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MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 9, 2019

Novak Djokovic

Madrid, Spain

N. DJOKOVIC/J. Chardy

6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. You looked especially happy and pumped after that win. Was it because the level was one you were expecting or because it is one more win and you would be lacking some matches?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I didn't hear -- you said I wasn't that happy. I looked happy, sorry. I was. Obviously, because I felt good on the court in general and played well. Of course, coming into the match with Jeremy I knew the score. I had to be quite positive so you do have a little bit more of a confidence coming into a match knowing that you've never lost to your opponent.

But he was playing well here, the last couple of matches. And I saw him play. He was serving well and obviously center court is played slightly slower than other courts.

So, of course, that was more favorable for me to be able to get some of the serves that may be on the other courts will be more difