he has a different way of approach to the tennis and a person who wants to be next to him.
From my side, it's very important for me to have, of course, somebody who has a lot of experience in tennis, but in the other hand, somebody that I can talk to on and off the court that I can share my emotions and thoughts and everything.
He's been like my second father. So we kind of built up that relationship from the start. It's been great. You know, he's always going to be the part of my team hopefully as a coach always. You know, I'm just happy with the way things stand.
Q. What is your tip for the World Cup?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm not following it anymore. Serbia is out. I'm very frustrated now.
Q. Are you a sore loser?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: When my football team loses, yes, I'm a very bad loser. I had a sleepless night after we lost to Australia.
Q. Given that Australia beat Serbia, do you think you might try to get back at Lleyton?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We joked around in the locker room. He said, What, we are not good enough for you guys now?
No, no, of course, I mean, they deserved to win because they were the ones who were attacking. I just don't understand why we were defending in the second half. But that's football, you know. We should have gotten the penalty in that last couple of minutes of the game. If we had the draw, we would go through.
But next time. Next time, I guess.
Q. Was it any consolation meeting the Queen?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, that's definitely a great experience, not just for me, for all the players who were there that day, all the people who had the honor and privilege to shake her hand and have a couple of words with her.
It's the experience that I'm going to remember for a lifetime.
Q. Can I ask you how you are assessing your serve at the moment?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Serve? I'm happy with the way my serve goes right now, comparing to the serve that I had in last couple of months that I struggled with. I know everything that has been going on. It's been more of the mental fight.
But it's going in the right direction. It's giving me now more confidence on my service games. I'm getting more free points. That's what matters.
Q. Your aces were quite high. I think your placement was very good. You seemed to have lost a bit of power. Would you accept that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As long as my placement is good, I don't argue about the power. It's important I think ‑‑ I think it's more important to have the good placement and, you know, lots of free points.
Q. One of the great things about our sport is that we basically have the three different surfaces. Could you take a moment and talk about which one you think demands the most of an athlete, how they compare?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's very hard to say. I think what makes tennis a very interesting sport is that we have this variety of the surfaces and we have different kinds of tournaments that, you know, provide you with some interesting tennis.
It's hard to say which one is most challenging, I guess. You know, every surface has its advantages and disadvantages. I think, in my opinion, for me the hard court is my surface, you know, my favorite surface, the surface where I did the biggest success. You know, I won the Grand Slam there.
Grass obviously requires a lot of attention to the serve and quick points, quick shots, shorter swing. Mentally it's very demanding, I guess.
And clay is the slowest one and requires a lot of physical strength, a lot of long rallies.
So I guess everybody has his preferences. I have played over the years well on all these kind of surfaces. It's good to be an all‑around player and have the success.
Q. Does any one of those particularly require the most from an athlete?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I cannot speak in general because, as I said, you know, everybody has preferences, everybody has different feel on every surface. So I can only speak in my name.
And I think, for me, the grass would be the most demanding.
Q. You're the greatest mind we have in our sport, the greatest comic. We're in the print media. Before you did your imitation of John Isner, what qualities would you think before you went into a monologue?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know, the interesting thing is we do a player's show in Monte‑Carlo every year. So Isner‑Mahut is definitely going to be there, is definitely going to take a very funny sketch for next year's show.
Q. Is it going to be Michael Jackson doing John Isner?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Actually, we were talking about getting that show into public more because if, of course, nobody minds, the players who are taking a part on that show, which I think is going to be very interesting for the people to see players in some other activities off the court. I have been doing it for last five years.
Let me tell you, I've been enjoying every single moment of it. I just like having fun.
The locker room sketches are always the one that is the funniest. It's where the players show their real characters, if you know what I mean.
Q. You mentioned, as a fan watching the Serbia game how frustrating it was, their loss. Do you think you're a frustrating player to watch on behalf of your fans?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I do have lots of friends in the football team of Serbia. I know a lot of athletes around the world. I know how frustrating it is. It's easy for me to say on the TV, Hey, you run on this side, pass the ball and score. It's not the same on the pitch, you know. It's a lot of pressure involved, expectations.
Of course it's a team sport, so the one individual cannot carry all the team, same for my sport. From their point of view, I could have done some things better on the court. You know, they are cursing and throwing the remote controls when I play. It's all in best wishes toward your friend, of course. But it's not as easy as it seems on the TV.
Q. If for one day you could be a fan and watch yourself on TV, what kind of advice would you give to yourself?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm very self‑critical, so I don't think I would be very calm.
Q. You've been pretty outspoken about your work on the players council. Can you talk about if you feel satisfied with your term on the council and talk about the election.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Uhm, I was very happy that I kind of contributed on the changes there that are about to happen hopefully in the next couple years for us schedule‑wise and some other things.
And, yes, I've tried to take part in those discussions as much as I could. I was delighted that Federer and Nadal were there. That was the idea, you know, us three to get in and try to do something in a favor of the players. And I think we have done great work.
I'm not anymore in the council, but that doesn't mean that I'm not going to stop taking a part in those important issues. So gonna continue on.
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
Q. You appeared to be breezing your way through that. What happened in the third set?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I lost my focus little bit. I struggled with the stomach discomfort a little bit in that third set. And he got back into the match by breaking me 2‑All in the third set. Then it could have gone either way really. If I made that double break in the start of the fourth, maybe I would win easily that fourth set. But, you know, he came back.
That's why he's a big champion, because he never stops, you know, fighting. I didn't know what's gonna happen up to the last moment. I was fortunate enough to get that break at 4‑All and then held my serve quite well.
Q. You didn't look well throughout that third set. Would that be fair to say?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yeah, you know, I wasn't moving well. I wasn't thinking about my game. I was thinking about some other issues. You know, he used the momentum.
But, you know, the positive thing is that I came back. I managed to get my things together and played well when I needed to.
Q. What was the shirt ripping about at the end?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Emotions (smiling).
Q. Could you tell us more about your stomach discomfort in the third set.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, it's just it. You know, it's just the stomach discomfort. I didn't really get a lot of oxygen because I had that. You know, when you don't get a lot of oxygen, your muscles get a bit tired, and you get slower and slower.
I wasn't feeling really great at that third set. But then the doctor helped me out and everything was well in the fourth.
Q. Was it a muscle problem?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, it was just the stomach, yeah.
Q. Is it the heat, you think, that brought it on?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. Maybe. A lot of side factors, I guess. I just overcomed it and right now I feel good, so that's the important thing.
Q. Lleyton was asked, Could you tell there was anything wrong with him in that third set, and he said, I don't know, he's always got something. What's your reaction to that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everybody has an opinion. I don't know why the people think that I'm always having something, which is absolutely wrong because I haven't asked for medical or physio timeout for a long time.
I mean, any time I ask, you know, somebody has to say something. So I don't really care. You know, whatever.
Q. Could it have been something you'd eaten? Was it that sort of problem?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It might be. Really, just want to forget about it now and move on.
Q. We don't know yet who your opponent will be. If it is Andy Roddick, what are your observations of the way he's been playing this tournament, and how would you describe your matchup with him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We had some tough and interesting matches throughout these two, three years. I mean, he's probably the biggest serve next to Karlovic and Isner on the tour. He holds the record of the fastest serve. It's his big, big weapon.
Of course, on the grass, if you serve well, you put a lot of pressure on your opponents. Throughout these five, six years, he has lots of success. Played an epic final last year.
He loves grass. He loves Wimbledon. He's definitely one of the players that is able to win the title, even this year if he goes through this match.
I guess the return would be, you know, one of the important elements in my game if I'm wanting to set the right tactics and eventually win.
Q. You obviously are very up on the history of the game. You've even done imitations of the great players in history. When you think about how the game has changed, even in the last 10 years, the demise of the serve‑and‑volley style, how much do you think the court speed and the weight of the balls has affected that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It did, definitely. You don't get to see a lot of serve‑and‑volley players these days. Most of the champions, Wimbledon champions, are baseline players.
Roger has some variety there. But then you have Nadal and Hewitt. These players are playing mostly from the baseline.
So the game has changed. It goes to my favor in a way because my game is based, as well, from the back.
But definitely, you know, it has evolved, you know, from last 10, 15 years. 15 years ago you could see Becker, Sampras, all these guys ruling the tennis world with serve and volley. But these days you have so many good returners. Sometimes it's really impossible to go serve and volley because you get a lot of balls back. Game is much faster.
Q. What is the connection between the pace of the courts and the weight of the balls to that phenomenon?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's difficult from my side to say and compare to the tennis that was 15 years ago because I'm really young and I haven't played. I haven't played Wimbledon for many years. I've played only five, six times.
From the first time I stepped on the Wimbledon grass, it is the fastest surface in the world in tennis. But from all the opinions and by watching as well on the TV, my opinion is that it got slower. It got much slower than, let's say, 15 years ago.
Q. You've lost to Andy the last three times you played him. Do you find him particularly mentally difficult to play?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, he's very difficult to play against. As I said, if he serves well, he can beat anyone on any surface. It's a big weapon that he has, first and second serve. It gives him a lot of comfort. Then he can go for the shots on the return games.
As I said, it puts a lot of pressure on the opponent. So if I play him, I'll have to hold my serves and wait eventually for an opportunity.
Q. Back to the fourth set against Lleyton. When he leveled at 2‑All, were you thinking that you were in a bit of trouble there?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I said, you know, he's a big fighter. So I knew even when I was 2‑Love up, he's not gonna let it go. Just trying when I lost the break to get my thoughts together, hold my serve and get a chance, because I know I will get one. Eventually I got one at the most important moment, 4‑All. He double‑faulted it and then I held.
But I'm really happy with my performances so far in Wimbledon. I think I'm getting on the right way and playing the better game than I did in last couple months. Just hope to continue.
Q. How long did it take you to put the US Open incident with Roddick behind you mentally?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, look, we went over it very fast. I mean, what happened happened. There's a lot of emotions involved. I just forget about it. Right now we're getting along just fine.
Q. What do you understand now more this year on the grass from last year or the last several months that's helped your game?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The serve, definitely. I haven't been serving well in the last six, seven months. There's a lot of speculations why did I change my motion. I didn't want to change, but it just had ‑‑ I just got into that bad habit. Some side factors maybe influenced that a little bit: change of racquet, things like that. Once you get into the habit, it's really hard to get it out of your head.
So I've been working on it. And I think the serve is becoming better and better, which is very encouraging for my game. As soon as my serve goes well, I think I can really challenge anybody.
Q. Was one of the reasons why you changed the service motion was because your shoulder was hurting a bit and you were trying to relieve the pressure?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, yes. Well, it had started I think the end of last year. I was playing really well indoor season. Played so many matches, and got to the point of Masters Cup in London, or ATP Tour Finals, how they call it, where I really had a lack of energy and my shoulder was hurting. It was hard for me to get my shoulder up.
It got unfortunately into that bad habit. Then I tried to adjust with some things in the racquet. But it was wrong. It was all mental.
So it was a fight, a mental fight mostly. But I overcomed it right now. I know it will take a bit longer.
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w ćwierćfinale
Q. You looked excited by your performance today.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it's really refreshing, you know, to perform this way I'd say after a while. You know, I was struggling with the level of my performance throughout the last five, six months. It was a lot of ups and downs.
But right now I'm playing great. It definitely makes me happy.
Q. What were your thoughts when you heard that Roger had lost?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, all the credit to Berdych. He played a good match. I've seen the last couple of games.
But, you know, regardless of who I play, I mean, if I perform as well as I did today, I think I have a good chance.
Q. Can you describe the matchup in more detail against Tomas, the strengths you need to try to exploit in your game and what you need to work on against him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He's a big server and he has powerful groundstrokes. Obviously, his weapon is his forehand. Plays a lot of flat shots.
So, uhm, he's played semis of French Open. He's got some great results in last couple of months. So he's one of the toughest players to play against I guess lately.
I'm gonna have to be patient and wait for the chances. Obviously, both of us, we gonna have a great motivation to proceed to the next round and finals. For him, that would be a first finals. For me, third.
But, still, you know, I would give everything to play finals in Wimbledon.
Q. It's two years since you won a Grand Slam. Do you think you're playing at your best now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't know if I'm able to compare my present game with the one from 2008 when I won the Australian Open. But definitely close, close to there. I had the best tournament in Australia.
Right now I think I'm raising my confidence level and performance level match after match. This is something that is very encouraging in this stage of the tournament.
Q. You expect a very difficult match in the semifinal. Berdych in place of Federer means for you a better chance right now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, we all know Roger always plays his best tennis in the end of the tournament. He has played, what, 23, 24 consecutive semifinals of the Grand Slams. He has definitely, you know, more pressure, I guess, and a bigger challenge playing against him in the semis.
But still, you know, Berdych, he's a player who won against Roger in four sets. We cannot forget that. He's gonna go for the shots. I think he has, again, not much to lose. He's gonna be motivated. So there's no favorites, I guess.
Q. You said the game has changed for you. You've been struggling for the last couple months. What has changed or turned the tide for you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't think game‑wise I was far away from my maximum and from my top game in the last couple months. It was more like a mental struggle, I guess. I wasn't finding myself on the court. I was ‑‑ uhm, had too much distractions, meaning mental discomfort on the court; wasn't feeling great; had a lot of ups and downs.
But it's a part of the sport, part of the career. You just have to accept it that way. I'm sure everybody has been through that little mini crisis if you want to call it.
But it's important to take the best out of it and continue in the right way. That's what I did. I just want to look forward now.
Q. The last time you reached this stage at Wimbledon, you were far from fit. Are you a hundred percent now? Are you looking forward to making up for that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. It was a much different situation back then. I was less experienced, but yet I wasn't fit as I am today. I had to play three matches in three days, very exhausting matches. When I got to the semifinal stage, I wasn't ready for that.
But this time I'm ready mentally and physically. Just barely waiting to get on the court.
Q. What does this opportunity at this stage of your career mean to you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, look, you know, playing a semifinals of any Grand Slam is a huge result. But being able to have the opportunity and to reach the finals is even more encouraging, of course, and more challenging.
So, as I said, you know, I'll give everything to be in the finals. I'll give my best on the court. If the guy's better, I will congratulate him, but I will definitely fight till the last moment.
Q. Will it be more difficult to fall asleep tonight knowing that in the semifinal you have a bigger chance since you're playing Berdych?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I already answered that question, so...
Q. You played Berdych twice. You never lost a set. It's a different Berdych, the one that you have to play now. How different do you think he is?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He has improved I think a lot from the baseline. He had the powerful strokes and shots always, but he was making a lot of unforced errors before. Now he's cutting that to the minimum. He's becoming more patient.
Of course, physically he's very strong, very compact. And, of course, serve is always there. So if he serves well, he can be very dangerous.
Q. And you spoke also about your personal problems or distractions. What were you meaning, apart from maybe the tournament in Belgrade?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I mean, that was not one of the distractions. You know, you always face some things. Sometimes on the court you think about things off the court which you shouldn't and you keep your focus away from what you should do. That's about it.
Q. Are you really surprised that Berdych beat Federer today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I mean, Federer is the best player that ever played this game. And still to be able to play this way after he has won so many Grand Slams is just great. I mean, you have to give him credit for everything he has done.
So it's normal for him to lose. I mean, you guys, you know, you think he shouldn't lose at all? I mean, you have to congratulate to Berdych for playing that well.
Q. Are you a hundred percent fit going into the semifinals?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes.
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po porażce w półfinale
Q. What went wrong for you out there today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I want to congratulate him. He played a great match and a great tournament. He's just a better player today on the court.
I guess when I had the opportunities, I didn't use them. In important moments I served some double‑faults. I was a little bit unfortunate in some points.
But definitely didn't take my chances and he used it, so he deserved to win.
Q. Will those double‑faults play on your mind as you go home, do you think?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't know. It's not just double‑faults. It's just I wasn't going for the shots too much. You know, I was kind of waiting for him to make mistake. I was wrong.
Q. Were you actually nervous or was there something about the thought of getting to the final?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, everybody's nervous a little bit. It's a lot of importance in the semifinals of Wimbledon. So, yes, I was nervous. You know, there is no question about it.
But still, you know, I wasn't managing to find the rhythm that I had in the last couple matches.
Q. Talk to us about that point at 5‑6 where you put the lob in and the line judge called it out. Were you quite put off by that call?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I mean, look, I continued on. I thought at that moment the referee was wrong. I continued on playing. Yeah, maybe it would be a turning point if I won that second‑set tiebreaker.
Who knows, maybe I will turn the match around. But bad luck.
Q. Did he give you a Code of Conduct warning at the changeover?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.
Q. For racquet abuse?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.
Q. Must be frustrating for you. You were so close and it's not happened for you today.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it is. You know, nobody likes losing. Neither do I.
But the fact of the matter is that I didn't deserve to win today, you know. It's just as simple as that. I congratulate my opponent because he was a better player.
You know, I have to move on. I hope next time, if I have this opportunity, I'll play better.
Q. Maybe wasn't so much attention on your side of the semifinals as obviously the British guy. Do you think Berdych can sneak through and take the title on Sunday?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He has chances. If he plays the way he played against me and Federer, definitely. I mean, you never know what's gonna happen in the finals. He has a big serve. He has a good game for grass court.
Q. Has he changed since the last time you played over a year ago?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, they're different circumstances. We never played in a Grand Slam, so we never played a best‑of‑five match.
Since then he has improved a lot. I think he's more patient player. He's not making as many unforced errors anymore. He moves better. Still the serve is there.
He just improved his game and results are coming, obviously.
Q. What are you going to do now? You have a break or something?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I have to play Davis Cup next weekend, so... No break for me still.
Q. Any kind of breathing trouble you had in the last round today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. I didn't feel, to be honest ‑‑ didn't feel great on the court. I don't know why. In that third set I kind of dropped the energy level and wasn't managing to step it up and be aggressive.
Maybe because I was so much far behind the baseline and just kind of defending myself. Wrong tactics, I guess.
Djokovic's Influence Helps Rise Of Serbian Tennis
Serbia competes in its first Davis Cup World Group quarter-final against Croatia, the 2005 champion, at the Spaladium Arena in Split, Croatia, this week. Both nations competed under the flag of Yugoslavia until 2003.
The rise of Croatian tennis has been well-chronicled. This weekend it will boast the services of Marin Cilic, Ivan Ljubicic, Antonio Veic and Ivan Dodig, while Mario Ancic and Ivo Karlovic are sidelined.
Serbia, which progressed past the first round for the first time in its history with a memorable 3-2 triumph over the United States in March, will rely on Novak Djokovic, Viktor Troicki, Janko Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic.
"Croatia has been more successful than us in the Davis Cup," said Djokovic, who lost to Tomas Berdych in the Wimbledon semi-finals. "But we have a team that can get through to the finals."
The World No. 2 added: "I am used to playing in front of a lot of spectators and in a fiery atmosphere. The Davis Cup is a very unpredictable competition, especially if you're the visiting team."
Tipsarevic, who married his long-time girlfriend Biljana Sesevic last weekend, admits, “My best friends are Croatian and some of the players were guests at my wedding before the tie."
Last month's UNICEF Open runner-up to Sergiy Stakhovsky believes it due to the influence of Djokovic, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic and Zimonjic that money in being invested in the sport in Serbia.
“Because Novak is near the top, he has helped the rest of us,” said Tipsarevic. “Sponsors and money are being invested in the sport in Serbia, if we didn’t have top players our profile would be lower. I wouldn’t have a good profile.
Troicki, who made his Davis Cup debut in 2008, says, “The rise of Serbian tennis in recent years came about by accident, in that we all developed around the same time.
“There were no sponsors or money, so it is thanks for our families we are where we are today. Some of us trained outside of Serbia when we were younger. Today, thousands of kids play and it is almost impossible to get a court.”
Dusan Vemic, adds “It just happened. I think the families and coaches realised to reach the next level they have to leave Serbia and train in the United States, Germany, Switzerland and Spain.”
But Tipsarevic, who has a 28-12 record in the international men’s team competition since making his debut in 2000, warns that it could be difficult for the next generation of Serbian players.
“For me, it will be harder for the next generation of players to come up,” he said. “Should one get to the Top 30, Top 20 or event Top 10 they won’t be looked at in the same way. When Germany had [Boris] Becker, [Steffi] Graf and [Michael] Stich the nation paid attention to tennis, but even with great players such as Nicolas Kiefer and Tommy Haas the interest has waned because they aren’t winning Grand Slam titles.”
The winner of Croatia versus Serbia will meet either Chile or the Czech Republic in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group semi-finals from 17-19 September. In other tie's this week, Spain face France for the right to play either Russia or Argentina in the semi-finals.
Novak Djokovic will never win another Grand Slam
On Monday morning when the newest ATP rankings are released, Novak Djokovic will be in the second spot, taking over the mantle from Roger Federer. However, after yet another dispirited showing in the latter stages of a Grand Slam, I am now more convinced than ever that Djokovic will not win another Grand Slam for a long, long time.
Before we get to his current predicament, it’s worthwhile to track the rise of Novak Djokovic. As he rose up the ranks in 2007, he was almost universally hailed as the next big thing. An all-court player with a well rounded game, and more importantly – someone who seemed to have the will and drive to win that set him apart from his other rising competitors.
He reached the final of the 2007 US Open before losing to Roger Federer in straight sets, but the showing he put up suggested he wasn’t far away, and he proved that in the first Grand Slam of the new year, knocking out Federer in the semi finals before beating Tsonga in the final to bring up anovak djokovic, atp, tennis, title groundbreaking victory for himself and his native country of Serbia.
So after the Australian Open victory, Djokovic was regarded as the form player of the game. Articles were being written about his next few years at the top of the rankings, and how it was now the top 3 and then daylight. What has happened since then? He’s never seriously threatened for a Grand Slam title again.
There are a multitude of reasons for the change in fortunes, but it seems like the Serbian’s tennis riches have dipped almost simultaneously alongside his public opinion. As Djokovic rose through the ranks, crowds the world over took to him as he entertained with his impressions of various players. From Nadal to Roddick, it seemed like no-one was out of reach of imitation and initially the response from the locker room was positive.
However, as the imitations kept coming, locker room sentiments began to sour, and as they began to sour, the general public started seeing a different version of Djokovic. No longer the happy-go-lucky newcomer; a more tense, highly strung version of the Serbian appeared. Whereas once upon a time he played to the crowds, now Djokovic was openly hostile towards crowds that even dared to choose the other player. A prime example of this was in the 2008 US Open quarterfinals where he questioned the crowd for supporting – wait for it – Andy Roddick. With idiotic statements such as that, it was no wonder Djokovic received little sympathy when his biggest flaw became apparent.
Even before his Grand Slam victory, Djokovic has had a tendency to retire from matches. However, from the beginning of 2009, that was combined with a propensity to completely check out of matches. With the two of these put together, he rapidly became the most maligned top-level player on the ATP tour. Even though he still lodged heavy ranking points at the major tournaments, the change in Djokovic’s temperament meant that he was rightfully passed over as a threat at the Grand Slams.
When he was rising through the ranks, Djokovic played with a freedom on the big points, and that, combined with his booming ground strokes was the reason he got as high as he did. However, now that’s replaced with a tentative approach, volatile demeanour, and most curiously, a complete lack of stamina. In his first couple of years on the tour Djokovic would have no problems playing five set matches. Now, any time there’s a weather forecast that’s over the mid twenties, Djokovic almost throws in the towel when playing any decent level of opponent.
It’s obviously not too late to give up hope though. Mental fragility and a suspect temperament can be overcome – Djokovic can look at his semi final conqueror in Tomas Berdych as proof. Nevertheless, when you take into account everything that Djokovic has shown since winning the 2008 Australian Open, I feel confident in proclaiming that unless something dramatically changes, Novak Djokovic will not win another Grand Slam.
:good:
Novak Djokovic Opens Tennis Courts on Tara Mountain [Video]
Novak Djokovic made a charitable donation and opened tennis courts at the School of Friendship on Tara Mountain in his homeland of Serbia.
“It is important to see children laughing and having fun, enjoying in this wonderful center,” said the World No. 2. “This is a great thing and it is not just my wish, but also the wish of Serbia and all of us standing here.”
Djokovic spent time with kids, handing out t-shirts and taking photos with them.
He was scheduled to play in the Los Angeles tennis event but withdrew. His next event will be the Toronto Rogers Cup next month.
Djokovic says his Rafa doubles will help in Davis Cup
Novak Djokovic is counting on an unprecedented one-off partnership with Rafael Nadal this week at the Toronto Masters to serve him well for potential Davis Cup doubles duty next month for Serbia against the Czech Republic.
It is the first time in 37 years of the ATP that a ranking No. 1 and No. 2 have teamed up on court. "I couldn't refuse the chance to play with him. "It will be an honour to play with Rafa. I'm happy, and it's even a part of the history of tennis, that makes it even greater."
Not since Jimmy Connors was ranked first and Arthur Ashe was second when they played together 34 years ago have the top two singles players joined forces in doubles, the ATP confirmed. Djokovic admits: "Part of it is the fact that Davis Cup is a bit on my mind. I need to play as much doubles as possible."
Djokovic hopes that his effort for Serbia September 17-19 at home will led to a first-ever place for the new nation in the Davis Cup final. "I'm pleased that we are having Davis Cup success this year. It is one of my goals for 2010 - to try and get to the Davis Cup final."
Novak falls to Federer in thriller
World no.2 Novak Djokovic failed in attempt to reach his first ATP final of the season. He lost to no.3 seed Swiss Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Toronto 1-6, 6-3, 5-7 in 2 hours and 22 minutes.
This was their 15th encounter, Federer leads 10-5
Djokovic didn’t start well. He was 0-40 down in the second game after a couple of forehand errors and Federer made an early break. The Swiss then sealed the love game with an ace to consolidate the break . He took 12 of the first 13 points in the match. Novak was broken once again in the sixth game and no.3 seed clinched the set 6-1.
Federer earned a break point in the opening game of the second set and sealed it when the 23-year-old Serb missed his forehand. Nole put some pressure on Federer's serve in the fourth game and broke back to level the result. Djokovic was under great pressure in the seventh game. He saved two break points and after eighth deuces and 15 minutes of play held for 4-3. No.2 seed broke Federer’s serve again in the eighth game and took the set 6-3.
The 29-year-old Swiss made a break in the fourth game of the decisive final set and then held to increase his lead to 4-1. Novak fought back in the seventh game converting his third break point opportunity and then equalised the score to 4-4. The Serb had three break points in the eleventh game but Federer saved all three and Nole had to serve to stay in the match. He had two game points and chance to send the set to a tie-break, but Federer got a break point opportunity and took it when Djokovic hit a forehand into the net.
Match statistics: aces (2-11), double faults (3-2), winners (27-27), unforced errors (48-43).
"I didn't find my rhythm. After only half an hour it was already set and break up. But I managed to come back, and I started feeling the ball better. But overall it wasn't the best performance by my side. I wasn't serving well when I needed to, and I made a lot of unforced errors on my backhand side," said Novak after the match.
"So to be able to be in the position to win this match with the performance that I don't think it's good enough, it's okay, it's fine. It's a little bit frustrating that I haven't used the opportunity I had in the end, but he was realistically a better player today."
For the first time in the 129 year history of the event, the top 4 men in the world were the last four men standing in the tournament. Andy Murray faces Federer in tomorrow's final. The Scot defeated world no.1 Spaniard Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4.
Federer will reclaim world no.2 ranking on Monday and Novak will slip to no.3.
Novak’s next tournament is Western & Southern Financial Group Masters tournament, an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati.
The best Serbian tennis player is second-seeded and has a first round BYE. He will face either Viktor Troicki or Radek Stepanek in the second round.
100 zwycięstw Novaka w turniejach Masters 1000
Taki jubileusz Serb obchodził po zwycięstwie nad rodakiem, Victorem Troickim, w 2 rundzie turnieju masters 1000 w Cincinnati. Graty ;)
Zdaje się, że Kubecki jest czujny :beer:
Novak Djokovic pokonując dziś w Cincinnati Victora Troickiego, odnotował 100 meczowe zwycięstwo w turniejach Masters.
Stan na dzień 18.06.2010: Novak Djokovic 100-36
Novak reaches quarter-finals in Cincinnati!
Novak Djokovic advanced into the quarter-finals at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati with a 6-1, 7-6(7) win over Argentine David Nalbandian in 1 hour and 37 minutes.
Nalbandian failed to capitalise on a break point when he sent a forehand return of serve wide across court and Djokovic went on to hold for the opening game of the match when the Argentine hit a backhand return into the net. The no.2 seed then broke his opponent’s service twice for 4-0 lead. Nalbandian broke back once, but Nole made the third break in the match and served out the first set 6-1 in 30 minutes.
World no.37 made an early break in the second game of the second set. Novak fought back for 2-1 and we saw two more breaks when the Serb finally held to level the result to 3-3. The 23-year-old Belgrade native saved a break point in the eighth game and two break/set point chances in the tenth to send the set to a tie-breaker where he saved three more set points and won it 9-7 when Nalbandian made a double fault.
Match statistics: aces (2-2), double faults (3-5), winners (14-17), unforced errors (17-31)
"I have been very successful in United States hard courts. I won both Indian Wells, Miami, and won Montreal. This is where I haven't won, so to complete that, I will try to win the title this year. But it's still a long way," said Djokovic after the match. "I was really happy with today's performance. I think it was better than yesterday. David is a great player; plays very fast. And considering the conditions, which are very fast here as well, it was not easy to stay in the point with him."
Novak will play against no.9 seed Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals on Friday at 8pm CET. The American beat fifth-seeded Robin Soderling of Sweden in three sets 6-4, 6-7(7), 7-6(5).
Djokovic and Roddick have met six times. The American, who won their last three matches, leads 4-2.
Zwycięstwo nad Troickim w 2 rundzie turnieju w Cincy to było jednocześnie zwycięstwo #300 Novaka, jeżeli chodzi o wygrane mecze na szczeblu ATP Tour. Gratulacje. ;)
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. When you were talking to Brad on the court afterwards, you alluded to fan support that you received that helped you turn things around out there. Can you comment on that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, especially from the first couple of rows in the stadium court, you could hear people what they say. Most of the comments throughout the whole match was positive my way. They tried to kind of lift me up. I had, of course, big support from my box. It was difficult for all those people even to sit on that heat. Yeah, I'd just like to thank everybody who was with me, kind of give me strength and wings to turn the match around.
Q. While you were playing, it was 109 degrees on the court. Talk about that experience.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, it was very hot. It was just very hot. It's same for everybody. That's all basically I can say. You know, heat issue is something that, you know, it's just there. You cannot affect it. The weather is weather. You just have to try to be patient and wait for the shadows, like I did (smiling).
Q. What is your worst, hottest, most uncomfortable moment out there?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I've been in those situations before, played a lot of long matches in very difficult conditions, feeling very exhausted. You know, you kind of start panicking a little bit when you don't feel great physically. Then your opponent takes the advantage. And it's not easy. Definitely those moments are very challenging for an athlete. But I overcomed it once again and this is what matters most to me.
Q. When you start to panic, talk about that moment.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just told you. I mean, I don't want to get into that too much. I mean, I just talked about heat issues too much. I'd just like to keep it simple.
Q. What was the turning point for you? What did you find that helped you to turn things around out there?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I guess middle of the fourth set is when I started kind of reading his serve a little bit better, especially on the advantage side. When I made the break, it obviously gave me more confidence and I got back into the match. Then I had, more or less his every serve game, chances till the end of the match. I was just trying to tell to myself, Okay, you know, he makes a serve winner. He was serving extremely well. The whole match he was serving unbelievable. I never saw him serve that way, which gave him a lot of free points, a lot of aces, winners, things like that. So I just tried to tell myself, Hang in there, you know, the chance will come. He will get tired, as well. Under those conditions, in a long match, he did. When I got the chance, I used it. You know, I got the match.
Q. How well do you two know each other? What is the history of your backgrounds?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We know each other for a very long time. We grew up together playing in juniors. We're practicing together for a long time. We know each other since we were I think nine years old. My first tournament in my life that I've played, first match officially, it was under 10. I won my first round and then I played him second round. He destroyed me. We keep on talking about that. But we are very good friends for a long time already. We won many things together with Davis Cup, a lot of matches. We won European team championship under 18 together. So we share a lot of nice moments. It's never easy to play a good friend on the court. Just bad luck for him today because he's been playing really well, you know, lately. Today he was the better player on the court for a while. Just too bad.
Q. Is it an added challenge to play with someone you have an emotional connection with?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It is. You try to put the winning attitude when you step into the court. You're a professional. You have to do what you have to do. You have to try to win regardless of who is across the net. There is always in some moments a little more respect, just better behavior to the opponent because he's your close friend.
Q. You said you never have seen him serve like that.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yep.
Q. What was different today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he made a lot of aces. As I said, he made a lot of free points. I don't know the statistic, but I'm sure it's around 80% of the first serve in throughout the whole match. Was incredibly efficient, good angles, giving himself an easy shots after that. It was just a big weapon for him.
Q. Have you seen the Federer video on the Internet when he knocks the can off somebody's head?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No.
Q. Did you see the replay or the actual live shot of his tween the legs shot last night?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I've seen it live last year passing next to me (smiling). That's enough traumatic experiences for me. Today when Viktor tried to do the same thing, I said, No, no, please. He was running for the ball between the legs. Please miss it. Please don't embarrass me again.
Q. When it happened last year, did you see the moments of your lives pass...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: They keep on repeating that. I mean, it's amazing shot. Just incredible. At that stage, as well. It was the last game. You know, once in a while you get that shot.
Q. It had a lot of zip on it. It wasn't just putting it back in play.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I got to the net. I did what my coach wanted me to do: covered the long line. I was just standing there, following the ball. Okay. Everybody applause. I applause.
Q. As somebody who does very good imitations, is that something you can imitate?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, definitely not. I am not as good as he is in that. I'd like to be very careful with my racquet (smiling). You know what I mean.
Q. You made a comment about sleeping with your girlfriend out on the court. What was that analogy to?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. He asked me for the comparison of the feeling, what kind of feeling was it to feel the shade. The sun came down and I didn't have any more heat, what kind of feeling was it. It just came up to me. It's one of the best feelings, I guess, when you're sleeping with your close one. So I compare it to that.
Q. Must have felt good.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It felt unbelievable (smiling). Let's get back to tennis now (laughter).
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. How do you feel about the way you played and also coming through in straight sets after the first round, how important was that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's great. It's important to save as much energy in the opening rounds, especially after the first match. It was very long.
Overall I can be satisfied with the performance today, even though there were some moments when I wasn't playing that great and I gave him chance to come back to the match, and I was not supposed to do that.
In the end, I played well when I needed to and was a little bit lucky.
Q. You and Blake are both capable of some really exciting, crowd‑pleasing shots. What kind of match do you expect?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: James always plays well here. He's been so many years, you know, on this level, winning against a lot of top players. He knows how it feels like to play on a big stage in important matches.
He's very aggressive player, and I have no doubt that he's going to have that mindset when we step on the court. You know, he's going to try to take the ball early, and I have to be ready for that.
Q. Do you think Petzschner's ranking was a little deceiving?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes, you know, especially in the Grand Slams, the opening rounds, the players play great tennis even though the ranking is not really a great judgment of their game. But still, you know, it's kind of hard to keep up with rankings. There are so many great players on the tour, you cannot rely only on one, two good results throughout the whole year; you really have to be very consistent in order to have a good ranking.
And it's important to get in the top 30 in Grand Slams and be able to have ‑‑ to be seeded so you can avoid the top players, at least in a couple of rounds.
Q. What was the crowd like for you tonight on your first night match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I looked forward to a night match, especially after a tough one two days ago on extreme heat. I was really excited, not just for different conditions, I was excited for the crowd. It's different. I mean, crowd in the night and crowd in the day in US Open is absolutely different. You know, the crowd in the night enjoys it. They don't have a sun, so they just kind of relaxing. You know, they're looking for some entertainment.
Late in the third set, we gave it to them. They were appreciating that then. I think they wanted to see a longer match. It was okay. It was normal. I was just fortunate not to have that. I wanted to finish up in straight sets.
Q. Does the crowd get to you at all, especially when they start going for the underdog?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, I've faced this situation ‑‑ many different situations with the crowd in my life. I'm trying to use that experience in my favor. You know, you cannot always have a crowd behind you, but you always try to have because it's very important in every match you play. It's a big support. Just big energy when the crowd is behind you.
Q. Did you watch Janko's match last night and what do you think of him, Ivanovic, Jankovic?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's fantastic for our country. We're just so proud to be able to represent the country so well on such a big stage. Of course, it's individual sport. You kind of represent yourself in the first place. But on the other hand, you know, you have a Serbian flag next to your name. Whenever you show up on a big stadiums like that, playing in front of 15,000, 20,000 people, it's a big deal.
For Janko, I think it's one of the best matches he ever played. Actually, he played a fantastic match. Andy wasn't playing that bad. It's just that Janko was hitting so many winners all over the court.
It was just his day. All credit to him. If he continues playing like that, he has, I think, a good chance against everybody.
Q. I'm going to ask you about the between‑the‑legs shot by Roger.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Shot (smiling)?
Q. Some people say that's the greatest shot they've ever seen. As a player, do you have a shot you've seen someone do that was the greatest shot you've ever seen?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: A couple of shots in my life that I saw that are just incredible. Actually, one of them was Janko's in the Davis Cup, I think, Serbia against Australia 2007, when he hit ‑‑ he was playing Hewitt. He was on the forehand side, kind of stretched out of the court. Hewitt, you know, hit an approach shot to his backhand side. There was no way he could make that ball. So he kind of played it behind like that, played a cross‑court winner. It was incredible.
There are a couple of shots that just come up for you in the right moment. You just, I guess, close your eyes and hope for the best. The odds of hitting those shots that well are not that big. You know, if you try 10 out of 10, I don't think you would make it.
But still, from my perspective, wasn't fun seeing Roger doing that shot last year. That's definitely a fact, yeah (smiling). But it was great. It was fantastic shot, definitely. For me, unfortunately I was across the net.
Q. Do you yourself have a great shot that you've hit?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I did have some great passing shots, a couple of those that I hit. This one tonight, you know, from the backhand was quite good. Through the legs, not yet. I guess I have to work on that.
Q. You almost doubled over backwards when you won, so thrilled not to have it go into another set. Was there a thought that crossed your mind like, He's going to win this tiebreak and I'm going to have to go another set?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Definitely, a lot of thinking towards the end of the third set. Pressure is on. You feel it. I wasn't putting a lot of first serves in. You know, you could feel I was a little bit shaky.
But, yeah, just fortunate. Just patient, and he missed a crucial forehand on 6‑All. This is tennis. It can all turn around in a split of a second.
Q. There were a huge amount of dropshots in this match.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I was trying to keep up with him. You know, he played so many great dropshots today. He was using wind very well. There was one side. Generally Arthur Ashe Stadium is very windy, one of the toughest conditions, toughest courts to play on. There's a lot of wind on one side throughout the whole day, and especially the night.
At one side I think people could notice we were winning more games playing with the wind in our back. From the other side, he was using serve well, serve and volley. He changes pace all the time. He doesn't give a lot of rhythm to his opponent. That was the case tonight. And I was aware of that. I just needed to, you know, hold on and wait for a chance and then use it.
Q. Sitting here now, do you feel more better prepared for the rest of the tournament or less prepared? What's your feeling after the match today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: To be honest with you, I wasn't that skeptical after the first match for my physical condition because I know that physically I'm fit. I'm definitely ready for this tournament and mentally motivated to do well. Of course, every Grand Slam you play you want to do your best. It's one of the four biggest events in the sport.
Yeah, I have been playing really well in New York in last three years. The court is very suitable to my style of the game. I just hope I can maintain this high level of performance. I can build up my form towards the end of the tournament.
That's very important. In the opening rounds, you always kind of get used to the court, the crowd, the atmosphere, all these kinds of things. The opening rounds, you are favored to go through. A lot of people expect you to go through. So it's not easy dealing with all these things.
But, you know, once you get through that and kind of gain the momentum, you go as far as you can.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. It looked like you played with a lot of poise. He had the breakpoints early. In the tiebreak he had a chance. What are you most satisfied with how you played tonight?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think definitely the focus today was great. Just the patience in this weather, finding the right way to play in the certain moments.
It's a big mental struggle when you have such a strong wind to find a way how to try to play good tennis, especially if you have somebody across the net who is so aggressive, taking everything early and playing a risky game.
So I think I was serving very well. It was a very high percentage of the first serves in. Good accuracy, efficiency. It was very important in these conditions.
Q. You've played Mardy. You know him well. What kind of match do you expect?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, we played on a couple of different surfaces. We played in Wimbledon, as well. We had a tough one here a couple years back in US Open.
I don't know. I think he's playing maybe his best tennis at this moment. He's moving really well. He's serving as good as he served always. He has a lot of talent. He's recognizing the moment, coming to the net. He has a lot of variety in the game.
I guess I have to be on the top of my game to be able to win.
Q. Have you watched Federer's commercial where he tried to hit a ball off somebody's head?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. They asked me already. I didn't.
Q. Do you believe it's possible?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. It's hard to say. I don't know. If he did it, I mean, have to be very lucky. You know, the odds are not really big, you know, to hit a bottle.
Q. Do you dare to be somebody's target?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I'm doing it every day, day-to-day basis. Kind of serving to my coach's hat, trying to put an apple out of his head (laughter).
No.
Q. How do you feel physically after all your long matches?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, physically I'm fit. I'm fine. I've been setting my form for this tournament. I was focusing on this tournament, as most of the players, because we all want to perform our best and be ready 100% physically and mentally to perform our best on US Open.
Luckily I came over that five-setter, and then I had some difficulties there with the heat, not specifically with the physical condition. So I feel okay. I know tonight I had more of the mental struggle to kind of find the rhythm on this wind. I'm sure I'll be fit for continuation of the tournament.
Q. Unusual question for you: What do you think about Russian tennis, and what do you think about Russian success of the last couple of years? Do you have any Russian friends on the tour?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sure. You know, I'm good with a lot of Russian players, with Safin. We shared the same agent over the years. I practiced with him a lot when I got to the professional stage. He was one of my idols actually. He's a fantastic player.
I mean, Russia has such a long tradition, especially in woman's tennis. It's amazing how many girls every year -- you see some new girls from Russia coming up and doing well. Now you have two playing on center court.
You shouldn't worry about the success of Russian tennis, definitely.
T-shirt Djokovicia robi furorę w Nowym Jorku
- To mój ojciec i jeśli chce nosić taki T-shirt, niech go sobie nosi - mówi Novak Djoković. Ojciec serbskiego tenisisty na trybunach US Open paraduje w koszulce z wizerunkiem swojego syna. T-shirt musi przynosić szczęście, bo Djoković jest już w półfinale US Open.
W ćwiartce 23-letni tenisista odprawił z kwitkiem ekscentrycznego Francuza Gaela Monfilsa 7:6 (7-2), 6:1, 6:2. Rywal stawiał opór tylko w pierwszym secie, a potem dała o sobie znać jego kontuzja lewego kolana.
Novak Djoković do półfinału imprezy w Nowym Jorku awansował po raz czwarty z rzędu. W swoim jedynym finale w 2007 roku przegrał z Rogerem Federerem. W tym roku spotka się ze Szwajcarem rundę wcześniej.
W czasie meczu półfinałowego Novaka Djokovicia będzie dopingował z trybun jego ojciec Sdrjan, który tradycyjnie założy granatowy T-shirt z podobizną syna noszącego koszulkę z charakterystycznym orłem.
Tenisista sam takiego T-shirta by nie założył, ale styl ojca mu nie przeszkadza. - Jest dumnym ojcem, co można powiedzieć więcej? - mówił Novak Djoković. - Nie wiem dokładnie, gdzie kupił tę wymyślną koszulkę. Gdzieś w Belgradzie. Ale jest moim ojcem i jeśli chce nosić coś takiego, to może to nosić - dodawał.
- Ja bym nigdy nie założył takiej koszulki. Nie podobam się sobie aż tak bardzo - podkreślił z uśmiechem Novak Djoković.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You feel like you're getting better with every match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I think so, and it's very encouraging fact at this stage of the tournament that I'm raising my game and feeling more comfortable on the court. I played a great match today. Conditions were tough as well with a strong wind. I was using my serve in important moments extremely well and opening the court and kind of not giving him enough chances to come to the net and be aggressive.
Q. Do you think after your performance today it's time for everyone to start taking you more seriously as a contender this year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: To be honest, I'm not thinking about if somebody takes me or takes me not for serious contender. I don't care too much. I really just try to focus on my game. I'm happy with the way things are moving on for me at this point. Physically I feel very fit, and mentally I'm very focused on the court and taking every match very seriously. This is the only way for me to go far in the tournament. So far I've been feeling very confident and just trying to move on.
Q. Would you say it's the best you've been playing in Grand Slam this year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I think. But even in Wimbledon I was playing really well every match up to the semifinals. French Open, as well, I was playing great, and then two sets to love up and then I lost that match. But, you know, it's important to perform your best tennis at Grand Slams, and this was my aim for 2010. It's gonna be my aim for next year. It's the most important events, and it's where you want to perform the best tennis you can. It's been happening so far for me. I have to be happy with the results.
Q. Do you think you have an advantage in that Rafa and Federer have so much attention and you can sort of play under the radar a little even though you're the No. 3 seed?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, as I said, I don't really pay too much attention on that. My job is to play tennis, of course. I'm having fun on and off the court. I enjoy what I do. I guess with the results, you know, you obviously get more attention.
Q. I want to ask you about Davis Cup. You played quite impressive here, while the Czechs went out in the first round. Is it important for the matchup in Belgrade next week?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, well, Davis Cup is very important, but right now I'm not thinking about it. I just want to go as far as I can in this tournament. It's the most important tournament during this period of the year for me. Then when I finish I'll think about Davis Cup. But definitely it's one of the crucial matches, semifinals for the first time, and I hear that back in our country there is a lot of interest for that match.
Q. Do you think that the exhaustion can be important, because the Czechs are out and Radek Stepanek may be preparing while you are here?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I don't think it's gonna affect me too much. I have been facing that situation many times before. Actually, just now, recently I've played semifinals at Wimbledon. I had a tough couple of weeks there, and then I've played Davis Cup in Croatia really well. I'm physically fit.
Q. When we think back three years ago when you were the sensational finalist and the joker on the court, don't get me wrong, but it seemed easy came for you, a, of things. Is that right, or maybe a wrong...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, depends really, because at that time I was a 19 , 20 year old kid who just didn't care much about pressure or anything and didn't know what's pressure and expectations. Just hitting the ball, being very aggressive and open minded and just playing great game. I think a lot of us wish to have this kind of attitude on the court and not thinking about some things, some side factors that can affect your game, which in this present moment is something I have to deal with. But on the other hand, the positives of me as a player today is that I have more experience, I'm stronger, I just played so many matches on the big stage. I still enjoy. I still enjoy even though I'm not doing my impersonations on the court or after, but I still very much enjoy what I do.
Q. How do you feel about the problem coughing and lose the breath?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's much better now. It's just periodically it comes in the year. I guess in the spring I had a lot of allergy trouble. But right now I'm feeling quite good.
Q. So you described how there was no pressure then. What's the pressure like now, and how are you dealing with it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, once you get mature, then you experience some things in your life, and, you know, you get to the stage when you're one of the best players in the world. Then you're not coming in Grand Slams anymore as somebody who is young and kind of the first 30, 20 in the world and not expected to go far and you don't have that amount of expectations on your back. On the other hand now, you know, you're getting into the tournaments and matches as somebody who is expected to win most of his matches he's playing on, and getting to the late stage of the second week. So that's something you have to deal with, and everybody deals with it. It's a challenge you have to overcome, and it makes you mentally stronger. So right now I learned over this year and a half how to deal with it and just happy with the process.
Q. Next one you will be facing will be Gaël Monfils. You beat him the last four times you played, but the matches were pretty close. What made the difference between you two in these matches?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, most of our matches were very long, a lot of long rallies, a lot of sliding, a lot of athleticism on the court. He's physically one of the most prepared and strongest guy on the tour. So, yeah, we have a lot of respect for each other. We grew up together. We are same generation in juniors. We met a lot of times in the tournaments, so it's no secret in our games. I guess he's kind of flashy. If he starts playing well, he can beat anyone, you know, because he's so fast and so athletic and strong that he can get a lot of balls back. I just have to be ready and kind of patient and wait for my chances.
Q. Do you feel you're the best you've ever been right now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, to be honest, I'm not making a clear judgment about comparison about, you know, me in 2007 or 2008 or now. I'm trying to look forward and trying to develop my game and work on some things. I know still that I have some things to improve on is more efficient serve and getting into the net and using some chances and stepping in and using some chances to make the points short. This is what I want to do to have some variety in the game. Right now in this moment I'm feeling very good on the court, and is as well as I played this year, I guess. I've played couple of times really well throughout the year on Wimbledon and Davis Cup. Unfortunately this year hasn't been that consistent as maybe '08 and '09, but still I have to be happy with the results.
Q. Do you think you enjoy yourself more than some of the other top players? You seem to joke around a lot.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I do. I just said, you know, I enjoy what I do. I have a love for the game, and it's the most important.
Q. Are you a better player now, do you think, than when you won the Australian?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I've just answered the question. I mean, I'm not making a comparison.
Q. When you think about Roger and Rafa and their head to heads, Rafa has the big advantage. In your mind, why do you think Nadal has such a big lead in their matches against one another?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's hard to say. Nadal is, I guess, one of the very few players Roger maybe doesn't like to play because of his physical ability on the court. He's lefty and he produces a lot of spin with the ball and gets to his backhand. I mean, he's gonna answer the question better, I guess. But maybe that was the case in recent years. You know, again, it depends from the surface, as well. On the faster surface and hard courts Roger has more chance, but Nadal has improved so much in last couple of years on grass. I mean, winning two Wimbledons is just amazing for something that is a clay court specialist.
Wywiad po zwycięstwie w ćwierćfinale US Open 2010
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Can you take us through the things you have to do when the wind is so strong to adapt your game to the wind? What you have to think about and what you have to concentrate on?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, in my opinion, the key facts to kind of try to adjust the wind is a good focus and patience, try to hold your nerves throughout the whole match, and play one point out of at a time. Of course with different players, different styles of the games come to the court, so I can't really speak in the name of the other players. But in my case, you know, I just need to keep the focus and try to use the wind in my favor. This was the tricky thing today. Obviously the conditions were maybe as difficult as we saw so far in the tournament. We didn't have wind only one direction. We had it all over, you know. I had some struggles when I was coming to the net. In the first set I made a lot of unforced errors there, because I haven't seen the ball really well and was moving. As you probably saw, the serve wasn't going over 110, 105 miles per hour, both players. It was more of trying to use the wind and use the speed. That kick, you know, could kind of give you the first easy ball in the rally, and I was trying to think about that, not think about, you know, what happened or what will happen. Just kind of playing in the present moment. I did well. I did well. Maybe the wind helped me a little bit more because it neutralized his serve. He serves really well and really fast in the normal conditions, so maybe he wasn't feeling that segment in his game and that's why he was not comfortable in the court.
Q. Would you have been able two or three years ago to handle the conditions with such focus, or is this something you've developed since then? Have you always felt you handled these kind of things...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It might be the case that I developed. Over the time you get experience playing in the different conditions, different situations. In big matches like this, you know, you just have to stay all the time with your opponent, because across the net you have a good quality opponent. It is quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. We are all motivated to do well, and, you know, to go far, trying to make that step further in the tournament. Yes, I mean, I am really happy with the way I'm using my experience on the court in those conditions. Maybe playing in these conditions the first couple of matches helped me to develop that [].
Q. Would you have preferred to be on the other side of the draw?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I mean, what is done is done. The draw is the way it is, and you cannot [] affect that. It's a very similar situation likes last year. Soderling plays Federer in the quarters, and I am playing the winner. You know, I lost to Federer the last three years that we played here. But every year I tried to win. I tried to go out on the court with positive attitude. He's a great champion, of course great player. But you never know what's gonna happen. I don't want to think about those losses in the last three years, which were really, really close in all those matches. So in this moment I'm feeling quite comfortable in the court, and hopefully I can continue on.
Q. There has been so much buzz, talk about a Roger/Rafa final. Does that bother the other players? Hey, we're good, too, we can play?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, actually, it doesn't. I like playing under the radar sometimes. It releases the pressure on myself, and just focusing on my matches, doing the job, and winning the matches. Of course, as the two best players in the world, they are the most dominant in five last five, six years. Biggest favorites to get into the finals, and I'm sure that the crowd wants them in the finals. But, you know, I will try not to make that happen.
Q. Some people think the problems you have in the heat, they think you're faking it. I've heard people say that. Everybody knows what a good competitor you are. How do you feel about that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everybody has a different opinion. I cannot judge people. Everybody has a right to say what they think. Just far away from the truth. I was never faking anything, and I always prioritize health. I always thought of health as the most important thing in the life. So, you know, I was many times in my career at the stage where, you know, I was struggling a lot on the court and making decisions in the right and wrong way. It's very relative. Everybody has a different opinion about that. But, you know, I do what I think is best for me at that certain point, and so far I don't regret anything.
Q. Your first match was a potential banana skin, which you avoided. Since then you've gone straight sets. Do you feel...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Excuse me? What was the expression?
Q. Potentially you could've slipped.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Banana, nice. I didn't know about an English expression. (Laughter.)
Q. You avoided the banana skin.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Good. I'll get that, banana skin. Okay. Sorry, I'm trying to get it.
Q. That's all right. I've forgotten my question now. (Laughter.) Since then you've had straight sets all the way.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.
Q. Are you reaching a semifinal now perhaps as well equipped to handle whatever happens to you on Saturday as you've been for a while, do you think?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it's a Grand Slam. Opening grounds are always tricky where the opponents are lower ranked and they're trying to push you to the limits. That's what Troicki did. He was playing really well that day. I was very fortunate to go through that match. I was two sets to one down and almost two breaks down. There is a little factor as well, psychological factor, where you're playing your great friend and countryman. So a lot of things going on that day, and of course extreme conditions, as well. But going through that match gave me a lot of confidence, and I knew physically I'm fit. It's just momentum, if I can keep it going. Since then it was all uphill.
Q. The head of the ATP Tour said today that the season may be shortened beginning in 2012. Would that be something you'd be in favor of?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Definitely.
Q. Why?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Because the players -- in my case, you know, I have been experiencing a lot of physical and health difficulties in last two, three years playing a very, very busy schedule. So we have been trying to make a compromise with tournaments. You know, I was involved in the council for three years, and I think we did a great job kind of contributing to that. Hopefully it's all going to pay off and we're gonna get a little bit shorter schedule and a schedule that is gonna give us more time off, you know. Doesn't make any sense that you have an offseason if you are playing finals of Davis Cup in four weeks. You know, in offseason you have to prepare four, five weeks and you have to have two weeks off. This is optimal, in my opinion, that we have only four weeks in total. So it's not -- definitely not easy schedule at this moment. But this is the way it has been for many years, and we'll try to make a compromise. I think the ATP is doing a good job right now in trying to help us out, and the tournaments finding an understanding as well. We have an understanding of course for them. Hopefully it's gonna -- we're gonna find a solution.
Q. What do you feel like when you look up and see your father with your picture on his T shirt?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Ah, I don't know. (Smiling.) He's a proud father. What can I say? I'm just happy to see them supporting me. I don't know where he got this fancy shirt. To be honest, it was somewhere in Belgrade. I cannot say it. He's my father. If he wants to wear this shirt, he can wear this shirt.
Q. Do you want one of those shirts, Novak?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I would never wear the shirt. (Laughter.) Me, personally, never. My father, I understand. Okay. He's proud. But me? Never.
Q. Will you get a matching one of him and he would have you...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I would have him; why not? Not myself. I don't like myself that much. (Laughter.)
Q. In case you do play Federer in the semifinal, could you comment on the evolution of both your games since last year's semifinal?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think it changed much. We do have more or less same game, you know. Just maybe experience wise in my case I feel better now. Physically I feel better than I did last year. I feel stronger, faster on the court. The conditions are quite different, so let's see, you know. Let's see how this Saturday is gonna come out, you know, if we gonna have normal conditions or not. It's gonna affect game of whoever wins tonight against me.
Q. When you were talking about your banana skin match, you talk about psychological factors. In terms of Roger, is there a difference now playing the Federer today than two, three years ago when he was so dominant and had such a great record?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: To be honest, you know, I have been watching him play here in the tournament. He's playing maybe, you know, the best tennis that he played in this tournament. I think he's playing great. I don't think he's -- because he lost in the quarters of the French and in Wimbledon, some people think he's more vulnerable than ever. But I think he's actually playing really well. He played great in Toronto and Cincinnati, and he's just loves this surface. He loves this tournament. He has won so many times. If I get to play him, obviously he's a favorite. But, you know, we played so many times, and mostly we played on this surface. It's no secret in each other's game. Just I will try to hold on, you know. He always tries to put pressure on his opponent. He's very aggressive.
Q. He's said again and again to be the greatest player of all time, but who do you think the best player this year is? Who is the best player in tennis this year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you have to give that title to Nadal, because he has won he has won everything on clay, French Open, Wimbledon. He's been playing so well, and that's why he's No. 1. I mean, rankings don't lie.
Q. You've been warming up with the young Americans like Jack Sock. How did you come about doing that, and what do you think about him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think he's a great guy. Thanks for asking that. He's very talented. He's 17 only, and he hits the ball like a pro. We have been hitting for the last week or so. We have played many times. Hopefully he can go far in the juniors so he can play more.
Q. When Gaël tried to hit the ball between his legs there, what did you think?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I thought, Please, don't make it. (Laughter.) I have been experiencing that too many times.
Q. Who would you rather face in the semifinals?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know, at that stage, I don't know. I really don't have any preference, you know. Soderling is No. 5 of the world, playing really well. He's very powerful player. On the other hand, Federer, you know, won so many times here, most successful tennis player ever. It's really hard. Maybe at that stage, playing Federer is more difficult because of his experience, you know, playing at that late stages of the tournament. But still, you know, I guess I will try to play my best whoever I play against.
Q. Is there a part of you that would like to face Federer because of the last three years?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Maybe. I don't know. Maybe I would like to face Federer, you know, try to look for some revenge.
Q. Is it pure joy to play in such a big stadium, or are you more bothered by the noise and the music and burgers?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: (Smiling.) And napkins flying around. No, I think I've played too many times on that court to be really annoyed or something. You know, it's just something different about that court. It's the biggest in sport, and the crowd just loves entertainment. It's different from the others, you know. Wimbledon is very traditional; very quiet. Here, crowd likes to jump around; in the changeovers they let the music play and all these things, kiss me, kiss me not, you know, traveling in Vegas and these things. It's hard to kind of keep the focus. But it's a big stadium. It's interesting on one hand, but, you know, it's good. It's fun.
US Open 2010: 3. wielkoszlemowy finał Djokovicia!
Serb pokonał wczoraj Rogera Federera w 1/2 finału US Open 2010. Nole, oprócz możliwości gry o tytuł z Rafą Nadalem, otrzymał także pozycję #2 rankingu ATP Entry.
Bilans spotkań Serba w finałach Wielkiego Szlema wynosi w tej chwili 1-1:
Zwycięstwo w Australian Open 2008
Porażka w finale US Open 2007.
US Open: Đoković w finale po obronie dwóch meczboli
Nie będzie pierwszego w historii finału US Open z udziałem Rogera Federera (ATP 2) i Rafaela Nadala. W półfinale Szwajcar nie wykorzystał dwóch piłek meczowych i przegrał z Novakiem Đokoviciem (ATP 3) 7:5, 1:6, 7:5, 2:6, 5:7.
Federer po sześciu z rzędu finałach w Nowym Jorku (triumfował w latach 2004-2008, w ubiegłym sezonie w meczu o tytuł przegrał z Juanem Martinem del Potro) znalazł pogromcę. W ten sposób dobiegła końca jego druga znakomita seria. Po 21. z rzędu wielkoszlemowych półfinałach odpadł w ćwierćfinale Wimbledonu. Dla Đokovicia będzie to drugi finał US Open. W 2007 roku w meczu o tytuł przegrał z Federerem, podobnie jak i w dwóch kolejnych sezonach w półfinale. Serb po raz drugi pokonał Szwajcara w wielkoszlemowej imprezie. W 2008 roku wygrał z nim w półfinale Australian Open i później sięgnął po swój pierwszy wielkoszlemowy tytuł. Niekorzystny bilans spotkań z urodzonym w Bazylei 16-krotnym triumfatorem Wielkiego Szlema Đoković poprawił na 6-10.
Mecz ten miał przeróżne oblicza. W I secie Federer świetnie serwował (16 z 17 punktów przy pierwszym podaniu) i błyszczał przy siatce (14 z 14 piłek). O wyniku zadecydowało jedyne przełamanie na jego korzyść w 11. gemie. W II secie Szwajcar przemienił się w chłopca do bicia. Psuł najprostsze piłki (w sumie 10 niewymuszonych błędów przy dwóch winnerach), serwis przestał funkcjonować i w całym secie ugrał tylko jednego gema. W III secie znowu górą był Federer, który wykorzystał drobną zapaść Đokovicia w 12. gemie. Serb w końcówce wyrzucił dwa forhendy. W IV partii ponownie mieliśmy "odpoczynek" byłego lidera rankingu ATP. Od stanu 1:1 przegrał on cztery gemy z rzędu i ten set był już nie do uratowania.
W decydującej partii trybuny kipiały od natężenia emocji. Najpierw w siódmym gemie Federer prowadząc 40-0 o mały włos nie pozwolił się przełamać rywalowi. Po grze na przewagi górą był jednak Szwajcar, któremu z pomocą przyszedł serwis. W dziewiątym gemie wydawało się, że Đoković prowadzi 30-0, jednak Federer poprosił o sprawdzenie śladu i okazało się, że jego forhend minimalnie zahaczył o linię. Pięciokrotny triumfator imprezy wygrał tego gema do 30, a w kolejnym miał dwie piłki meczowe przy stanie 15-40. Trzy fantastyczne forhendy wyprowadziły Đokovicia na przewagę. Federer jeszcze dwukrotnie doprowadził do równowagi, ale w końcówce popełnił prosty błąd bekhendowy. W 11. gemie gotujący się Szwajcar wyrzucił trzy forhendy i przy stanie 6:5 Đoković serwował, by zapewnić sobie miejsce w finale. Serb obronił break pointa, a następnie uzyskał pierwszą piłkę meczową, po tym jak Federer uderzył forhend w siatkę. Więcej ich nie potrzebował, bo Szwajcar długą wymianę zakończył wyrzuceniem forhendu. Mecz trwał trzy godziny i 44 minuty. Były lider rankingu ATP popełnił w nim 66 niewymuszonych błędów przy 48 winnerach. Đoković choć miał mniej kończących uderzeń (36) to też dużo mniej piłek nienaciskany przez rywala popsuł (38).
Đoković i Nadal zagrają ze sobą po raz 22. (bilans 14-7 dla Hiszpana). Trzy ostatnie mecze, jakie rozegrali w drugiej części ubiegłego sezonu wygrał Serb, wszystkie bez straty seta.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w półfinale
Q. First of all. That was an absolutely remarkable match.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Thank you.
Q. You should be extremely proud of yourself. I imagine you are. The emotions on the court after the match, can you just talk about that moment and reflect?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I said on the post‑match interview, it's one of those matches that you will remember for the rest of your life, not just because you won against one of the best players that ever played this game at that occasion, but as well, you know, coming back from match points down and under the circumstances playing good tennis and winning in the end, the thriller, you know.
So I am. I am very proud of myself. There are a lot of emotions involved. Of course I was too exhausted to show them in the end. But it's been a fantastic semifinal.
Q. Do you have any gas in the tank?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I have to, you know. It's finals of the Grand Slam. I've been in this situation before in 2007, so I'm more experienced than Rafa. (Laughter.)
But it's gonna be definitely a tough one. Rafa is just playing fantastic tennis. He's gonna be very motivated to win this title because it's the only title he hasn't won in majors.
Q. No one's ever gonna forget your victory in the Australian Open, but do you think this match today, the way you played, is almost as important to you as winning a Grand Slam?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I can compare. I think I can compare the feeling with winning a major after I have won this kind of match. Still one match to come. I have to try to stay stable and calm as much as I can.
After such a big win it's hard, because you're so happy. But, you know, you're playing tomorrow finals of a major against the best player in the world. You want to give your best, and anything I have left I will leave to the court tomorrow. I hope luck will be on my side.
Q. You say you're exhausted. How tired are you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I am. I am tired, you know. There's no secret about that.
For four sets I've been quite okay. Fifth set was very intensive mentally and physically and took a lot out of me. But, you know, in the end it's just a remarkable win, and I'm sure I will find the strength to give my best tomorrow in the court.
Q. You were beaten by Roger the last three years, semis and finals. What did you learn from those matches that you applied tonight?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I had to take the chances when I was down match points. I don't know. To be honest, every match we have played was so close, and that's why, you know, he's best player that ever played this game, because he always plays his best tennis in the most important moments.
It was almost the case again today. I got a little bit nervous end of the first and third set, and that's why I lost those sets. But anything except that, I think I played overall a great game, fighting really and being aggressive when I had chance, and defending well.
I just knew I have to be patient and not lose my emotions too much, because that was the case in the past where I was losing the momentum with him. He uses that nervousness of the opponent. He feels it.
Today, I kind of closed my eyes on the forehands in the match points and just went for the shots. I was lucky. This is the edge that you always have when you're playing a top player. Two top guys are playing against each other, and there is not much difference, to be honest.
I knew that before the match very few points will decide the winner.
Q. The crowd seemed to bother you a bit I think in the third set when you were serving 5‑6. How difficult was it to concentrate, keep your focus?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The crowd was okay, actually, throughout the whole match. They were enjoying. For me, being a part of such a great match is of course even more pleasing. Entertainment‑wise I think they had a lot of fun, as well, aside great tennis.
You know, there are these moments when they support one guy and then support the other guy, so there were ups and downs. You know, you feel a ‑‑ you feel stress when you're 5‑6 down and serving. You know, they wanted Roger to win this set. Then I got more support towards the end of the match.
So it's normal, you know. You get some people on your side, some people on your opponent's side.
Q. Can you just walk us through what you think you'll do for the next few hours? I mean, do you have massage, ice bath, food?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. Popcorn, watching TV, relaxing. (Laughter.)
Yeah, I will do anything that comes up to your mind legally recovery‑wise. (Laughter.) I will do it. You know, I cannot go to the details too much.
Emotional recovery with my girlfriend, and a couple of things that I cannot talk about. (Laughter.)
It's not what you think. I know what you're thinking.
Q. No, but seriously, I mean, is it your don't want to talk about it because you don't want to give away your training secrets or...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. Well, you know, everyone has his own private things he does off the court. Just not for public, I guess. But definitely I will have to do a lot of recovery, because it's been exhausting match. I have to be ready in less than 20 hours.
Q. You mentioned that Federer is the greatest player ever. Nadal is going also for a career Grand Slam. He's younger than Federer. He has a better head‑to‑head record than Federer. In your mind, what are the chances that some day Nadal will be the greatest player ever?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I give him a big chance. I think already he's one of the best ever because he has won Olympic gold medal, he has won Davis Cup, he has won every major except this one, and so many tournaments. He has the records of 1000 events as well, and he's still only 24 years old. So it's just incredible what he has done so far in his career. He's still a great champion and a great person off the court.
So, you know, it's a big challenge for both of us, obviously, you know. There is a lot at stake for him to win a career slam and for me to win another Grand Slam title.
In finals, you know, it's very unpredictable. You never know what's gonna happen.
Q. Follow‑up on the question about atmosphere here. How hard is it when people are screaming between the points and also after you missed your first serve?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's hard, you know, but you just have to adjust to it. You just have to accept it the way it is. It's the semifinals of a Grand Slam. You're playing, you know, a fan favorite here, and a player that has been so successful.
You know, if you are under pressure, obviously it's not easy coping with all these things. But to be able to overcome that in the end, it's thrilling.
Q. How do you think it will be tomorrow playing against Nadal on that subject?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I can expect a full stadium. It's definitely gonna be fantastic feeling, you know, regardless who they support. Just being part of the final and the biggest stadium of the sport is amazing.
Q. Rain in the forecast for tomorrow.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh.
Q. Do you think that's gonna help you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Really? (Laughter.)
I don't know the rituals how to invite the rain, but... (Laughter.)
Yeah, I don't know. An extra day would be great, actually.
Q. Were you surprised to see Federer losing the sets two and four so easily?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it was me playing well more, you know. I was making him play a lot of shots and making mistakes, but I was playing really well in those two sets.
Q. Late in the fifth you're facing match points; you're at the edge. Once again you survive and manage to go on. Take us through that game? And then did that somehow give you some kind of momentum or confidence deep into...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just ‑‑ after I saved the match points ‑‑ which I explained to you already, just closing my eyes and hitting as hard as I can ‑‑ I really tried to stay calm and not let my emotions take over and just hold. You know, hold the serve. That game, it was very important, you know.
Against a player like that, you know, you don't want to give him another chance, another match point, because he's gonna use it. So I managed to serve out well and play some good shots. When I held that game, then I felt big relief.
Even though it's 5‑All in the fifth, I still felt relief, because I was 15‑40 down.
Q. You say that Federer is the best player ever, greatest player ever. I'd like to know what do you think about the fact that he lost match points many times with Safin in Australia, with Gasquet in Monte‑Carlo, with Nadal in Rome, with you today, with Berdych.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In juniors. (Laughter.) Come on. You know, really.
Q. No. I just want to know if you think that he's playing a little too safe ‑‑
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No.
Q. ‑‑ in those moments?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no, no, I don't think so, because these are just only ‑‑ it's a minority of the matches that he has lost comparing to the matches that he has won, you know, in those situations.
I mean, he's the player that is mentally very, very strong, and he plays aggressive tennis. He takes the risk. He risks a lot and he takes the chances.
Okay, maybe it hasn't been the case today, but generally, I mean, come on. 16, 17, I don't know how many majors. Definitely has been playing well when he needed to.
Q. You won over the crowd clearly by the end of the performance.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.
Q. You're going against the greatest player and against your own record with Roger here. Is there any way that you're sort of fighting also this feeling from the crowd and everyone wanting Rafa and Fed in the final? Was that an extra opponent for you today? Did you have to fight against that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: To be honest with you, I haven't thought about that too much, because my priority is to perform as best as I can and find a way to beat my opponent. And in that case, today I was really doing well tactics‑wise and just holding my nerves.
I did have some emotional flaws here and there, but, you know, generally I was very stable and focused. Even though I was set down and two sets to one down, I was coming back and playing some good tennis.
So, you know, I'm sorry for all the ones who didn't ‑‑ who wanted to see Roger and Rafa in the final. But, you know, I really didn't think about that too much. I'm sure we gonna have a great final tomorrow, as well.
Q. After you saved those two match points, you hit your heart with your racquet. Is that the best you've ever played when match point down?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Under the circumstances in that stage of the tournament, probably, yeah, one of the most memorable and best moments I had on match points, yeah.
Q. What's the difference between the Novak Djokovic of the Wimbledon semifinal and the one today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Djokovic at Wimbledon was too defensive and stupid on the court, and the one today was just playing the way he should: aggressive and serving well and taking the chances.
In Wimbledon I wasn't taking the chances, you know. Of course, credit to my opponent, Berdych. He has played remarkably well the whole tournament. But I just ‑‑ when I had the chances I had I was too passive, and that's why lost the match.
Q. Your coach couldn't be here. Strangely, a lot of players have won tournaments without coach. Does it change anything for you, the state of mind on the court not having a coach watching you from the stands?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's unfortunate, to be honest, because I always want him to be a part of my team regardless which tournament I play. His support is great. We been not just player/coach relations. We didn't have the relationship of player/coach. We had father/son relationship in years that we worked together.
Because of the private problems he had to go back. But still, you know, we are in touch every day, and he's so happy to see me doing well.
Q. Can you describe the combination of facing Roger Federer in the semifinal and then Rafa Nadal in the final and what winning those two matches would signify to you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, it's still far for me to say that, you know, I can put myself in a thought as a champion here, because I have Nadal across my net who is extremely motivated and playing great tennis this year and serving really well.
Just hasn't, I think, lost the set all tournament. So definitely he's gonna give his best, and we are gonna have a lot of long rallies. Physically it's gonna, you know, be very requiring for me to be on the court, to be fit in order to have some chances.
I mean, it would be such a big success and achievement beating Roger in semis and then Nadal in finals. I cannot even describe it. You know, still not thinking about victory. I want to, you know, take one point at a time and see how it goes.
Q. In all your head‑to‑head with Nadal, you're down 14 to 7, but all your 7 wins came on hard courts. Do you consider yourself normally favorite when you play Nadal on hard court if you are more tired? Is this going to be the first final for the Barbadillo Giorgio Di Palermo company?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, it's true that on hard court I do have my best chances against Rafa. But still, he's No. 1 of the world, and he is the one that is playing great tennis. So definitely rankings‑wise or any other way looking at it, he is the favorite?
So I cannot put myself in that spot even though I have won many matches against him on hard courts. That is going to give me maybe some mental advantage a little bit, you know, to be able to play as well as I did against him when we played on hard courts.
Q. Roger obviously has the 16 slams and 23 straight semis, and is widely accepted as the best of all time. Yet Rafa has a 14‑7 record, great wins in finals, and great wins recently. Where do you think the head‑to‑head rivalry plays into the discussion of who is the greatest of all time?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it's a very complicated question for me, to be honest, at this time. Sorry if I cannot answer really well. But, you know, stats and results tell you everything, you know. I can say in one hand, as I told you, Roger results‑wise is the best ever.
Then you have Rafa who has won Davis Cup and Olympic gold medal and all these things and still very young and still having a lot of time to come. He has a big chance to overcome any of the best‑ever players that play this game.
Q. When you were asked earlier about Rafa possibly becoming the greatest ever, and spoke quite reverently about his accomplishments and so forth. It's occurring to me that at 23 years of age, you yourself are somebody that ‑‑ there's a lot of great championships to be played. With a victory tomorrow, your name belongs in there, you know, in this conversation about Roger and Rafa. Roger himself said in the press conference that people that overlook you just don't know that much about tennis. Your thoughts on sort of all these questions.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, well, it's normal. There are two best players in the world at this moment. They are the two most dominant players in last five, six years, so it's logical that people talk about them mostly and they want to see them playing in the finals and everybody talks about their rivalry, their, you know, matchups, the greatness of each player.
It's normal. For me, I don't think I've done bad last three or four years. I don't think I've done bad with my achievements. But I am not, you know, kind of disappointed that people are not talking about me more. It's just waiting for my moment to come.
You know, I mean, I'm competing in an era of two, you know, great‑greats, two players winning most of the majors. It's not easy, if you know what I mean.
Q. It's true. But you're not 28, 29, you know, in the twilight of your career. You're 23. There's still so much tennis to be played.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Definitely, yeah, many, many more years to come. I look forward to it. I'm working hard on my game. I'm getting some things together, and hopefully on the court it's gonna pay off.
Djokovic Says Nadal Was Too Good
Despite finishing runner-up in a US Open final for the second time in four years, new World No. 2 Novak Djokovic had few complaints as he reflected on his defeat to Rafael Nadal.
“This is one of the matches where the opponent plays better than you, and you just have to congratulate him and tell him, ‘You're better’. That's it. I don't think I played a bad match overall. It was very good performance from my side.
“I cannot hide the disappointment. [But] I'm not gonna cry or complain about that… Of course, I am feeling bad about my loss. I wanted that trophy, and I know I gave my maximum to get it even tonight.”
The 23-year-old Belgrade native had an excellent year at the Grand Slams, reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and Roland Garros, his first semi-final at Wimbledon and the final of the US Open, where he has made the semi-finals or better four consecutive years. But he would nonetheless be disappointed to not have added to the lone Grand Slam title he won at the 2008 Australian Open, now 11 majors ago.
Djokovic, who now must scramble to be ready for Serbia’s Davis Cup semi-final against the Czech Republic in Belgrade, which begins Friday, had nothing but praise for Nadal after the match, saying that the Spaniard had every opportunity to one day be regarded as the greatest player of all time. “He has the capabilities already now to become the best player ever. I think he's playing the best tennis that I've ever seen him play on hard courts. He has improved his serve drastically. The speed, the accuracy, and of course his baseline is as good as ever.
“So he's a very complete player. And for me, in order to win against him tonight, I had to be on the top of my game. I was playing really well for most of the match, but then there were some moments in, let's say, third and fourth set where I dropped my focus a little bit. I dropped my level of game and just a little bit on service games. He took it away, and he never gave me a chance to go back.”
Djokovic said that he felt fine physically coming into the match, having had an extra day to recover from his five-set semi-final against Roger Federer. “I was feeling good on the court tonight from a physical perspective, and just running all over the court and getting a lot of balls back. Against Rafa you've got to be ready to perform your best and to expect the long rallies. That was the case tonight, and I was aware of that and I was ready for that. I don't think I can blame my physical situation, actually. It was all good.”
US Open 2010 - wywiad po porażce w finale
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Novak, you were talking after the win with Roger, there was a lot of questions to you about Rafa and about whether or not he could maybe some day surpass Roger as possibly being the greatest player ever. Is that the caliber of player that you faced out there tonight?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Definitely. He has the capabilities already now to become the best player ever. I think he's playing the best tennis that I ever seen him play on hardcourts. He has improved his serve drastically. The speed, the accuracy, and of course his baseline is as good as ever. So he's a very complete player. And for me, in order to win against him tonight, I had to be on the top of my game. I was playing really well for most of the match, but then there were some moments in, let's say, third and fourth set where I dropped my focus a little bit. You know, I dropped my level of game and just a little bit on service games. You know, it went for me. He took it away, and he never gave me a chance to go back. I had this 15 30 chance in 5 4 third set, and then he served, I mean, three amazing serves. So I think that's one of the key factors today in his win except an amazing baseline game, of course, and great coverage of the court. The serve was fantastic the whole tournament.
Q. You had a very tough physical and emotional match with Roger. Granted, you were lucky to get the rain break, but it seemed like a pretty courageous performance tonight in terms of overcoming the difficulties of fatigue.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I was feeling good on the court tonight from a physical perspective, and just running all over the court and getting a lot of balls back. But as you could see, you know, we played four sets for almost four hours, and anywhere against Rafa you play, you know, you've got to be ready to perform your best and to expect the long rallies. That was the case tonight, and I was aware of that and I was ready for that. I don't think I can blame my physical situation, actually. It was all good. It was just, okay, maybe emotionally I was a little bit drained after the semifinal match, but I recovered, you know. I had two days, and I was motivated to win this match, and, you know, this is one of the matches where the opponent plays better than you, and you just have to congratulate him and tell him, You're better. That's it. I don't think I played a bad match overall. It was very good performance from my side. But whenever it was important, he was the one who was playing just too good.
Q. Have you ever played as well as you have tonight and lost a match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know. It's hard to say, to be honest. I did play a lot of great matches over these couple of years and losing and winning; I just cannot name any, you know. I won many matches when I was playing very bad, so, you know, I could have lost this tournament in the first round easily, you know, to Troicki. I was two sets to one down and almost double break. After that first round win, it turned everything in my favor, and I was playing great tennis all the way, even in tonight's match, as I said. Playing great, feeling good on the court. But Rafa was just too good.
Q. After you beat Roger, he was in this press room, and he said, Yeah, it feels bad, but it doesn't feel as bad as if it were in the final, as if getting to the final and losing is, you know, is the most hurtful thing. And yet, to be in the final, be out there in that theater and to be able to play as well as you did, I mean, do you find this talk about that in terms of getting there but not getting there all the way.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, I cannot hide the disappointment. It's just I'm not gonna cry or complain about that, you know. It's just the way it is. Of course, I am feeling bad about my loss. I wanted that trophy, and I know I gave my maximum to get it even tonight. But, you know, when I sleep over the night, tomorrow I will wake up as a new man. You know, I will continue on working hard and waiting for the next chance to come.
Q. You said on court that the fans, that you fight for the fans because they support you. Do you feel you really have good support?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, definitely, especially tonight. It was great. It was just a pleasure performing in front of the people who enjoy tennis so much and support the players. Both of us, we had great support, and you always very much need the support of the people in these moments, in the matches of this importance, and we had it. And of course in the tough moments when I thought when I was a double break down and I thought the match is getting away from me, I still was trying and fighting back. I was a bit unlucky, and the fans really wanted me to come back. So, yeah, definitely very thankful for that.
Q. Thank you for all you've given to all of us. Thank you for giving all you've given for the past couple weeks. You've had the unique experience of playing Roger and then Rafa back to back. Could you just take a moment and really compare their two games and who would you say is better at this point? We know Nadal has had a better year, but...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, look, we cannot judge who is better on one tournament, you know. At this point there is, you know, five, six years' difference between them, and basically Federer had more years on the tour, he had more success; he has more trophies. He's definitely somebody who made history in this sport. He's still playing as one of the best players in the world. The other hand, you have Nadal who is just proving each day, each year that he's getting better, you know. That's what's so frustrating, a little bit. He's getting better each time you play him. He's so mentally strong and dedicated to this sport. You know, he has all the capabilities, everything he needs, in order to be the biggest ever, my opinion. He has lots of time to come if he physically holds on the next five, six, seven years. I don't know how long he's gonna play. Anyway, he has the game now for each surface, and he has won each Major. He has proven to the world that he's the best in this moment, so there is no question about it.
Q. When is the first time you saw Rafa?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: When was the first time I saw him?
Q. Yeah.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Wow. I don't remember. To be honest, I think we haven't met in juniors. He has played very few, and I played very few, but not the same ones. And I think the first time we met was some ATP tournament, you know. He was 15 already when he started playing ATP. Already very strong at that age, and I was I needed a little bit more time. Then we met, yeah, on ATP.
Q. I'm just wondering what you saw then you I'm sure you weren't sitting around thinking what he's gonna be possible of. Are you amazed at the adjustments he's made to get where he's gone?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's just great for somebody who had so much success as he did, very young age, and to be able to continue motivating himself to perform his best each tournament, each match he plays regardless who he has across the net. You just have to put a hat down for this guy, everything he does on and off the court. Great champion, great person, and great example of an athlete.
Q. Do you feel at all like you've reinvented yourself at all at this tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I've played the best tennis certainly last seven, eight months, maybe the whole year. Wimbledon I played great, as well. So from Wimbledon up to this point, I feel much more comfortable on the court, more confident and getting this aggressive game back and the game that I need to have in order to stay at the top, and a game that has been a part of me always. It's a good sign. I will continue on working, as I said, and hope that I can keep that performance.
Novak Đoković: Czapki z głów przed Rafą, wielkim tenisistą i człowiekiem
Wolny dzień między półfinałem i finałem US Open miał działać na korzyść Novaka Đokovicia, ale Serb wcale nie czuł się wykończony fizycznie, a jedynie emocjonalnie. - Mecz o tytuł z Nadalem to jeden z tych, po których po prostu musisz uznać klasę rywala i pogratulować mu sukcesu - powiedział.
Đoković, który przegrał także finał przed trzema laty, nie uważa, by w poniedziałek zagrał źle. - To była całkiem dobra dyspozycja z mojej strony - przyznał. - Nie wiem czy kiedykolwiek grałem równie dobrze i przegrałem. Wiele meczów za to wygrałem , grając bardzo źle. Mogłem odpaść już w I rundzie, kiedy z Troickim przegrałem dwa sety i miałem stratę prawie dwóch przełamań - wspomniał.
Czy mógł pokonać Nadala? - Musiałem zaprezentować się najlepiej jak potrafię. Grałem bardzo dobrze przez większość meczu, ale były momenty, powiedzmy w trzecim i czwartym secie, gdy nieco opuściła mnie koncentracja. On wykorzystał tą szansę.
Brawa dla Nadala: - Rafa ma możliwości, by stać się najlepszym tenisistą w historii. Z tego co widziałem, gra najlepiej w życiu na kortach twardych. Mocno poprawił serwis. Szybkość, precyzja, gra na linii końcowej - to kompletny zawodnik. Frustrujące jest to, że za każdym razem, kiedy się z nim gra, jest coraz lepszy. Jest niezwykle mocny mentalnie i poświęcony sportowi. Czapki z głów za wszystko co zrobił na korcie i poza nim. Jest wielkim mistrzem, przykładem sportowca.
Jak było u Novaka z kondycją po wyczerpującym sobotnim półfinale z Federerem? - Z fizycznej perspektywy czułem się dobrze. Biegałem po całym korcie, sięgałem wiele piłek. Ale te cztery sety trwały prawie cztery godziny. Gdziekolwiek gra się z Rafą, to trzeba być przygotowanym na swoją najlepszą dyspozycję i na długie wymiany. Byłem tego świadomy i czekałem na to. Nieco wycieńczony mogłem być tylko emocjonalnie.
Tennis-Unwell Djokovic out of opening match in Davis Cup semi
(Reuters) - Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the opening match in Serbia's Davis Cup semi-final against Czech Republic because of gastro-enteritis, an ITF spokeswoman said on Friday.
"He does not play the first match. He is sick," Barbara Travers told Reuters.
Mój #2 na liście ulubionych zawodników.
Kibicować Novakowi zacząłem całkiem niedawno. Stwierdziłem, że czas zacząć patrzeć w przyszłość i obserwować młode pokolenie. Zaimponował mi jego styl oraz...nazwisko. Tak po prostu mam, że jeśli przypadnie mi do gustu kogoś nazwisko to ma u mnie u plusa. Pokładam w nim nadzieje na przyszłość tj. pozycja nr.1 w rankingu oraz min. 3 szlemy. Spodobało mi się też jego poczucie humoru, warto sobie czasem pożartować.
Djokovic Qualifies For Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
US Open finalist Novak Djokovic has qualified for the 2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, to be held at The O2 in London from 21-28 November. Djokovic clinched his place in the season finale after advancing to the final of the China Open in Beijing with a 7-6(1), 6-2 win over John Isner on Saturday.
The Serb, a winner of the season-ending event in 2008, has been a model of consistency throughout the season, reaching the quarter-finals or further at each of the four Grand Slams, as well as capturing his 17th career title in Dubai in February.
“I was really happy to hear the news. It's four consecutive years for me to get to the Finals, so this achievement means a lot. Of course I will do my best to get even further than I did last year to try to pass the group stage, but there's still a way to go. It was incredible how many people came out and watched us last year. I really look forward to playing in front of that crowd in The O2 again.”
Djokovic joins Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as the first three players to qualify for the event. Only five more places are up for grabs as the likes of Andy Murray, Andy Roddick and Robin Soderling continue to battle for South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings points in order to secure their places in the coming weeks.
#18) Pekin 2010
R32 Mao-Xin Gong (CHN) 356 6-1, 6-3
R16 Mardy Fish (USA) 19 W/O
Q Gilles Simon (FRA) 43 6-3, 6-2
S John Isner (USA) 22 7-6(1), 6-2
W David Ferrer (ESP) 11 6-2, 6-4
Djoković: Jak przyszedłeś, myślałem, czy grać nogami
Dzięki za przybycie. To wielki honor mieć ciebie tutaj - powiedział na korcie Novak Djoković po wygranym, pierwszym meczu w finałach ATP . Serb zwracał się do Diego Maradony, który pojawił się w Londynie na tym meczu.
Maradona wciąż cieszy się złą sławą w Anglii za swoją "Rękę Boga", czyli gol strzelony Anglikom podczas mistrzostw świata w 1986 roku. W momencie, gdy niedawny selekcjoner Argentyny pojawił się na O2 Arena, przywitała go mieszanina gwizdów i oklasków.
Na Djokovicia obecność jednego z najlepszych piłkarzy na świecie podziałała mobilizująco. - Jak przyszedł w połowie pierwszego seta, zastanawiałem się, czy grać nogami czy rękami - żartował po meczu Djoković, którego łączy szczególna więź z Maradoną.
- Cóż, on kocha tenis. Jeden z argentyńskich dziennikarzy powiedział mi, że Maradona lubi oglądać moje mecze. Wysłałem mu więc koszulkę i rakietę. On odesłał mi koszulkę ze swoim autografem. Taka więź między nami była przez ostatnie lata, ale osobiście spotkaliśmy się teraz pierwszy raz - wyjaśnił serbski tenisista.
Djoković chciał pokazać Maradonie swój najlepszy tenis i kompletnie zdystansował Berdycha, wygrywając 6:3, 6:3. - Posiadają takie wsparcie to niesamowity honor i radość. On ode mnie się niczego nie nauczy, ale ja od niego mogę się czegoś nauczyć. Jest starszy i o wiele bardziej doświadczony. To wielka przyjemność spotkać go osobiście po tych wszystkich latach wymieniania koszulek i rakiet. Mam nadzieję, że zostanie na cały turniej i przyniesie mi szczęście.
Serbski zawodnik w samych superlatywach wypowiadał się o Argentyńczyku. Zapytany o to, co Maradona robił w Londynie, Djoković odpowiedział, że jest to jego nowy trener. Przyznał również, że ma nadzieję, że wspólnie zagrają w tenisa i w piłkę.
- Rozmawialiśmy o tym, czy jest taka możliwość, żeby jutro na treningu wspólnie pograć trochę w piłkę i tenisa. Mam nadzieję, że pokaże mi kilka sztuczek. Może np. podpowie jak grać rękami przy wysokich piłkach - Novak Djoković zażartował kolejny na temat sytuacji, którą do tej pory Anglicy mają w pamięci.
05.12.2010r. - Novak Djokovic wraz z reprezentacją Serbii został zwycięzca rozgrywek o Puchar Davisa.
Gratulacje!
Đoković gotowy do ataku?
Novak Đoković po raz drugi zagrał w finale US Open, ale ciągle pozostaje z jednym wielkoszlemowym tytułem (Australian Open 2008). Na początku grudnia wspólnie z kolegami wywalczył dla Serbii pierwszy Puchar Davisa. Urodzony w Belgradzie 23-letni tenisista był jedną z jaśniej świecących postaci sezonu 2010.
Đoković sezon rozpoczął od ćwierćfinału Australian Open, półfinału w Rotterdamie oraz triumfu w Dubaju. Także w Roland Garros dotarł do półfinału, a jeszcze lepiej wypadł w dwóch pozostałych wielkoszlemowych imprezach (półfinał Wimbledonu, który dał mu pierwszy w historii awans na pozycję wicelidera rankingu ATP, finał US Open). Na początku października w Pekinie Serb zdobył swój drugi tegoroczny tytuł, a 18. w karierze. W sumie zaliczył cztery finały (poza US Open przegrał z Rogerem Federerem w Bazylei). Sezon zwieńczył półfinałem londyńskiego Masters oraz wspaniałą wiktorią w Pucharze Davisa.
Urodzony w Belgradzie tenisista sezon w prestiżowych drużynowych rozgrywkach zakończył z bilansem gier 7-1, w tym 7-0 w singlu prowadząc swoją drużynę do zwycięstw nad Amerykanami, Chorwatami, Czechami i Francuzami. W finałowym meczu rozegranym w szczęśliwej dla Serbów Beogradzkiej Arenie dwukrotnie doprowadzał do remisu, w tym przy stanie 1:2 pozwalając Viktorowi Troickiemu zostać bohaterem po zwycięstwie w decydującej piątej grze. W drodze do drugiego w karierze finału US Open (pierwszy osiągnął w 2007 roku) w półfinale pokonał w pięciu setach Federera broniąc dwóch piłek meczowych przy 4:5 i 15-40 w V partii. Było to jedno z najpiękniejszych spotkań sezonu w męskich rozgrywkach. Đoković po raz czwarty z rzędu sezon ukończył na trzecim miejscu w rankingu ATP i pojawia się czy to jest szczyt jego możliwości? Czy Federera i Rafaela Nadala jest w stanie pokonywać tylko w pojedynczych spotkaniach, a fotel lidera rankingu ATP pozostanie jego niezrealizowanym marzeniem?
Podbudowany psychicznie Serb wydaje się naturalnym kandydatem do włączenie się do walki o pozycję numer jeden w męskim tenisie. Triumf w Australian Open 2008 spadł na niego trochę, jak grom z jasnego nieba. By potwierdzić swoje mocarstwowe aspiracje, które z pewnością pojawiają się w jego głowie po tak fantastycznym finiszu sezonu, będzie musiał sięgnąć po kolejny wielkoszlemowy tytuł. To co w ciągu tych 12 miesięcy sezonu 2010 najbardziej rzucało się w oczy to poprawa gry wolejowej i to znacząca poprawa. Popularny Nole zaczyna ochoczo maszerować do siatki i choć jego siłą pozostaje gra z głębi kortu oparta forhendowym top-spinie i świetnym bekhendzie oraz głęboko rotowanym serwisie i granym jedną ręką drop-szocie to trzeba stwierdzić, że staje się on jednym z najbardziej wszechstronnych tenisistów. Dowodem na to są przede wszystkim jego bardzo dobre wyniki we wszystkich wielkoszlemowych imprezach (w każdym z Wielkich Szlemów grał już w półfinale).
Đoković szybko może stać się wielkim zagrożeniem dla Federera i Nadala. Może pogodzić tych dwóch gigantów w myśl powiedzenia "gdzie dwóch się bije, tam trzeci korzysta". Ale czy to nastąpi już w sezonie 2011? Pokaże to szczególnie początek rozgrywek i jeśli podbudowany finałem US Open oraz triumfem w Pucharze Davisa Serb pójdzie za ciosem i wygra Australian Open to ten sezon może należeć do niego! Pytanie tylko czy jest już przygotowany wydolnościowo do szturmu na fotel lidera rankingu ATP? Psychicznie na pewno się już nie spali, ale w kwestii przygotowania fizycznego należy postawić duży znak zapytania, bo to zawsze był jego największy mankament.
Tak tak, będzie nr 1 i wygra 3 szlemy.
COA napisał:
Tak tak, będzie nr 1 i wygra 3 szlemy.
Żebyś się nie wygadał przypadkiem. :szczeryusmiech:
A tak na serio, to również uważam, że autor artykułu nieco się zagalopował...
To co w ciągu tych 12 miesięcy sezonu 2010 najbardziej rzucało się w oczy to poprawa gry wolejowej i to znacząca poprawa.
:zdziwiony:
Wiesz... niektórzy uważają, że jak popatrzą jedynie na wyniki i poplotą trochę głupot, to ludzie to kupią. Może mniej zorientowni tak, ale na szczęście nie wszyscy.
Djokovic's dad rips Serbian Tennis Federation
Novak Djokovic’s father, Srdjan, tells the Serbian media that the Serbian tennis federation needs a "thorough reconstruction" and had “nothing to do with Serbia's Davis Cup victory.”
Srdjan Djokovic, whose family owns the ATP tournament in Belgrade, said it was only the players and their families who deserve credit for the Davis Cup victory. But he also said he has no desire to take over from federation chief Slobodan Zivojinovic.
"I have no ambition to take over from Zivojinovic but the [federation] needs a thorough reconstruction," he said.
Davis Cup captain Bogdan Obradovic agreed with Djokovic's sentiments. "The Djokovic family wants fresh forces to take over and I am sure this will happen because both the players and I support changes. We need better facilities…I can assure you that staff changes will be made. The players have received slim financial support all these years while we have achieved an incredible result by winning the Davis Cup in our first final.”
Zivojinovic's presidency ends this month and said that he would run again.
“After what we have achieved this year, it is only natural that I will run for another four-year mandate so that we can complete the tasks ahead, namely building a national tennis center and facilities for young talents," he said. "I have a realistic program for the next four-year period, devoid of unrealistic promises."—Matthew Cronin
DJOKOVIC VISITS SPECIAL OLYMPICS CENTER
Novak Djokovic signs autographs for members
of the Special Olympics Centre.
Novak Djokovic took some time Tuesday to visit the Special Olympics Centre in Monte-Carlo. He met with members of the centre, handed out signed personal items, posed for photos and signed autographs.
Djokovic, a Monaco resident, became involved with the organisation earlier this year as he sponsored the European Soccer Special Olympics Championship held in Monte-Carlo and invited the Serbian team to be part of it.
“I was really impressed with the good organisation of the centre and the nice and dedicated people working there,” Djokovic said. “It’s always very nice to be able to give time and resources to these kinds of causes here in Monte-Carlo, where I live.”
WHERE NEXT FOR NOVAK?
Novak Djokovic will hope to replicate
his US Open form in the coming season.
ATPWorldTour.com previews five storylines to watch during the 2011 season. In the third in the series we look ahead to a critical season for Novak Djokovic.
Yesterday we named Novak Djokovic as one the players most likely to break up the Nadal-Federer Grand Slam dominance in 2011, and in what will be a critical year for the Serb he will certainly hope to hit the heights he scaled in 2008.
The upcoming Australian Open will mark three years since the 23-year-old Djokovic won his lone Grand Slam title, with victory over first-time finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Following that success, though, the Belgrade native struggled to perform consistently at the majors, with a host of semi-final appearances punctuated by surprising losses to Marat Safin in the second round at Wimbledon a few months later, Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round of 2009 Roland Garros and Tommy Haas in the ’09 Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Djokovic rose to No. 2 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings in February and went on to finish the year World No. 3 for the fourth straight year. A grand achievement for the vast majority of professionals, but Djokovic will no doubt be eager to finish the year inside the Top 2 for for the first time.
While Grand Slam success would surely help cement Djokovic’s place at the top of game, he will also look to improve his performance in ATP World Tour events. In 2010 the Serbian won just two ATP World Tour titles (Dubai and Beijing), his lowest tally since 2006 and five less than Nadal’s extraordinary tour-level haul. He particularly underperformed in the nine ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments, only reaching the semi-finals in Shanghai, Toronto and Monte-Carlo.
However, Djokovic reaped the rewards of hard work and self belief when he hit top form to save two match points and defeat five-time former champion Roger Federer in this year’s US Open semi-finals, before finishing runner-up to World No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the final. The right-hander then went on to have a very successful end to the season, culminating in leading Serbia to a 3-2 victory over France in the Davis Cup final.
While disappointed after his defeat in the US Open final, Djokovic believed he had turned a corner in his career. “I am feeling bad about my loss. I wanted that trophy, and I know I gave my maximum to get it even tonight,” said the Serb. “But when I sleep over the night, tomorrow I will wake up as a new man. I will continue to work hard and wait for the next chance to come.
“I feel much more comfortable on the court, more confident and getting this aggressive game back - the game that I need to have in order to stay at the top - and a game that has been a part of me always. It's a good sign. I will continue on working, as I said, and hope that I can keep that performance.”
Djokovic backs father in Serbian federation battle
Novak Djokovic has come out in favor of a change at the top of the Serbian Tennis Federation, backing his father, Srdjan, and Davis Cup captain Bogdan Obradovic over current Serbian Tennis Federation chief Slobodan Zivojinovic.
"The Tennis Association needs new people, in order to finally build a national tennis center and provide better conditions for young talents to progress," Djokovic said on his website. "Development of tennis in Serbia is also partly our responsibility, and that’s why we (all players and our coach) engaged to help, and we made clear in the statement what we want.
"I have to say that my father has no intention to take any position in the [Federation], but to present to all clubs the functioning concept set by people he represents. He does it very successfully and we fully support him. I sincerely hope that the clubs from Serbia will have understanding, because prosperity and well-being are guaranteed with the new management!"
Zivojinovic, who will run for the presidency again, has said he would put forward a "realistic program devoid of unrealistic promises."
Since leading Serbia to the Davis Cup title, Djokovic has been vacationing in Dubai and Monaco with his longtime girlfriend, Jelena Ristic.—Matthew Cronin
2010 w liczbach
Ranking: 3
Turnieje: 2 (Dubaj, Pekin)
Finały: 2 (US Open, Basel)
Mecze: 61-18
Zarobki: $4,278,857
Djokovic follows Federer with Dubai holiday
Novak Djokovic is taking a page from the Roger Federer holiday playbook, with a getaway break in sunny Dubai during the brief Christmas pause between tennis seasons.
The world No. 3 and his university student girlfriend Jelena Ristic have been spending time in the five-star Habtoor Grand Hotel in Dubai - suites cost around $10,000 per night - where the Serb is getting his rest in after leading his nation to the Davis Cup over France three weeks ago.
There is little time for Djokovic to actually kick back, with his flight to Perth booked for the eight-nation Hopman Cup Cup mixed team event which begins at the weekend in Western Australia.
Federer, who has a villa in Dubai and uses the emirate as a training base, is well-placed for his own start of the 2011 tennis campaign. His first appearance will be in nearby Abu Dhabi along with Rafael Nadal at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition later in the week before playing the first ATP event of the season in Doha from January 3.
The Last Word: ATP No. 3, Novak Djokovic
Stamp of Approval: Led by Djokovic, the Sebian
Davis Cup team won its first title, a feat that was
commemorated on a postage stamp.
Best of 2010
Viktor Troicki’s win over Michael Llodra in the fifth and decisive rubber of the Davis Cup final, in which Serbia beat France. Oh, Djokovic contributed his maximum two singles wins, but had Troicki not sealed the championship for Serbia, Djokovic would not have enjoyed “his greatest moment in tennis.”
Worst of 2010
Djokovic lost his first match (after benefiting from a first-round bye) in Miami to diminutive Olivier Rochus, No. 59 in the world.
Year in Review
A five-set loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Aussie Open quarters—on the same court where Djokovic beat the same opponent to clinch his first and thus far only Grand Slam title—was a pretty good predictor of what lay in store. Although Djokovic would go on to win in Dubai a few weeks later, he struggled at the two big U.S. hard-court events in the spring and ran out of steam at the French Open, losing in the quarters to Jurgen Melzer (after blowing a two-set lead). He followed that with a remarkably passive semifinal match at Wimbledon that punched Tomas Berdych’s ticket to the final. Djokovic recovered—barely—at the U.S. Open, narrowly avoiding a first-round upset to slash his way to the final with Rafael Nadal. He played a terrific match there and seemed a man reborn. He won Beijing, lost the Basel final to Roger Federer, then, with the monumental Davis Cup final approaching, he cooled his jets until he led his team to the win over France.
See for Yourself
Djokovic picked up a lot of steam with his fourth-round win over Mardy Fish at the Open; these highlights show him at his punishing best:
The Last Word
Having to labor in the shadow of the consensus Greatest Player of All-Time (Federer) as well as a man who seems bent on snatching that distinction away from him (Nadal) has to be dispiriting. And despite occasional lapses (it’s almost as if Djokovic said, earlier in the year, “Aw, to hail with it. . .”) as well as a tendency to ham it up and enjoy his reputation as a showman, Djokovic has done well to keep himself not only in the mix, but within striking distance of both Grand Slam titles and the No. 1 ranking. It would not take a whole heck of a lot for Djokovic to win two majors in 2011 and end up with the top spot, what with Federer less lethal than he once was and Nadal injury-prone and coming off a career year. If something even remotely like that happens, you can attribute it to the boost of morale Djokovic got from leading his small nation, Serbia, to the Davis Cup championship. When he said it was his greatest moment in tennis, he meant it.
—Peter Bodo
Emocje i żarty Đokovicia na spotkaniu z piłkarzami Milanu
Gattuso to piłkarski Nadal, a Federer przypomina Messiego - dowcipkował Novak Đoković, który w Dubaju spełnił jedno ze swoich poza tenisowych marzeń: spotkał się z piłkarzami Milanu - klubu, który pokochał za dziecka.
Đoković na Półwyspie Arabskim przygotowuje się do sezonu tenisowego, piłkarze Milanu za to do wznowienia swoich rozgrywek. Zanim popularny Nole, trzecia rakieta świata, triumfator Pucharu Davisa, zdołał porozmawiać po włosku (bo uczył się tenisa w Italii) ze swoimi idolami ( - Kocham każdego milanistę!), musiał... odstać swoje w kolejce, jak każdy inny fan. Potem serdecznie przywitał się z Cassano, którego zna z turnieju w Rzymie, gdzie niesforny napastnik jeszcze w barwach Romy był jego kibicem.
Jako znany żartowniś, Đoković stwierdził, że mógłby dołączyć do trenujących na plaży piłkarzy trenera Allegriego, gdyby tylko przybył do Dubaju wcześniej. - To niesamowite spotkanie zachowam w sercu na zawsze - powiedział. - Mój ulubiony zawodnik to Ibrahimović: jest najlepszy, podoba mi się jego charakter. Poza tym mówi trochę w moim języku - przyznał. Z mającym korzenie w Bośni i Chorwacji szwedzkim snajperem Nole złożył sobie wiadome życzenia: dla siebie Wimbledon, dla Zlatana Champions League.
The Djoker is back as in-form Serb hits Rod Laver Arena
In-form Serbian Novak Djokovic has taken to Rod Laver Arena for a practice session in preparation for his assault on the 2011 Australian Open crown.
The 2008 champion traded intense ground strokes with a hitting partner as well as practising serves, volleys and smashes during the hit-out. There was also the trademark goofing around from the player known as the "Djoker" - he bantered regularly with his entourage, hit a ball into the closed roof of Melbourne Park's centre court, and even caught a ball in his shorts.
Djokovic's relaxed attitude is no surprise given his stellar form of late. His chief accomplishment was guiding Serbia to its first ever Davis Cup title in December in front of more than 16,000 adoring fans at Belgrade Arena. In the preceding months he had reached his first Grand Slam final in almost three years at the US Open, a run which included a spectacular five-set defeat of Roger Federer in the semifinals, and won the ATP Masters 1000 title in Beijing.
His solid form has continued in 2011. The world No.3 represented Serbia alongside Ana Ivanovic at the Hopman Cup and won all of his singles matches, his blistering performance against Australia's Lleyton Hewitt of particular note.
Wywiad przed AO
Q. Novak, how has your preparation been?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Good. After a couple of days of rain, it's good to see some sun and hit some balls outdoors. I played a couple matches indoors in Hopman Cup, which were good for me.
Very short off season, but still feeling quite well.
Q. What did you work on in the off season?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there was not a lot of time really to work on a lot of things. But I tried to build up my physical strength, my endurance, because I knew that this is probably going to be one of the most important things coming up, the Australian summer, which can be really hot. I had some problems in the past in Australia, so I really wanted to physically be fit for the tournament.
The other side, tennis wise, I played a lot in the last two, three months. You know, as soon as I started after the very short off season, I already felt that I'm hitting the ball well. I tried to work just on some specifics, like serve, maybe some volley game.
I'm happy with the way that work has been done.
Q. Given what you said about the weather and the problems here in the past, are you happy it's pretty cool this year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, definitely (smiling). I'm probably one of the few players that loves rain in Melbourne.
Q. Have you noticed a big impact, the Davis Cup victory, back home?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. Well, I didn't spend that much time in my country after the victory. But it was two days and two nights celebration. We definitely felt in some way what it meant for the people and what it meant for us in the end.
It was an historical win, maybe once in a lifetime opportunity to play and win the Davis Cup at home in front of almost 20,000 people. It was just a different feeling from the feeling that you experience playing for yourself in any other individual event.
It's the biggest success that I had in my career so far, next to the Australian Open in 2008.
Q. Not a two day celebration for you, though?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was, yes, definitely (smiling). Our goal was three days, but... After the second day, we were already in hospital.
Q. Do you think that could take a toll on your chances or preparation for the Open?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know, I don't think so. I already knew when we won the semifinal tie against Czech Republic in Davis Cup in September that I'm going to have a very short off season because of the finals of Davis Cup, the Masters in London.
It's not the first time that the top player is facing this situation. Nadal had a very similar situation a couple years back. So you just have to adjust to it, try to rest, get the best out of the couple of weeks of preparation that you have.
Hopman Cup was probably the toughest week of preparation that I had. I played a lot of tennis. I had a lot of fitness. And, as I said, I'm feeling good at the moment. I have to. Biggest tournament at this period of the year is coming up in a couple days' time. There are no excuses anymore.
Q. Where do you think you stand compared to Federer or Nadal? Do you think you've caught up to them?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: They're the two best players in the world, deservedly. Of course, two biggest favorites in any tournament they play on to win the title. I guess I'm in this small group of players behind them that is trying to challenge them in each event.
How far back, I mean, I can't say. Rankings are showing everything, and results they have made are probably two out of maybe five best players to ever play this game.
To be able to compete with them is a big challenge. Every time we play, you know, they take my game as well to another level. They make me play better.
In case I get to play them in this tournament, I will look forward to it.
Q. Who do you think deserves to be favorite?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Out of them two?
Q. Yes.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's hard to say. You know, they're really in top shape. I think Federer has been playing fantastic tennis in the last three, four months. He's the defending champion. So maybe he has a little advantage there. But still Nadal, you know, is No. 1. They're always there at the top.
Q. Do you notice their level going up and consequently are you a better player now than when you won here?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I am. But now there's a lot more good players that I think improved their games tremendously. I think Soderling is playing great, Murray, Davydenko. All these guys have improved so much. Then you have Federer and Nadal that keeps on playing better and better.
It's really hard to say whenever you see them play in which aspect of the game can they improve, but they still keep on improving.
But, as I said, it's a big challenge for us to play them and to keep up with them. In order to stay where I am at this moment, No. 3, or eventually get a shot at the step further in the rankings, I will have to play very well at major events and get in the later stages of a Grand Slam.
Q. Novak, you and Andy are practicing a lot. Is this on purpose to try to get your level higher? Not very often guys as good as you practice a lot together. Is this something you figure will help you catch up a bit?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there is no such intention. It's just a practice, you know. I've never had problems practicing with my close rivals or any top players. I actually look forward to that because I know that these practices are going to be very intensive, that I can get something out of those sessions.
Although we have to improve on football skills, still, comparing to them. His team is winning in the last two football matches, so...
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
Q. You must be thrilled with that. A very high quality performance.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC : Yes, definitely I'm satisfied with the performance today. It's the first competitive match. I had a couple in the Hopman Cup, but this is different. It's a Grand Slam. It's the best of five.
I had around seven, eight days between Hopman Cup and start of Australian Open to get ready. I practiced really hard, worked on a couple of things.
Just happy with the way I played overall. Now I look forward to upcoming challenge.
Q. Did the strength of the performance surprise you tonight?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC : I was building up on the confidence that I had in last couple weeks, 2010, played really well, even in London, then Davis Cup finals was just remarkable. Very short off season. But I kind of didn't lose because it was such a short resting period, I didn't lose the feeling of hitting the ball well. As soon as I started playing again tennis, I just feel comfortable on the court.
I continued on. I was surprised with my performances in Hopman Cup, the way I played there. Right here, you know, I took the ball early from the start, wanted to be aggressive, give him no choice to come back to the match.
Q. A lot of the reporting before this has been about the Rafa Slam, Roger Federer. Do you think that's the kind of performance that will remind people there's other contenders who are more than capable?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC : I try to think about myself and my matches, the opponents that I have to face, not about the other guys.
Of course, all the credit to Rafa and Roger. They are deservedly the two biggest favorites to win this tournament. They're the two best players of the world.
It's a two week tournament. It's still a long way to go and think about later stages of the tournament. I want to think about one match at a time.
Definitely this performance gives me more confidence and gives me enough reason to think that I can beat anyone.
Q. How much of a springboard was the Davis Cup?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC : As I said on the court, maybe it's once chance in a lifetime to win it at home. We were all aware of the importance of that match, importance of having that final at home. The crowd supported us all three days tremendously.
Anytime I have a look at the last couple of points of Viktor's match, the last backhand winner, the celebrations that we had, the shaving heads, all these kind of things, it just brings the smiles and goosebumps. It's probably the best feeling I ever had in my life as a tennis player. It's because you're representing the nation. It has just something special about this competition. 18,000 people were with us, especially that last day. So it was incredible.
Q. Must translate into your own game?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC : Of course. As I said, it was a big confidence boost for me. You know, any tournament you win, it's a great achievement because the competitiveness these days is incredible comparing to 20 years ago. The tennis has changed. It's physical. You got to work very, very hard in order to be one of the best players in the world.
I have these experiences that I'm trying to use in the big events. I know how it is to play on the big stage. I just keep going towards my goal. I'm motivated. As long as it's like that, I will keep on playing on the high level.
Q. In the next round you're playing a player from Croatia. We don't know which one yet. In the past there have been some clashes between fans here from the two countries. Is that something that worries you? Do you think about it at all?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC : Well, I just hope that it's not gonna happen. It's a very bad image that they send for their countries, you know. We don't support that at all. We are very good friends actually off the court, all of us Serbian and Croatian players. There's no reason to create any kind of bad feeling about our countries.
We did have problems in the past, but that doesn't concern us. We are athletes. We are friends off the court. You're never going to see a problem between us.
Hopefully nothing will happen.
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
Q. You certainly were made to work out tonight. He chased everything down. It was a hard night.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know maybe the positive thing about this match is I was challenged, pushed to the limits in the first two sets and stayed around three, three and a half hours on the court.
I'm not physically tired. I didn't have any lead up to Australian Open. I was playing Hopman Cup couple of the matches. But I feel good on the court. Today in the first two sets I wasn't happy with the way I was playing. Definitely wasn't my best.
But in third and fourth it was okay. Just look forward to the next challenge.
Q. You did look a bit slack. Can you put your finger on why that was?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's tough to say. Everything is okay. Sometimes your legs aren't listening to you.
Q. I suppose it's a long tournament and you can't be at your best all the time.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: That's true. It's better for this to happen just now in the opening rounds than later.
Q. And you got Viktor Troicki next. How do you feel about playing him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We played couple of times last three, four months. He's definitely on a roll, playing really well. Won his first tournament of the career in Moscow last year and now finals in Sydney. He has a big serve. We know each other very, very from the Davis Cup and from junior days.
We grew up playing tennis. So it's going to be a tough third round definitely for both of us.
Q. On the TV there, are you paying much attention to this match as well? Roger is being pushed to the limit by Gilles Simon.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I've been looking at the match. Definitely Simon winning Sydney, he's playing well.
Q. Wouldn't be a bad thing for you if Roger was to fall by the wayside.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I have to do my work on the court regardless.
Q. Everyone seemed happy and loud and getting along out there tonight.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: From the fan's perspective, I think they had fun. It was obvious they liked to be around to watch the pros in action. This tournament has a lot of different colors, nations, and sometimes it feels like you're on a football match with the support.
For us it's unusual and sometimes good to feel that. Keeps you going even more.
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie
Q. Were you aware that he was injured before the match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just heard that he had some struggles with his stomach muscle. But, you know, I wasn't sure how serious it is. You know, I didn't know that he's not able to serve.
After the match he told me that he could not make a full movement of the serve that he usually does. I could see that, because he serves well over 200, you know, first serving average, and he couldn't do that today.
He obviously tried his best. It's the third round of a Grand Slam. It's not the way you want to finish the tournament, definitely. You know, it's sad for him. But I have to move on.
Q. Did you need to have a complete game today or are you happy with the one set?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know, I think I had enough tennis already the last couple weeks. It's good that, you know, you don't spend that much time on the court, maybe save some energy.
But I'm going to be ready for next match.
Q. You're moving quietly through the tournament. Is this suiting you? Not many people talking about you.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I like it this way. I'm there to do my job. Obviously, the matches are starting to be more difficult. You will have higher ranked opponents and I'm ready for that challenge.
Q. Can you tell how tough it is for a player to come from the junior level to this circuit like you did and some other players did?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We don't notice that many young players in the top 50, top 100 in the last two, three years, which is sad for the sport. But maybe it's just a period. I'm sure that we'll see some new faces coming up in the near future.
But it's definitely very difficult to make the transition from junior tour and circuit to the professional because you have to go through this ice breaker, as you can call it, the futures, the satellites and challengers, the lower level of the professional tournaments where you don't get to play in very nice places, you don't have the best conditions. But you have to go through it. It makes you much stronger.
This is where I guess you're building up your mentality, as well. You're becoming stronger mentally. You know, if you're able to get through that stage, then just break through in top hundred.
I think nowadays it's more difficult than it was maybe five, ten years ago.
Q. The game is still the same but maybe it's more physical when you arrive to this level?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Absolutely. You know, it's much more physical than it was when I was breaking through and everybody is working really hard. You know, the technology has advanced a lot, as well. You have great racquets, great strings. There are some great hitters out there. You have to be on top of your shape and you have to be dedicated in order to be one of the best.
Q. Do you have to work more in physical conditioning or in technical conditioning? What do you think you can improve the most?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think you need to have a physical base. Not just myself, but anybody has to rely on his physical condition. As I said, it's a very requiring sport. You have to travel, change surfaces, time zones, countries in just a couple days' time. It's not easy definitely. But it is the way it is and you have to adjust.
So physically you have to be fit because then you have a base. From that moment, from that point on, you have to work obviously on your mental part. You work that through a lot of matches, playing a lot of tournaments, and gaining experience.
Q. Obviously you're focused on your next round. Do you keep an eye in Grand Slam tournaments on what your traditional rivals are doing? For instance, Federer a couple days ago struggled.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Everybody is watching matches. It's nice to have tennis on the TV the whole day. Of course, you know, I'm following all these guys, the way they play. But, you know, I'm not paying too much attention on that. I just follow their matches but focus on my matches.
Q. You talked in one of the earlier press conferences about how you're in this small group of players behind Rafa and Roger who are trying to challenge them. Can you talk a little bit more about what makes their game so much different from other players', why it's different to face Rafa or Roger.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: If I know the answer, I wouldn't be in this position (laughter). No, I'm kidding, of course.
They are physically very fit and mentally very strong. You know, what is amazing about their games, about their mentality when they're on the court is the way they approach matches. They don't underestimate any opponent. They always play in full speed, especially Nadal. It seems like they're raising their level of performance, you know, in the second week of the Grand Slams. It's really hard to play them best of five, especially the last couple rounds of a Grand Slam. I'm talking about from my personal experience because I have played them many times in the late stages of any tournament, especially Grand Slams. So I know. I guess that's it.
You know, there is not much difference. I guess here and there a couple of points are deciding the winner. They're just hanging in there all the time. They're not giving up. This mental strength is I guess a big advantage over the other opponents.
Q. How do you become mentally stronger as a tennis player?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think over the time, playing a lot of matches on the big stage, playing those tight matches that are decided in a couple of points with big, strong top players. You try to get the best out of it. You try to get the experience that you can use in the future.
Q. Have you improved and are you closing the gap on them?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I feel that I'm improving. I still feel there's room for improvement. I think you can never reach perfection. You always try to be better. That's my goal. I'm still only 23, so I believe there is a lot of time still to have some success.
Q. When Simon beat Troicki in Sydney, did you think, Good for us?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In a way, yes.
Q. Do you think it was a mistake?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I wouldn't get into that. The important thing is that we won and that we brought the first Davis Cup title to our country, and that's it.
Q. I have a question about Jim Courier. What is it like to be interviewed by him? What is your opinion about him in his new role?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As a commentator?
Q. Yes.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think he's doing a great job. I like listening to him, especially when he gets excited after long rallies.
Q. And when he makes the interview?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, he gives us great questions. He mixes it up. Of course, we always get the standard tennis questions and then he makes a little fun out of it. It's good for the crowd. They want to hear that.
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
Q. Was that a good match to have approaching the quarterfinals?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was a very good match. Serve was great today, and it's important to raise a level of performance as I did today, you know, before the quarterfinals.
Now the opponents are very difficult and matches are tough and unpredictable. It was a great match for me today. I had a tough opponent, big hitter, and I could test couple things in my game: My patience and aggressivity in any event some moments.
Q. So it's looking good going into the final?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Game wise, yeah. I'm happy. I'm feeling good energy wise. I didn't spend that much time on the court in the opening week. Yeah, look forward to the next challenge.
Q. What happened with the umpire at the beginning of the second set? Was it coaching?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, but I don't think it was the right call, because I missed a forehand and then I turn to my coach. As you always make as a player an eye contact with your team. That's what I did. I didn't ask for any advices, you know, because they can't help too much. You've got to do what you got to do.
So I don't understand. I just feel that any chair umpire before giving you a violation for, I don't know, coaching or time wasting or whatever, I think he should give you a pre warning and just tell you, Okay, you're playing too slow or you're doing this and you shouldn't do. This is me as a player, it's my opinion. I respect that. Before giving you a straight violation in that moment it's not what you want.
Q. Has it ever happened to you before?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Coaching, no. Never. First time. Smashed my racquet couple of times.
Q. You aren't denying you did it. You're saying you should get one strike?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything and I didn't ask for the advice. That's my point. What I'm saying is that even though I think it was the wrong call, if he thinks that it was right, he should have told me before giving me a warning. Just tell me, Hey, maybe your coach is involved too much before the points, he's giving you signals. I would say, Yes, okay, sorry no problem.
Next time if he does that, give me a warning and I respect that fully. Don't give me warning right away.
Q. What are your views on coaching? In the women's tour the coach can now come down and have a little reassuring chat. What do you think should happen?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: To be honest, I have not any opinion about that. I don't think it's good or bad. It's in the women's tennis, you know, we get used to having the coaches in the box and throughout the whole match and that's it. We don't have that rule.
As I said, you prepare with your coach and your team before the match, the tactics and things you want to do on the court. Soon as you step on the court and start the match, it's all you.
Q. You've won the Davis Cup now.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.
Q. So you've got a captain sitting next to you. Do you listen to the captain very much or do you just want to be in your own head all the time?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: On the one hand it's good to have somebody on the bench in Davis Cup, because they can notice things that you don't during the match because you're under pressure, you're doing something wrong that you shouldn't do.
If there is something on the bench, he can tell you exactly what it is. So you can just pay attention to that. From that perspective it's good to have somebody.
They should make more fun. The girls are too serious when they invite the coach. They should make more jokes. It would be more entertaining for us to watch the TV. I like it when I see it, what she's going to say, you know. It's always like, play your forehand, backhand, crack some jokes.
Q. Tennis should be more fun?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.
Q. Looking at the second week, how did you see the tournament shaping up?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I said, the matches are going to become more difficult and the opponents are higher ranked. It was important for me if spend as less time on the court as I could, and that's what I did.
I'm hitting the ball well. Physically and mentally I'm fit and ready to win another match. So I'm taking one match at a time, and seriously, analyzing my next opponent, either Berdych or Verdasco. Both of them love playing on hardcourts, big hitters. The match against Almagro today was good.
Q. Given your next opponent, is it more about power? Do you change your practice tomorrow to accommodate that or do you know them well enough?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I know these guys well. There is nothing specific you can do to make your game better or play better for one day. Just a routine practice. Just keeping the good feel on the court and resting and preparing for the match.
Q. How open is this tournament? You've got a very strong field of players left. It's like a U.S. Masters or something. How open is it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you have those two guys. Definitely still two favorites to win the event deservedly. But I think maybe last year and a half, two years, you have a little bit more players coming up that have that are capable of winning major events.
Soderling, Murray, you know, Roddick. Yeah, couple more guys, I think Berdych. They're all playing really good tennis and believe more they can beat Federer and Nadal. We all do. So in that terms it's maybe more open than it was couple years back.
Q. Of those guys, you seem to show the most confidence against Roger when you play him in Grand Slams. You don't seem to have any fear of this. You've beaten him twice.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, well, if I go out and with a white flag, you know, it's not the right attitude. Of course, I have big respect for him and Nadal and all the players, but I've won against all of them and I know how it feels like to play on the big stage.
If you want to win a Grand Slam, you have to believe in yourself and be confident. You have to have that attitude on the court.
Q. How important is it for you to have Marian back in your box after US Open?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's great. Great to see him back. He had some private issues and now he's back with me full time.
So he's more than just a coach. He's a great, great friend of mine. I consider him as second father as well. He's really giving me a lot of advices on and off the court and we have great relationship.
To have him full time with me is a big advantage.
Q. I know you have a tournament in Serbia. Is there anything else you invest in?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, that's private. I'm not going to tell you what.
Djokovic: Coach's gesture resulted in warning
Novak Djokovic says that the coaching violation he received during his fourth-round win at the Australian Open was due to a sponateous reaction from his coach.
"I missed a forehand and then I turn to my coach—you always make as a player an eye contact with your team," said Djokovic, telling ESPN, "There was not any intention of me asking for advice from my coach. Okay, maybe he did show me some signals of how I should hit my forehand—it was more out of frustration.
"Maybe the umpire was right to give me a code violation for that but I think it was wrong because he should have told me, he should have given me a pre-warning...'Listen, your coach is giving you signals that he shouldn't do, it's against the rules.' I would say, 'Yeah, sure, next time he does it you give me a warning. But not right away, it wasn't the right time."
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w ćwierćfinale
Q. What happened in the second set?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What do you mean?
Q. You had some trouble in the second set. The rest was a holiday.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't think it's the right word to describe it. I still had to work for every game. I played really, really well first and third set. Second set as well. I was on and off. I made some unforced errors, and I was a bit defensive and gave him opportunity to come back to the match.
Generally I have to be very happy with the performance. Maybe the turning point was the tiebreak in the second set where it went my way. If it's one set all, it's a totally different match. Two sets up, it's a big advantage and I was starting to go for shots more in the third.
Q. Are you happy to be at this stage of the competition and face your next opponent, which will be a tough one?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Of course, yes. I'm really happy. I didn't know how well would I prepare for this tournament because the off season was very, very short after Davis Cup.
Winning the Davis Cup and experiencing that feeling on the court with the whole nation and the team was very special for me. I was building up on that confidence of winning that title couple weeks after that. I started playing right away on the Saturday in Perth some great tennis, better than I expected, you know, as a start.
Coming in here I was physically prepared, mentally motivated to make some success. So far it's been great. Today has been a real test, because he's No. 6 of the world and a very difficult opponent. I've played one of my best tennis in the last couple months.
So I have nothing to lose playing Federer, who's the title defender here. We all know everything about him. I have to believe in myself in order to win that match.
Q. How do you explain your freshness? You say it's quite surprising and even you didn't stop after the celebration.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it was very short. Not even two weeks. I had holidays, if you want to call them. Then I started slowly building up my physical strength. But I had very good schedule, very good program. That was different, you know, from the past years.
I've learned how to, you know, prepare well, how to organize my time off, organize my practice. I did a great job with my team. Of course, big credit to them.
Definitely playing great tennis.
Q. What kind of change, for example, in your timing?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know, just more organized in some ways. I knew where am I going, what am I doing. You know, sometimes when you have a very short off season, when you're not in the tournament, you want to do a lot of different things. You want to see the family, you want to do a lot of different things off the court. Maybe keeps your focus out of what you need to do.
This year, I just had the team of people that was just putting the right schedule and then it made my life much easier.
Q. How did you keep mentally fresh? I can understand the physical and the organization, but after a really long season and the high of Davis Cup and then coming to Perth, how did you keep your mind fresh and the desire where you really want to play well?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think the Davis Cup title gave me a lot confidence. Just motivated to me come back and win some more matches.
You know, I felt like I'm starting to play my best tennis in last five, six months. I have more experience on the court. Physically I'm fit. I'm hitting the ball better and I have more variety in the game. Serve has been much better, which is very encouraging fact because it's been an issue for me in the last 12 months.
I was hungry for more success and probably that's an explanation.
Q. Talk about the period in between the US Open, where you beat Federer, and Davis Cup, where you take losses to Federer. Was your mind on Davis Cup the whole time? And can you erase what happened in between the US Open and Davis Cup, the tournaments that you played then?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Between the Davis Cup final?
Q. The Davis Cup final, right.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think I've played quite well. Even in China had two great tournaments, and then coming back to indoor season was okay. Maybe I was thinking a little bit too much about the Davis Cup final.
Maybe the desire was very strong. Maybe it's a chance of a lifetime for us to win the title at home. So that was probably my priority that stage.
Still, at London I played some great matches. Okay, the semifinal he was too strong; he played too good and I wasn't on the court and I wasn't playing well.
The way I've been playing in the last five, six months compared to the first six months of 2010 is a huge difference. I have to take that in positive way.
Q. Does it mean you'll enter the court even stronger compared to your semis against him in New York?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, in New York I think I played a great match against him. He's very aggressive player, maybe the most aggressive there is on the tour. You have to be patient. Again, put some varieties and get him out of comfort zone. I've played so many times against him. He knows my game really well, as I know his. We played very close matches, last five matches except the one in London. Semifinals of a Grand Slam is very unpredictable what's going to happen.
If I play well, this is my only Grand Slam that I won. I love the atmosphere and the conditions on center court.
Q. It appears that the difference between Rafa and Federer, you and Murray, with the rest of the players is growing in the tournament. Do you see it that way?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yeah. Maybe it's you know, maybe it's one of the explanations why we have that little gap with the other players.
But I think there is more players now that are able to win against top two guys. Federer and Nadal have been very dominant in the last five, six years. All the credit to them. They're very strong mentally. They keep coming back for more titles. They're playing better in the later stages of the Grand Slams and any tournament.
It's hard to keep up with them, but this is what you learn playing with those two guys. With the experience, I've gained that state of mind. I'm just feeling better every year that I play on the court.
Q. You said before going against Federer you feel like you've got nothing to lose. Do you feel like you're going into the match on equal terms or as the underdog?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I cannot compare my success to him. Of course he's the main favorite next to Nadal to win the title of any tournament they play on. They're the best two players in the world.
As I said, I have to be confident on the court, have the right attitude, and that's the only way I can beat Roger or Rafa. There is no other way.
If you go out there and try to play your best tennis, you don't deserve to be there. You're not going to get any positive outcome.
Q. So is confidence the only difference in past matches when you weren't succeeding against Federer?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I always try to win against him. No question about that. I've won against him in different occasions, mostly on the hardcourts. So as I said, this is the chance that I can use.
But as I said, very close matches. The winner of the matches, you know, gets away with couple points here and there. On this level, this is what happens.
Q. I guess one of the important things against Roger is not to let him get on top of you quickly, to get into the match. Once he gets in front he's pretty hard to stop.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Definitely. Definitely you have to start well. You have to try to get him on the run as much as you can and try to let him know you're there to win.
Q. How would you describe your relationship with him? It seemed in Basel you were joking around with him after the finals.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: With Roger?
Q. Yeah.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We're rivals, but we have big respect for each other as any other top player. In Basel, I really feel at home. The people really appreciate tennis. Every time I go there I have quite a lot support. It's really nice to be around.
Q. Have you done any more impersonations lately?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: There is no new players on the tour, so, you know, I have nobody to do. (Laughter.)
Q. Was there an official celebration after the Davis Cup?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Official? Well official was the official dinner that we had with a little folk music and we had traditional Serbian food and things like that. When we were done with that, yeah. That's when it really started, you know, for two days and nights.
Q. After the meeting with some political...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, of course we had a reception with the president of Serbia. It was it's one of the biggest success that we had in sport. Of course next to the basketball players, water polo and most of the team sports. We are the nation of team sports.
To be able to win with a team for your nation was much different than anything I have experienced personally on the tennis court.
Q. What do you do for your excellent footwork? What's the secret behind this?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's hard work, you know. Any player is going to tell you the same. You have to dedicate your time to your career to analyzing your game, what you can do better.
My game is based on the baseline, and I have to run a lot and be fit. I try to get at the net more and put some aggressivity in the game, but the base is there. So I have to have good footwork. As I said, the last four, five weeks, the fitness was the priority. Now it's paying off.
Czy mi się wydaje, czy Djoko przybyło trochę muskulatury? Ewentualnie mogli mu dać mniejszą koszulkę... :P
Osobiście nie zauważyłem i patrząc teraz na dział Galeria Zdjęciowa, to jak dla mnie wciąż jest podobnym chłystkiem jakim był w wieku 20-21 lat :P
Chociaż latka lecą, to i trochę więcej masy mięśniowej rzeczywiście mogło mu wpaść.
Zgadzam się, wygląda "solidniej". Dzisiaj osiągnął swój 10 półfinał wielkoszlemowy w karierze. ;)
AO - 2 (2008, 2011)
RG - 2 (2007, 2008)
Wimbl - 2 (2007, 2010)
USO - 4 (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
Napastnik Milanu Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to nie tylko wspaniały snajper, ale również człowiek, który przynosi szczęście. Przekonał się o tym tenisista Novak Djokovic. Podczas obozu Milanu w Dubaju, Zlatan uściskał Novaka, co zdaniem oficjalnej strony internetowej klubu z Mediolanu, pomogło Djokovicowi w wyeliminowaniu Rogera Federera [7-6, 7-5, 6-4] z trwającego obecnie Australian Open. Warto dodać, że Novak jest bliskim przyjacielem Ibry, a także ogromnym fanem Milanu.
Teraz już wiadomo dlaczego Djokovic dziś wygrał, nie smućcie się Federaści, w takiej sytuacji Szwajcar nie mógł nic zdziałać :P
:lol:
Ktoś, kto prowadzi stronę internetową Interu, ma niezłe poczucie humoru. ;-)
To jest info z oficjalnej strony Milanu ;)
Aj, no tak, sorry. ;-)
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Djokovic masterpiece too much for Federer
Novak Djokovic turns in a brilliant performance to oust Roger Federer in straight sets on Thursday at the Australian Open. Djokovic awaits either Andy Murray or David Ferrer in the final.
The Federer-Nadal stranglehold on Grand Slam titles is coming to an end.
One day after Rafael Nadal fell to David Ferrer in a quarterfinal shocker at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic took out Roger Federer--also in straight sets--to reach Sunday's title match. Djokovic prevailed 7-6(3), 7-5, 6-4 in exactly three hours to set up a date with either Ferrer or Andy Murray.
Neither man could break serve in a tight opening set. Djokovic survived a tough service game to open the match and fought through another difficult spot at 4-4, while Federer only ran into minor trouble at 2-3. That set the stage for a tiebreaker, which Djokovic dominated seven points to three. The third-ranked Serb seized a mini-break at 1-1, extended the margin to 4-1, and won it with another mini-break when Federer netted a backhand.
Djokovic seemed to take complete control of the match when he broke for a 2-1 lead in the second, but the set proved to be a back-and-forth thriller. Federer won four straight games to build a 4-2 advantage only to see Djokovic end the set on a five-game surge of his own. The second-seeded Swiss failed to serve it out at 5-3 and at 5-5 he could not recover from a 0-40 deficit. Djokovic promptly served out the set at love thanks to four flawless points.
While Federer almost matched his in-form opponent shot for shot throughout the first two sets, his game started to crumble amidst the disappointment of missing two break points at 1-0 in the third. Djokovic battled through a five-deuce game then capitalized on a flurry of Federer errors to break for 2-1. However, just when the defending champion looked out of it at 2-4, he held easily before converting his second break opportunity at 3-4 with a forehand winner.
In the end, though, Federer once again could not sustain any kind of momentum. The world No. 2 gave it right back at 4-4, falling into a 0-40 hole before losing it at 30-40 with another wayward backhand. Djokovic struggled with a pressure-filled service game at 5-4, but he successfully finished off the proceedings after one deuce, clinching the win with an ace followed by a Federer backhand in the net.
"It's one of the best matches I've played in a while," said Djokovic, who was consistently ruthless from the baseline while producing 29 winners during a match to which the statistics do little justice. "I had to take my chances.... If I lost that second set God knows what direction the match goes."
Federer, a four-time champion at Melbourne Park, wrapped up his effort with 35 winners and 44 unforced errors. He fired five aces without double-faulting.
The result assures that someone other than Nadal and Federer will capture a major title for the first time since Juan Martin Del Potro won the U.S. Open in 2009, and only the fourth time since 2004 (Gaston Gaudio '04 French Open, Marat Safin '05 Australian Open, Djokovic '08 Australian Open).
Bizon napisał:
Napastnik Milanu Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to nie tylko wspaniały snajper, ale również człowiek, który przynosi szczęście. Przekonał się o tym tenisista Novak Djokovic. Podczas obozu Milanu w Dubaju, Zlatan uściskał Novaka, co zdaniem oficjalnej strony internetowej klubu z Mediolanu, pomogło Djokovicowi w wyeliminowaniu Rogera Federera [7-6, 7-5, 6-4] z trwającego obecnie Australian Open. Warto dodać, że Novak jest bliskim przyjacielem Ibry, a także ogromnym fanem Milanu.
Teraz już wiadomo dlaczego Djokovic dziś wygrał, nie smućcie się Federaści, w takiej sytuacji Szwajcar nie mógł nic zdziałać :P
Nigdy nie lubiłem Zlatana, teraz do reszty się pogrążył. :P
AO 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w półfinale
Q. I think you served particularly well when you were a little in trouble. Normally, it was your problem sometimes, the second serve. Today you played very well every time, especially the serve.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Overall, it was a great performance. I'm very happy with the way I played. Regarding the serve, yes, I have been serving well under pressure, even though I got a little bit tight and made some double faults in the third set when I was up a break.
That's normal under the circumstances in the late stages of the tournament against Roger. I knew that I had to use my chances. I stayed very calm and focused after losing my serve on 4 3 and managed to re break and then serve it out really well.
It's great and encouraging fact that I can rely on my serve in the important moments that gives you a little bit of the relief and advantage.
Q. Did you think you moved as well as you've moved in this tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I moved great. Actually, I like this surface, and I've been saying that before. Just conditions are very suitable to my game. It's a bit slower and gives me enough time to, you know, have a couple of options in what I want to do with the ball. I can spin it out, flatten it out. I need a little bit more time for my game, and the slower surfaces are more suited to my style of the game, and this is a great court, actually. I like playing on it.
Q. Weather forecast, have you been happy with that? Cooler this year compared to other years.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Cannot complain. Thank God.
Q. You had the very tough Davis Cup final. You were one two down against France. Did that give you a mental strength? You played well in Hopman Cup. Are you just on a roll?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Definitely it was confidence boost, and I was coming, you know, to the preparing for a new season with the Davis Cup title just couple weeks behind me. It was a historical success, and it's something different that we experience on the tennis court. We play for nation, for team. Just one of the nicest moments I ever experienced on the tennis court as a professional ever in my career.
You know, to be able to have that in the back of your mind is a big advantage coming into the season, even though the fact of the matter is that I had a very short off season. But still, I had that motivation and confidence from the big success that we had and playing really well. So I just continued on.
I knew that this two weeks are the most important, this period of the year. This is where I want to play my best tennis and I was setting up my form exactly for this tournament. Paid off.
Q. How did you see the semifinal tomorrow?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Excuse me?
Q. How did you see the semifinal going tomorrow?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's a semifinal of a Grand Slam. Maybe you would put Murray as a slight favorite, but Ferrer has been showing maybe his best tennis on hardcourts lately. I think he won a tournament just before US Open, and now beating Nadal and couple other big players. It's great. He's playing well, so he's going to give his best. Definitely it's going to be interesting to see who is going to prevail.
I'm going to just relax and take some time off. I have two days now, which is always very much needed at this stage of the tournament to recover a little bit and get ready.
Q. Walking in the park?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: A little walk in the park, flowers, botanic gardens.
Q. Now you are in the second Grand Slam final in a row after the US Open. And then is the full cycle for finals with no Roger Federer in finals. You see it like it's an opening, some window, to break the rivalry from Nadal and Federer and other players are getting in?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think on one side it's good for the sport to have more players being able to win against Federer and Nadal. All the credit to them what they have done in last five, six years. They've been very dominant and just a great example of champions.
It was really hard to challenge them, especially in the big events where they play their best tennis. Now these things are changing a little bit, so from that perspective it's good for the sport.
Q. Do you think there's any sense of a changing of the guard, a new era?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, it's maybe early to say that. Roger is still very much motivated to reclaim the first spot in the rankings. He's playing great. Tonight I think I played maybe a better match, but he's still up there and in extraordinary form and he's been winning out of the last five, six tournaments he won five.
You have Nadal on the other hand which has been a very, very dominant player. We are still behind them. You can't say there is a new era coming up. There is more players. More players that are able to win majors, which is good.
Q. Could you say this has been your best match in a long time?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: One of the best. One of the best, definitely.
Q. Which one you consider the best three matches you've played?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, the semifinals as well against Roger here; I don't know, maybe against him again in US Open. There's been a lot of bad matches, obviously. And against Rafa, the one I lost in Madrid is one of the better matches I've played on that surface. Couple years back.
Well, I've been playing my best tennis in this tournament. You know, this is the only Grand Slam I won, and again, this year I've been playing great, losing only a set before finals. That shows that this surface is really suitable to my game.
Q. Was it a tactic of yours to really attack Roger's backhand tonight?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes. I think last time we have played in London, you know, I could not even get into match. He went on top of me and he just was in control of the whole match. I kind of learned from that experiences playing against him so many times in the last two, three years.
I knew what he's expecting me, a very aggressive player who loves coming in and stepping in. I knew that if I want to win this match, I will have to stay positive. And when I have been given the chance, I should use it.
So I wasn't really trying to hit every ball as hard as I can. I tried to, you know, create the point, and then when I have a comfort ball on a forehand, I wanted to step in and hit it. I was more aggressive than I usually am against him.
Q. What would you say is the significant difference between the Novak of 2008 and 2011? Is there one?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there is. I'm three years older and I'm more experienced player on the court. Physically I'm stronger. I definitely feel like that. I was a 20 year old kid hitting as hard as he can with closed eyes and everything was going in back then. It was great. Felt great.
Then I, over the years, I faced some situations that I never faced before, you know, pressure of defending Grand Slams and things like that. You grow up. You get this knowledge and the necessary experience. You know, you just have to accept that as a good school, and move on. That's what I did.
I had my ups and downs throughout these two, three years, but right now I feel like I'm much stronger and more consistent and I know that I'm more stable, mentally and physically. I hope that I can hold onto this for the whole year, because it's important. If you want to stay at the top of the men's tennis you have to play consistently well all the time.
Q. You're blessed with a very strong backup team as well. How important is that keeping your career on an even keel as well?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's crucial. They're not just my coaches, physiotherapists, doctors, they're my friends, lifetime friends. I have the best team in the world. What can I say? I like being around them. It's really important, because you spend more time with them than my brothers and parents and girlfriend and anybody.
So I have to take the best out of it. They're the people I can rely on on and off the court all the time. This is individual sport, and you're on the court and have to do your job. But one wise man told me, It's not the will to win that makes a winner, it's the will to prepare. Basically that's a sentence I keep on telling to myself.
Prepare well. That's what I do well. They've been supporting me in my career throughout already three, four years. Definitely don't want to change them.
Q. Is your girlfriend happy that you spend more time with the coach?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You have to ask her, but I will definitely say probably no. I hope no. (Laughter.)
Q. If it is Andy that you play an Sunday, seems like you guys are rekindling the friendship you had as juniors. You played football. Talk about that.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, he's a great footballer. I've been suffering two loses against him before the tournament in football, and I've been really feeling the negatives of that losses. No, we have been friends for a long time.
Right now, I think we reconnected again and become a bit closer. It's nice to see somebody that you grew up with. We played under 12, under 10, under 14. We grew up together. We basically made a breakthrough to top 100 more or less at the same time. It's nice to see somebody doing well, the person who was your long time friend.
So if I get to meet him in the final, we're both professionals. Of course we haven't played for a very long time, already maybe a year and a half or two. Going to be interesting.
Q. It's been no secret that Ana has a crush on Roger. She always says that Roger is her favorite player to watch.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: She has a crush on Roger?
Q. I think so.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: But you said for sure. Was she sitting in my box?
Q. Yeah. Why was she in your box and supporting you and not...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: A little bit of gossip. You want to hear that. No, Ana is my friend for since we were five. We know each other. She's been practicing here. She had the first round loss unfortunately, and she's been practicing because she goes to the tournament from here, from Melbourne next week. So she used the opportunity to come to the matches. She will come to the final. Great to see her there in the box. Great to have her support.
But I'm not going to answer the other question, because I really don't know. You have to ask her.
Q. Will it make you feel more comfortable, relaxed, that in the final there will be no Rafa and no Roger on the other side of the court?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, not really. Because there is Murray and Ferrer, two players that have been on top of the men's tennis for couple years already. Doesn't really matter.
I try not to analyze that too much. It's a finals of a Grand Slam, and it's really unpredictable what's happening in that match. Everybody will give the maximum effort to win the title.
I'm sure both of those guys never won a Grand Slam title, and they will have big, big motivation and energy and desire to win it.
So there is no favorites. I expect a good match.
Q. You said you had nothing to lose today. Now you have everything to lose in the final.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, still not. Nothing, really. Already finals is a great result, great achievement. I want to win it again. I believe I can. Hopefully I can pull up the best tennis.
Djoković w finale turnieju WS po raz 4!
23-letni tenisista z Belgradu jutro stanie przed szansą na odzyskanie, wywalczonego przed 3 laty, tytułu Mistrza Australian Open. Dla Djokovicia będzie to 2 finał w Melbourne Park i 4 w karierze. Bilans dotychczasowych 3 potyczek niekorzystny: 1-2.
2007 US Open - 67 67 46 z Rogerem Federerem
2008 Australian Open - 46 64 63 76 z Jo-Wilfriedem Tsongą
2010 US Open - 46 75 46 26 z Rafaelem Nadalem
2011 Australian Open - ?
#19) Australian Open 2011 
R128 Marcel Granollers 6/1 6/3 6/1
R64 Ivan Dodig 7/5 6/7 6/0 6/2
R32 Viktor Troicki 6/2 ret.
R16 Nicolas Almagro 6/3 6/4 6/0
1/4 Tomas Berdych 6/1 7/6 6/1
1/2 Roger Federer 7/6 7/5 6/4
W Andy Murray 6/4 6/2 6/3
2 szlem Djokovicia, zarówno teraz jak i w 2008 roku znakomicie wynagrodził sobie finałowe porażki w US Open pół roku wcześniej. :D
19 tytuł, "20" coraz bliżej. ;)
AO 2011: Wywiad po zwycięstwie w finale
Q. Do you think you could play any better than this? Is it a perfect match that you expected, that you dream of, or not?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: This was a great match. From the start to the last point, I did what I intended of doing tactically, what I talked with my coach, what I prepared for. Physically I was very fit. I had two days between the semifinals and finals match, which was important at this stage of the tournament.
Because I was aware of the fact that I am going to yeah, bring it to me. (Laughter.) That will have long rallies and I will have a player who doesn't miss a lot, a very talented player who is one of the best returners in the game.
And, yeah, you know, I had to step in. That was the key. When I had the chance to step in and try to move him around the court, that's what I did. Probably the turning point was the last game of the first set where we had some incredible exchange from the baseline, long rallies, and some passing shots that turned the match around.
You know, when you have a set advantage, it's much different, you know, instead of getting into the match.
Q. Is there a sense sometimes when you do feel a bit indestructible? Whatever he can do, you have an answer for it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think of myself in that way. I just try in those moments to maintain the good feeling on the court and feeling comfortable. Yes, in some ways I felt today that I could get any ball and I could make a fast transition from being defensive to being offensive.
I used the serve in crucial moments quite good. I was opening the court, serving wide, so I can have the other part of the court open for a winner. I was patient when I needed to be. You know, I was changing a lot of rhythm, changing pace, because I know that he likes more pace. He likes to be the one who is going to control the match. I didn't want to allow that.
Yeah, to be able to win in straight sets against a player like Andy Murray in the finals of Grand Slam, it makes my success even bigger.
Q. When you got the match point, your celebration, you didn't do a lot. Was that sort of out of respect for the friendship you've got with him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, in a way, as well. You know, it wasn't easy, of course. I understand how he feels. It's his third final and he didn't get the title. It's a tough one.
But as I said on the court I'll repeat it again I really have big respect for him and his game, because I think he has everything what it takes to become a Grand Slam champion. You know, I'm sure that very soon he will be.
Q. You said he's the best returner.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: One of the best, yeah.
Q. In the first two sets he made only six points on your serve. How do you explain? You were serving very well or he wasn't returning that well?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think I was extremely well serving. I was just trying to place my serves well. And the first shot after the serve in the rally was important. It was important for me to start off the point and having the aggressive role in that points. That's what I did.
As I said, you know, that was kind of a tactic, you know, to try to open up the court more, spread him out, and then get to the net.
Q. It's been three years between getting one of those. Do you feel like now that you're older and more experienced, it won't be as long the next time?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I feel like more experienced player. I feel a better player now than I was three years ago, because I think that physically I'm stronger, I'm faster, mentally I'm more motivated on the court. I know how to react in certain moments, and I know how to play on a big stage.
It's the best way that I could ask for to start a season.
Q. Especially beating Roger and Andy, two good players?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I said, both of those guys play their best tennis on the hard courts, as well as I do. But to be able to win against those players in straight sets is incredible.
Q. How did you fix your serve?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, hitting thousands and thousands of balls on the practice. It's all about hard work and patience, I guess, dedication to the hard work which in the end pays off. That's the situation. There is no secrets.
Of course, I was aware of what I do wrong. But once it gets into your head, it's really hard to get it out of your habit. Everybody was, you know, criticizing me, Why did I change my serve? I didn't change it intentionally. It just came like that.
I worked hard the last 10 months, and now it's back.
Q. You took a tough loss here last year, Roland Garros obviously, and then even Wimbledon. Did something happen in between Wimbledon and the hard courts where you regained confidence?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Something switched in my head, because I am very emotional on and off the court. I show my emotions. This is the way I am. Everybody's different.
The things off court were not working for me, you know. It reflected on my game, on my professional tennis career. But then, you know, I settled some things in my head. It was all on me. You know, I had to try to find the best possible solution and try to get back on the right track. That's what I did.
Q. Can you talk about some of those secrets that you discovered about yourself that helped you get back on track?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I said, you know, something switched in my head. It's been a big mental struggle, because I was trying to separate my, of course, professional life from my more private life.
But, you know, if somebody's emotional we're all humans. It's not possible. If something isn't working off court, then it's going to reflect on the court. I managed to solve that problems.
This is all part of life. Of course, everybody's facing difficult situations in their lives. To overcome the crisis and to stand up and try to still dedicate yourself to the sport was a big success for me as a person.
Q. But professionally for a time you were using two separate coaches.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.
Q. From outsiders looking in, you seemed to be confused. You were getting two different messages.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it's not working, you know. I've tried. But with all due respect to Todd Martin, which I think he was a great player, he's a great coach, but it just didn't work. You know, it's really hard to compensate and have two coaches traveling with you. I tried.
Of course, I tried a lot of things. And if you don't try, you don't know. Now I know that it's not working.
Of course, Marian Vajda will always be a part of my team. He's just more than a coach. My physio, Miljan Amanovic, my fitness coach, all of these guys, put incredible effort into my development, into my improvement on the court, off the court. I owe them a lot definitely. It's them who deserve a lot of credit, as well.
Q. You said you were sure Andy would win one one day. What makes you sure?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I just said. He's, first of all, a very talented player and he's a hard worker. He's been in finals three times, and he just needs to make that final step.
Of course, it's not easy. You could see his struggle and frustrations tonight, because he felt his chances to win a first Grand Slam trophy tonight.
But, you know, it's a learning process, I guess. It wasn't easy for me, as well. I know how he feels. I'm sure that he knows how he feels the best. He's still young. I'm sure he's gonna have more chances to win it, so...
Q. Three sets to Federer and three sets to Murray. How different were you feeling against Federer and Murray? When you were more worried?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You're always worried, the semifinals and finals of Grand Slam. You have your own worries and little pressure and expectations and things that you feel during the match.
But, you know, you work hard to be mentally prepared for these moments and physically fit to overcome the long five setters. You know, both of those matches were different, because I played against two different types of players.
You know, I take always one match at a time. I try not to look who I'm going to play, you know, in the later stages of the tournament, even though maybe as a top player I'm expected to.
But, you know, it's always been like that. I always try to take one match at a time.
Q. You know him very well obviously. You talked about the way he plays the game. When playing against him, what's your number one imperative to impose your style of play onto his?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, first of all, we haven't played for a long time because we were 3 and 4 in the world. Most of the times we were in different parts of the draws. It's strange that we haven't played for a long time, because we were making it to the later stages of all the tournaments, most of the times.
But, you know, of course, we had Roger and Rafa who were very dominant in men's tennis. You know, last two, three times he won on the hard courts. But since then we both improved a lot. Of course, I was analyzing his game, trying to implement some things what I intended to with my coach tactically, and I did it really well.
I get into the match aware of the fact that he is going to give me a lot of balls back in the court and we going to have a lot of long rallies, so I need to be patient in some ways. Yet again, if I get a short ball, I need to attack. That's more or less it.
Q. You have so much in common. What's the difference between having two Grand Slams and not having one? What's the difference between you, do you feel?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's hard to say. What do you mean?
Q. Do you feel for him it's a mental issue in the big matches? You looked very confident and strong out there tonight.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it is in some ways a mental issue when you are facing a situation, playing the finals of a Grand Slam, being so close to winning a title. Every time you get it there, you know, you want to win it badly, but some things go wrong. You're thinking too much. You're worrying too much in your head. It's a mental battle, definitely. Bottom line is that this is a very mental sport in the end. Everybody is very fit.
I think tennis has improved so much in the last couple of years. It's incredible. To compare the tennis from 2007, '8, to the tennis of 2010, '11, I have the feeling the ball is traveling much faster, they're big hitters, big servers.
So in order to keep up, you have to be always dedicated professional and consistent with your success.
Q. You got your game to this level against the best players. Do you have the sense you need to make the most of it and win the big tournaments now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's the best possible start of the season, very short off season, but I was building up my confidence, and taking the Davis Cup title, taking that confidence into the preparation for Australian Open.
And, of course, during this tournament I was feeling great on the court. The Davis Cup win may have a big role in my great performance here in this tournament. After we won Davis Cup title I was feeling great on the court, just eager to compete.
Q. There are a few people saying now that because Rafa and Roger went out before the final, the tide is turning, a changing of the guards, so to speak. Do you feel that's the case?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Still Rafa and Roger are the two best players in the world. No question about that. You can't compare my success and Murray's success to their success. They're the two most dominant players in the game for a while. All the credit to them.
It's nice to see that there are some new players in the later stages of Grand Slams fighting for a title. That's all I can say.
Q. Some of your footwork was outstanding. At the end when you took your shoes off to throw them into the crowd, you took out the insoles. Do you have to have special insoles?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. That's the secret to my footwork. You got me there (smiling).
Q. The Davis Cup win and now this, the last two months, has this been the best period in your life so far?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: On the tennis court, yes. Yeah, Davis Cup title and another Grand Slam title. I'm living the dream of a tennis player, definitely.
Q. Are you more focused than ever on your game?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I'm very focused. Yes, I have been more focused and dedicated to the sport than I have ever been before.
Q. How will you celebrate tonight? Is it going to be a big night, do you think?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, after winning a Grand Slam title, what do you think? Of course celebrations are part of the success.
Q. There are only two players but Nadal and Federer that have won two slams, you and Hewitt. Hewitt when he did it, he stopped. What do you expect from yourself, to win many?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't want to stop here. Definitely I want to keep my body healthy, fit, and ready for some more challenges to come. I feel that I have a good game for all the surfaces. I have proven that in the past.
Q. Which ones?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Hard court. Hard court is my favorite surface. Two finals in US Open and two finals here. It's obvious; results are showing everything.
But, still, I feel I can do well at French Open and Wimbledon.
Q. You've driven yourself to the point of exhaustion, overplaying, in previous seasons. How do you avoid doing that again this year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think you're getting wiser by the time of being a part of this sport. You are more aware of the things that you should do and not do. I was spending too much energy on the things I shouldn't spend on.
I mean, it's school, a learning process. That's why I have a big team around me of people who are organizing my time and making me feel a bit released and making me perform the best that I can on the court.
Q. Are you going to play doubles with Andy on the court?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We talked about it, yeah. I don't want to ask him anything now, obviously. But when the time passes, I will ask him. So we will see.
Revised Djokovic serve turned a winning game world-class
Novak Djokovic credits his beefed-up serving and a change in mental attitude for leading him to a second Australian Open title after crushing Andy Murray in straight sets.
"A Davis Cup title and another Grand Slam title - I'm living the dream of a tennis player, definitely," said the 23-year-old who also won in Melbourne three years ago. "I more focused and dedicated to the sport than I have ever been."
Djokovic says that over the early course of 2010, something twigged in his mind which led to more hard work on his game. "Something switched in my head, because I am very emotional on and off the court. I show my emotions. This is the way I am.
"Things off court were not working for me, that reflected on my game, on my professional tennis career. But then I settled some things in my head. I had to try to find the best possible solution and try to get back on the right track. That's what I did."
One major task he set about was a re-work of his serve. "I was hitting thousands and thousands of balls on the practise. It's all about hard work and patience. Dedication to the hard work pays off in the end. That's the situation, there is no secrets."
DJOKOVIC HUNGRY FOR MORE MAJOR TITLES
Novak Djokovic has a 2-2 record
in Grand Slam championship finals.
Novak Djokovic, who won his first Grand Slam championship title in three years on Sunday, insisted he can now go on and lift further major trophies after beating Andy Murray for his second Australian Open title.
"I am more focused and dedicated to the sport than I have ever been before," said Djokovic. "I'm living the dream of a tennis player ... I don't want to stop here. Definitely I want to keep my body healthy, fit, and ready for some more challenges to come. I feel that I have a good game for all the surfaces.
"Still Rafa [Nadal] and Roger [Federer] are the two best players in the world. No question about that. [But] it's nice to see that there are some new players in the later stages of Grand Slams fighting for a title. That's all I can say."
Djokovic, who beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for his first major title at the Australian Open in 2008, believes he is a better player now that his initial Grand Slam success.
The 23-year-old Serbian admitted: "I feel like a more experienced player. I feel a better player now than I was three years ago, because I think that physically I'm stronger, I'm faster, mentally I'm more motivated on the court. I know how to react in certain moments, and I know how to play on a big stage.
"It's the best possible start of the season, very short off season, but I was building up my confidence, and taking the Davis Cup title, taking that confidence into the preparation for Australian Open. The Davis Cup win may have a big role in my great performance here in this tournament. After we won Davis Cup title I was feeling great on the court, just eager to compete."
This time last year there were question marks over his service motion, but since reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals (l. to Berdych) in July, Djokovic has grown in confidence.
"It's been a big mental struggle, because I was trying to separate my professional life from my more private life. [But] it's all about hard work and patience, I guess. There is no secrets. Of course, I was aware of what I do wrong. But once it gets into your head, it's really hard to get it out of your habit. I worked hard the last 10 months, and now it's back."
Djokovic believes Murray, a former junior rival, is capable of lifting a Grand Slam trophy.
"He's, first of all, a very talented player and he's a hard worker. He's been in finals three times, and he just needs to make that final step. Of course, it's not easy. You could see his struggle and frustrations. But it's a learning process. It wasn't easy for me, as well. I know how he feels. He's still young. I'm sure he's going to have more chances to win it.
But Djokovic warned the strength in depth in men's tennis has improved a lot in recent years, so it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain success. "I think tennis has improved so much in the last couple of years," he said.
"It's incredible. To compare the tennis from 2007, 2008, to the tennis of 2010, 2011, I have the feeling the ball is travelling much faster, they're big hitters, big servers. So in order to keep up, you have to be always dedicated professional and consistent with your success."
Novak Djokovic zrozumiał, że w życiu liczy się nie tylko karaoke
Ukształtowała go wojna, występował w pokazach mody, parodiował kolegów. Teraz Serb dojrzał i po rz drugi w karierze wygrał Australian Open. Kiedy kilka lata temu awansował do pierwszej dwudziestki rankingu ATP, jego ojciec Srdjan zadzwonił do niego z gratulacjami. - Daj spokój, na razie nie ma powodu. Dwudziesty czy osiemdziesiąty siódmy - to dla mnie bez różnicy. Pogratulujesz mi, jak będę numerem jeden - odparł wtedy Djokovic.
I wszystko wskazuje na to, że w wieku 23 lat wreszcie do tego dojrzał, choć nie był to przecież jego pierwszy triumf w Australian Open (poprzednio w 2008 r.) ani pierwsze zwycięstwa nad Rogerem Federerem czy Andym Murrayem. Chodzi o styl, w jakim tego dokonał. "Niszczyciel", "Dominator" - tak pisała o nim prasa na całym świecie.
- Z całym szacunkiem dla innych, ale to Djoković jest najlepszym sportowcem w historii naszego kraju - mówi jego rodak, trzecia rakieta Serbii Janko Tipsarević.
Mocne słowa, biorąc pod uwagę, że obaj pochodzą z miejsca, gdzie gwiazdy sportu rodzą się niemal na kamieniu. Dosłownie i w przenośni, bo trzeba pamiętać o wszystkich politycznych problemach dawnej Jugosławii. Wojnie, zniszczeniach, kryzysie. Rodaczka Djokovicia Ana Ivanović (były nr 1 kobiecego tenisa) musiała swojego czasu trenować w… pustym basenie, bo w okolicy jej rodzinnego domu nie było ani jednego czynnego kortu.
Novak też miał pod górkę. Miał 12 lat, gdy rodzice zawieźli go do Niemiec do słynnej akademii Nikiego Pilicia. Z dala od domu wytrzymał jednak tylko dwa lata. Gdy wrócił do Belgradu, zaczynały się właśnie naloty NATO (trwała wojna o Kosowo). - Pierwszych kilkanaście dni spędziliśmy w domu, bo baliśmy się bombardowań - wspominał po latach Srdjan Djoković. - Później doszliśmy jednak do wniosku, że nie spędzimy reszty życia w schronie. Novak wrócił na kort i nie opuścił ani jednego treningu, choć przecież widząc w gazetach nazwiska naszych znajomych i przyjaciół, którzy zginęli, na pewno się bał - dodaje Djoković senior, którego zdaniem wojenne doświadczenia ukształtowały charakter jego syna. - Właśnie dlatego Novak nie boi się niczego - twierdzi.
Być może stąd brały się również zwariowane pomysły Djokovicia. "Joker", "Człowiek o dwóch twarzach", "Mistrz o duszy klauna" - tak mówiono o nim jeszcze niedawno. Nie bez powodu, bo tak jak z kamienną twarzą demolował na korcie kolejnych rywali, tak po zejściu z niego zmieniał się w niepoprawnego żartownisia. W 2007 r. podczas turnieju w Montrealu dokonał rzeczy niezwykłej, pokonując kolejno trzech najwyżej sklasyfikowanych w światowym rankingu graczy. W ćwierćfinale Amerykanina Andy'ego Roddicka (nr 3). W półfinale Hiszpana Rafaela Nadala (nr 2). W finale Federera (nr 1). W międzyczasie natomiast… zabawiał kibiców i kolegów po fachu, paradując w samych slipach podczas towarzyszącego imprezie pokazu mody.
- Razem ze mną na wybiegu miał pojawić się Marcos Baghdatis, ale w ostatniej chwili stchórzył - śmiał się później Djoković. - Wielka mi rzecz, wybieg dla modelek. Kiedy Chorwat Goran Ivanisević wygrał w 2001 r. Wimbledon, przeszedł w majtkach przez cały Split. Ja na jego miejscu przespacerowałbym się nago po Belgradzie - dodał. I można mu wierzyć, jeśli się pamięta inne jego popisy.
Choćby te z rozegranego kilka tygodni później US Open, kiedy po raz pierwszy w karierze doszedł do wielkoszlemowego finału (przegrał w nim z Federerem). Na portalu YouTube do dziś rekordy popularności bije filmik, na którym po wygraniu ćwierćfinału z Hiszpanem Carlosem Moyą rozśmiesza do łez nowojorską publiczność, parodiując Nadala i Marię Szarapową.
Miał być narciarzem albo piłkarzem. Ten pierwszy sport uprawiali jego rodzice, którzy nawet poznali się na stoku. Srdjan był dobrze zapowiadającym się zawodnikiem, a Djordje instruktorką w jednym z ośrodków w Górach Dynarskich. Tata Djoković zajął się później kopaniem piłki, ale tu również nie zrobił kariery.
I jak to często bywa, przelał swoje ambicje na syna. Traf chciał jednak, że niedaleko ich rodzinnego domu znajdował się stary kort tenisowy. Pewnego dnia 4-letni Novak przeszedł na drugą stronę ulicy. Chwycił rakietę i... już nie chciał jej wypuścić. Szybko okazało się również, że ma ogromny talent.
- Od pierwszego dnia czułem, że daleko zajdzie. Błyskawicznie się uczył, był pracowity i dokładnie wiedział, czego chce - wspomina Niki Pilić. - Po jednym z treningów zapytałem go, czy nie mógłby się trochę wyluzować, bo zawsze ma na korcie taką zaciętą minę. Odpowiedział: "Nie chcę zmarnować sobie kariery. Nie odniosę sukcesu, jeśli nie poświęcę się całkowicie temu, co robię".
Podobnie zapamiętała Djokovicia jego pierwsza trenerka Jelena Gencić (była jugosłowiańska tenisistka). Spotkali się na wakacyjnym obozie, który prowadziła. - Zobaczyłam sześcioletniego szkraba taszczącego wielką tenisową torbę. Zapytałam, kto go tak spakował. Powiedział, że on sam. A na pytanie, kim będzie, kiedy urośnie, odpowiedział, że numerem jeden na świecie - wspomina Gencić, która usłyszała taką deklarację z ust dziecka po raz drugi w życiu. Pierwsza była Monica Seles (w latach 90. nr 1 kobiecego tenisa).
- Jego wygrana w turnieju Wielkiego Szlema to tylko kwestia czasu. Radzi sobie równie dobrze na każdym typie nawierzchni - na ziemi, trawie i betonie. To właśnie on zdetronizuje Federera - mówił o Djokoviciu po US Open 2007 słynny Szwed Björn Borg.
I nie był odosobniony w tej opinii. Zwłaszcza gdy pół roku później Novak wygrał w pięknym stylu Australian Open. Demolując w dodatku w półfinale Federera. Problem w tym, że chyba sam Serb za bardzo wówczas w siebie uwierzył. Kolejne dwa i pół roku to pasmo mniejszych i większych rozczarowań. Niby nadal wygrywał (m.in. Masters Cup w 2008 r., wywalczył też brązowy medal olimpijski w Pekinie). Coraz częściej jednak zdarzały mu się porażki z niżej sklasyfikowanymi rywalami. Nierzadko przegrywał sam ze sobą, poddawał się, nie kończył meczów, tłumacząc się problemami zdrowotnymi.
- Co się z nim dzieje? - zapytałem rok temu w Paryżu znajomego serbskiego dziennikarza po tym, jak po raz drugi z rzędu nie zakwalifikował się do półfinału Roland Garros.
- Za dużo karaoke - rzucił z kwaśną miną. Furorę w internecie robił w tym czasie inny występ Djokovicia, który razem z Viktorem Troickim (rakieta nr 2 w Serbii) sparodiował… Shakirę, nagrywając własną wersję przeboju "Gypsy" (w którym gościnnie wystąpił Nadal).
Wygląda jednak na to, że w końcu zrozumiał, co jest w życiu najważniejsze. Jaskółką lepszych czasów był kolejny finał US Open (przegrany z Nadalem). Jesienią walnie przyczynił się również do pierwszego w historii triumfu Serbii w Pucharze Davisa. A w Melbourne…
- Dorósł, zmężniał. Na korcie walczy do końca i atakuje, a nie tylko czeka na błędy rywala. Prowadzi grę. Po tym, co pokazał w półfinale z Federerem, nie mam już wątpliwości, że dorównał największym gwiazdom opierającym swój tenis na forhendzie i agresywnej grze z głębi kortu. Takich jak Lendl, Connors, Becker czy Agassi - wylicza słynny Wojciech Fibak.
Liderem rankingu ATP jeszcze nie został (nadal jest trzeci, najwyżej był drugi). Nikt nie ma już jednak wątpliwości: Federer i Nadal doczekali się wreszcie godnego siebie rywala.
autor: Hubert Zdankiewicz
Djokovic takes aim at his next tennis goal - Wimbledon
Novak Djokovic is recovering from his second Australian Open title and a celebration in the Melbourne Park locker rooms with his friends and family, marking his second Grand Slam title with Serbian folk songs and cheers.
Djokovic kicked back with his team and even invited Tennis Australia officials to come on in. A few hours later he managed to front up for a day-after photo shoot and took the gloves off as he looks ahead. "This is the moment I reached the peak of my form and play the tennis of my life," he said.
"My lifetime goal is to be No.1 player in the world. I've have been dreaming about that since I was a kid. I have to have the belief in myself and dedication to the sport to do this."
The world No. 3, with just a handful of computer points separating him from Roger Federer, laid down his next marker: "My other goal is to win other Grand Slams. The most prestigious, and the one that motivated me to become a tennis player, is Wimbledon."
With Federer and Rafael Nadal not figuring in the final weekend at Melbourne Park, Djokovic's straight-sets win over Andy Murray puts the Serb close to expanding the longtime top two players into a top three group. Nadal now has pressure building with the clay season only a few months away and title defenses looming at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Wimbledon - Djokovic targets Wimbledon title
World number three Novak Djokovic has set his sights on winning a maiden Wimbledon title and has committed to playing at the Queen's Club in preparation.
The Serb beat Andy Murray in the Australian Open final for his second Grand Slam triumph and has quickly turned his thoughts to winning on grass.
"Wimbledon is the most important tournament of the year for me," the 23-year-old, who has twice reached the semi-finals at the All England Club, told the BBC.
"The Queen's Club has got great grass courts, it's a great atmosphere with always a packed house of spectators, and you just feel good there.
"Rafa (Nadal) and I had an incredible match in the Queen's final in 2008 and it was the closest I ever got to a grass-court title.
"I really want to do well at Queen's and Wimbledon this year."
Djokovic will once again be joined at Queen's by Nadal, the Spaniard also confirming his presence as he prepares to defend his Wimbledon title.
The AEGON Championship takes place at Queen's from June 6-12 while Wimbledon begins a week later on June 20.
http://eurosport.yahoo.com/03022011/58/ … title.html
Zaczyna się robić poważnie. :o
DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
DJOKOVIC BACK TO FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS IN DUBAI
Novak Djokovic is bidding to win a third straight Dubai title this week.
World No. 3 Novak Djokovic wants to continue his run of form at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships by lifting his third straight title at The Aviation Club. The two-time major champion has been drawn to meet France's Michael Llodra in the first round.
"Coming back to Dubai is a pleasure again," said Djokovic on Sunday. "I love coming here and feel good playing and practising at the tournament. I'm quite fresh and I look forward to the challenges. It's important to do well here in order to keep up the good rhythm."
Since winning his second Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open (d. Murray), Djokovic has been relaxing in Monaco.
"I spent time relaxing, taking it easy, going to the beach and nice walks around the Cote d'Azur. I get to really rest in Monaco as the people don't bother you too much. I miss a lot of things about Serbia, the food, my family and friends. Belgrade has so much to offer for young people. In this moment, I prefer to live elsewhere."
Last year, Djokovic reached the Wimbledon semi-finals (l. to Berdych), the US Open final (l. to Nadal) and helped Serbia clinch the Davis Cup title (d. France). The 23 year old is wary of pacing himself and scheduling his tournaments this year.
"Starting from the Wimbledon semi-finals, where I played the game that I felt good with, it has been uphill," he said.
"If I want to stay near the top, I cannot have any more big ups and downs especially at the Grand Slams. That's how I got to No. 3 and once to No. 2. We [my team and I] have made our schedule in advance to prioritise the major events, so not to expend excess energy.
"I played the best tennis of my life in Australia, besides the Davis Cup. I'm hoping to continue to rise to the occasion on the big stage. Since winning the Australian Open in 2008, I've learned a lot about pressure and expectations. I'm more mature now and I hope to keep doing well.
When asked whether he could rise to No. 1 in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings this year, the Serbian said it would be tricky. "[Roger] Federer and [Rafael] Nadal are the best in the world and they keep winning Grand Slams. It's tough to get to number one past them, but I'm working at it.
"My priority is the major events this season. Winning Australia again was a big relief. It showed me that I have reason to believe I can do it again. I have the ability to beat any of the leading guys."
Djokovic also revealed he will be playing doubles with Andy Murray at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami next month.
Nole zagra ze swoim bratem, Marko, w turnieju deblowym w Dubaju. Wystąpią dzięki dzikiej karcie przyznanej im przez organizatorów turnieju. W 1r. zmierzą się z rozstawionymi z nr. 1 Maheshem Bhupathim i Leanderem Paesem, tak więc szanse na wygraną są raczej marne. ;-)
Djokovic pływał z delfinami przed meczem
Dzień przed pierwszym występem serbski tenisista pływał w oceanarium z delfinami.
Miejscowa prasa od kilku dni stale rozpisuje się na temat Djokovica, zapowiadając, że "ustrzeli tu hat-trick", bowiem wygrywał tę imprezę w ostatnich dwóch sezonach. Po styczniowym triumfie w wielkoszlemowym Australian Open na pewno czuje się pewnie i ma spore oczekiwania, a także wsparcie sympatycznych morskich ssaków z Atlantis Dolphin Bay, noszących imiona: Blade, Cathy, Sola, Alice i Abby.
- To niesamowite przeżycie i doświadczenie na całe życie. Delfiny są takie przyjazne i dopuszczają ludzi tak blisko siebie. Myślę nawet, że mnie polubiły i będą za mnie trzymać płetwy przez cały tydzień. Bardzo lubię grać
w Dubaju, bo dobrze się tu czuję. To chyba potwierdzają moje dwa ostatnie zwycięstwa tutaj - powiedział tenisista z Belgradu, któremu w Zjednoczonych Emiratach Arabskich towarzyszy narzeczona Jelena Ristic.
Jej pojawienie się u boku Serba przecięło spekulacje prasy brukowej na temat tego związku. W styczniu rozbudziła je nieobecność modelki
na kortach w Melbourne Park, a także regularne wizyty w boksie dla najbliższych serbskiej tenisistki Any Ivanovic, byłej liderki rankingu WTA Tour. Okazało się jednak, że to tylko przyjaźń, która zawiązała się na początku roku w Perth, gdzie razem wystąpili w Pucharze Hopmana, nieoficjalnych mistrzostwach świata drużyn mieszanych.
Oprócz Ristic, w pływackich zabawach z delfinami w oceanarium towarzyszył Djokovicowi jego młodszy brat, 19-letni Marko, z którym wystąpi w Dubaju w grze podwójnej. Nie mieli jednak szczęścia w losowaniu, bowiem w pierwszej rundzie zmierzą się we wtorek wieczorem z najwyżej rozstawionym deblem z Indii - Mahesh Bhupathi i Leander Paes, finalistami tegorocznego Australian Open.
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, bo tak brzmi pełna nazwa turnieju rozgrywanego w tym tygodniu, odbywa się pod patronatem szejka Mohammeda bin Rashida Al Maktouma, wiceprezydenta i zarazem premiera Zjednoczonych Emiratów Arabskich. Oprócz trzeciego w rankingu ATP World Tour Serba wystąpi w nim również m.in. wicelider klasyfikacji Szwajcar Roger Federer czy debel Mariusz Fyrstenberg i Marcin Matkowski. We wtorek Polacy, rozstawieni z dwójką, zagrają w pierwszej rundzie z Francuzem Jeremym Chardym i Hiszpanem Feliciano Lopezem
#20) Dubai 2011
R32 Llodra 6/3 6/3
R16 F.Lopez 6/3 2/6 6/4
1/4 F.Mayer 7/5 6/1
1/2 Berdych 6/7 6/2 4/2 ret.
F Federer 6/3 6/3
Djokovic dreams of US breakthrough after more Dubai success
A third straight title at the Dubai Championships has Novak Djokovic dreaming of breakthrough success on American hardcourts when the ATP focus shifts to the Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000 events next month.
"It's really important to know for me that I can perform this well," said the Serb after defeating Roger Federer 6-3, 6-3 to claim a third consecutive trophy at the Aviation club. "This match has probably been one of the best that I played this year. I want to keep it up, definitely."
"I feel physically well, fit, and mentally motivated to do even more coming up to Indian Wells and Miami where I haven't done well in the last years. So I really want to work hard and get some good results in the US."
But he also does not want to get too far ahead of himself after following up his Australian Open semi-final win over Federer from a month ago. "I want to take one tournament at a time. I've been talking about my goals too many times in the past years, and right now I just want to be playing consistently well. That's all I want."
But Djokovic may still be pondering his participation in the Serbian Davis Cup title defence next weekend. "That's a question mark now. I'm still absorbing this victory. I will decide in the next two days."
Djokovic finally coming of age
Novak Djokovic As things stand, there's no longer a top two in the world - it's definitely a top three.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have dominated the men's game for the past few years, but Novak Djokovic has now joined them at the top.
In fact, on current form alone, Djokovic is right at the very top of that top three.
It's the most exciting time in men's tennis for a number of years, as there are now three absolutely outstanding players in the mix.
While Roger still isn't the player he was three years ago, he's much better than he was at the start of last year. His form is back on the up. Rafa, on the other hand, has been the dominant player in men's tennis for two years now, but how fit is he?
Djokovic is playing the best tennis of his life, and looks virtually unbeatable at the moment. Get him on the clay, and that's probably going to change, but at the moment he's the best player in the world.
And that's a credit to him, because a lot of people still aren't mad about the guy. He's often thought of as a bit of a whinger and a show-pony - and I think he has been both of those things before - but there's a maturity about him now, and the way he's transformed his tennis over the last three or four months has been nothing short of spectacular.
Winning the Davis Cup with Serbia was probably the catalyst for him. It gave him a sense of responsibility. He was always heading in the right direction, but that win really meant a lot to him and it was no surprise that he was still wearing some of his Davis Cup kit around the Australian Open.
Novak's serve has been key to his improvement, and his movement has got a lot better, but his leap in ability is more than just a consequence of technical development.
He has found the maturity to accept when he's not playing at the peak of his powers, and can now work out a way to win those matches.
He seems less emotional now, with a much-ability to concentrate on what he needs to do to win.
Before, he was always a bit too vulnerable mentally - we've seen him pull out of matches injured rather too often in the past.
I suspect those days are over.
Djokovic's ascent leaves Andy Murray in a tricky position, unfortunately.
Andy and Novak are good friends, and in many ways their careers have been parallel for a number of years.
I've said before that, if Roger and Rafa occupied the upper echelon of the sport, then Andy and Djokovic were alone together on the next rung down.
However, now that Novak's put on a spurt, it's up to Murray to catch him.
Can he breach the gap? Right now, Andy will have to make do with heading the group of players behind the top three.
It's definitely going to be difficult for anyone outside the top three to win a Grand Slam. Roger's looking better, Djokovic is playing sensational tennis and, if Rafa's fit, it'll be a nightmare for everyone else! Even if you get a bit of luck with the draw, you're probably still going to have to beat two of those guys.
Form is a temporary thing, so maybe Djokovic will run out of steam, but the way things are going you have to say that he'll be up there as a joint favourite with Rafa and Roger to pick up another Slam this year.
Wzmocnione ramię Novaka Djokovicia
Numer 1 na świecie, były lub aktualny, nie oznacza stałej przepustki do sukcesu. Novak Djoković pobił w finale w Dubaju Rogera Federera 6:3, 6:3, Wiera Zwonariowa wygrała z Karoliną Woźniacką w Dausze 6:4, 6:4.
Djoković jeszcze nie przegrał meczu w 2011 roku. Grał dwanaście razy w dwóch turniejach: Australian Open i w Dubaju. Wrażenie robi nie tylko to, że dwa razy pokonał Federera, ale jak to zrobił. W niedzielę w Emiratach Arabskich dał Szwajcarowi lekcję koncentracji i konsekwencji.
– Jestem innym tenisistą, niż rok temu – mówił Serb po zwycięstwie w Dubaju. Głowna różnica? – Serwis, wreszcie mogę zarobić kilka łatwych punktów, to w wielu meczach jest bardzo ważne – tłumaczył.
Federerowi trudniej było wyjaśnić swe słabości, mówił raczej o świetnej formie rywala i tempie jego gry. — Czasem sprawy toczą się za szybko, ja chyba zgubiłem ten mecz w pośpiechu – twierdził.
Rywalizacja numeru 2 na świecie (Federer) z numerem 3 (Djoković) nie oznacza w poniedziałek rankingowej zmiany miejsc, ale Serb się zbliża. Bilans spotkań ze Szwajcarem ma jeszcze ujemny (8-13), ale od kilku miesięcy stale go poprawia.
Djokovic credits mind games
Novak Djokovic, who has already won two titles this season including the Australian Open, credits an improved mental approach to the game for his sizzling start to the year.
"I always felt physically prepared and strong on the court over the last two-and-a-half years," the in-form Serb said while preparing for his first match at the Indian Wells ATP tournament.
"But I wasn't managing to kind of play well when I needed to in the later stages of the Grand Slams. I had a lot of ups and downs. I was playing well and then just kind of dropped the form and just wasn't stable enough mentally.
"Right now I feel that the confidence is there, no question about it. Mentally, I'm a stronger player and more experienced, and obviously it all comes with that."
Djokovic has been the dominant figure in the men's game this year, crushing Andy Murray 6-4 6-2 6-3 to claim his second Australian Open title in late January and then outplaying Federer 6-3 6-3 to win last month's Dubai championships.
Helped also by a much improved serve, the Serb has signalled he is a genuine third force at the top of men's tennis - along with Federer and world number one Rafa Nadal.
Djokovic could replace Federer as world number two after the Indian Wells tournament but he believes his own ranking, at three, is justified based on overall grand slam totals.
"Roger and Rafa are still the best two players in the world and still the most dominant players," the 23-year-old said. "We are all trying to challenge them. That's the whole thing.
"I know I have won a grand slam and I haven't lost this year but they're still number one and two and they have many, many more Majors than I have or any other player on the tour.
"So you've got to give them credit for that. But maybe the dominance of Roger and Rafa on the tour is not as high as it was maybe up to two years ago."
Asked how much value he placed on reaching the top of the rankings, Djokovic replied: "I have been dreaming about it all my life.
"Maybe one day I will have an opportunity to have a shot at number one of the world. I'm still quite young. I'm 24 this year and I hope (I have) many more years to come playing on the tour.
"In order to have a shot at the number one of the world, I will have to win grand slams, and especially if I have Roger and Rafa and Murray as my main rivals."
Asked if he enjoyed hearing people say that he was the player to beat at Indian Wells based on his red-hot 12-0 record this year, he replied with a smile: "I like to hear that."
Djokovic, champion here in 2008, is scheduled to play either Germany's Florian Mayer or Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan in the second round on Sunday.
#21 Indian Wells 2011
R128 Bye
R64 Andrey Golubev (KAZ) 6-0 6-4
R32 Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 6-0 6-1
R16 Viktor Troicki (SRB) 6-0 6-1
Q Richard Gasquet (FRA) 6-2 6-4
S Roger Federer (SUI) 6-3 3-6 6-2
W Rafael Nadal (ESP) 4-6 6-3 6-2
To już 6 tytuł Masters1000, który powędrował na konto Novaka Djokovicia. Serb ma znakomity bilans gier w tym roku: 18-0:
Australian Open (7)
Dubaj (5)
Indian Wells (6)
To lepszy start w nowy rok niż kiedykolwiek mieli Federer czy Sampras. ;)
Unbeatable Djokovic Denies Nadal To Claim Indian Wells Crown
Novak Djokovic just cannot stop winning. The Serb extended his unbeaten run to 20 matches as he came from a set down to defeat World No. 1 Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a gripping finale at the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday.
The 23-year-old Djokovic has not lost a match since falling to Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals last November, leading his country to Davis Cup glory in December before beginning the 2011 season with victories at the Australian Open (d. Murray) and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (d. Federer).
“I don't think anybody is unbeatable. I do have the best period of my life on the tennis court, but nobody is invincible,” he said. “Still you are just trying to play your best in each match you're playing.”
Just three months into the 2011 ATP World Tour season, Djokovic has laid down a strong claim for one of the coveted eight berths at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, to be held at The O2 in London from 20-27 November. He received a further 1000 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points with victory in Indian Wells.
Victory marked Djokovic’s 21st tour-level title and his sixth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown. It is the second time he has tasted glory at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, having previously lifted the trophy in 2008 with victory over Mardy Fish. He also reached the final in 2007, when he came up short against Nadal.
A day earlier, in a semi-final clash that also had the No. 2 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking on the line, Djokovic had defeated Federer, making him the third player to beat Nadal and Federer in the same tournament on two occasions, joining Nikolay Davydenko and David Nalbandian. He first defeated the duo in back-to-back matches at the 2007 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Montreal.
“I am playing with a lot of confidence,” said Djokovic. “I'm feeling the ball well on the court. I'm very dedicated. I have a big will to win each match I'm playing on, so it will not stop here, definitely. I want to keep on going and keep on playing good tennis. Hopefully I can recover and get ready for Miami.”
In a first set filled with punishing baseline rallies and high-quality exchanges, breaks were swapped in the fifth and sixth games before Nadal broke decisively to lead 4-3 as he broke down Djokovic’s backhand to draw the error. He then closed out the one-set lead with a love service game.
Nadal had looked strong on serve, reeling off 16 straight points from 4-3 in the first set to level at 2-2 in the second set. However, inexplicably, he lost all consistency on his first serve and paid the price as Djokovic broke to lead 4-2.
Djokovic too suffered a dip in form from his high standards of the first set, though, and immediately relinquished the advantage. But he regained his lead in the eighth game before closing out the set in a shaky service game, which saw him squander five set points and save a break point before converting his sixth opportunity, leaving the Spaniard to rue a first serve percentage of just 25 per cent.
“It was just the question of momentum,” said Djokovic. “ I managed to hold that very important game at 5-3 and then I was on a roll. I felt that this is the time when I had to use my opportunity and step in and be more aggressive and take it to him, and that's what I did. Again, it was just a couple of points in the end of the second set that kind of turned the match around.”
Nadal failed to regain his rhythm on serve in the third set and quickly fell a double-break behind as Djokovic, brimming with confidence, put his opponent to the sword with ruthless efficiency. He gave Nadal no chance to recover and wrapped up victory with a love service game in two hours and 25 minutes.
It was the first time in six attempts that Djokovic had beaten Nadal in a tour-level final, having fallen to the Spaniard most recently in the US Open championship match.
“The serve was the difference today in my opinion,” said Nadal. “It's true I played with less intensity after the first set, but I think everything is because of the serve. So just congratulate him. I think he did better than possible to start one season. He's playing well. He's in the right place at the right moment, so all the best for him for the rest of the season.”
The 24-year-old Nadal was chasing a 19th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title and a third title in Indian Wells, having previously triumphed in 2007 and 2009 (d. Murray). His progress at the start of the 2011 season has been impeded by illness in Doha followed by an enforced five-week injury lay-off after losing in the Australian Open quarter-finals (l. to Ferrer).
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … Title.aspx
Djokovic Shows Support For Japan
Throughout his run to the BNP Paribas Open final in Indian Wells, Novak Djokovic has shown his support for the victims of the natural disaster that befell Japan nine days ago.
The official death toll currently stands at 8,450 and is expected to rise yet further following the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck the Japanese coast at 14:46 on Friday, 11 March. 12,931 people are still missing.
Writing on his Facebook page the day the disaster struck, Djokovic said, “Big support and prayers to the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. May God be with you.”
During his matches at the first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tennis tournament of the season, the Serbian has annotated the support bandage on his left knee with the words, “Support Japan”. Explaining the gesture, Djokovic said, “This is the least I can do. Obviously the images that we see are devastating and terrible and just we feel for it. We feel for the people there. Any way we can help and any way we can remind people that they are not alone, we are doing it. So it was just a little sign of remembering the people there.”
The 23-year-old Djokovic also joined Rafael Nadal in recording a special video message for the victims on Thursday. In posting the video to his Facebook page, Djokovic again expressed his sympathies, “Big support to good people of Japan. We will do our best to help you to overcome these difficulties, and hopefully start soon the road to recovery.”
Clip of the Week: Novak Plays on Plane
When it comes to tennis racquet commercials, HEAD is ahead of its competitors. Remember the Andy Murray "street tennis" spot? Or Novak Djokovic vs. Tennis Machine? Well, the world's No. 2 player and his racquet maker have outdone themselves again. Check out this commercial featuring Djokovic "dueling" with another player on the wings of an old airplane. Amazing!
HEAD has a series of videos leading up to the moment of take-off. I like the one of him talking about the new commercial. "People were saying, 'Ah, it's all good. Nothing will happen," he says. Then he changes his voice to impersonate the person explaining the commercial. "You're just on the airplane that is taking off, and you will be on its wing outside of the plane playing tennis and trying to be as relaxed as possible with your partner." [back to his regular voice] "Yeah, thank you, that's actually quite convenient. That's actually, uh, something I wanted to hear, y'know? Now it makes me feel better. I'm not scared at all." The commercial, like the other ones, screams, "Is this for real?" I don't care. I will watch it anyway.
—Sarah Thurmond
CAPTAIN DJOKOVIC GIVES HIS VERDICT
Novak Djokovic was the lone defender
for the ATP World Tour AllStars.
According to team captain Novak Djokovic, there’s a strong possibility that the ATP World Tour AllStars would not have leaked four goals against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in Wednesday evening’s football Hope Match for Japan had anyone been willing to defend.
With little time to prepare for the match, hasty tactics were discussed among the players pre-match with one problem fast becoming apparent. Everyone wanted to play upfront.
Speaking to the press on Thursday, Djokovic recounted, “[Marcos] Baghdatis took a pen and paper, and he says, ‘Let's organise. Let's up put up a team and see who can be in what position.’ We gathered around 10 or 15 players, and every single one of them wanted to be on attack. So that was a big issue before the match, how to put up a team of players who can play some defence.
“[So] I said ‘I will be in the defence. I will be left defence.’ The goalie was the French fitness coach. He was okay. He didn't have any defence, so he got a lot of shots on the goal. [Andy] Murray and Baghdatis were in the attack, and they didn't accept anything else except attack. So I said, ‘Okay, you can go ahead.’ And they played well. Our midfield was terrible. We need to work on that.”
Baghdatis was singled out as Man of the Match by Captain Djokovic, with Murray a close second. Both scored in the ATP World Tour AllStars’ 4-2 defeat.
Djokovic was delighted with the success of the event, arranged at such short notice to raise money for the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan, and said he would be keen to organise another match in the future when players such as Roger Federer, who were detained by other commitments, could participate. As long, of course, as someone was willing to play in defence with him.
“It was incredible,” said Djokovic. “We came up with that idea last week in Indian Wells, and I have to thank and congratulate the team of people that organised this event and the dinner last night. In such a short period of time, they managed to organise something that is world class.
“The football event was just fantastic. All the players who were there told me that they felt great, that of course they felt big support and big compassion to the charity and to what's going on in Japan. Of course they all showed their great heart. And, as well, they enjoyed playing football.
“It's interesting for us,” the Serb continued. “It's something else. It's a subject that kind of makes us happy to talk about and gives us ideas for the upcoming couple of months to organise another game somewhere in Europe, maybe with some big team. But we'll have to work, definitely. We'll have to practise. We'll have to see who is going to be a defender. Otherwise I will be alone!”
#22 Miami 2011
R128 Bye
R64 Denis Istomin (UZB) 6-0 6-1
R32 James Blake (USA) 6-2 6-0
R16 Viktor Troicki (SRB) 6-3 6-2
Q Kevin Anderson (RSA) 6-4 6-2
S Mardy Fish (USA) 6-3 6-1
W Rafael Nadal (ESP) 4-6 6-3 7-6(4)
Đoković czeka na Nadala na kortach ziemnych
To sezon perfekcyjny Novaka Đokovicia. Wygrał w Melbourne, Indian Wells i Miami, po trzy razy pokonał Federera i Nadala. - 3,5 godziny na korcie przeciw najlepszemu tenisiście na świecie: to niesamowite osiągnięcie, z którego jestem niezwykle dumny - mówi.Charakterystyczne gesty triumfu Đokovicia (- Jestem bardzo emocjonalny, to część mojego ja, nawet krzyki złości mi pomagają) są już stałym elementem meczów o najważniejsze tytuły w rozgrywkach męskich. Serb od finału Pucharu Davisa w Belgradzie wygrywa wszystko, a razem z Pucharem Hopmana jego bilans od grudnia to 29-0.
Nole jest czwartym zawodnikiem, który od 1990 roku wygrał kolejno Australian Open, Indian Wells i Miami. - Gdyby ktoś mi powiedział, że na tym etapie sezonu będę niepokonany, nie uwierzyłbym. Ale tenis jest już tak związany z moim życiem. Dla sportu poświęcam sto procent czasu. Każdego dnia staram się coś wynieść z treningu, nauczyć się czegoś nowego. Mam 23 lata, więc to wciąż wczesne etapy mojej kariery.
-To także z pewnością najlepsze cztery miesiące mojego życia - zapewnia, po czym od razu zastrzega: - Ale to tylko początek sezonu. Jest za wcześnie, by mówić o wejściu na szczyt rankingu. Wciąż jest duża różnica między mną a Rafą. To on jest dziś zdecydowanie najlepszym zawodnikiem na świecie.
Numerem 1 rankingu ATP pozostaje Nadal, który dwa tygodnie temu przegrał z Serbem również finał w Indian Wells. Co musi zrobić Đoković, by samemu zasiąść na fotelu lidera? - Muszę grać równo przez cały rok. A wiemy, że za chwilę wchodzimy na kort ziemny, który jest ulubioną nawierzchnią Rafy: to na nim gra najlepiej.
Obaj rywale walki o tytuł w dwóch wielkich amerykańskich turniejach zgodzili się co do znakomitego poziomu sportowego zaprezentowanego publiczności na Key Biscayne. Już podczas dekoracji Serb powiedział: - To był jeden z najrówniejszych i najlepszych finałów, w jakich kiedykolwiek grałem.
- Moja seria jest niesamowita i chciałbym, by była kontynuowana - mówił Đoković. - Ale tym, czego teraz potrzebuję, jest odpoczynek. To były bardzo owocne w sukcesy, ale też wyczerpujące cztery miesiące. A przede mną sezon na mączce, na której w ubiegłym roku nie zanotowałem wielu sukcesów. Może nadchodzi moja szansa, by w końcu i na tej nawierzchni postarać się o wygranie czegoś więcej.
Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, dominium Nadala (niepokonany w księstwie Monako przez sześć lat), 9 kwietnia oficjalnie rozpocznie europejski sezon na nawierzchni ziemnej. - Nie ma wiele czasu - mówi Nole. - Ufam jednak w mój team. Wymyślimy taką strategię, by szybko zebrać siły i być gotowym na wyzwania na mączce - tłumaczy. Jeszcze w kwietniu rozpocznie się organizowany przez rodzinę Đokoviciów turniej w Belgradzie. Potem Madryt, Rzym i Paryż.
Đoković wygrał dziewięć z 16 meczów przeciw Nadalowi, ale nigdy nie pokonał go na korcie ziemnym (dziewięć takich spotkań). - Jeśli znów się spotkamy, w pierwszej kolejności muszę być agresywny - mówi. - Mączka jest najwolniejszą nawierzchnią, dla Rafy najlepszą. Od lat jest na niej królem. Jeśli chce się go pokonać, trzeba wchodzić w kort, wierzyć i grać po swojemu. Myślę, że jestem w stanie stawić mu wyzwanie na mączce, zresztą pokazałem to już w 2009 roku - wspomina finał w Madrycie, wygrany przez Hiszpana dopiero w tie breaku decydującego seta.
Djoković został wczoraj 4 tenisistą w Erze Open, który wygrał w jednym sezonie Australian Open, Indian Wells i Miami. Przed nim tej sztuki dokonali Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi i Roger Federer.
Djoković wygrał w/w turnieje po raz 2 w karierze:
Australian Open (2008, 2011)
Indian Wells (2008, 2011)
Miami (2007, 2011)
Djokovic Withdraws From Monte-Carlo
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from next week’s Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters due to a knee injury. Following back-to-back ATP World Tour Masters 1000 victories in Indian Wells and Miami, the Serb said that he would not contest the opening tournament of the European clay-court swing, which begins Sunday. Djokovic has reached the Monte-Carlo semi-finals three consecutive years, including 2009, when he pushed Rafael Nadal to three sets in the final.
Top seed and World No. 1 Nadal, who finished runner-up to Djokovic in Indian Wells and Miami, will be chasing a record seventh consecutive title in Monte-Carlo and a 19th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crown. Three-time finalist Roger Federer seeks his first Monte-Carlo title and first clay-court title since he won Roland Garros in 2009.
Djokovic said on his official website: "It is a very sad moment not only for this tournament and my fans, but also for myself. This is my favourite tournament and one of my two home events. Monte Carlo is where I spend most of my time away from the circuit and this is my club where I practise and train all year long. Unfortunately I had to take this decision to withdraw and I would like to thank Tournament Director Zeljko Franulovic for his understanding and support."
Elaborating further on his Facebook page, Djokovic said: "This time I had to prioritise my health and rest of the season, for which I have high ambitions. I believe I will be recovered and ready for upcoming events on clay courts."
Interesujące zestawienie, zwłaszcza dla tych, którzy dyskredytują osiągnięcia Serba i powątpiewają w jego walkę o pozycję nr 1 w rankingu.
Zwyciestwa z rzędu Bilans pod koniec roku Liczba tytułów w sezonie Miejsce pod koniec roku
1. John McEnroe 39 (1984) 82-3 - 96,5% 13 1
2. Bjorn Borg 28 (1980) 70-6 - 93,3 % 9 1
3. Ivan Lendl 25 (1986) 84-7 - 92,3 % 11 1
4. Novak Djoković 24 (2011) - - -
5. John McEnroe 19 (1985) 71-8 - 88,8 % 8 2
6. Pete Sampras 17 (1997) 55-12 - 82,1 % 8 1
7. Roger Federer 16 (2006) 92-5 - 94,8 % 12 1
8. Andre Agassi 15 (1995) 73-9 - 89,0 % 7 2
Djokovic: 'New diet helping me win'
A change of diet has played a major role in Novak Djokovic's unbeaten run this year, the world number two said after receiving a hero's welcome from fans in his home town.
The 23-year-old Serb, who has won 24 straight matches to land the Australian Open and Dubai Championship titles and Masters Series events in Miami and Indian Wells, said a doctor who joined his team eight months ago had improved his fitness.
"His name is Igor Cetojevic, he is a nutritionist and he's done a great job in changing my diet after we established I am allergic to some food ingredients like gluten," Djokovic said on the opening day of the Serbia Open.
"It means I can't eat stuff like pizza, pasta and bread. I have lost some weight but it's only helped me because my movement is much sharper now and I feel great physically.
"A lot of people have been guessing and speculating what the secret formula of my good form was but there is no secret, it's just that all the pieces have fallen into place after years of hard work and we are now reaping the rewards," added Djokovic.
The Serb paid tribute to his entire support staff, saying it was their hard work that had made him the player he is.
"I have a great team of people around me," he said. "I have unreserved faith in their instructions and trust them completely.
"I have also matured as a player and a person. I feel more confident and more consistent than ever because I am capable of holding my own against the world's best players under any circumstances.
"That wasn't the case earlier ... whenever I needed to be consistent against (Roger) Federer and (Rafa) Nadal in the latter stages of grand slam events I was unable to stay psychologically balanced and confident."
Djokovic is back in Belgrade for the first time since he steered Serbia to their first Davis Cup title in December and was greeted by hundreds of fans as he made a trip to nearby Mount Avala to pose with the massive Serbia Open trophy.
He had photos taken and signed dozens of autographs as the crowd greeted one of Serbia's most popular public figures.
"The Serbia Open will always have a special place in my heart because we rarely get a chance to play in front of our own people, it's only this tournament and the Davis Cup," said Djokovic.
"That's why I expect them to turn up on centre court to watch all Serbian players taking part in the tournament, which is getting stronger and more competitive every year.
"I had to retire very early in last year's event because I was unfit but I feel very well now and I am looking forward to my first match on Wednesday."
Djokovic, given a bye in the first round of the tournament organised by the Family Sport enterprise managed by his father and uncle, is looking to capture his second Serbia Open title after winning the inaugural event in 2009.
His first red clay event of the season could be the springboard which helps him dethrone world number one Nadal.
"Down the years as Nadal kept ripping apart everything in front of him on red clay, we always thought there was no room left for improvement in his game and he kept surprising us every time," Djokovic said.
"He is still the player to beat on red clay and the favourite in each of the upcoming major events, including the French Open, because he is so dominant on this surface.
"However, I am playing with a lot more confidence against him these days and I now believe I can beat anyone on any surface, although beating Nadal on clay remains a big ask and the biggest challenge of all."
The Spaniard won his sixth Barcelona Open title last week and his seventh successive Monte Carlo Masters earlier this month, events Djokovic missed due to a knee problem.
"I needed the extra two weeks of rest to recover from a gruelling hardcourt season, a surface which is not very pleasant for knees and tendons, but I am ready now," the Serb said.
Reuters
Joao napisał:
Đoković czeka na Nadala na kortach ziemnych
Đoković wygrał dziewięć z 16 meczów przeciw Nadalowi, ale nigdy nie pokonał go na korcie ziemnym (dziewięć takich spotkań).
Nie dość, że przekręcają statystyki, to jeszcze zmieniają reguły arytmetyki (9+9=16). To się nazywa opiniotwórczość. :|
Potęga Djokovica. Wielki sukces z glutenem w tle
Kluczem do wielkich sukcesów Novaka Djokovicia w obecnym sezonie jest zmiana diety. Serio. 23-letni Serb, który wygrał 24 mecze z rzędu, zdradził, że formę zawdzięcza lekarzowi - Igor Cetojević dokonał ważnego odkrycia: stwierdził, że Djoković jest uczulony na gluten.
Djoković to tegoroczny triumfator Australian Open, zwycięzca prestiżowych turniejów w Dubaju, Miami i Indian Wells. Serb jest nie do zatrzymania. Tenisista nie dał się pobić w kolejnych 24 meczach. Recepty na jego fantastyczną grę nie znaleźli ani Rafael Nadal, ani Roger Federer.
Serb przyznał teraz, że olbrzymi wpływ na jego formę miał specjalista żywienia, dietetyk Igor Cetojević, który dołączył do jego ekipy osiem miesięcy temu.
Igor wykonał doskonałą robotę. Zmienił moją dietę, odkrył, że jestem uczulony na gluten - stwierdził Djoković. Od miesięcy Serb nie je już produktów, w których w skład wchodzi gluten.
- Koniec z pizzą, makaronem czy chlebem. Straciłem trochę na wadze, ale to pomogło - jestem bardziej zwinny, czuję się doskonale - stwierdził zwycięzca Australian Open.
Tenisista podkreśla, że wokół siebie skonstruował idealny dla jego potrzeb sztab ludzi. Trenerzy, ich asystenci, medycy tworzą zespół, bez którego nie byłoby wielkich zwycięstw. Djoković: - Wiem, że jestem w stanie wygrywać z najlepszymi rakietami świata. Kiedyś było inaczej - jeżeli wychodziłem na kort przeciwko Federerowi czy Nadalowi traciłem swoje atuty przez brak konsekwencji. Nie potrafiłem utrzymać koncentracji, luzu psychicznego, pewności siebie.
Alergia na gluten czyli jeden dzień z życia Novaka Djokovicia
Dieta bezglutenowa polega na całkowitym wykluczeniu pokarmów z dodatkiem zbóż: pszenicy, jęczmienia i żyta. W jadłospisie alergika glutenowego powinny znajdować się produkty z kukurydzy, ryżu, kaszy, gryki, prosa, mąki ziemniaczanej czy mąki sojowej. Alergik nie może jeść zwykłego pieczywa i makaronu, kaszy manny i jęczmiennej, płatków owsianych, ciasta i słodyczy zawierających mąkę pszenną. Przykładowy jadłospis alergika powinien bazować więc na wyrobach mięsnych, warzywach i owocach.
DJOKOVIC AWARDED HIGHEST DISTINCTION BY THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic was honoured with the Order of Saint Sava of the first degree Thursday, the highest decoration awarded by the Serbian Orthodox Church for his generosity and dedication to the religion. The distinction was presented by His Holiness, Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus.
At the suggestion of His Grace Bishop of Raska-Prizren Teodosija, Djokovic was recognised for his passion for the church, displayed through his committed and persistent help for Serbian people and the sanctuaries of the Holy Church, particularly in Kosovo and Metohija.
"This award is certainly the most important I’ve ever got," said Djokovic. "As an athlete and a religious person, it is hard for me to find appropriate words to describe my feelings of gratitude for the confidence I gain from the Holy Synod. I can only say that it can be earned only with hard work and self-belief, belief in your loved ones and in God."
In addition to Djokovic’s family, the formal reception was attended by Their Graces Bishops, the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and Bishops Irinej of Backa and Forije of Dalmatia. The handing of the order was observed by Their Graces Bishops Teodosije of Raska-Prizren, Atanasije of Hvosno, Porfirije of Jegar, as well as Mladjan Djordjevic, the Adviser to the President of the Republic of Serbia.
#23) Belgrad 2011
R32 Bye
R16 Adrian Ungur (ROU) 6-2 6-3
Q Blaz Kavcic (SLO) 6-3 6-2
S Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) w/o
W Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 7-6(4) 6-2
27-0 w 2011. :faja:
DJOKOVIC: 'BEST FIVE MONTHS OF MY CAREER'
The numbers don’t lie – Novak Djokovic is enjoying one of the finest stretches in ATP World Tour history. Coming into the Mutua Madrid Open, the World No. 2 enters the event still undefeated in 2011 with 27 straight wins to start the season, and an overall win streak of 29 matches dating back to last December’s Davis Cup Final. “Well it´s no secret that it’s been the best five months of my career. I´m on a great streak and I definitely want to keep on going,” Djokovic said Tuesday during a press conference.
In addition to his budding confidence and improvements on serve this year, the Serb has been selective with his schedule thus far in 2011. He made his clay court debut last week at his home event in Belgrade, and feels it was the best possible way to prepare for the rest of the clay court swing. “I took some time off after Miami and I didn´t play in Monte Carlo so that gave me a couple of weeks to recover and really get ready for clay courts which actually require quite some time to get ready for,” evaluated Djokovic. “Then I went to my hometown, to my country, and played a couple of matches there. So far I´m feeling good and very motivated to keep on winning.”
In order to keep his undefeated run alive, Djokovic will most likely have to upstage the king of clay, Rafael Nadal, in the final, should both players come through their halves of the draw. They played one of the most memorable matches on clay in recent history two years ago in Madrid, a semi-final match Nadal won after the two expended over four hours on court. “Remembering that match, it was one of the best matches I’ve played on clay courts and that was, I think, the closest I got to beating Rafa on clay courts,” said Djokovic.
“It took me a while to recover after that loss. It was a really painful loss because I had three match points and it took four hours but on the other side, as I said, the nice memories are something that I keep from this tournament and this match, even though I lost it, I remember
it in a good way because I know I can play well here and I know I can beat top players if I’m
playing my game, if I’m having a good day – I just need to believe that.”
Djokovic has never defeated the Spaniard on clay in nine meetings, but is encouraged by what he’s achieved this year. “I didn’t think it was realistic to go without a loss in the first three-four months but it happened. I guess anything is possible if you really believe that you can achieve and if you’re fit, physically, if you’re mentally fresh and motivated and if you’re dedicated to the sport.
“This is something that I have been doing lately. I’ve been working very hard on my game, on my mental approach as well and my stability and now it´s paying off. There is no secret; it’s just something that I’ve been working on in the last couple of years playing on the tour. I knew that I had quality and I just need to get some things together and it’s happening right now.
Even though Djokovic is flying high with confidence, the 23 year old isn’t taking anything for granted. “I don´t really feel like talking about an eventual final against Rafa because there is a long way to go and there are many other great players who want to win this title as much as we do,” Djokovic explained. “I will just try to take one match at a time and we’ll see how far it can go.”
His first opponent in Madrid is Kevin Anderson, who has asserted himself as one of the most improved players on tour in 2011. The two have played twice before, splitting meetings in Miami, with Djokovic avenging his loss to the South African this year en route to the title. “He’s a big server and a very dangerous player to play against especially in these conditions because as we said, the ball flies very fast through the air here and for somebody who is that aggressive as he is, it’s quite suitable,” deemed Djokovic.
“A lot depends on me but also on his serve as well. If he serves very well and if he has a lot of efficiency on that serve, he can be very dangerous, so I expect a tough match.”
#24) Madryt 2011
R1 BYE
R2 Kevin Anderson 6-4 6-3
R3 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1 6-2
QF [6] David Ferrer 6-4 4-6 6-3
SF Thomaz Bellucci 4-6 6-4 6-1
F [1] Rafael Nadal 7-5 6-4
Djoković wygrał w tym roku 1/4 całego swojego dotychczasowego dorobku. Maj na starcie, a on ma już 6 tytułów. :o
Serb wygrał swój 8 turniej Masters w karierze, wyrównując wynik Thomasa Mustera:
19 - Nadal
17 - Agassi, Federer
11 - Sampras
8 - Muster, Djoković
Nole wygrał w tym sezonie już 32 kolejnych spotkań, a włącznie PD ma takich zwycięstw już 34. ;)
DJOKOVIC: MY GOAL IS TO BE NO. 1
Novak Djokovic has had a season of dreams, winning all 32 matches and six tournaments he’s contested, and he comes to the Eternal City this week with the chance of attaining a long-held goal: the World No. 1 ranking.
“My ambition or goal is to be No. 1 and my dream is to win Wimbledon so these are two things that I always wanted to do,” said Djokovic on Tuesday ahead of his Internazionali BNL d’Italia campaign. “The No. 1 ranking is obviously getting closer to me but it still takes a lot of work to get there and if I do get there in a couple of weeks or months or a couple of years it does not matter. I will try to keep working to get to this position.”
Should Djokovic win the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Rome and two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal falls prior to the semi-finals, the Serbian will ascend to the top spot of the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings on Monday. If Nadal succeeds in holding onto his ranking this week, Djokovic will have another golden opportunity at Roland Garros, where defending champion Nadal has 2,000 points to defend and Djokovic 360 for a quarter-final showing.
Djokovic earned his opportunity to clinch the No. 1 ranking this week by defeating Nadal on Sunday in the Mutua Madrid Open final – his first clay-court win in 10 attempts against the Spaniard.
When asked whether that victory – heralded by Djokovic as his best match on clay – would have the same momentous effect as Nadal’s first grass-court win over Roger Federer and an eventual change at the top, the World No. 2 said, “Well, we are about to see about that... It is definitely a big step in my career to win against Nadal in his country on a clay court. I have never done this before and it is important from the mental aspect as well and the upcoming clay court events.”
Reflecting on the daunting task of facing Nadal on clay or Federer on grass, Djokovic stated, “Probably a year [ago], both of those challenges were like mission impossible, but I guess everybody started to believe in me, even myself, that I think you can win against those guys. So I think it is all about your mindset on the court and really trying to go out on the court with a positive attitude and really believe in your abilities and believe that you can win on the court, with respect to Federer and Nadal, the most two dominant players in the world in the last couple of years.”
So far this season, Djokovic has defeated both Nadal and Federer three times each. The 23 year old claimed his wins against Nadal in the finals of three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments, after going 0-4 against the Spaniard in title matches prior to this year. Meanwhile, his wins against Federer came in the Dubai final and the semi-finals of the Australian Open and BNP Paribas Open.
He could face one of the two in the Rome final, with five-time champion Nadal and two-time finalist Federer seeded for a semi-final showdown for a second straight week. Djokovic’s half of the draw, meanwhile, includes Andy Murray, Robin Soderling, Nicolas Almagro and Jurgen Melzer. He will open against Poland’s Lukasz Kubot on Wednesday as he attempts to extend his winning streak to 35 straight matches, dating back to last year’s Davis Cup Final.
Djokovic, whose 32-0 season record is second best to John McEnroe’s 42-0 start in 1984, admitted: “I did not expect to win every match in the first four or five months of 2011 but it has been a very long learning process for me and a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication. Every single day of my life I have been dedicated to the sport and now it is coming back.”
Czy tylko mi się wydaje, że Nole jest sympatycznym gościem? :P
Oczywiście, że jest sympatyczny! Nigdy w to nie wątpiłam, choć wiem, że wielu fanów tenisa tak :P poza tym, chciałam się przywitać. Śledzę to forum od jakiegoś czasu, ale nie rejestrowałam się. Myślę, że to dlatego, bo patrząc na wasze posty to zbytnio na tenisie się nie znam. :P Sama też nie gram, ale lubię oglądać. Ale co mi tam, postanowiłam dołączyć :)
No wreszcie przedstawicielka płci pięknej, Witamy! ;)
Tak, Novak to sympatyczny człowiek, w takim wydaniu podbił serca sympatyków tenisa w 2007 roku. Później jednak sporo stracił na licznych parodiach, co wielu zniechęciło do jego osoby. Czy słusznie? Moim zdaniem chyba nie. ;)
#25) Rzym 2011
R64 Bye
R32 Łukasz Kubot (POL) 6-0 6-3
R16 Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 6-4 6-1
Q Robin Soderling (SWE) 6-3 6-0
S Andy Murray (GBR) 6-1 3-6 7-6(2)
W Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-4 6-4
1. 37 wygranych meczów z rzędu od początku roku (łącznie z PD z 2010 - 39)
2. 4 wygrane mastersy w tym sezonie
3. 7 tytułów
Ostro. :D
Nole wygrał turniej w Rzymie po raz 2 w karierze, łącznie ma już 9 zwycięstw w turniejach tej rangi. Plasuje go to na 5 miejscu listy wszech czasów:
19 - Rafael Nadal
17 - Andre Agassi, Roger Federer
11 - Pete Sampras
9 - Novak Djoković
Djokovic extends win streak, adds Rome to title count
Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in straight sets to add a fourth Masters final victory over the Spaniard.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic once again asserted his presence as the best tennis player in the world with a straight-set victory over Rafael Nadal.
The match was not as easy for Djokovic as the scoreline suggests, but in the end, the Serb's aggression and confidence carried through to his seventh title of the year in seven tournaments.
Djokovic and Nadal both started off in good form, with blistering ground strokes and impressive angles. Still, the superior Djokovic return of serve asserted itself at 4-3 for the first break of the match. Nadal wasn't done fighting however. With the Serb serving for the set, Nadal managed to snag a service break of get the match back on serve.
The joy was short-lived for the Spaniard's camp. Djokovic broke Nadal's serve again to take the opening set and the lead.
Djokovic lead off the second set with a hold and then an immediate break of the Nadal serve, but as before, the Spaniard fought back to level the set. It was the Serb who looked slightly tired out for most of the second set, but at 4-5 with Nadal serving to stay in the match, the Spaniard went down 0-40. With magnificent fight, the Spaniard clawed back to deuce, but to no avail. On the fourth match point, Djokovic and then Nadal had netcords go their way until a cross court shot from Djokovic proved unreturnable.
The two men will make their way to Paris where the French Open will start in a week's time.
DJOKOVIC BECOMES FIRST PLAYER TO QUALIFY FOR 2011 BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS
Novak Djokovic has become the first
player to qualify for the Barclays
ATP World Tour Finals in November.
Serb qualifies for London as 2011 unbeaten streak continues
Novak Djokovic has sealed his qualification for the 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals following his win over Rafael Nadal in the final of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia Sunday.
Djokovic's win in Rome adds another 1000 South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings points to his 2011 points tally, meaning that the Serb is assured of his place at the season-ending finale, set to take place at The O2 in London from 20-27 November. Only the world's Top 8 players based on results in 2011 qualify to compete in the season's final showdown in London.
Djokovic qualifies for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for a fifth successive year. He captured the season-ending title in 2008 when it was held in Shanghai. Last year, Djokovic reached the semi-finals in London before losing to Federer. He has not lost a match since.
The Serb has enjoyed a remarkable run of form in 2011, capturing seven successive titles including the Australian Open in January and four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles. He heads into Roland Garros later this week with an incredible 37-0 match record so far this season.
Djokovic becomes only the second player to qualify for the season-ending event before Roland Garros since 1990 (Nadal also qualified before Roland Garros in 2009). Nadal retains his World No.1 ranking (based on the past 52 weeks) ahead of his title defense at Roland Garros, yet Djokovic’s results so far this year make him the current front runner to challenge for the 2011 year-end World No.1 crown, which could be determined at the last tournament of the season in London.
http://www.barclaysatpworldtourfinals.c … alify.aspx
Czyżby najwcześniejszy awans w historii? :-)
Nie, w 2009 roku Nadal wcześniej się zakwalifikował (bez ostatniego Mastersa na cegle).
robpal napisał:
Nie, w 2009 roku Nadal wcześniej się zakwalifikował (bez ostatniego Mastersa na cegle).
W sumie nie zostało to napisane w arcie, który sam wkleiłem. ;-D
Djokovic amazed with success buts says Nadal still the clay king
Novak Djokovic could barely contain his amazement after beating Rafael Nadal for the fourth time this season in a major final, winning the Rome Masters to take the favourite's role for Roland Garros.
With the clay Grand Slam starting on Sunday, the Serb will plan to ration his time to try and rest from his exertions in compiling an untouchable 37-0 record this season and going 39-0 from the Davis Cup final in December.
"I was amazed by the way I played," said the winner, who put in five hours on court between a semi-final win over Andy Murray and his defeat of Nadal, which followed a title in Madrid over the Spaniard. "I was on the verge of losing the semi-final. This was maybe my best performance on clay courts to beat the best man in the world in straight sets.
"I think I played the perfect match against Rafa in Madrid and here."
But Djokovic refuses to proclaim himself the best on the dirt: "Let's get one thing straight -- he's still the king of clay. He's the best person on these courts. Winning twice in eight days is a great achievement. It gives me confidence coming up to the French Open, but he has been so dominant over the years."
DJOKOVIC HOLDS NO. 1 DESTINY IN OWN HANDS
Novak Djokovic attended Fashion For Relief during the 64th Annual Cannes Film Festival Monday.
After his blazing start to 2011, Novak Djokovic will control his own destiny at Roland Garros in his quest to usurp the World No. 1 South African Airways ATP Ranking from Rafael Nadal.
Should the World No. 2 reach his first final at Roland Garros, he will overtake Nadal as the top-ranked player on the ATP World Tour, even if the Spaniard wins his sixth title. If Nadal fails to win the crown, Djokovic’s result is insignificant; any scenario featuring a Nadal loss puts Djokovic ahead of the Mallorcan [see chart below], regardless of the Serbian’s result.
At the start of the season, Djokovic was ranked third, behind Nadal and Roger Federer. He trailed Nadal by 6240 points and Federer by 2905 points. After winning the Australian Open, the year’s first four Masters 1000 events and two other titles, Djokovic is just 405 points behind Nadal, and has a 3275 point lead over his Swiss rival.
But the Serbian’s surge towards No. 1 started at the end of the 2010 season. After a disappointing loss to Federer in the semi-finals of the 2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals this past November, Djokovic had an important event left to play the following week at home in Belgrade, the 2010 Davis Cup Final against formidable foe France.
Serbia overcame a 2-1 deficit to claim their first Davis Cup, large in part to Djokovic’s desire and commitment to showcase Serbia’s emergence as a world tennis power. During the tie, Djokovic displayed some of his best tennis in 2010 to defeat Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon, and was invigorated by the incredible dream he and his compatriots achieved. “Everything starts with the Davis Cup. I did have some changes but all these years I have been in a learning process of working hard, waiting for everything to come together,” Djokovic said Sunday in Rome.
So far this year, Djokovic has nine Top 5 victories, with four wins over Nadal, all Masters 1000 finals, three against Federer, two over Andy Murray, and one against Robin Soderling. “I had been winning major events before but did not have the consistency and did not have a great mental approach when I played big players,” said Djokovic.
“I was losing a little in the late stages of Grand Slams and important Masters 1000 events against Roger, against Rafa. I think this change from the Davis Cup title gave me an incredible energy really. Today I am definitely not thinking of losing a match and thinking only of winning.”
Djokovic is a two-time semi-finalist at Roland Garros, with his runs ended both times by eventual champion Nadal. Prior to his wins over the Spaniard at the Mutua Madrid Open and Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Djokovic was winless in nine meetings versus the World No. 1. “I am most happy about [my] game this year on clay,” the Serbian said. “The way I was fighting all the way I am confident and aware that I can win against the top players.”
Though he’s defeated Nadal on clay in back-to-back Masters 1000 finals, Djokovic still considers the 24-year-old Spaniard to be the favourite in Paris. “Let us be clear -- he is the king of clay and he is the best player ever to play on this surface,” Djokovic said about Nadal.
“I have won against him twice in the last [nine] days which I think is an incredible achievement for me and he has given me a lot of confidence for the French Open. But this is only a couple of tournaments this year and he has been dominant on this surface for so many years.”
If Djokovic wins the title at Roland Garros, he will tie Guillermo Vilas for the longest winning streak in the Open Era at 46 wins. An appearance in the final would also eclipse John McEnroe’s mark for most wins to start a season without a loss – McEnroe begin his 1984 season with 42 straight victories before losing a five-set thriller to Ivan Lendl in the Roland Garros final.“For me, it is an incredible honour to be part of the history in some ways and part of the elite of players like Federer and Nadal and McEnroe and Lendl and those players who have won many matches in a row,” said Djokovic.
Roland Garros begins this Sunday, 22 May, and Djokovic will rest for a few days before resuming his pursuit for a third Grand Slam title. “I am not going to touch the racquet for the next four days,” Djokovic admitted. “I have had enough for now and rest is very important right now to recover, and then [I’ll get] ready for Roland Garros, the most important tournament on this surface.”
DJOKOVIC 39-MATCH WIN STREAK BY THE NUMBERS
Novak Djokovic is riding a 39-match win streak heading into Roland Garros, dating back to December's Davis Cup final. Here's a look at the streak by the numbers...
0 - Double faults in Australian Open, Dubai and Miami finals combined
1 - Grand Slam title
2 - Wins in 2010 Davis Cup final
3 - Victories over No. 2 Roger Federer
4 - Victories over No. 1 Rafael Nadal
5 - Wins in under 60 minutes
6 - Different Top 10 players beaten in 2011
7 - Singles titles
8 - Games lost to countryman Viktor Troicki in 3 matches
9 - Sets lost... and also sets won 6-0
10 - Wins over Top 5 opponents
11 - Losses before 37th win in 2010
12 - Games lost in first four matches at Indian Wells
13 - Wins vs. Top 10 players (and 13 wins on clay)
14 - Sets won 6-1
15 - Victories without being broken
16 - Wins for Nadal, 11 for Djokovic in their rivalry
17 - Break points faced at Miami, 15 saved
18 - Consecutive sets won from Jan. 19-Feb. 23
19 - Sets won and 1 set lost at Australian Open
20 - Career outdoor titles after Rome triumph
21 - Victories in which he broke his opponent at least 5 times
22 - Straight wins at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events
23 - Career losses to left-handers, 8-0 during streak
24 - Years old on May 22nd
25 - Career titles after winning in Rome
26 - Match wins on hard court
27 - November was when Djokovic last lost a match (l. Federer)
28 - Different players defeated
29 - Straight wins by Ivan Lendl to start 1986, surpassed by Djokovic in Madrid R16
30 - Break points converted in 6 matches at Indian Wells
31 - Consecutive wins by Bjorn Borg to start 1980, surpassed by Djokovic in Madrid SF
32 - Match win streak is the longest of Nadal’s career
33 - Percent of first-serve return points won by both Djokovic and Nadal in the Rome final
34 - Career losses in a deciding set, 9-0 during streak
35 - Matches in which he won the first set
36 - Weeks at No. 2 entering Roland Garros (week of May 23)
37 - Match clay-court win streak of Nadal’s snapped by Djokovic
38 - Service points won by both Djokovic and Nadal in the Rome final
39 - Successive wins
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … mbers.aspx
______________________________________
Z df to szok. :o
Đoković wyrównał rekord Federera w wygranych z rzędu turniejach Masters - 1000, w których startował. Roger w latach 2005-2006 wygrał kolejno w Hamburgu, Cincinnati, Indian Wells i Miami.
Novak Djoković i Jelena Ristić na festiwalu filmowym w Cannes:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= … 4410993700
Lista osiągnięć imponująca. Dobrze że od pamiętnego ćwierćfinału US Open 08 minęło sporo czasu i Rod przestał (niestety) liczyć się w stawce, bo w innym wypadku zniechęciłbym się do śledzenia tenisa na poważnie.
Magia bezglutenowa
Novak Djoković w kilka miesięcy dojrzał do zwycięstw nad najlepszymi tenisistami. Jego sposób na sukces: stary wierny trener oraz nowy specjalista od spraw żywienia, akupunktury i medytacji
Wielu nie chciało uwierzyć: wiadomo, że Djoković jest zdolny i wszechstronny, ale żeby umiał usunąć w cień klasyczne mecze Rafael Nadal – Roger Federer, żeby zaatakował pozycję lidera rankingu ATP? W styczniu wydawało się to niemożliwe. Dziś już jest, dziś pytanie brzmi, kiedy Serb zdetronizuje wielkiego Hiszpana.
Zaczął od grudnia 2010 roku, od zwycięskiego finału Pucharu Davisa w Belgradzie. Wygrana z Francją, euforia rodaków, potem długi bal, który zaczął się już na korcie od ogolenia głowy na łyso i tańca z szampanem, a skończył kilkudniowym leczeniem emocjonalnego wyczerpania, w warunkach jakie tworzą apartament w Monaco oraz opieka narzeczonej.
– Finał Pucharu Davisa dał mi to, na co tak długo czekałem, ogromną wiarę w siebie. Był dla mnie ważniejszy niż zwycięstwo wielkoszlemowe. Poczułem to kliknięcie i teraz już wszystko w mojej grze jest na właściwym miejscu. Poczułem przypływ mocy. Nie przypuszczałem jednak, że przez następne miesiące będę wygrywał wszystkie mecze – tłumaczył Djoković.
Nieprzerwane pasmo to ponad 30 wygranych pojedynków w 2011 roku, zdobycie sześciu tytułów od Australian Open po Madryt, ze wskazaniem na kolejne wygrane. Podziw budzi nie tyle statystyka, bo są w historii tenisa znacznie dłuższe serie (Martina Navratilova wygrała w 1984 roku 74 singlowe spotkania z rzędu i do tego 109 deblowych z Pam Shriver – to jest rekord do pobicia), ile styl sukcesów Novaka Djokovicia wersja 2.0. Nigdy wcześniej nie był tak szybki, skuteczny i pewny swych umiejętności.
W trzech finałach turniejów z cyklu Masters pokonał Nadala. Jeszcze w Indian Wells i Miami wybrzydzano, że te zwycięstwa to efekt twardych kortów i innego cyklu przygotowań Hiszpana, ale wygrana na czerwonej mączce w Madrycie dopełniła dzieła. Może być nowy numer 1 światowego tenisa.
Ivan Ljubicić, który miał okazję trenować z oboma, mówi: – Nie ma porównania. Novak jest dziś sprawniejszy, skuteczniejszy i nawet wytrzymalszy od Rafaela. Brad Gilbert uderza w najwyższe fachowe tony: – To najlepszy bekhend od czasów Andre Agassiego. Roger Federer dodaje: – Jestem dziś słabszy od obu, Nadala i Djokovicia, i wydaje mi się, że przyszedł czas takich jak Novak, którzy umieją wygrywać na każdej nawierzchni.
Tata Srdjan Djoković dodaje, że największa zmiana nastąpiła w głowie syna. – Kiedyś się bał, zarówno wtedy, gdy trenował jako dzieciak podczas bombardowania Belgradu, jak i podczas pierwszych ważnych meczów w turniejach. Umiał dobrze maskować ten strach, dziś nauczył się nie bać nikogo i niczego – twierdzi z dumą.
Pytania o tajemnicę tej przemiany padały już w Australii, podstawowa odpowiedź do dziś się nie zmienia. – Wiążę mój sukces z dojrzałością, jako sportowiec i człowiek. To był proces, trwał co najmniej pięć lat. Uczyłem się, zdobywałem doświadczenie, pozbywałem się stresów, no i codziennie pracowałem, licząc na to, że praca da owoce – mówił w Melbourne jak stachanowiec Novak.
Alchemia sukcesu ma jednak swoich czarnoksiężników. Pierwszy jest dobrze znany. To stary trener Marian Vajda ze Słowacji, który zacisnął zęby, gdy główną rolę w kształtowaniu tenisa Djokovicia przejęli inni, a zwłaszcza gdy serwis zmieniał mu Amerykanin Todd Martin. Vajda bez skrzywienia wrócił do głównej roli, gdy Novak zrezygnował z doradców. – Jest moim drugim ojcem. Nasz związek jest nie do zerwania, bo dostrzegłem poświęcenie Mariana. Wiem, że ma rodzinę i bez wahania zostawia ją na miesiąc czy dwa, gdy trzeba jechać ze mną do USA i Australii. Jest niezwykle uczciwy i wiem, że zależy mu na moich postępach – ta opinia tenisisty powinna wynagrodzić trenerowi chwile zwątpienia.
Drugi z magów, a medialnie chyba pierwszy, to doktor. Igor Cetojević ma dyplom wyższej uczelni medycznej w Sarajewie, studiował tradycyjną medycynę chińską w Belgradzie, pracował też w Pekinie, by poznać tajemnice akupunktury. Ukończył również Hinduski Instytut Magnetoterapii w New Delhi. Jest ponadto specjalistą do spraw odżywiania, psychologii, zna się na biosprzężeniach organizmu ludzkiego i umie tę wiedzę, określaną zbiorczo jako „medycyna energetyczna", dobrze wykorzystać, jeśli wierzyć jego stronie internetowej (www.docigor.org) oraz samemu Djokoviciowi. Przy okazji – doktor ostatnio intensywnie bada efekty naturalnej radiacji ziemskiej, jej wpływ na zdrowie, a także metody ograniczenia złych skutków tego zjawiska.
Tenisista zatrudnił go w lipcu 2010 roku. Pierwszym ważnym efektem pracy dr. Igora było odkrycie przyczyny nagłych osłabień tenisisty, które czasem prowadziły nawet do poddawania meczów. Novak ma alergię na gluten i jeszcze kilka innych składników pokarmowych. Radykalna zmiana diety, wyrzucenie z niej pieczywa, pizzy i makaronów przyniosło podwójnie dobry efekt, wręcz magiczny. – Trochę schudłem, ale nie osłabłem, przeciwnie, poczułem, że mam znacznie więcej energii – mówił tenisista.
Z obozu Serba dochodzą też informacje o medytacjach tenisisty i sesjach terapeutycznych, których wpływ widać na korcie i poza nim. Jednego nie zmienił. Po dawnemu świętuje sukcesy z zaangażowaniem godnym okazji. Po finale Australian Open wynajął serbską orkiestrę ludową i w szatniach klubu Melbourne Park wydał przyjęcie z muzyką bałkańską, tańcami na stołach i śpiewami do białego rana. Dla wszystkich: sponsorów, działaczy, obsługi turnieju i każdego, kto był w pobliżu. Doktor Igor tego nie zabrania.
Co chce teraz osiągnąć wzmocniony jak nigdy Novak Djoković? Odpowiada: – Widzę różnicę między mymi marzeniami i ambicjami. Ambicją jest zostać numerem 1 na świecie. Marzeniem – wygrać Wimbledon. Jak spełni się tylko jedno, nie będę narzekał.
Zamiana kortów na wybieg
Novak Djokovic i Jelena Ristic
Serbski tenisista Novak Djokovic na jeden dzień zamienił korty na wybieg. Podczas 64. Festiwalu Filmowego w Cannes wystąpił w charytatywnym pokazie mody "Fashion for Relief".
Pochwalił się tym na swej oficjalnej stronie internetowej.
Niepokonany w tym sezonie Djokovic, który 22 maja skończy 24 lata, zdaniem obserwatorów prezentował się doskonale wśród top-modelek, między innymi Brytyjki Naomi Cambell i Czeszki Karoliny Kurkovej. Cannes było dla wicelidera rankingu ATP przystankiem na trasie Rzym - Paryż.
W stolicy Włoch zwyciężył w niedzielę w zawodach ATP Masters 1000 na kortach ziemnych (z pulą nagród 2,227 mln euro). W Paryżu będzie chciał wygrać drugi w tym roku turniej Wielkiego Szlema (zwyciężył już w Australia Open).
Serb, który w tegorocznym bilansie zarobił najwięcej wśród tenisistów (5,43 miliona dolarów), nie poniósł porażki od początku roku, zwyciężając w 37 meczach.
SI proclaims Djokovic ‘most dominant athlete in world’
A tragic story about the rebuilding after the Tuscaloosa tornadoes highlights the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated. A bold claim about Novak Djokovic gets the top banner.
The clarification of "right now" is a giant qualifier (though it might have just as much to do with spacing and layout concerns) but still, that's some great American publicity for Djokovic ahead of the French Open. His winning streak is beginning to seep into the public consciousness -- I've seen stories about it on "Pardon The Interruption," CNN and FOX News in the past three days -- and if he goes on a run in Paris, expect the hype to build.
It's going to be a fun fortnight at Roland Garros.
The streak that keeps on giving
Trying to coin new and unique superlatives that do justice to Novak Djokovic's streak, which is now up to 39 and counting after his title at the Rome Masters, gets harder by the day. What else we can say about a player who not only resurrected his career but is putting together one of the great feats in recent tennis memory? Not much. So we concede -- give up. The rhetoric has run its course.
The infallible Djokovic is worthy of so much more, but based on the universal coverage, every accolade has been exhausted as we witness his transformation from a great player to an absolute elite one. So much has changed since his last loss at the O2 Arena last November.
Here are five things we've learned from Djokovic's remarkable streak:
He's one confident dude
Maligned for a good part of three years after winning his maiden major in Australia, Djokovic tinkered with his game until he got it right: the service motion went through multiple iterations, the coaching carousel was enough to make your head spin and his fitness was continually questioned. But Djokovic figured it out. He reached the Wimbledon semifinal last season, had a nice run in Toronto and then played the match that likely turned his career around, at the U.S. Open against Roger Federer. Down two sets to one, Djokovic fought his way back to win. He then played an inspiring final in a losing effort against Rafael Nadal. But the most galvanizing moment came in the Davis Cup final, and that's where the story of the streak began.
He exudes happiness
It was that crowning moment, the one in which Djokovic crushed his two opponents on the court before shaving his head in celebration. As it turned out, his hair would be the only thing he would lose for a long time. Serbia's Davis Cup championship kick-started the astonishing streak. The historic and (thanks to Viktor Troicki) heroic exploits were not only a turning point for the ebullient Djokovic, but also for Serbia, as the Davis Cup title ranks among the country's top performances in any global competition. Djokovic parlayed that success into his second Australian Open championship just two months later.
He never panics
In Melbourne, Djokovic destroyed Andy Murray in a mundane, three-set final. But that was then. In the Rome semifinals this past Saturday, the two met again, and this time Mr. Murray discovered his missing mojo. Broken three times in the third set, Djokovic never lost his composure, never rushed. He subsequently broke Murray back each time, sending the match into a tiebreaker, which Djokovic ultimately won. This shouldn't come as a surprise. Earlier this spring, at Indian Wells and Miami, Djokovic dropped the first set to Nadal in each final. No sweat. He won both matches in three sets. And in Rome, after that grueling match versus Murray, Djokovic played unfettered tennis in a convincing victory.
He's all about the W's
It's all about the bottom line -- the wins. Thirty-nine consecutive times, actually, and 37 to start this season. Only John McEnroe, in 1984, strung together a longer winning streak (42) in the Open era. That's seven titles for Djokovic in 2011 -- five more than he bagged in all of 2010. And now, Djokovic heads into Roland Garros as one of the two heavy favorites and with a chance to usurp Nadal as the top-ranked player on tour.
He will outlast you
Give up the gluten and … voila. Djokovic suddenly is no longer the same soft player with a dubious history of retirements. Instead, he's made himself into arguably the most durable player on tour. His indefatigable defense and punishing groundstrokes combine to make him an all-around lethal athlete. His newfound fitness played a significant role in showing us what truly separates the extraordinary from the merely great.
DECONSTRUCTING DJOKOVIC: WHY NOVAK IS UNSTOPPABLE IN 2011DEUCE
The sky's the limit: Novak Djokovic began his perfect season by winning his second Grand
Slam title at the Australian Open.
This season no player on the ATP World Tour has solved the riddle that is Novak Djokovic. Former pro and tennis analyst Justin Gimelstob breaks down why the Serb is on a 39-match winning streak heading into Roland Garros. But even with the secrets of Djokovic’s success revealed, that doesn’t mean the Serb will be beaten any time soon.
For four long years, Novak Djokovic had ended each season ranked No. 3 in the world behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. He began 2011 having gone 11 Grand Slam tournaments without adding to the first major he won at the Australian Open in 2008. Although it may be a cliché, it’s true that 2011 was always going to be a make or break year for the man from Belgrade.
The prospect of a fifth consecutive year watching the Roger-Rafa duopoly roll on has proved intolerable for a player of such prodigious talent. Djokovic has responded with one of the best starts to a season in the Open Era, winning 37 consecutive matches and seven titles, including the Australian Open and all four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments he has played, beating Federer three times and Nadal four times – all in Masters 1000 finals. He is now poised to become World No. 1.“With Novak, there is no safe place to hit the ball”
Yes, Djokovic’s backhand is the best in the business and his returns are out of this world. But unlike his predecessors at the top of the game, his success isn’t dependent on those one or two assets, rather a combination of technical acumen, consistency, a suffocating array of athleticism, defense, and movement. As former World No. 1 Jim Courier says: “Djokovic is the total package right now. His combination of pace of shot on his ground strokes and the amount of court he is covering is impressive. He can hurt you from anywhere on the court.”
Novak is dominating the sport due to the sum of his parts. His skills collectively have created an equation to which no player in 2011 has found an answer. Top-ranked American Mardy Fish, who has never beaten Djokovic in six career meetings, was brutally candid when assessing the Serb’s game. “I have played all of the top players but Novak is the toughest match-up for me because he has no weaknesses. With Roger, as amazing as he is, you feel like you have a game plan of trying to get the ball into his backhand. With Rafa you feel like you can try to take his time away and get free points on your serve because he stands deeper in the court. With Novak, there is no safe place to hit the ball. And as a result you feel so much pressure playing him.”
Here, There, Everywhere…
The cornerstone of Novak’s game is his movement. He is covering the court better than anyone else in the sport, and is using his speed in both an offensive and defensive way. “Novak is the best player on the run in the game right now and that changes the way guys play; it makes them uncomfortable,” says 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras. Courier adds: “His speed and movement give him the time to be patient and play high percentage tennis when he needs to.”
Novak’s flexibility, core strength, and balance combine to put immense pressure on his opponents, forcing them to hit closer to the lines, leading to higher unforced error counts. Novak is a rare athlete who blends massive power and explosiveness. Upon closer examination you notice his precise footwork: the short adjustment steps, the way he measures long distances by extending his stride, and then occasionally how abruptly he can accelerate into another gear and turn defense into offense with one swing of the racquet.
Federer’s coach, Paul Annacone explains: “Novak hits more winners from a defensive position than anyone else right now and that is why it is so hard to play against him. The combination of his movement, court positioning and confidence make it very difficult to put him in tough positions on the court.”
“Novak is capable of playing high-risk tennis in a high percentage way”
The shot that best exemplifies Djokovic’s ability to turn defence into offence is when he is stretched deep into his backhand corner. Most players with double-handed backhands lack range and power in defensive positions as they take one hand off the racquet. Novak, however, is able to keep his feet underneath him, set and stabilise on his outside left leg, pivot and push off simultaneously. Instead of hitting a passive or even neutralising shot, he can still generate extreme pace and accuracy.
Novak also brings a deep arsenal to the tennis court to leverage his movement. “He has the best backhand in the world right now and he is also the best at turning defence into offence,” says Fish. Annacone adds: “Some players are great defensive players but Novak is special in that he doesn’t just defend the court but he defends offensively.” Novak’s technique is flawless and his timing and ball striking are at the top of the game. This enables him to control and dictate from the middle of the court. Courier says: “He reminds me of Agassi in his prime, when Andre was taking the ball so early, dictating from the middle of the court, and making his opponents do a disproportionate amount of the running.”
Shrinkage
The most vivid image of 2011 is that of Novak residing close to the baseline, bludgeoning ground strokes from the center of the court. He often looks like he is playing ping-pong against some of the hard hitters in the world, deflecting and absorbing pace while running his opponents ragged from corner to corner. Novak stalks the court with the precision of a surgeon, his tennis racquet is the scalpel and the cuts are clean. Novak’s talents help him master the use of time and strip it from his opponents.
As Agassi’s former coach Darren Cahill says, “The best thing Novak does is shrink the court for his opponents. He makes his side much smaller because of his court positioning and how early he takes the ball.” Fish concurs: “You find yourself trying to squeeze shots into parts of the court that are low percentage because he moves so well and you can’t find space on the court to get the ball away from him.”
There are numerous ways Djokovic accomplishes this. One way is to hit the ball hard: The more pace on your shots the quicker it gets to your opponent. Novak’s confidence and stroke production enables him to swing more freely and aggressively than at any other time in his career. Another way is to take the ball sooner, as there is an exponential value based on contacting the ball early in the bounce as it cuts your opponent’s recovery time. Novak is consistently standing close, if not inside, the baseline and his contact point is the earliest in tennis. This brand of tennis normally carries greater risk. However, because of his timing, technique, footwork and soft hands, Novak is capable of playing high-risk tennis in a high percentage way.“The best thing Novak does is shrink the court for his opponents”
This is never more evident than in the ease and abundance in how he changes the direction of the ball. No player in tennis changes the direction of the ball as seamlessly. Most players, even at the elite level, tend to stay with the grain during rallies, maintaining cross-court patterns until a ball lands short. Novak bucks that trend. He is superb at going to any corner off any shot at any point in a rally, making him unpredictable. He is also the best finisher in the game right now, by a substantial margin, with shots down the line off both sides. All of this keeps his opponents off balance and uncomfortable. Courier says: “He is one of the best I have ever seen at finishing down the line off cross-court shots, and that is a testament to his timing, technique and also his footwork.”
As great as all of the variables that Novak brings to the court, no player can dominate on the ATP World Tour like he has done in 2011 without elite shots. Novak is the best in the world in two areas right now: the return of serve and backhand. Sampras is unequivocal: “His backhand is as solid as it gets, and he doesn’t give away any free points. It seems like he has the perfect percentage of offence to defence right now.”
Mastering Rafa
The greatest evidence of his prowess on the backhand side is how he has diffused the most destructive and effective pattern in tennis: the viciously-looping cross-court Rafael Nadal forehand into a right hander’s backhand. Novak has beaten Rafa four times in 2011, all in finals of ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events and each time he stood his ground and was a backboard when confronted with a previously indefensible sequence. Novak’s ability to stand firm, not concede ground, and often redirect that ball down the line to reset the flow of the rally to Rafa’s backhand reveals his true talent.
Novak is like a hockey goalie on the return of serve, seemingly everywhere, repelling opponents’ deliveries back with depth and accuracy. The most important statistic in professional men’s tennis is how often you break serve, and Novak leads the ATP World Tour this year, winning an astonishing 43% of the games when his opponent is serving. His anticipation, compact swing and ability to absorb and redirect pace have helped him dominate when his opponents miss their first serves. He is also leading the ATP World Tour by winning 59% of his opponents’ second-serve points.“Once again the bar is being raised on the ATP World Tour”
Courier says: “He has taken the return of serve to a new level. He makes you play every ball, and gets the ball back on the server so quickly.” Cahill says that “Novak’s success all starts with his return of serve. He is the best returner in the world and it allows him to hurt guys right with that first strike.”
After more than seven years of Federer and Nadal sharing the World No. 1 South African Airways ATP Ranking, Djokovic looks highly likely to ascend to the pinnacle of men’s tennis the Monday after Roland Garros. If Nadal fails to win the title, Novak will become No. 1 regardless of his own performance. If Nadal claims a sixth Roland Garros crown, Djokovic will take No. 1 if he reaches the final.
Should Djokovic claim No. 1, it will be a reward for his sustained excellence and hard work, and usher in a new dawn in men’s tennis. As Courier says, “It’s fun to sit back and watch as once again the bar is being raised on the ATP World Tour.”
"Dotarło do niego, że wszystko jest możliwe"
Z Goranem Djokoviciem, dyrektorem turnieju Serbia Open i wujkiem Novaka Djokovicia, rozmawiał Bartosz Rainka.
W tym roku Novak Djoković wygrał już 39 meczów z rzędu. Można odnieść wrażenie, że jest nie do zatrzymania. Co zmieniło się w jego grze w porównaniu z poprzednimi latami?
GORAN DJOKOVIĆ: Po zwycięstwie w Pucharze Davisa Novak nabrał ogromnej pewności siebie. To tak, jakby dotarło do niego, że wszystko jest możliwe i jest w stanie pokonać każdego. Tegoroczne osiągnięcia dowodzą, jak silny jest psychicznie i fizycznie. W tej chwili wszystko jest u niego doskonale poukładane i rzeczywiście wygląda, jakby był nie do zatrzymania.
Czy przed tym sezonem Novak wprowadził jakieś nowe elementy do swoich treningów?
Raczej nie. Niczego specjalnie nie zmienił. Przemiana nastąpiła w jego głowie. Kolejne zwycięstwa sprawiają, że łatwiej mu się pracuje na treningach, ale nie można tu mówić o jakichkolwiek nowych elementach.
Jak liczny jest jego zespół? Ile osób pracuje na jego sukces?
Jest trener, lekarz, trener od przygotowania fizycznego, fizjoterapeuta, menedżer i przynajmniej jedna osoba z rodziny. Czasem jestem to ja, czasem jego brat. Staramy się tak podróżować z Novakiem, by mógł jak najlepiej skoncentrować się na grze w tenisa, ale nie chcemy wywierać na nim dodatkowej presji. W każdym momencie ma on do swojej dyspozycji od pięciu do siedmiu osób.
Jeszcze nigdy Novak nie dotarł do finału French Open. Czy pana zdaniem może się to zmienić w tym roku?
Tak, mam nadzieję, że tak się stanie. W tym roku Novak wspaniale spisuje się również na ziemi. Finał z pewnością jest w jego zasięgu.
Kto będzie w Paryżu jego największym rywalem w walce o wielkoszlemowy tytuł?
Nie mam wątpliwości - Rafael Nadal.
Czy Novak dobrze czuje się w stolicy Francji i na tutejszych kortach?
Myślę, że tak. On właściwie lubi wszystkie wielkoszlemowe turnieje. Bardzo odpowiada mu dwudniowy odpoczynek pomiędzy meczami. W Paryżu zawsze czuł się dobrze. W końcu dotarł tu do najlepszej czwórki w 2007 i 2008 roku. Nie ma co ukrywać, że w tym roku może być jeszcze lepiej. French Open i Wimbledon są dla niego wyjątkowymi turniejami.
W najbliższą niedzielę Novak obchodzić będzie 24. urodziny. Czy z tej okazji planowana jest w Paryżu jakaś impreza?
Serbska ambasada zorganizuje w niedzielę małe przyjęcie. Na pewno nie zabraknie na nim członków rodziny oraz serbskich tenisistów - Janko Tipsarevicia i Viktora Troickiego. Obecne również będą Jelena Janković i Ana Ivanović.
Jeżeli Novak w dalszym ciągu będzie prezentował taką dyspozycję, zapewne zmieni Rafaela Nadala na pierwszym miejscu rankingu ATP. Kiedy to się może stać?
O prowadzeniu w rankingu ATP Novak marzy całe życie. Tak naprawdę nie ma większego znaczenia czy stanie się to już w Paryżu, czy za jakiś czas. Jestem pewny, że nastąpi to już wkrótce.
Czy pana zdaniem Novak może realnie myśleć o pobiciu rekordu Rogera Federera w liczbie wielkoszlemowych tytułów?
W sporcie nigdy nic nie wiadomo. Novak wciąż jest młodym tenisistą. Przed nim przynajmniej sześć sezonów gry na wysokim poziomie. Wszystko jest możliwe. Na pewno jego postawa pozytywnie wpływa na całą dyscyplinę. Dobrze, że w końcu pojawił się tenisista, który jest w stanie skutecznie rywalizować z Nadalem i Federerem.
Wybiera się pan do Paryża?
Tak. Mam tam kilka spotkań z osobami z ATP, a przy okazji postaram się być na każdym meczu Novaka.
Novak kończy dziś 24 lata. Wszystkiego Najlepszego, spełnienia marzeń i przede wszystkim zdrowia. ;)
Życzę Ci, żebyś odniósł kolejne 24 zwycięstwa z rzędu. :P
Najlepszego. :D
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 0009d.html
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 0010b.html
RG 2011 - konferencja po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 0018f.html
DJOKOVIC ONE VICTORY FROM WORLD NO. 1
Novak Djokovic beat Richard Gasquet
in straight sets on Sunday.
Serbian Novak Djokovic is one victory away from becoming World No. 1 after he advanced to the Roland Garros semi-finals when Fabio Fognini of Italy pulled out of their match on Tuesday.
World No. 49 Fognini withdrew from the quarter-final clash with a left thigh injury, sustained during his five-set win over Albert Montanes of Spain on Sunday.
"I have a small muscle tear and the doctors have decided that I should not play tomorrow," said Fognini, who was the first Italian man to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals since Renzo Furlan 1995.
"It's really difficult. I am finally in Paris playing against Djokovic tomorrow and he hadn't lost like 40 matches in a row. It's difficult because it's the best tournament of my career, but I think it's the best solution."
Should 24-year-old Djokovic book his place in the Roland Garros final be would become No. 1 in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings next week. The only way Rafael Nadal can retain his World No. 1 ranking is if he wins the title and Djokovic loses before the final.
Djokovic has compiled a 41-0 match record on the year. He has won 43 consecutive matches dating back to the Davis Cup final in December.
Koniec fenomenalnej serii Djokovicia!
Novak Djoković przegrał w półfinale Roland Garros 2011 z Rogerem Federerem i tym samym na 43 kolejnych zwycięstwach zatrzymana została jego niesamowita seria meczów bez porażki.
43 zwycięstwa z rzędu to 3 wynik w historii, na równi z osiągnieciem Bjorna Borga:
1. Guillermo Vilas (Argentina) - 46 (1977)
2. Ivan Lendl (Czechoslovakia) - 44 (1981-82)
3. Björn Borg (Sweden) - 43 (1979-80)
3. Novak Đoković (Serbia) - 43 (2010-2011)
5. John McEnroe (U.S.) - 42 (1984)
Szersza statystyka:
http://www.mtenis.pun.pl/viewtopic.php?id=794
Pozostałe statystyki:
Najwięcej kolejnych meczów wygranych od początku roku: http://www.mtenis.pun.pl/viewtopic.php?id=1284
Najwięcej kolejnych meczów wygranych od początku sezonu: http://www.mtenis.pun.pl/viewtopic.php?id=1186
DJOKOVIC REFLECTS ON 'BEST FIVE MONTHS OF MY LIFE'
Djokovic was one win shy of tying
John McEnroe's record for the best
start to a season.
Novak Djokovic’s perfect 41-0 record in 2011 and 43-match winning streak came to an end Friday at the hands of Roger Federer in the semi-finals of Roland Garros. The 2009 champion continued his impressive form in Paris, taking out the Serbian 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5) to advance to the final at Roland Garros for a fifth time.
Djokovic’s incredible start to the year ranks second only to John McEnroe, who began the 1984 season with 42 straight victories. “It was best five months of my life, my tennis career,” claimed Djokovic. “I cannot complain. It was definitely an incredible period. It had to end somewhere. I knew it was coming. Unfortunately, it came in the bad moment. It was a big match today. But look, it's the sport. I will keep on working hard.”
Should Federer earn his first win over Nadal at Roland Garros Sunday, Djokovic will become the new World No. 1 in Monday’s South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings. That will be a fitting reward for his sustained excellence over the past 52 weeks, particularly his blazing start this year. Should Nadal win the title Sunday he will remain World No. 1, but Djokovic will have another shot at obtaining the top spot at Wimbledon, where Nadal is defending champion’s points from 2010.
Though he’ll be disappointed in not reaching in first final in Paris, Djokovic showed why he was unbeatable in 2011 prior to Friday’s match. Down two sets to love, the World No. 2 didn’t give up. After winning the third set, Djokovic stayed patient and eventually had an opportunity to push the match to five, before Federer broke back to level at 5-5 in the fourth set, and ultimately closed it out in a tense tie-break. “I tried to motivate myself,: Djokovic said. “It's a big match, and I tried to think about the first point of the third set, the new match is starting. And I think I played well… I was serving for the fourth set, and he played couple of really good points. So he deserved it.”
Like Djokovic, McEnroe’s streak was halted at Roland Garros by one of his formidable rivals, Ivan Lendl. In many ways, the two streaks had similar parallels. McEnroe won eight titles during his streak, while Djokovic lifted seven trophies. The American defeated Lendl in five finals; the Serbian beat World No. 1 Rafael Nadal in four finals. Both Djokovic and McEnroe notched their first wins against Nadal and Lendl on clay, respectively, during their streaks as well.
McEnroe’s loss to Lendl wasn’t all bad; the seven-time major champion reeled off another stretch of 20 consecutive victories, winning Wimbledon along the way. Djokovic is looking to win his first Grand Slam title outside of Australia and is a two-time semi-finalist at the All England Club. His loss to Federer will give the Serbian time to recover, reflect and relax before preparing for his grass court campaign – he pulled out of the AEGON Championships Friday evening citing patellar tendinitis.
Novak wyczuwał zbliżającą się porażkę
Novak Djoković, niepokonany na światowych kortach przez pięć kolejnych miesięcy, w końcu znalazł pogromcę. Okazał się nim Roger Federer, 16-krotny triumfator turniejów wielkoszlemowych. - To były najlepsze miesiące mojego życia - powiedział podczas konferencji po meczu ze Szwajcarem Djoković.
Do piątkowego półfinału French Open z Federerem serbski tenisista zwyciężył w 41 meczach tego sezonu, wygrywając po drodze wielkoszlemowy Australian Open.
- Niczego nie żałuję. Wszystko to, co się wydarzyło jest faktem. Nie jest mi przykro. To było pięć najlepszych miesięcy mego życia i mojej kariery. Nie mam prawa narzekać - przyznał Djoković, któremu do wyrównania rekordu zwycięstw Johna McEnroe na inaugurację sezonu zabrakło jednego triumfu.
- To był wspaniały okres, który kiedyś musiał dobiec końca. Wiedziałem, że ta chwila się zbliża. Niestety stało się to w złym momencie, podczas tak wielkiego meczu - dodał.
Przed piątkowym pojedynkiem nic nie zapowiadało, że Serb może ten półfinał przegrać. Solidny serwis i wielka wszechstronność dotąd gwarantowały mu w Paryżu bezproblemowe zwycięstwa. Być może do niepowodzenia przyczynił się fakt, że od niedzieli Novak nie rozegrał choćby jednego meczu. Jego ćwierćfinałowy rywal - Fabio Fognini - zrezygnował z gry z powodu kontuzji. Pewnym utrudnieniem mógł okazać się również zapadający zmrok podczas końcówki czwartego seta w spotkaniu z Federerem.
- Nie sądzę, by późna godzina działała na moją niekorzyść. Światło było już marne. Bardzo trudno było dojrzeć piłkę po serwisie rywala, ale obaj graliśmy w identycznych warunkach - poinformował drugi tenisista rankingu ATP.
24-latek, stosujący dietę bezglutenową, z pewnością będzie należał do faworytów zbliżającego się Wimbledonu. Na razie jednak Djoković myśli przede wszystkim o odpoczynku. Aby jak najlepiej wypocząć przed kolejnym wielkoszlemowym turniejem, Novak zrezygnował z występu w turnieju ATP na trawiastych kortach Queen's Clubu.
Dlaczego Djoković nie wystartuje w Queen's?
Drugi tenisista światowego rankingu w piątek odpadł w półfinale turnieju na kortach im. Rolanda Garrosa. Novak Djoković ogłosił po porażce z Rogerem Federerem, że wycofuje się z najbliższej imprezy na obiektach w Queen's Club.
Oficjalnym powodem jest chęć odpoczynku po trudach paryskiego turnieju.
Pojawiają się jednak spekulacje, że 24-letni zawodnik ma ponowne kłopoty z kolanem. To z tego powodu nie grał przez kilka tygodni po zakończeniu pierwszej części sezonu na sztucznej nawierzchni. Novak ma ponoć zapalenie ścięgien w lewej kończynie.
Turniej w Queen's jest głównym sprawdzianem przed Wimbledonem.
W imprezie mają wziąć tymczasem udział Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick i Juan Martin del Potro.
RG 2011 - konferencja po porażce w półfinale.
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/multi … 00288.html
Lol. :D
Kurde, bardzo sympatyczny i wyluzowany ten Nole się wydaje. ;)
Legendary Andre Agassi, a holder of 60 ATP titles, believes it’s only a matter of time before Novak takes the top position in the ATP Ranking list.
“I don’t worry for Novak,” Agassi said. “Of course, the disappointment was huge, but he surely realises he is playing better than anyone else this season and his only option is to continue in the same rhythm. His clash with Roger was one of the finest I’ve ever seen. Everyone thought Novak would win, he really looked invincible and gave away an impression he was unstoppable on his run. That is why I think he will put this defeat behind him, bounce back the right way and get back on track.”
“Once he does that, he will be back to winning ways at big tennis events. There are two more Grand Slam tournaments before the end of the season. If I was in his place, I would start thinking ahead to Wimbledon. I think he will be even better there and hungrier for success.”
Agassi also commented on the strengths of Nole’s game.
“His return is incredible. He sometimes appears as if it’s easier for him to be on the receiving end of a serve, than to serve himself.”
The American legend believes Novak is a better player than he was, citing the Serb’s versatility and athleticism as key strengths.
“Does Djokovic resemble myself?” Agassi said. “No, he is even better. He defends really well, while I struggled more in that element of the game. Novak looks totally relaxed when defending, completely calm and the quality of his return is incredible. He is also extremely flexible in his game, which is facilitated by his ability to anticipate his rival’s moves. That is why I think he is a much more versatile player than I was and he is also much more athletic.”
Źródło artykułu?
Zawsze kiedy coś wklejamy, należy podać źródło artykułu. ;-)
A no tak, już dodane :)
Nowe video Novaka zrobione z mt:s
Eh...czy wam też nie wyświetla się filmik w poście, tylko sam link? Jak mogę zrobić, żeby się wyświetlił?
Novak jednoczy się z ludem. :D
ginny napisał:
Eh...czy wam też nie wyświetla się filmik w poście, tylko sam link? Jak mogę zrobić, żeby się wyświetlił?
Pod każdym filmikiem na YT masz opcję "Udostępnij", następnie wchodzisz w opcję "Umieść". Potem wklej ten kod w znaczniki [html][/html] i voila. ;-)
Dzięki wielkie. ;)
Okładka L'Uomo Vogue na Lipiec/Sierpień, pozuje razem z pieskiem Mr Pierre :D
DJOKOVIC ON “STRONGEST APPROACH” TO WIMBLEDON
Djokovic considers Nadal and Federer
the favourites to win Wimbledon.
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic believes he has his best chance of winning the Wimbledon title this season after a near-perfect six months. The Serbian, a two-time semi-finalist at the All England Club, opened 2011 with a 41-1 match record, with his only defeat coming in the Roland Garros semi-finals two weeks ago.
“I feel good physically and mentally,” said Djokovic on Saturday. “I feel I have the strongest approach to Wimbledon that I ever had because of the confidence that I have, and because the last six months have been the best six months of my career.”
The 24 year old led Serbia to Davis Cup glory in December and opened this season by winning his second Grand Slam championship at the Australian Open. His winning streak took in seven titles before he ultimately fell to Roger Federer in a high-quality clash in Paris. Hungry for more, the Belgrade native is now craving more Grand Slam success.
“I don't want to turn back on what happened already. I really want to be at the present time and really do my best to prepare for every tournament that I play in,” said Djokovic. “Obviously, Grand Slams are the most important events in our sport. I want to set my shape and my form as high as possible to perform my best tennis on Grand Slams.
“I think every player in the world has motivation more to play better and to perform better on the Grand Slams because the whole world is watching.”
During his pre-tournament press conference, Djokovic also reflected on the domination of the two players he deemed favourites for the Wimbledon title, Rafael Nadal and Federer. Between them they have won the past eight Wimbledon championships, with Lleyton Hewitt the last man to triumph in 2002.
“I guess you can always put Federer and Nadal in front of everybody else to win Wimbledon because they have been so successful on the grass courts in the past couple of years and they've been winning the past eight Wimbledons,” said Djokovic.
“I guess every time you expect the match between Federer and Nadal, it's always the biggest match that exists in tennis. I think they have the biggest rivalry among active players; maybe the biggest rivalry ever. So it's just great to be part of the era with those two guys.”
Djokovic Ready For More Success
Djokovic won 14 of the final 16 games against Chardy Tuesday at Wimbledon.
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic made a strong start at Wimbledon Tuesday, sweeping past Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 in one hour and 20 minutes on Centre Court. After the two were even at 4-4 in the first set, Djokovic won 14 of the next 16 games to clinch the victory.
The Serbian put together a complete performance to overwhelm Chardy; he protected his serve well, facing just one break point, and was equally impressive on return, breaking the Frenchman six times in 10 opportunities.
“I'm very satisfied with the way I started the tournament,” he said. “Today's performance was great. The serve was very accurate. It was quite difficult conditions for both of us because we had to face the strong wind. So I went more for the precision, and I got the returns when I needed to. Really, really happy with the overall performance.”
Djokovic was in action for the first time since losing his first match of the season in the semi-finals of Roland Garros to Roger Federer. The Swiss ended Djokovic’s undefeated 2011 reign in Paris, which saw the Serb reel off 41 straight wins to start the season.
“It's been a very, very successful five, six months for me, but very long as well and exhausting,” reflected Djokovic. “I've played so many matches, so I needed some time to relax and I'm happy to see that I'm playing well again, that I'm mentally really fresh to have more success.”
The Serbian felt optimistic about his chances at the All England Club, after two semi-final finishes in 2007 and ’10.
“It's true there is a different approach to this year's Wimbledon from my side because I'm playing, I think, best tennis of my life in the last six months,” he stated. “That's why confidence wise, I believe in myself much more on the court and I know I can perform well, equally well, on this surface as I do on the other ones.”
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 1 rundzie
Q. It's very early, your first match in the tournament. But this is the first Wimbledon since you were a teenager that people aren't expecting necessarily a Federer/Nadal final. One of the stories of this year is you've played yourself into that rivalry. How do you think about that? You're friends with Rafa. How does that change your approach, if it does?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, first of all, I'm very satisfied with the way I started the tournament. Today's performance was great. As you said, the serve was very accurate. It was quite difficult conditions for both of us because we had to face the strong wind. So I went more for the precision, and I got the returns when I needed to. Really, really happy with the overall performance. Rafa and Roger are two biggest favorites to win this tournament because of the fact that they've been so dominant the last couple years, especially on the grass courts. They are the only two players who have been winning this tournament for quite some time. Obviously, there is Andy Murray, who is home favorite. He's playing really well on grass courts, Wimbledon, last couple years. It's true there is a different approach to this year's Wimbledon from my side because I'm playing, I think, best tennis of my life in the last six months. That's why confidence wise, you know, I believe in myself much more on the court and I know I can perform well, equally well, on this surface as I do on the other ones. As you said, it's a bit too early to think about the later stages of the tournament. So I'd like to, you know, take one match at a time.
Q. You only dropped 11 points on serve. Can you ever remember being so dominant on serve in a five set match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm not great with the stats. But it is definitely one of the, yeah, most dominant matches regarding the serve. Especially on the grass court, you need the serve. You need to have the accuracy, efficiency. You need to get a lot of free points in order to, you know, put a pressure on your opponent.
Q. Were you pleased how quickly you adapted to the win?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's the first match in Wimbledon this year. First official match that I had on grass. So, you know, it took some time to get adjusted. But all the credit to him for serving the first set the way he did. It was really hard because he had a really high percentage of first serves. But that break on 4 All was a turning point. I think was crucial. Was important to start off with a set advantage.
Q. How much would you wish that Caroline Wozniacki was here to ask the questions instead of us?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I wish.
Q. Better questions.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: She's great. We have a lot of fun off court.
Q. Following her question, you have one winning streak.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, it came true, whatever she said.
Q. How do you relax yourself during the Wimbledon tournament? You play golf?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yeah. You know, as soon as the tournament starts, you're spending most of the time on the courts or, you know, watching tennis on the TV, just trying to save as much energy as you can, try to focus, try to get your body in best possible shape for the upcoming challenges, upcoming matches. You know, you don't have that much free time. I think what's very nice about this tournament is that you have the opportunity to stay in a house. Most of the players are staying around this area. There's a lot of beautiful nature, beautiful parks. So it's great. Fresh air is really important sometimes to get out of the city.
Q. You looked like you had some strapping on your left knee. Is that just a precaution?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, just a precaution. I have it on every match that I've played this year. I've had the tape on my knee. Since Australia, you know, I have been feeling a little bit uncomfortable. It's nothing serious, but I just want to be cautious about it.
Q. A little while ago you were the focus of all the talk in tennis. Today there's plenty of room to stretch out, not that much focus on you. Talk about this new stage. Do you enjoy having a breather, that not everyone is concentrating on you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's been a best winning streak, the longest that I've had in my career. And it's incredible, the amount of matches I have won in a row. It was definitely surprising for myself, as well. And, obviously, with the seven titles that I've won in a row, you know, I got more attention. You know, it was easier this year for me to handle things on and off the court because I have gained the necessary experience in past couple years playing on the top level and knowing how to handle myself on the court, how to, you know, be dedicated every single day, and how to handle the attention that you have. It's kind of normal. It comes with the success. So when this streak ended, you know, in Paris, it was kind of a relief as well because, you know, it's been a very, very successful five, six months for me, but very long as well and exhausting. I've played so many matches. So I needed some time to relax and I'm happy to see that I'm playing well again, you know, that I'm mentally really fresh to have more success.
Q. Tennis is a game of cycles and growth. Inside Novak Djokovic, does he feel that he's ready to win Wimbledon?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I need to believe that. I have to be optimist. There is no use of being anything else.
Q. On the night that the streak ended, you went out to have some fun in Paris. You were even tweeting. Do you remember anything about that night? Looked like you were very happy.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it wasn't a relief, as I said. This is sport. You win, you lose, it's normal. Of course, it was disappointing for me to lose my first match this year in the semifinals of Roland Garros in probably the most important match this year. But look, you know, it had to come sometime. I just needed an hour, hour and a half to really forget about it and move on. It's normal. We tennis players, we have to get used to losing, as well. Sometimes you have tournaments, big tournaments, week after week. So we really need to refresh.
Q. Do you have any superstitions of any description before you go into a big tournament like this?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Not anything particular that I can say that I depend from a superstition. I do have my own routines, you know. Usually if I travel, and we mostly travel to the same places and we play the same tournaments, so we get to see the same people, we get to stay at the same hotels or houses. I don't call that any superstition. It's just a routine. If something makes you feel comfortable, then, you know, you have no reason to change it.
Q. You've beaten Rafael Nadal four times in a final this year. I can't remember him losing four finals. How does that affect your interpersonal dynamic with him? When you're in the locker room with him, how does that change?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, you know, we are professionals. Of course, when we step on the court, we want to win. So it is definitely a biggest challenge if you're playing your big rival, someone that is on top of the men's tennis, and especially if he is No. 1 of the world. To be able to win four finals against him was an amazing achievement. This year actually in Indian Wells was the first time I ever won against him in the finals. You know, I've lost many finals against him before. It all happens. It all changes. Hopefully we can have many more to come.
Troszkę starszy artykuł, jeszcze z RG:
Djokovic: I can't be mates with Andy and Rafa while we're fighting for a place in history
Novak Djokovic had an unexpected companion for lunch here last week. An impeccably groomed snow-white toy poodle snuggled alongside him on a cushioned seat at a pavement table.
'This is Pierre,' said Djokovic, courteously.
Clearly, he blends perfectly into his adopted home in Monaco which he shares with girlfriend Jelena Ristic.
Winning streak: Novak Djokovic hopes to maintain his good form and become the world No.1
Even so, the sight of Djokovic surreptitiously smuggling his pet a titbit of noodles is hard to reconcile with his image as a rugged, 6ft 2in athlete who, through strength, skill and unshakeable confidence has taken the game of tennis hostage this year. Djokovic will celebrate his 24th birthday today as the most feared player in the game and the man most likely to inflict yet more pain on Rafael Nadal over the next fortnight at the tournament that has been the Spaniard's tennis fiefdom for five of the past six years. Djokovic prefers to play down speculation over his chances at the French Open, in Paris, insisting: 'I don't want to be unnaturally modest, but Rafa deserves to be favourite. He's lost only one match at Roland Garros; and he's the most successful player ever to play this game on clay.'
Yet Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray have lived for the past four months in the shadow of Djokovic since he defeated the British No 1 in the final of the Australian Open in January to put in motion a run of 37 consecutive victories.
Old pals act: Djokovic (left) and Andy Murray are the best of friends off court
'Of course, I'm aware these results are rating me in front of Nadal, but I'd disagree with that,' said Djokovic. 'After all, he's beaten me twice at Roland Garros.'
But Nadal can testify that Djokovic has improved his game beyond recognition to overtake Federer as the most potent threat to the Spaniard's place at the summit of the sport, having been victorious at seven tournaments in Melbourne, Dubai, Indian Wells (California), Miami, Belgrade, Madrid and Rome.
Last Sunday in Rome, Djokovic did not get to bed until 4am before returning to the court to play Nadal just 14 hours later, having been stretched to the limit of his resources by Murray in an epic semi-final.
After two brutal sets, Nadal looked a haunted man as Djokovic claimed his fourth victory over him this year; should the Serb win the French Open he will replace the Spaniard as the world No 1.
Joker in the pack: Djokovic
Jokers in the pack: Djokovic and Nadal
Yet, rather than sound triumphal, Djokovic presents his achievements over the past months in the context of the dominance Federer and Nadal have enjoyed over the previous seven years.
'I have only nice words to say about Rafa,' said Djokovic. 'He always wants to improve and you never see him disrespect another player.
'And Roger, well, his results say everything. With 16 Grand Slam titles, he's the most successful player ever. He may lose a little more often, but everything can change in the next month if he wins in Paris and at Wimbledon.
'But it's good for the sport to see myself and Murray challenging them. I think Roger, Rafa, Andy and myself have a very civil relationship, with a great respect for one another.
Veteran ace: Roger Federer's titles speak for themselves, insists Djokovic
'Sometimes, I have dinner with Andy or Rafa; but the reality is none of us can be real mates while we are fighting for history. But one day, when we've all retired, I look forward to sitting down over a beer with them all, and their families, and remember what we went through.'
Murray was among the first to text a congratulatory message to Djokovic last Sunday.
'It was good of Andy to send me a message. I wished him a happy birthday in return,' he revealed. 'If the match had gone past midnight and become his birthday, who knows, but Andy would probably have won!'
Love match: Girlfriend Jelena Ristic is keen to keep out of the limelight
Their rivalry is already a dozen years old, having trailed one another across Europe in junior tournaments in the age group one year beneath Nadal.
'In our first match, aged 12, Andy destroyed me,' he said, with a laugh at the memory.
'Even then, we all knew that Nadal was winning everything he played. He was a wunderkind.'
For Murray, this summer is a road to redemption after he took an undue amount of time to recover from the defeat by Djokovic on that January night in Melbourne which sent them in different directions.
Djokovic empathises with the slump Murray endured.
'After I took the first set in Australia, Andy's focus and energy level dropped,' he recalled. 'You can sense these things. But I know he has the ability to win a Grand Slam, he's a great talent.
'So much of this game is in the mind. I sympathise with what happened to Andy this year. When I lost to Nadal in Madrid in 2009, after an incredible three-set match lasting almost four-and-a-half hours, I lost my self-belief.
'You have to work back, step by step, that's why this sport is so demanding mentally. I think Andy looked good again in the way he played me in Rome.'
Djokovic has travelled a rough road, from a childhood spent in Serbia's most troubled recent past, then in exile at a tennis academy in Germany, to arrive at a point where his life is as perfect as his tennis results. Djokovic admits his contentment has been hard won. 'I've had my ups and downs in my private life,' he said.
'Over the last three or four years, I have been through good times and bad times. This affected my professional life, it's all connected. It's different for me now. I have grown up. I can handle myself, it's a natural process.
'Mostly the problems when I was down were caused by myself. There were times when I was not responsible enough or decisive enough. But you learn. I'm a happy man, because I am successful in what I do, of course; but what makes me most happy is I have people around me that I love and who love me back. This, for me, is the most important thing. Nobody likes to be alone.'
Looking ahead: Djokovic relishing a return to London to play at Queen's Club
Looking ahead: Djokovic relishing a return to London to play at Queen's Club
His five-year romance with his girlfriend, although she is rarely seen at tournaments, is also fundamental to the mindset that has enabled him continually to rout Nadal and to beat Federer on three occasions this year.
'For a while, it was hard for Jelena and me to maintain this relationship, we had problems like every couple, but we have been together all the way through,' he said.
'We have love and our emotional stability has much to do with my success. She's busy with her own ambitions and studying for her masters degree in Monaco, but she will be with me at Wimbledon.'
In years past, Djokovic has been known for his shrewd tennis impersonations of rivals such as Nadal and Andy Roddick, as well as the world's most glamorous woman player, Maria Sharapova.
'Joking around is part of my personality, just who I am,' he said. 'I have been impersonating players since I was seven years old! I like to make people laugh, to bring joy. I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable and I don't think I did, but no one had to tell me it was time to cut back. I know everything has its limits.'
Crowd pleaser: Djokovic mixes music for spectators during an exhibition match at the French Open
Now the young Serb's fame is spreading beyond the tennis court. Last week, the racket he used to defeat Nadal in Rome was auctioned for €28,000 (£24,500) after he had modelled a designer suit on the catwalk at a fund-raising fashion show organised by Naomi Campbell at the Cannes Film Festival. Djokovic's schedule carries him from Paris to the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club, in west London, from June 6-12, a cherished week in his calendar as part of his preparations for Wimbledon.
'I love playing Queen's, it's a beautiful tournament at a club with such history and tradition,' he said, shaking hands and scooping up Pierre to walk home to his apartment with its views over the Mediterranean. It is a world away from the one where he learned to play the game he now rules.
'Hopefully, I will fulfil my lifetime ambition to be world No 1,' he said.
Whether he achieves that in Paris or at a later date, his role in a fashion show to raise money for victims of the Japanese earthquake was well-merited; at present there is no better model professional than Novak Djokovic.
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 2 rundzie
N. Djokovic bt K. Anderson 6 3, 6 4, 6 2
Q. What does it take to beat you out there?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I'm really happy with the opening two rounds in Wimbledon. Two straight set wins. I cannot ask for more, definitely. And I'm physically feeling great on the court.
I'm returning really well, which is important. Using more an efficiency of the serve and precision rather than going for the speed.
So it's quite tricky conditions these days. It's very strong wind. So to be able to handle this wind in this way, I'm really happy.
Q. Players on grass take a little while to get used to it. Do you notice any jump in your ease or feeling comfortable on the surface this year compared to other years?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Uhm, mentally I do have a different approach to Wimbledon than I had years before. It's obvious because of the winning streak that I had, the confidence that is very high.
It makes it easier, you know, to step on the court because you believe in yourself. You know that you're one of the best players in the world and you know that you can win against anybody.
So this is my mindset. I try to step on the court and really, regardless who is across the net, play as best as I can.
Q. Can you pinpoint any specific turning point in your mindset that helped you change things around?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Nothing in particular really. I think generally I just everything came together really, mentally, physically, and game wise obviously.
I matured. I have, what, five, six years professional level behind me, which is quite a lot, and I've learned something from those years.
Q. You've spoken many times about the respect and admiration you have for Roger Federer. When you think about his durability, what occurs to you? He now has a streak of just about 12 years without missing playing in a major.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it's incredible. I mean, I don't know what I can say that nobody said before for him. I mean, he's a great champion.
Q. Why do you think he's been able to endure in a way that few players ever have in that way?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, he's been very smart with his scheduling obviously. I think his talent is incredible on the court. It looks so easy when he plays. I guess he spends less energy than the other players.
He perfected his movement on the court really well. So he knows how to rationally spend energy. He's just an overall player, you know, physically, mentally.
Q. What do you remember about when he beat Sampras here, if you got to see that match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, no. It was a long time ago. I think, yeah, it was one of his probably turning points in his career. Then he started winning Grand Slams like they were regular tournaments year after year.
Yeah, on the grass, this is where he plays his best tennis. This is definitely now challenged I think from Nadal, especially from some other players, including myself, for the major titles.
I think he enjoys it. He looks at it as a big challenge, you know, to overcome the other players and try to win more majors.
Q. When are we going to see your younger brothers out here playing?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I hope soon. But, okay, it's not up to me. I try to help them in a best possible way, give them advice. But on the other hand, it's not that easy to handle the pressure of having an older brother in top of the tennis, men's tennis.
For them, they are still very young, especially Djordje, the youngest one. Mentally it's a big struggle. So he has to fight against a lot of things on the court.
Until he matures, it will take time. He's talented, that's for sure. Let's hope he can get on the professional tennis soon.
Q. There were times today when you seemed particularly exuberant, sheer enjoyment of playing and having good moments, particularly when we thought you were going to take flight after that great rally. You celebrated. You do express yourself. Are there times when you feel more exhilarated than others on the court? Today did you get some particularly good vibrations while you were playing?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I really don't think about others. I think about myself, what I do, how can I improve myself on the court. And, yes, it's true that I like to express myself more positively than negatively, but sometimes negative as well.
It's just me. It's my character. I'm very emotional. Obviously I'm learning over the years how to control my emotions. But, you know, everybody's different, I guess.
Q. I was wondering if you felt particularly, given all the pressure at Wimbledon, you seem to be quite exhilarated by it rather than introspective.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, it again depends the way you accept it, the way you look at it. You know, you can always look at it from the positive side and try to enjoy it, embrace it, or you can look from negative side and absorb this pressure and negative energy.
Depends really how you go with it. I always try to go with the brighter side, try to put aside the expectations and pressure because it's always there. You know, if you're a top player, it's always there.
It's part of your life, part of your career. But you need to forget about that and do what you need to do and win on the court.
Q. The fact you've been so relaxed, you've been making friends with a squirrel.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You've seen my tweets. It's my best friend now in London, the little squirrel. She's getting closer and closer each day. I'm trying to feed her from my hand. Maybe one day.
Q. Does she have a name?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I will think about that.
Q. A lot of players appreciate Wimbledon because they can live in the Village with a team. Do you live with your team in a house and cook like Rafa does for the team?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't cook for the team. I like to be in kitchen sometimes. But I leave it to the professionals to do their job, to the women.
Q. Do you live with your whole team there?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I'm there with the whole team, with my girlfriend, and we have a great time together where it's really enjoyable. I've been staying in the same house for last couple years, usually with my family as well. But they're not able to come this time. Maybe later in the second week if I'm able to, you know, come to the second week.
Q. If you had no Wimbledon to play, what would you like to do in London, like a tourist or normal person?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, in London? I'm a big admirer of the nature. I think London is, you know, one of the nicest cities in the world concerning nature and parks and green all over. It's beautiful.
You know, I would walk around, I guess, try to spend less time in the car, because it's really annoying with the traffic here. I think it's one of the worst for the traffic.
Q. What is your secret with your return of serve? Do you think this shot can be the key to win the tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, nowadays grass is slower than it used to be, so I think it's more suitable to my style of the game. The ball bounces higher, which makes it a bit more easier to return.
And, yes, I returned really well these two matches. This is going to be one of the, you know, important elements in my game in order to be successful.
But I need to serve well, as well, because it's not only about the return.
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie
N. DJOKOVIC beat /M. Baghdatis
6‑4, 4‑6, 6‑3, 6‑4
Q. That's got to be about the best match of the tournament so far from a spectator's point of view. What is it about you and Marcos when you get together at Wimbledon?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think we played two matches, and both of the matches went the distance. I guess I expected, you know, a tough one. He plays really well on grass courts. Considering my game, I don't think I've played on top, played the way I played in the first two rounds. I was moving really bad. I didn't feel great on the court. But all the credit to him for playing well. Couple of points really decided the winner. I think I won because I was hanging in there and fighting. That's obvious. It was an exciting match to be part of.
Q. You seemed to be able to dig very deep at the early part of the third set there. Seemed like your energy levels had come up.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: As I said, you know, I'm not tired physically. I just didn't feel good today. I just didn't feel good, and, uhm, my legs weren't working. You have those days. Luckily for me, when I needed to, I played well. You know, he made some unforced errors. You know, I was two sets to one up, and then, again, even though the third set was a struggle for both of us, I kind of mentally had this advantage because I knew I was a set up.
Q. What was the atmosphere like to be in?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I mean, for playing here last couple of years, last five years, there were not many moments when I saw practically all stadium on their feet. You know, it was incredible. It was incredible really. It was exciting to see the Centre Court of Wimbledon being so enthusiastic about the match. Me as a player, I have to appreciate that and be happy I was a part of the exciting match.
Q. What will you do differently, if anything, to prepare for facing a lefty on Monday?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there is not too much what you can do really. You don't have that much time really to practice with a left‑hander. Yes, if you have an opportunity to practice with a left‑hander you can use that in your favor, but to prepare a little bit mentally, you know, just to have visually a player that plays with a different hand. Obviously Llodra is a great server. He's been playing fantastic in Wimbledon. I think grass courts are his favorite surface, so it's going to be a tough one. But, yeah, I need to work on my serve, my return, and hopefully it can work well for me.
Q. There was a time in the second set when frustration got the better of you when you smashed your racquet. Was that a sign of frustration or...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was frustrating, I cannot lie. I did lose my temper a bit. But, you know, I came back. I thought, you know, even though I haven't returned the best, I still had a lot of chances. I was missing from the baseline a lot. So this is something that I was frustrated about. But from the bright side, you know, I hang in there and in the important moments, even in the last game when, you know, I could have lost that service game on 5‑4, you know, I didn't. I stayed emotionally stable, believing that I can win, and that's what matters the most.
Q. In a way do you think it helped you because you got your frustration out and put it behind you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. In my case it helps sometimes, even though it doesn't look great (smiling).
Q. Do you do anything besides relax tomorrow? Do anything for fun? Go to a movie?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, just relaxing with the team, watching movies. Just having a nice Sunday. Hopefully, you know, with the nice weather we can walk around a little bit and recover. Now it's recovery time. I need to be fresh for next challenge.
Q. What sort of challenges will Michael bring to you on Monday?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think he's dangerous for anybody if he serves well. He's one of the few I can say serve‑and‑volley players nowadays. I think the fact that he's lefty gives him a little advantage because there is not much lefties around. He can use the slice serve. He likes grass. You know, he's a very aggressive player. He likes to be on the net. He can be trouble. But I need to return well.
Q. So will you call John McEnroe, see if he wants to practice with you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Maybe. If he's willing to change his clothing. Most of the time I see him he's in a suit and the tie. Maybe he's going to change for tomorrow. We'll see.
Q. Have you played with him before?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I did. I did played with him. He didn't bring me much luck in Paris before that semifinal match. I've played with him many times. He's a great champion. I admire him a lot. You know, anytime I can use the opportunity to hit with him, to have a chat with him, his advices are very useful.
Q. When you talk about Michael's serving, is it the slice serve on the ad court that's tricky?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, he likes using that. That's his favorite serve, obviously, the slice. He doesn't go as much for speed. He has a very precise serve, great volleys, great feel. He's one of the best doubles players in the world. He has won Wimbledon in doubles. He's going to take his chances. I'm sure he's going to come to the net. He's not going to change that, for sure.
Q. You got through the first week, and now you're heading into the second week. All the big guys are still there. Looks like it's going to be a lot to look forward to.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, a lot to look forward to. There's a lot of great matches, a lot of great players. You know, even though it's kind of expected, especially from top players, to get to the second week, you know, it's for us a great achievement still. We know this is a Grand Slam. We know that everybody plays well here. You have to appreciate each win that you have. I'm just happy to be still in the tournament.
Q. Back to the racquet thing again.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You really liked it (smiling).
Q. It did show your aggression and your passion for the game as well. Is that something you want to keep going, or will you rein that in next week and not lash out like that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I'm not going to change who I am. I can work on some things, but, you know, my temper is my temper. My character is my character. You know, you have to try to take the best out of it, not change it.
Q. Did it go on the first one, or did it take three?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I like to make sure (smiling).
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 4 rundzie
N. Djokovic bt. M. Llodra 6 3, 6 3, 6 3
Q. That was fairly impressive.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Thank you. It felt great, especially after the long match that I had against Baghdatis, too. To come out and play as well as I did today is definitely encouraging fact, you know, in the beginning of the second week.
Q. What do you think about the schedule, the way you've been put on Court 1 a couple of times? Potentially world No. 1 at the end of this week, you should be on Centre Court from now on in?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look I don't get into the scheduling. It's not to me to make a decision where I'm going to play. I respect whatever they decide to do. I have no complaints towards that.
I've been playing on both big courts. Court 1 is as beautiful as the Centre Court is, as well.
Q. How would you describe the relationship you have with your next opponent and how well you know his game?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Uhm, I have nice words for Bernard, and I think he has a great potential, a great talent. He's showing it right now. He believes that he can win against the top players, and he was doing that very comfortably in last couple of rounds here in Wimbledon. As I understand, he came from qualification, so he has a lot of matches under his belt.
He loves playing on grass. If you analyze his game, he loves playing on the fast surfaces. He just has these flat shots. He doesn't give you a lot of time. You know, he serves really well. He doesn't make many unforced errors.
It's going to be exciting match for both of us, I think. You know, we practice couple of times here in Wimbledon, a couple of times throughout the whole year wherever we are. We're good friends on and off the court.
Q. How did he first come to your attention? How did you know about this young kid?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, I've heard about him, that he's very successful in the junior circuit a couple years ago. Then when I saw him play, you know, it was obvious that he's very, very talented. I saw him in Australia, I think, first time two, three years ago when he was playing juniors.
But, you know, now he establish himself already in the professional circuit. So with this quarterfinal in Wimbledon, he shows everybody he has a quality to be here.
Q. You first asked him to hit with you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know who asked who. You know, we speak the same language, so for us is easy to communicate.
Q. The exhibition match January of last year in Melbourne, what do you remember about that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, yeah. I remember I lost. Yeah, but, you know, these exhibition matches are not really matches that you can really judge who is in a good shape, who is playing better.
You know, it was just more of a practice match, more of players are trying to try their games, you know, how it works prior to the big slam.
But as I said, you know, we had many opportunities to practice with each other. We know each other's game. Even though he's quite young, he's quite new on the professional circuit, I still feel when I watch him definitely these last couple of matches that he plays with a lot of confidence.
You know, he can be very dangerous because he doesn't have anything to lose really. I mean, he's in quarterfinals, and I'm sure he's going to step into the court willing to win.
Q. He said that when you had a knock-up last week you played a couple of sets and you destroyed him. Is that quite right?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I don't know. Look, we don't look at the score that much. It's more kind of playing, testing our strokes, just kind of trying to prepare for the match what is about to come.
We do have lots of fun on the practice, as well. I like practicing with him because, you know, we get to be serious for, let's say, like four or five minutes and then we are having fun for 45 minutes.
Q. If you put Roger and Rafa in the big picture on a sort of a neutral surface, slow hard court, having them both playing at their peaks, who do you think would be better?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I really cannot answer that. I don't know. I don't know. I mean, it's obvious that Rafa is playing his best tennis on the clay and Roger on the grass. So I guess when they had this exhibition match, half grass court, half clay court, it was cool to watch really. I enjoyed it. It was something very interesting.
I had fun watching it. I'm sure they had fun playing. Unfortunately we don't have half halfcourts. Has to be only one surface.
Q. There have been press reports about Pierre and his status as to whether he might still be able to join you here. Have you had any updates on that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I've heard that this story came out. I don't understand why it was so serious. There was nothing going on. It was just he couldn't come, you know.
I like having him around, but it was impossible this time. Maybe next time, we'll see.
Q. No way this time?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's too late now.
Q. When you speak of the level of the top four guys, how would you describe the level of play that the four of you are at, how formidable as a foursome you guys are right now?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it was obvious that Nadal and Federer have been the two most dominant players in the circuit for the last, what, five years. And now I think it gets a little bit more interesting in our sport to have Murray and myself and a couple more players, you know, who can challenge those guys in the Grand Slams, in the big events.
You know, considering Roger and Rafa, in my case, I guess for most of the players, they always make you play your best tennis. They make you improve.
So even though it's very difficult to compete with them because they are so consistent and such great players, they are always reaching at least the semifinals of each tournament they play on Grand Slams. They've been winning 90% of the Grand Slams in the last six years.
In order to keep up with them, you really need to work on your game. You know, you need to step out there and believe you can win, because everybody got used to watching Rafa and Roger in the finals, expecting them to play in every tournament finals. But now it's a bit different.
I think it's interesting to see that.
Q. Will you play Davis Cup in Sweden? And what do you think about Robin Soderling's decision not to play?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I will play Davis Cup. I am in the team. But for Soderling, I've heard, yes, that he has pulled out. I mean, regardless if he's playing or not, we will come as the strongest team, the team that has won the Davis Cup title last year, because we are aware that we are going away from home.
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if Robin still plays on that match. He's not in the tournament here. He has still chance to be in the team. But we are not looking at their squad. We are just trying to be the best squad we can.
Q. Do you think with the four of you playing as you are at the moment that we've entered a golden era where truly great individuals are reaching their peak together and contesting for the big prizes?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Can you repeat? We're getting philosophical.
Q. The quality of the four seems to be head and shoulders above the rest of the others. Is it potentially something that people will look back as a golden era of tennis?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Nadal and Federer, definitely, because they have had an incredible rivalry, and they have an incredible five, six years of dominance in so many Grand Slams and things they've won. They just made the history of the sport.
Even I have won two Grand Slams and played a couple of finals, as well as Andy Murray, we still have a lot to prove. I don't think we are still in the league of comparing to those two guys and their results.
But, you know, we are still quite young and there's many years to come hopefully.
Q. You grew up watching Pete. How would you compare the three or four of you now with his generation with Andre, Courier, Chang, possibly Becker and Edberg?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, Pete was best player in the world for five, six years in a row. It was kind of his era in last 15 years.
But you had great players I really enjoyed. I think there was many players that were able to challenge Pete, even on this tournament, which he has won so many times in a row.
But, you know, I think the era that we are in right now, I think men's tennis especially is experiencing some good times. Of course, it all depends how you look at it. It was Federer and Nadal winning most of the major tournaments in the last three, four, five years. But now there is more players.
I think for the sport, it's better to have more players, more options, so people can support some more players.
Q. What is your particular superstitions or do you not have any?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I do not have a superstition. I have routines. I would call them routines that I try to respect prior to each match. More or less I don't take a shower in the same shower, for example. I don't do that. But I have a certain timing that I prepare myself for. Just regular stuff. Nothing dependent from.
Djoković 3 zwycięskie sety od #1.
24-letni serbski tenisista zagra po raz 3 w karierze w 1/2 Wimbledonu. Jeżeli Nole pokona Tsongę, bądź Rafa Nadal nie wygra całego turnieju, tenisista z Belgradu zostanie 25 liderem rankingu od czasu jego wprowadzenia (1973 rok).
"Skupiam się na tym, by grać bardzo dobrze w każdym kolejnym meczu, zdecydowanie. Zdaję sobie jednak sprawę, że najbliższy mecz ma szczególną wagę. Jestem bardzo blisko awansu na pozycję lidera rankingu, niemniej staram się o tym za dużo nie myśleć" - powiedział Djoko po wygranym meczu 1/4 finału z 18-letnim Bernardem Tomiciem.
"Najważniejsze jest praca nad podniesieniem poziomu mojej gry w kolejnym meczu. Mogę grać lepiej i głównie na tym się teraz skupiam" - dodał.
DJOKOVIC ONE WIN AWAY FROM NO. 1, FIRST WIMBLEDON FINAL
Novak Djokovic has reached his fifth straight Grand Slam championship semi-final and should he advance to The Championships final on Sunday he will become the new No. 1 in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings.
Second seed Djokovic defeated his regular practice partner, 18-year-old Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in two hours and 41 minutes on Wednesday for a place in the semi-finals at the All England Club. The 24-year-old Serbian also advanced to the semi-finals in 2007 and last year.
"My focus is to win every single match I play, obviously," said Djokovic. "But I'm aware of the importance of every match that I play. I'm very close to reaching the No. 1, but I try not to think about that too much."
Djokovic will next meet French No. 12 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who beat six-time former titlist Roger Federer of Switzerland 3-6, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, in the semi-finals on Friday. Read Match Repeat
"I need to work a little bit on my game," said Djokovic. "I hope I can perform a little bit better than I did today. That's what matters for me the most, regardless who is across the net. Tsonga came back from 0-2 [sets down]. It's amazing comeback. He's been playing great in grass-court season so far. He's very dangerous."
Djokovic capitalised on a nervous start by World No.158 Tomic to convert his fourth break point opportunity, and he continued to dominant the baseline rallies to break serve again for a 5-2 lead. The Serbian then hit his fifth ace to close out the 34-minute opener in which he committed five unforced errors.
Tomic grew in stature in the second set as the weight of seven matches in his legs, to get to the quarter-finals, lifted. Djokovic hit two double faults in the fourth game and Tomic coolly opened up a 4-1 lead much to the delight of the large Australian contingent. The Gold Coast resident dumped two forehands into the net on his first two set point opportunities, but his 12th winner of the set - a forehand - to level the score line. Djokovic had won just 43 per cent of his second service points.
The error count continued to rise for Djokovic early in the third set, as Tomic stormed into a 3-1 lead that was short-lived. Djokovic responded by winning seven straight games in the same time at Tomic committed 13 unforced errors.
Tomic recovered from a 0-2 deficit in the fourth set and came within two points of taking his 18th tour-level match to a deciding set, when Djokovic served at 4-5, 0/30, courtesy of some blistering forehand winners.
But Tomic tensed up in the 11th game, as Djokovic's greater experience counted. A 31-stroke rally, with both players mainly hitting backhand slice strokes, only heightened Tomic's anxiety in baseline rallies. Djokovic sealed the decisive break with a backhand drop shot winner and he went onto clinch his 46th win in 47 matches this season with a hold to 15, ending with a cool drop volley
Djokovic maintains his record of having never lost to a player ranked outside the Top 100. He hit 39 winners and 14 aces, committing 27 unforced errors in the pair's first meeting. Tomic, the youngest Wimbledon quarter-finalist since Boris Becker in 1986, hit 43 winners and made 41 errors.
"I'm proud of myself firstly," said Tomic. "I think I gave it as much as I could today. I was not too far off, but he's a better player than me at this stage. I had my chances 3-1 in the third [set]. If I was a little bit smarter, a little bit relaxed, I probably would have done the opposite of what I did. But his returns keep pressuring you and then you make errors, and that's why he's that quality of a player."
Tomic is guaranteed to become Australia's new No. 1-ranked player on Monday, when the new South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings are published. Lleyton Hewitt had held the top spot nationally since 17 May 2004.
"He's been playing really, really well today," said Djokovic. "He's been using the pace fantastically. You can see he feels really comfortable on the court. Obviously what he lacks a little bit more is that experience. But it comes with the time. I'm sure if he continues this way, he's gonna be a top player very soon.
"I think his style is more suitable to the faster surfaces, grass, the lower bounce, because he plays quite flat and he uses the pace from his opponent."
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w ćwierćfinale
N. Djokovic bt. B. Tomic 6 2, 3 6, 6 3, 7 5
Q. Were you okay out there today? Seemed to be breathing a bit heavy.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I'm okay. I'm okay. I had to work hard for my points. In some periods of the match I was not feeling great, meaning I wasn't moving well. Then I was expending a lot of energy on those rallies.
But, you know, to go through to another semi-final is the important thing. I'm delighted.
Q. When you lost after the second set, also you were down 3 1 in the third. How worried were you? Were you more angry with yourself? Worried? Perplexed?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, to be honest, you know, I played quite good first set and then played one terrible service game and then he got back to the match, so...
Obviously he started hitting balls more and I backed up a bit. I was too passive, making a lot of unforced errors. The serve wasn't going well.
So you can say that we had a kind of waves throughout the whole match where I played better in the first, you know, nine, ten games, then he played better, then I played...
So it was quite even match. I can't say I played great, but I think you have to give him credit. He was playing some really great shots, great rallies. He was making me work very hard.
Q. You didn't tell me exactly what was going through your mind. You were still down 3 1 in the third. Were you worried?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no, because I believed that I can come back to the match. I thought it's just a period and I knew I'm going to come back.
Q. You practised with him a lot so you knew his game. Were you surprised he was able to produce that level of tennis in a match like that, on that stage, against you, et cetera?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, that's the reason why I have to congratulate him on a great tournament and give him credit for the performance today.
I mean, under the circumstances you would think somebody his age... I don't know what's to expect, but this was a very dangerous thing about him, because it was unpredictable what is he going to come up with on the court because he has nothing to lose.
You know, after the first set I relaxed a little bit and he got back to the match. He got confidence and he fed up, you know, from the energy of the crowd. It was all going really well for him.
Q. Does Federer's loss change perspective for you? You lost only to him this year.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. Really, I need to work a little bit on my game. I hope I can perform a little bit better than I did today. That's what matters for me the most, regardless who is across the net.
Tsonga came back from 0 2. It's amazing comeback. He's been playing great in grass court season so far. He played really well in Queen's, and now he's been winning against top players.
So, you know, he's very dangerous.
Q. Did you get to see the end of that match? If so, what were your thoughts as that was taking place?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I saw a couple of last games. He served really well. I think Tsonga, you know, he was not falling under pressure. Obviously against Federer you never know because he's always constantly putting pressure on you. And he served well and he played well.
Q. What are your thoughts about his style of game versus yours? When you look at him across the net, what goes through your mind about his style of play?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, we are both baseline players. I think a lot will depend from our serves. I need to serve well because that's something that he's going to do, for sure.
I think his game as well depends on that serve. If he starts missing first serves, then I can have some more chances, you know, in the rallies. But, look, I expect a very, very even match.
Q. Sounds like you're lacking a little bit of confidence in your own game. Why is that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think so. I think I've been playing well so far. You know, today there has been parts of the match where I haven't played well.
But, look, you know, the style of my opponent today is not really something I prefer. He plays very low balls all the time and it's really difficult to predict what he's going to come up with.
Made a lot of unforced errors, but this is okay, you know. I mean, it's good to go through these matches, to win those matches, and I'm sure I'm going to come out in two days playing well again.
Q. You've had an amazing year. Do you feel your game is back to where it was in that incredible run before Paris? Perhaps, if not, do you take confidence in the fact you got to the semifinal of a Grand Slam without playing your best?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes. You know, semi-finals of a Grand Slam is huge result, you know. Doesn't matter if you are top player or not. It feels great to be here in the top four again.
I mean, grass court is not my favourite surface, but I still know I can play well on it. So it's really hard to kind of compare my form, the present form, and the one two, three months ago. It's different circumstances. It's a Grand Slam.
But I will definitely try to get ready and play well Friday.
Q. Do you think you have more to come? Do you think you can play better?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I think I can play better than I did today. I think I do. And, yes, you know, let's say the performance against Llodra was great; against Baghdatis, not so great. First two rounds was really good. Kind of up and down. But hopefully now it's going to go up (smiling).
Q. What do you make of Bernard's performance considering he's a guy still 12, maybe 18 months, away from his body being mature?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, look, you know, he's been playing really, really well today. He's been using the pace fantastically. You can see he feels really comfortable on the court. Obviously what he lacks a little bit more is that experience. But it comes with the time.
You know, I'm sure if he continues this way, he's gonna be a top player very soon.
Q. Do you think he can be successful on other surfaces?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no, he can. He can. I mean, it's all about the adjustments. I mean, I think he's gonna answer better what he prefers the best.
But I think his style is more suitable to the faster surfaces, grass, you know, the lower bounce, you know, because he plays quite flat and he uses the pace great from his opponent.
So on the clay, he needs to produce the pace. I mean, so it's different. But it's all a process of learning. You know, he has a lot of time.
Q. You say you have some things to work on. Is it mostly the touch and the strokes, or is it just to get along better on the grass?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, just the feeling. There is not much you can do on the practice. It's just mentally to kind of, you know, readjust the strokes, just work a little bit on the serve, and hope that it can go well.
Q. You say you were not feeling well today, that you weren't moving well. What was wrong?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I said that I was not feeling well in some parts of the match, not the whole.
But, look, you know, when you start missing a lot of balls, making a lot of unforced errors, and your opponent is playing well, obviously you lose that comfort zone. So I guess that was the case.
Q. There's always a lot of talk throughout the year about the top four players being expected to progress, particularly at the slams. Does a result like Roger Federer's today show how fine the margins are at the top of the game?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yes. You know, it's not only top four. There are other players that are able to play great tennis, and Tsonga has proved it today.
It's all very close at this level, especially in the second week of a Grand Slam.
Q. What is the biggest challenge for you on grass? Is it that you don't like the low bounces? The movement is so much different than hard courts because you can't plant? Talk a little bit about that.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, everything happens really fast. You need to react. You don't have time to kind of readjust. You know, you have to be focused for each service game, each point, you know.
You know, today I obviously dropped a rhythm a little bit, dropped the pace of the match, and my opponent has used that. You know, I shouldn't allow that in the next match.
Q. I think you're a match away now from world No. 1. Does that even matter when you're in the middle of a Grand Slam? Is the focus on winning the title rather than...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, my focus is to win every single match I play, obviously. But I'm aware of the importance of every match that I play on. I'm very close to reaching the No. 1, but, you know, I try not to think about that too much.
NOVAK DJOKOVIĆ - NOWY #1 RANKINGU ATP!
Serb został dziś 25 liderem rankingu ATP Entry, od czasu wprowadzenia tej klasyfikacji (1973 rok).
Gratulacje! :)
Novak.! Gratulacje.:applause:
Dołączam się do gratulacji. :) W tym sezonie najlepszy gracz.
DJOKOVIC REACHES WIMBLEDON FINAL, SECURES WORLD NO. 1 RANKING
Novak Djokovic has compiled a 47-1
match record this year. He will be
looking to lift his eighth trophy of
2011 on Sunday.
Novak Djokovic is guaranteed to become No. 1 in the South African Airways 2011 ATP Rankings for the first time on Monday after he advanced to his first final at The Championships. The second-seeded Serbian will now look to realise another childhood ambition on Sunday by lifting the Wimbledon trophy against either 2008 and 2010 champion Rafael Nadal or World No. 4 Andy Murray.
Djokovic defeated Roger Federer's conqueror, 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-7(9), 6-3 in three hours and six minutes on Friday afternoon for a place in his second Grand Slam championship final of a memorable season.
"It feels amazing," said Djokovic. "When I finished the match I didn't know how to show my emotions. I was really happy. This is one of those moments where you can't describe it with the words. You remember all your career, all your childhood, everything you worked for, that comes true now.
"It's definitely one of the most important achievements and days in my life, in my career. We are all dedicated to this sport [one] hundred per cent. When you know you're going to be the best in the world and you're reaching the finals of your favorite tournament, it's something special."
The 24-year-old Djokovic, who will replace Nadal as World No. 1, is the sixth active player to ascend to the top of men's professional tennis. This season he has compiled a 47-1 match record, winning seven titles, including the Australian Open (d. Murray) and four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events.
The Belgrade native is bidding to become just the third man in the Open Era (since 1968) to claim his first grass-court title at the All England Club. He has twice finished runner-up finishes on grass courts at the 2008 AEGON Championships (l. to Nadal) and the 2009 Gerry Weber Open (l. to Haas).
The enormity of the match, and the implications of a victory, looked to weigh heavily on Djokovic's shoulders in the first set. The Serbian did not hit his serve as fluently and he was broken in the first game. Tsonga started where he left off against Federer on Wednesday, hitting himself out of trouble to save break points at 1-0 and 4-3 to win the affection of the Centre Court crowd. But slowly, his confidence ebbed away. Djokovic began to read the Frenchman's game better and targeted his weakness, backhands out wide, on the slick grass.
At 5-4, Tsonga recovered from 0/40 with booming serves. But he inexplicable double-faulted at deuce, firing a 134 miles per hour second serve long. He then hit a forehand wide much to the delight of Djokovic. In the tie-break, Djokovic was at his attacking best and rushed Tsonga into error after a long rally to take a 4-2 lead. He clinched the 65-minute opener when he hit a forehand down the line that Tsonga could not reach cleanly on the volley.
Tsonga's unforced error count started to rise sharply as Djokovic stamped his authority on the match with a service break in the opening game of the second set. His groundstroke power pierced bigger holes in Tsonga's armoury and he opened up a 4-1 lead, with two remarkable returns that forced Tsonga to the net. He continued to attack Tsonga's backhand and sealed a two-sets-to-love lead with a hold to 40.
There was an air of resignation around Centre Court when Tsonga had his serve broken in the third game of the third set. But the charismatic Frenchman returned from the abyss at 3-4, when he converted his second of three break point opportunities with a return to his aggressive game. But his elation was short-lived. Djokovic regained his composure and out-rallied Tsonga at 5-5, to serve for a place in his fifth major final. Incredibly, Tsonga responded to thrash a forehand winner down the line at 15/40 to take the set to a tie-break.
Tsonga opened up a 5-3 lead, but dropped the next three points. He saved one match point opportunity with a smash, but hit a forehand long on his first set point chance at 7-6. Fearless, he aced Djokovic at 7-8 on the Serbian's second match point. Djokovic produced a drop shot winner at 8-9, before he hit a forehand long on Tsonga's third set point to conclude a 59-minute passage of absorbing drama.
"It was a little bit disappointing to lose that third set," said Djokovic. "But I tried to talk to myself on the changeover between sets and tried to focus and be calm and hold my emotions, not allow him to come back. And as soon as I made the break on the start, I regained that rhythm and momentum."
When Tsonga returned from an off-court break, his focus and energy looked to have disappeared. Djokovic swept into a 3-0 lead and despite experiencing a wobble at 0/30 in the fifth game, he maintained his concentration to stand one match win away from winning his third Grand Slam championship.
While Tsonga's smile, athleticism and crowd-pleasing dives - mimicking Boris Becker - may have won the hearts of the 15,000 capacity crowd, Djokovic's baseline brilliance and focused performance to comeback after losing the third set, proved to them why he is worthy of the World No. 1 ranking. His 41-0 start to the year ended at the hands of Federer in the Roland Garros semi-finals last month, but Djokovic produced his best performance of The Championships and on this form he will be difficult to stop in Sunday's final.
Tsonga had been looking to become just the second Frenchman in the Open Era to reach the Wimbledon final, following Cedric Pioline's runner-up effort in 1997 (l. to Sampras). The 2008 Australian Open finalist has made a strong recovery this season from the left knee injury he sustained in a quarter-final effort at Wimbledon last year. He has also reached the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament final (l. to Soderling) and the Qatar ExxonMobil Open semi-finals (l. to Federer) this year.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … -No-1.aspx
DJOKOVIC TO BECOME NEW WORLD NO. 1 MONDAY
Djokovic will become the 25th player to reach No. 1 on Monday.
Novak Djokovic is guaranteed to become the new World No. 1 in the 2011 South African Airways ATP Rankings on Monday by reaching the Wimbledon final. The Serb Friday defeated Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-7(9), 6-3 in the semi-finals of the 125th Wimbledon Championships. Djokovic will overtake Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who held the top spot for 56 weeks in his second stint as No. 1.
Djokovic’s ascendance to World No. 1 can be attributed to an incredible 2011 season, which includes a 47-1 record through Friday’s Wimbledon semi-final victory. Djokovic has claimed seven titles, including his second Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, and four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns at Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome. The Serb defeated Nadal in all four of those Masters 1000 finals.
Djokovic becomes the 25th player to reach No. 1 and is the first player other than Nadal or Roger Federer to grasp the top spot since Andy Roddick held the ranking for 13 weeks from 3 November 2003 to 2 February 2004. Djokovic is the first player from his country to achieve the milestone; Serbia is the 13th nation represented atop the South Africans Airways ATP Rankings.
Djoković po raz 5 w finale wielkoszlemowym.
Serbski tenisista po raz pierwszy zagra w finale Wimbledonu. 24-letni, przyszły lider rankingu, jak do tej pory po 2 razy grywał w meczach o tytuł w Melbourne i Nowym Jorku. Obie wygrane pochodzą z ziemi australijskiej, z lat 2008 i 2011.
Novak Djoković - wielkoszlemowe finały (5)
(dotychczasowy bilans 2-2)
2007 - US Open (porażka)
2008 - Australian Open
2010 - US Open (porażka)
2011 - Australian Open
2011 - Wimbledon
Novak po raz 1 w finale Wimbledonu, po raz pierwszy na szczycie rankingu ATP.
Wywiad z 7-letnim Djoko. Już wtedy mówił, że jego marzeniem jest pozycja #1 na świecie.
X: What do you like the most about tennis?
Novak: Forehand, backhand, volleys. With those we defeat the opponents.
X: Are the opponents angry when you win?
Novak: No.
X: And are you when they win?
Novak: No.
X: So truly fair play. Ok, so tell me, do you play (children games)?
Novak: I play... I play at night, because during the day I have school, then in the afternoons I practice, after practice I do homework, and that's why I play at night.
X: Is tennis a game or an obligation for you?
Novak: An obligation.
X: What's your goal?
Novak: My goal in tennis is to be number 1.
:D
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w półfinale
N. Djokovic bt. J-W. Tsonga 7 6, 6 2, 6 7, 6 3
Q. How does it feel to be in the final?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It feels amazing. You know, when I finished the match I didn't know how to show my emotions. I was really happy. This is one of those moments where you can't describe it with the words.
You remember all your career, all your childhood, everything you worked for, you know, that comes true now.
Q. Is this the proudest day of your career in terms of the combined thing with being No. 1?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's definitely one of the most important achievements and days in my life, in my career. We are all dedicated to this sport hundred percent. When you know you're going to be the best in the world and you're reaching the finals of your favourite tournament, it's something special.
Q. When you're playing in the era of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, how would you describe the difficulty in becoming No. 1 and what that signifies to you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: That's true. That's a good question because both of them are incredibly consistent with their success and so dominant the last couple years. They don't give you a lot of chances to become No. 1.
So I guess you need to lose only one match in seven months to get there (laughter). If you can do that, then well done.
Q. For No. 1 to mean something, do you have to win the final on Sunday to really make it count?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Of course. It is something that I always dreamed of, you know, when I started playing tennis. I was always trying to visualize myself on Sunday, the last Sunday of Wimbledon. Being in the Wimbledon final it's 'the thing' for me.
It probably will feel great. I definitely will step on the court and try to win.
Q. Have you ever kissed the turf like that before?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I did. But now it felt unbelievable.
Q. How worried were you after losing the third set knowing that Tsonga came back before being two sets down?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, you know, he's a kind of player that feeds from the energy of the crowd. When he's in momentum, he can really be unstoppable at times, you know, hitting serves, from the baseline, especially forehands.
It was a little bit disappointing to lose that third set. But I tried to talk to myself on the changeover between sets and tried to focus and be calm and hold my emotions, not allow him to come back.
And as soon as I made the break on the start, I regained that rhythm and momentum.
Q. Did you realize how the people in your box celebrated once you were the winner?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I haven't seen it. I will watch it.
Q. It's been reported that you had dreams as a boy of being No. 1. Can you share with us was that at practice sessions in the morning? What were those dreams?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think every child has a dream to become something in his life. We live from those dreams. Obviously I had a big support of my family and people around me that allowed me to have the opportunity to reach that dream, you know, to reach the life goal.
Yes, I mean, I started in the mountains. Started in a very small place, and then I continued in Belgrade practising tennis that wasn't really popular at the times. We were going through some really difficult periods. You know, our country had wars and stuff.
So, you know, it wasn't easy to hold that desire and really believe in yourself. But I always did, and the people close to me did. So, I mean, to reach here, it is something really special.
Q. Did you ever have doubts, maybe Roger and Rafa were too good, too many injuries, maybe I won't make it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: There were times in last two, three years where it was really difficult when I was losing most of those important matches at the later stages of the majors against those two guys.
But, look, you know, I've always believed in myself. I have to say there were times when I questioned myself, but I always overcomed it because the belief was so strong.
You know, I knew that if I work hard, if I work on my game to try to improve it, get it to the stage where I feel comfortable to beat those guys. Competing with them, it is really challenging.
But, again, on the other side they make you improve. Because they are so good, you have to come up with your best tennis.
Q. From your comments a few moments ago, it sounds like this trophy is the one right now in your career you want to hold more than any other.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes.
Q. Is that because it's in Europe, the grass, the prestige?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's just the tournament that I watched first. First time I watched tennis or anything related to tennis was Wimbledon tournament when I was four, five. I remember those days. I remember always Wimbledon being 'the one.'
Q. Jo said you played unbelievable today, especially on the defense. Was it your best performance from the beginning of the tournament?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was under the circumstances, it was probably the best. From the end of the first set. I was a bit nervous to start the match, but then when I broke him on 5 4, I felt that, you know, it's time for me to step up and earn the victory. I think I played quite well.
You know, he could have easily gone back to the match, you know, because there were games even in the fourth set, 4 2 up, Love 30. It's really difficult to play him because he's unpredictable. Sometimes he comes up with incredible winners and he turns it around.
But I'm happy that I stayed determined after losing the third set.
Q. When you fell to your back at the end of the match, were you thinking to yourself, I'm in the Wimbledon final or, I'm the world No. 1?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I was thinking to myself, because he was asking for challenge, that the ball would stay on the line. Otherwise, I would have to go back.
Q. What percentage you assign to winning the Davis Cup to this moment, the importance?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, up to this moment or maybe up to Sunday, it's still Davis Cup that brought me most joy on the tennis court because it's just team. It's a nation thing. It's not something that you won by yourself. It's with a team, with people, and you share it with everybody on the court.
It was just an incredible experience. Playing for the country is much different than playing for yourself.
Q. Can we say that the season you are having in part is because of this result winning the Davis Cup?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Partly, yes.
Q. Is it fair to say that after the incredible start you had to the year, you struggled with your confidence a little bit in this tournament at certain stages?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I wouldn't say it's confidence. Actually confidence was always there. I mean, it's obvious after losing one match in six, seven months, you could expect there will be one tournament where I will have some ups and downs, and this was the one.
I'm happy that I overcome matches against Baghdatis and Tomic, which were really difficult, you know, physically, emotionally. But, look, you know, to get to the finals of a Grand Slam, you cannot expect a player always to win comfortably every match.
Q. What words did you share with Jo at the net there?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We were looking at the challenge first. He says, You never know. I said, Okay. I said, I do not, but let's see. He said, Okay, very good. We congratulate each other.
Q. The biggest improvement in your game seems to be on the serve since last year. Was that the missing link that brought you this success?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I mean, definitely serve improved. In some difficult moments I can rely on that stroke in my game, which is very important.
I mean, I'm not reaching the level of Karlovic or something, but still I can use my serve in a good way. I have some variety and am trying to use it.
Q. Some analysts have said that even your slamming of the racquet on the court has improved. You did a really good job the other day.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Thank you (smiling).
Q. On a serious note, does that sometimes feel good to vent, let it all out?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It feels good at the moment. But then when you actually do it, you realize where you have done it on the Centre Court of Wimbledon and then you question yourself: Was it the really good thing to do?
I'm emotional, so sometimes I do show my good emotions, bad emotions. Try to control it as much as I can, but it's part of me. I can't change myself.
Q. We don't know who your opponent will be next of course. If you could, take each one separately and discuss the potential matchups starting perhaps with Rafa.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: If I get to play Rafa it will be another important match that I play him, you know. This year we have played so many finals and important matches. Obviously even though it's a different surface, you know, I believe I can win against him.
He's been on a winning streak in Wimbledon for last, you know, I don't know, almost 20 matches. He's playing great on grass. He has still a lot of confidence and he knows how it feels like to win a trophy at Wimbledon. Me, I don't know, because I never been there.
But, look, you know, I have really nothing to lose. I will step on the court and be aggressive, you know, try to take it to him, because I don't want him to feel the control of the match.
If I get to play Andy, obviously he's a home favourite. He wants to be in the finals as much as I want it. I am sure that he, above all, wants to get his first Grand Slam title. This would be the perfect place.
I mean, he's been playing great. In last two, three months he, I think, started playing much better than he did in the opening three, four months of the year. We have quite similar styles of the game.
So I guess against both of those guys will be an even match.
Q. The finals in Australia would have hurt him, wouldn't it? I think he's admitted how much that hurt him.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, that's for him to answer really. But, look, he played in couple finals of a Grand Slam, three finals. But, you know, he came back. You have to give him credit for that. It's not easy.
Everybody knows that he can win a Grand Slam, but he didn't. But now he's coming back and he's playing really well on grass under all this pressure that he has here.
I'm sure he has a lot of motivation, so...
Q. Is it true that the first Grand Slam is the hardest one to win?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Probably, yes.
Q. But you and Andy are of a similar age. Have you grown in stature as a player since you won your first Grand Slam?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. I mean, we have developed into professional tennis players of very similar age. We have grown up together playing juniors circuit. Actually, first time we played we were 11 years old, 12 years old, in France. It's very long time ago, you know.
But it's great to see somebody, you know, in your generation doing so well. I mean, we played so many matches throughout last 10 years. But, you know, I know he will make it because he has a great game.
Dziennikarz zapytał Novaka o szczegóły Jego diety bezglutenowej. Oto odpowiedź Serba:
"For example, I can tell you who is my girlfriend, but I cannot tell you what I do with my girlfriend. There is a difference, just to make it clear".
:D
#26) Wimbledon 2011
R128 Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 6-4 6-1 6-1
R64 Kevin Anderson (RSA) 6-3 6-4 6-2
R32 Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-4
R16 Michael Llodra (FRA) 6-3 6-3 6-3
QF Bernard Tomic (AUS) 6-2 3-6 6-3 7-5
SF Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 7-6(4) 6-2 6-7(9) 6-3
W Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3
3 wielkoszlemowy tytuł Djokovicia:
1. Australian Open 2008
2. Australian Open 2011
3. Wimbledon 2011
Serb został 3, najbardziej utytułowanym w WS zawodnikiem, z obecnie aktywnych tenisistów. Więcej tytułów od niego mają tylko Roger Federer (16) i Rafael Nadal (10).
Novak Djokovic factbox
Factbox on Novak Djokovic, who won his third Grand Slam and first Wimbledon title by beating Spain's Rafael Nadal in the final.
* Born: Belgrade, Serbia, May 22, 1987
MAKING HIS NAME
* He began playing tennis aged four.
* His father was a professional skier and wanted his son to be a skier or professional soccer player but changed his mind when Djokovic excelled at tennis from an early age.
* First full year on tour in 2005, made Grand Slam debut as a qualifier at the Australian Open, losing to Marat Safin in the first round. Finished as the youngest player (18 years, five months) inside the top 100.
* In 2006, he won his first ATP tour title at Amersfoort, follows that with second title indoors at Metz.
* Breakthrough year in 2007, he won five titles (Adelaide, Miami, Estoril, Montreal and Vienna) and made at least semi-finals in three of the four grand slams (French Open, Wimbledon, US Open)
* Coached by Slovak former ATP professional Marian Vajda since 2006.
* He is renowned for his impersonations of other players and celebrities.
* Has been known to get under players' skins, with incessant ball-bouncing before serving during matches.
GRAND SLAM AGONY AND ECSTASY
* He retired in the 2006 French Open quarter-finals against Nadal when trailing by two sets and again a year later due to blisters in the Wimbledon semi-final against the same opponent.
* In 2007 he advanced to his first Grand Slam final at the US Open at Flushing Meadows, losing to Federer 7-6 7-6 6-4.
* Broke the Federer-Nadal Grand Slam duopoly by beating Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets to win his maiden major title at Melbourne Park in 2008.
* Failed to defend his title in Melbourne the following year after controversially pulling out of his quarter-final against Andy Roddick citing heat exhaustion on a sweltering day.
* Lost in the quarter-final at Melbourne Park to Tsonga last year when he suffered a stomach bug.
* Upset Federer in the semi-finals of the 2010 US Open before losing in four sets to Nadal in the final.
* Led Serbia to their first Davis Cup title with victory over France in Belgrade in December, 2010.
* Began 2011 by roaring through the draw at Melbourne Park including a straight-sets thrashing of Federer in the semi-final before taking down Murray to end his three-year wait for a second Grand Slam.
* Djokovic won his next six tournaments in Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Belgrade, Madrid and Rome. He did not lose again until June 3 when Federer ended his 41-match winning streak in 2011 in the French Open semi-finals.
* Secured the number one spot when the next rankings are published on July 4 by beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Wimbledon semi-finals, then beat Nadal to clinch his third Grand Slam title.
* His Wimbledon win was his first grass-court title.
Wygląd strony wejściowej ATP, po objęciu przez Novaka fotelu lidera rankingu:
Wimbledon - Djokovic: Nadal is my example
Newly-crowned Wimbledon champion and world number one Novak Djokovic will take a leaf out of Rafael Nadal's book as he plans to make his domination of men's tennis a prolonged one.
The 24-year-old Serb had a spring in his step as returned to a sunny All England Club on Monday to say his goodbyes before jetting home to Belgrade to bask in the glory of his 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3 victory over Nadal in the previous day's final.
Just one defeat in 49 matches this year, eight titles including the Australian Open and Wimbledon and then becoming the first player other than Roger Federer or Nadal to top the ATP rankings since January 2004, it is hard to imagine how things could get much better for Djokovic.
The Belgrade native is already setting his sights even higher though.
"I want to improve," Djokovic told a small group of reporters after being presented with a cake decorated in Serbian red, white and blue on the Wimbledon players' lawn.
"The example for me is Nadal. A few years ago we all knew how dominant he was on clay but maybe not so much on the other surfaces. Nobody thought he could get any better but he did.
"Me too, I still consider myself as a player with something to prove and to improve my game."
Djokovic, who effectively ended Nadal's 56-week stay as world number one on Friday when he beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-finals, was officially unveiled as the 25th player to top the rankings when the ATP published its list on Monday.
While proud of his new status, Djokovic said the tough work was about to begin.
"I've never been number one in the world so I don't really know what it feels like yet," he said. "But I'm going to experience that in this next period of my career.
"They say it's harder to stay number one than to get to number one. I will see if that's true or not but I will definitely try to stay there as long as I can."
After going 41 matches unbeaten from the start of the season, some were waiting for the amiable Serb to suffer an inevitable dip after Federer snapped his winning streak in the French open semi-finals.
However, his response has been overwhelmingly positive and according to Djokovic, that is down to his new-found maturity.
"I'm proud of many things but after having the incredible year and the incredible run to then lose at Roland Garros in really an epic semi-final to Federer, a great match, I'm really proud of how I recovered from that," he said.
"I managed to come back in great style and win Wimbledon in a great way and that's something I maybe wasn't managing to do in the past. Now I'm able to mentally switch off and recover quickly."
Djokovic is expected to be welcomed home by thousands in the Serbian capital later on Monday but the real party, and a chance to savour his exploits, will have to wait until after Davis Cup duty in Sweden this weekend.
"It's a bit early to realise what I've done," he said. "I'm still euphoric, I'm still having the adrenaline rush and in the great joy of winning Wimbledon and having a great season so far.
"I have Davis Cup coming up this weekend then after that I have two weeks of rest. I will go down to the beach, leave my rackets in the room and close my eyes under the sun and then I might reflect on everything that has happened."
After that it will be back to work.
"For now the goal is to (have) some time for myself and enjoy the victory. Then I want to come back and win more titles, more majors. I'm a professional and that is what I'm made for. The U.S. Open is the next big thing.
"Hardcourts are still my best surface."
Djoković 25 liderem ranking ATP, pierwszym Serbem na tenisowym szczycie.
1. Pete Sampras - 286 tygodni jako #1
--------------------------------------------
24. Patrick Rafter - 1
25. Novak Djoković - 1
Wiek w chwili awansu na fotel lidera rankingu ATP: 24 lata, 1 miesiąc, 12 dni.
Djokovic Becomes 25th Player In History To Rise To No. 1
Novak Djokovic rose to No. 1
one day after winning the Wimbledon title.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, who has won 48 of his 49 matches in 2011, took over the No. 1 position in the South African Airways ATP Rankings on Monday, replacing Rafael Nadal, who had held the top spot since June 7, 2010.
Djokovic was guaranteed to move to No. 1 as a result of his semi-final win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Wimbledon on Friday. Nadal had been No. 1 for the past 56 weeks since June 7, 2010, and 102 weeks overall. Djokovic, who had ranked No. 2 behind Nadal since March 21, is the first Serbian male to rank No. 1 in the history of South African Airways ATP Rankings (since Aug. 23, 1973).
The last player to rank No. 1 before Nadal and Roger Federer was American Andy Roddick, the week of January 26, 2004.
“This is an amazing achievement to get to the top spot, especially with rivals such as Rafa and Roger,” said Djokovic. “They made me work so hard and made me improve every day. There are no words to express how good they are but I always thought that I could become No. 1 one day. Both the belief and the hard work took me there.”
At 24 years, 1 month, 12 days, the Belgrade native is the 25th player in the history of the South African Airways ATP Rankings (since 1973) to hold the No. 1 position in the official rankings in men's tennis. He is the 14th European player to rank No. 1.
Djokovic leads the ATP World Tour with a career-best eight titles in 2011, including his second Australian Open crown in January and his first Wimbledon trophy on Sunday. He also captured four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles (Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome). His overall 43-match winning run, dating back to last year’s Davis Cup final, is the third-longest streak in the Open Era, behind Guillermo Vilas (46) and Ivan Lendl (44).
ATP Executive Chairman & President Adam Helfant said: “Novak’s results over the past year have been remarkable. His 43-match winning streak is one of sport’s greatest stories of the year, not to mention his triumphs at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and six ATP World Tour events. His phenomenal success has come during an incredibly competitive era in men’s tennis and he is a truly deserving new ATP World Tour No.1.”
In May, Djokovic became the first player to qualify for the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. It is the fifth straight year that he has qualified for the elite eight-player tournament.
DJOKOVIC'S DREAM THREE DAYS
Novak Djokovic celebrates winning
his first Wimbledon title.
Two childhood goals became a reality for Novak Djokovic at The Championships this year, when he lifted the famous golden Wimbledon trophy above his head on Sunday - just five hours before he was officially crowned the 25th player to rank No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.
The Serbian, who has won 48 of his past 49 matches this year, was lost for words when he was asked to sum up his feelings after he beat Spaniard Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 in the final on Centre Court.
"I can't find words to describe the feeling that I have right now," said Djokovic, shortly after he captured the third Grand Slam championship title of his eight-season professional career. "I managed to achieve a lifetime goal and I managed to make my dream come true, all in three days' time. It's just an incredible feeling that I'm never going to forget. This is the best day of my tennis career.
"Any athlete in the world dreams of being No. 1 of the world. So finally when you really do it and when you know that you're the best, it's just an amazing achievement.
"This success kind of makes you rewind [to] the old days. [It] makes you come back to your childhood and remember what you've been through to get to this stage."
Djokovic, who now has a 3-2 record in major finals, admitted at times in the past few years he was "a little bit" frustrated when Roger Federer and Nadal were at the top of men's professional tennis, but he now realises it has been part of a learning process as a sportsman.
"They have been the two most dominant players in the world the last five years," said 24-year-old Djokovic. "They have won most of the majors we are playing. So sometimes it did feel a little bit frustrating when you kind of get to the latter stages of a Grand Slam. They always come up with their best tennis when it matters the most.
"But it's a process of learning, a process of developing and improving as a tennis player, as a person, and just finding the way to mentally overcome those pressures and expectations and issues that you have. I always believed that I had [the] quality to beat those two guys. I always believed I had [the] quality to win majors.
"After the Davis Cup win [in December versus France] I was full of life, full of energy, eager to come back to the tennis court, eager to play some more, win some other tournaments. In a sentence, I lost my fear. I believed in my abilities more than ever. Australia was one of the best tournaments I played in my life."
The Belgrade native now has a 12-16 lifetime record against Nadal, including victories in his past five matches over the Mallorcan star. Only two other men in the Open Era (since 1968) have won their first career grass-court titles at Wimbledon – Michael Stich in 1991 and Andre Agassi in 1992.
"Obviously [today], it was the best tennis match on grass courts that I've played ever," said Djokovic. "It came [at] the right moment. I think most of the tennis players rate this Grand Slam as the most important tournament in our sport."
Djokovic is now ready to capture more major championships. "This is what I'm born for. I want to win more Grand Slams. I will definitely not stop here."
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … Dream.aspx
DJOKOVIC: "IT STILL HASN'T SUNK IN"
Novak Djokovic says there is plenty more to come
as he aims to conquer Roland Garros, the US Open,
and Olympic Gold.
New ATP World Tour No. 1 and Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic was a man in demand on Monday morning as he conducted a media tour on the competitors’ lawn at the All England Club.
After attending the Wimbledon Champions’ Dinner on Sunday evening, the elated Serb had eventually got to bed after midnight. But before flying home to Serbia on Monday afternoon, he returned to the scene of his third major triumph to share his thoughts with the world’s media.
The 24 year old spent 35 minutes filming television interviews with the BBC, Sky Italia, Sky News, ITN, CNN, ATP World Tour Uncovered, his racquet sponsor HEAD, and B92 Serbia, before heading downstairs to chat exclusively to the British national daily newspapers, and international publications such as L’Equipe, New York Times, Gazzetta Dello Sport and the Wall Street Journal.
“I still haven’t had enough time to realise the success that I had. I’m sure in the next couple of days I’ll start to think about how big this win is,” said Djokovic. “I’m about to celebrate with my people back in Serbia, we are all going there and will try to find out how big of a deal this is. For me it’s just incredible, I’m living the dream. I’m very proud that the people in my country are sharing this success.”
Since the start of 2011, Djokovic has compiled a 48-1 mark, winning eight tour-level titles, also including the Australian Open. But he’s not done yet. “I achieved the best two most important goals in my life here at Wimbledon, but I definitely want to come back for some more,” he said. “I want to win more Grand Slams. I want to stay No. 1 as long as I can and try to win the US Open, the French Open and next year the Olympic medal. There’s a lot more to prove.”
The Belgrade native was quick to banish the notion that the Nadal-Federer era had come to an end after finishing their eight-year reign at Wimbledon, but added that the men’s game is now more competitive; a trait he feels is better for tennis. “Their rivalry is still on. They are still the two most dominant players that we have in the game. Federer is still playing great; he showed that at the French Open and I’m sure he wants to come back and win more majors.
“Then you have Nadal who is at the top of his form and Murray who, I think, in the last three or four months has been a real contender for a Grand Slam title. He needs to make the final step at a Grand Slam and I’m sure he will. Now, more so than in the last five years, I think more players are able to win majors and more players are candidates for the top spots. It feels good for the sport to have some new faces. It makes it more attractive.”
After a brief spell at home, Djokovic will fly to Halmstad, Sweden on Tuesday for defending Davis Cup champion Serbia’s quarter-final tie. He is joined in the team by Viktor Troicki, Janko Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic against a Swedish side that is without World No. 5 Robin Soderling.
DJOKOVIC: "IT STILL HASN'T SUNK IN"TRIBUTE
Novak Djokovic is the 25th different player to hold down the No. 1 position
in the South African Airways ATP Rankings.
Dusk is spreading over the Arabian desert and at Dubai’s Aviation Club, the site of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Novak Djokovic and team are sitting up straight around a poolside table. A couple of hours earlier, in his first tournament since winning the Australian Open, he scrapped through a tough three-set win over Feliciano Lopez. Despite the victory, the mood at the table seems to be one of concern.
“Normally, we do not have these meetings during the tournament, but rather before the start of the tournament or before we travel anywhere,” says Djokovic. “We try make sure that the organisational and analysis part is good and that the communication between the team members is clear. It is really important to have good relations between the members of the team so everyone can produce their best work.”
Whatever alarm flag that shot up which caused the meeting must have been solved, because since then Djokovic went on a tear, going undefeated until the semi-finals of Roland Garros. After Dubai, it often looked like he was incapable of losing a set, much less a match. That very thing even attracted the attention of those at the Monte Carlo players’ party, where Team Djokovic’s quality control meetings were parodied by good friend Janko Tipsarevic.
At the end of 2009, Novak Djokovic said, “To reach that goal [World No. 1], I’m going to have to be very successful at the major tournaments. I haven’t done a great job at the Grand Slams, which wasn’t the case in the last two years.”
Despite making the final of the US Open (l. to Nadal) and a semi-final loss at Wimbledon to Tomas Berdych, the major highlight to 2010 was leading Serbia to the Davis Cup title. Whether that served as a catalyst to his incredible run through 2011 is anyone’s guess, but it is a pretty good starting point. You could say that Novak was now starting to tick off some boxes from long ago laid plans.
Novak’s journey began at the age of six years old when he was brought to Serbia’s Jelena Gencic’s attention. It was Gencic who discovered Monica Seles.
“When little Novak came to me I needed only one week with him to be sure,” says Gencic. “On the fifth day I asked him in front of his parents, ‘Novak do you want to spend the next seven, eight years training very hard every day, sometimes with smiles and sometimes with tears?’ He said, ‘Yes, I want to be great.’ He was only six years old but he had the eyes, and the heart and the soul of a champion. I was so sure that he would make it.”
Oftentimes after evening practice, young Djokovic would accompany Gencic back to her Belgrade apartment so he could watch videos of men’s and women’s tennis champions.
“Maybe that is how he became so good at imitating other players' movements,” says Gencic. “He loved so much watching videos of the great champions like Agassi, Sampras and Edberg. He would say to me, ‘Please, Jelena, explain to me how Sampras can hit the running forehand parallel?’ Then I must explain to this little boy which leg to stop with and which leg to transfer weight forward with and so on. And you know, he never took his eyes off of mine the entire time I am explaining him the technique. This child was so hungry for tennis knowledge.”
“There is one other thing that we used to do,” continues Gencic. “I used classical music to teach him visualisation. We would listen to a composition and afterwards I would ask him what he heard and what he felt. One time after listening to Tchaikovsky 1812 overture he says to me, ‘My heart feels blissful. And my skin is like the flesh of a goose.’ Can you imagine a seven year old boy feeling and saying such things?”
“I remember her setting up bars very high for me early in my career,” Djokovic recalls of his time with Gencic. “She always made me look at all the champions of the men’s and women’s game at the time to try and analyse their games to always try to have the winning attitude. And she also taught me to have a lot of confidence in myself and be very dedicated to the sport.”
While his improved serve, fitness and weight loss get much of the attention, those that know him best point to his mind and intelligence as his real weapon.
“I think his mindset now is just that he is a much better poker player,” says Mats Wilander. “He might be bluffing on the inside, but he is not bluffing on the outside. No one knows what he is thinking, he has a great poker face. And he has matured tremendously. If he was a five or six mentally before then he is a 10 now.”
Former World No. 1 Thomas Muster knows a thing or two about chasing legends from his time playing with Pete Sampras.
“I feel that he has really grown into his boots the last couple of years,” says Muster. “He has been delivering the results. He lost quite a bit of a weight and he is more flexible, with more range, and when he runs he gets more balls back. You can tell that there has been a lot of work going on in his camp. He has moved into a league of being a true star. Now things will get even tougher as the challenge and desire will be to remain No. 1.”
Muster mentioned something that all the coaches and players in the locker room have noticed this year. Team Djokovic has been hard at work. Everything from specialised balancing drills in the gym to regulated nutrition to pre-match visualisation sessions in private rooms has all contributed. But also, players point out his more offensive tactics during the point.
“Obviously, his serve is much improved,” observes Goran Ivanisevic. “But he is much more aggressive than last year. In my opinion, he was a bit too defensive in the past because he was so great at it. But now, he is much more aggressive. He attacks so much better.”
While his game and results speak volumes, it is his personality that has attracted a legion of fans around the world. Whether it is imitations of his fellow players, commercials, or his often colourful entrances onto center court, Novak Djokovic is an entertainer. Mansour Bahrami is one who can appreciate what Novak brings to the fans.
“He is great for tennis,” says Bahrami. “He does great imitation of all the players, which I think it is fantastic. During the tournaments his focus is great, and he is even more serious this year. The difference between us is that he is a great player and good entertainer. I am only an entertainer. When Novak wins tennis matches he makes people smile.”
And so far in 2011 Novak Djokovic has given tennis plenty of reasons to smile. Though Mats Wilander cautions that while achieving the game’s No. 1 status is a truly great achievement, it is not all fun and games.
“Going from world number three to one is much easier than going from one to three,” says Wilander. “It is great to be chasing. That was easily the best year of my career. The pressure of No. 1 can really mess with your head.”
That is a bridge that Novak Djokovic will happily cross now.
“I have always been going towards that lifetime goal and that is to be No. 1,” admits Djokovic. “To be the best is what drives me.”
Congratulations Novak Djokovic. The odyssey is complete and the dream has finally become a reality.
04.07.2011
Najwyższa pozycja w karierze: 1
:D
Nole na prezydenta?
Wimbledon 2011 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w finale
N. Djokovic bt R. Nadal 6 4, 6 1, 1 6, 6 3
Q. Ever since leading Serbia to a Davis Cup title in Belgrade, it has been an incredible journey. Share a little bit of your thoughts of this incredible time period.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I would love to tell you everything, but it's hard to describe and I can't find words to describe the feeling that I have right now.
As you mentioned, I managed to achieve a lifetime goal and I managed to make my dream come true, all in three days' time. It's just an incredible feeling that I'm never going to forget. This is the best day of my tennis career.
For these kind of days, I was practicing every day, being dedicated, being a tennis professional. Any athlete in the world dreams of being No. 1 of the world. This is something that gives us a lot of motivation.
So finally when you really do it and when you know that you're the best, it's just an amazing achievement.
Q. When you won the second set dominating like that, did you start to be a little tense? Is that how you explain the loss of the third set? What were you feeling when you lost the third set?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think I went the opposite way. I think I relaxed a little bit too much in the start of the third set. I wasn't focused in the beginning of that third set.
Obviously when you're playing a player like Nadal, he uses his opportunity and he gets back to the match. I didn't want to lose my focus. Obviously the 6 1 in the third set for him was well deserved, but I made a lot of unforced errors. It was kind of my fault letting him back to the match.
But in the fourth set I was in the lead for all the time. The first game was very important to hold the serve. After that, was really great tennis.
Q. When you started to play really well, Federer and Nadal had the world divided and they owned the world basically. How difficult was it to break this, both personally, psychologically in your own mind, to be able to beat both these guys, and also just in general?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, we all know the careers of Nadal and Federer. We don't need to spend words again. They have been the two most dominant players in the world the last five years. They have won most of the majors we are playing on.
So sometimes it did feel a little bit frustrating when you kind of get to the later stages of a Grand Slam, meaning last four, last eight, and then you have to meet them. They always come up with their best tennis when it matters the most.
But, look, you know, it's a process of learning, a process of developing and improving as a tennis player, as a person, and just finding the way to mentally overcome those pressures and expectations and issues that you have.
I always believed that I have quality to beat those two guys. I always believed I have quality to win majors, Grand Slams, and that was the only way I could be here in this position, you know.
I mean, I have full respect for those two guys, what they have done. Anytime I play them, I mean, it's a great match. But the mental approach has to be positive. You know, I have to win this match. There's no other way.
Q. As a 12 year old when you left your hometown to go to Germany to the tennis academy, how much did that take out of you? Looking back now at what you've achieved, all those sacrifices, can you tell us a little bit about that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I was just chatting with my brothers and my family and my team in the locker room, just kind of remembering those days of the hard work that we put into in Germany and back in Serbia when I was eight, nine, ten, eleven years old, the dreams that I had.
It's really beautiful. I mean, this success kind of makes you rewind the old days, makes you come back to your childhood and remember what you've been through to get to this stage.
Well, look, you know, it wasn't an easy way, but I guess that's necessary in order for you to fight for what you want to achieve.
You know, we all know the situation in our country, how it was with the wars and things like that. It was definitely really difficult to become a tennis professional, with tennis being not one of the most popular sports in our country. Didn't have any history.
But then in the end of the day, now when you think about it, that's something that we needed. You know, not just myself, but Ana Ivanovic, Jankovic, Tipsarevic, Zimonjic. All these players that have been successful these last couple years in men's and women's tennis, we had a tough way to go through. That made us mentally strong.
Q. How do you explain on this stage against Rafael Nadal playing some of your best tennis today, and what was that feeling like when you were playing your best?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I was really enjoying, you know. You have to enjoy the moment. I mean, winning in just over an hour two sets against the defending champion on the court that he hasn't lost for three years was incredible.
You know, I was just trying to enjoy the tennis that I play. Obviously, it was the best tennis match on grass courts that I've played ever, for sure. It came in the right moment.
Q. What did the grass taste like, and have you got any more racquets left?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I have a couple more racquets for the Davis Cup that is coming up, and the grass tasted quite well, really. It was well kept.
Q. I think everyone imagines how they might feel when they win the Wimbledon championship. What is the reality like?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I guess I can't talk in the name of all the tennis players, because everybody individually has different preferences of the favourite Grand Slam.
But I think most of the tennis players rate this Grand Slam as the most important tournament in our sport. So I think that sentence gives you an idea of how much this means for a player to win.
Q. Your uncle was saying the win in December for Serbia released you. Your mother was saying it taught you to play without fear. Do you think, if the result had been different in Belgrade, would we be here now? Was it that important in this streak that you've had?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, if my mother says that, then it's like that, you know (smiling). There is nothing else I can say. Mother knows me better than I know myself.
Q. Really, though?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, really, it is (smiling).
After the Davis Cup win I was full of life, full of energy, eager to come back to the tennis court, eager to play some more, win some other tournaments.
In a sentence, I lost my fear. I believed in my abilities more than ever. Australia was one of the best tournaments I played in my life.
Q. Rafa said the four wins you've had over him in previous finals this year, when it got to the tough moments, that made the difference. Is that what you felt, as well?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Probably. Probably, you know, because I have won four times, consecutive times, in the finals against him this year. So I had that in back of my mind. I was trying to take myself back to those matches and really, you know, perform the same way, you know, that I performed those days in those matches: aggressive, taking my chances, not giving him opportunity to take over the control.
Q. Talk about sort of building on your successes. You've gone from one victory to another. Talk about that process. Can you imagine where it's going to take you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I will definitely come for some more Wimbledons, more Grand Slam trophies. I mean, this is what I'm born for. You know, I want to be a tennis champion. I want to win more Grand Slams. I will not definitely stop here, even though I have achieved, you know, two biggest things in my life in three days.
Q. You talk about losing the fear. At 30 All in that final game, you chose to serve and come in. You hadn't done that much. Was that part of what you were thinking? You wanted to throw him a curve?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was now or never. Just close your eyes, hit slice, go to the net, and hope he will chip the one back, you know (smiling).
I mean, you got to take the chances, you know. In those moments, you have to believe that you can do it, not wait for your opponent to make a mistake.
Q. Before you said you always thought you had the quality. It was a long process. When was the worst moment for you? When you were I don't say doubting but afraid to not make it or having difficulties of any kind? When you were 14? 16? 18?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, after I won my first Grand Slam, actually then I started facing some feelings and situations I never faced before: defending the Grand Slam title, being one of the top players, facing the pressure, having the expectations of the people all the time to get far in the major events, to get at least to the semifinals.
So that is something, you know, that I haven't experienced before I was 21. And then I guess in last two, three years, that's where I was facing periods where they were up and down.
I would lie to you if I didn't have doubts. I did have doubts. I did have difficult, crisis times where I didn't know if I could really make it, you know, because the first two guys were so dominant.
Q. Was that the best serving you have ever done, the slice wide?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: At that moment, yeah.
Q. When you broke Rafa in the fourth set, he broke you back. Did that affect you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. Look, you know, I was lucky in some points; he was lucky then. It's all sport. You got to think about what's coming up.
Q. At the end of the game you were clearly overcome with a little bit of emotion. Can you sort of explain what was running through your mind as you won the match? Can you sort of elaborate on your somewhat unusual celebration at the net.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, first of all, you know, the feelings that I had at that moment, I really don't know how to describe. Best feeling I had ever on the tennis court. You know, winning Wimbledon, looking at my box, 20 people, closest people to me in my life being there, supporting me, getting to share that moment and that experience with them was incredible.
And the other one, I didn't really understand.
Q. When you sank to your knees...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: When I ate the grass?
Q. Yes. Can you explain why you did it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I felt like an animal. I wanted to see how it tastes. It tastes good (smiling).
It just came. I don't know. It came spontaneously really. I didn't plan to do it. You know, I didn't know what to do for my excitement and joy.
Q. There's still a lot of work to come this year: New York, North America. But next year is Wimbledon and the Olympics. Are you coming for both?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Of course, I am. Now that I know that I can play well on grass, I'm coming (smiling).
Q. This achievement deserves a big celebration. How do you celebrate it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: How the Serbs do celebrate.
Q. Can you elaborate?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's very hard to explain that (smiling).
Q. How will it be celebrated in Serbia?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know how it is in my country, but I will find out tomorrow.
Q. About points of your career that are most important, can you say that the reason of this successful season was final of Davis Cup?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, it was. Well, obviously after the Davis Cup, after those wins, I made 40 something wins in a row. Up to this moment, the Davis Cup win was the most special feeling that I had on the court.
Now it's Wimbledon. Wimbledon and Davis Cup, obviously gave me a lot of energy, obviously, because I didn't only share it with my team of people. I didn't win by myself.
It was a team effort. The whole nation was really celebrating that, so it nothing like anything else.
Q. Did the squirrel ever eat from your hand?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. Maybe now she will. Maybe she heard, so...
Djokovic Receives Hero's Welcome In Belgrade
Around 100,000 people turned out to greet Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic in Belgrade.
World No. 1 and Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic received a rapturous reception on his return to Serbia on Monday.
The Belgrade native was honoured in his hometown as close to 100,000 Serbian tennis fans gathered to welcome him in Parliament Square, where he arrived on an open-top bus that took hours to travel from the airport due to the volume of fans hoping to glimpse him.
Traffic on the motorway ground to a halt as fans stopped their cars to salute the Serb on his way into the city centre, but he eventually arrived to a deafening roar as he leaped onto a specially erected stage, where rock bands had been entertaining the crowd.
Joined on the stage by his family, Djokovic held aloft his replica Wimbledon trophy and told the chanting masses, “This is absolutely unbelievable and I will owe you forever for tonight because you succeeded in making this day the biggest day of my life.
"The time has come to bare all my emotions to you and all I can say is that you are the best in the world because only Serbian fans can throw a party like this. This trophy is dedicated to you; this trophy is dedicated to Serbia.
"We have a soul that is second to none and with the team event coming up, I can promise you we will do everything in our power to win it all again," added the Serb.
Earlier in the day, Djokovic had returned to the All England Club, scene of his triumph over Rafael Nadal, to conduct a media tour, speaking to publications and broadcasters from around the world. The 24 year old is now set to travel to Halmstad, Sweden, for defending champion Serbia’s Davis Cup quarter-final tie this weekend.
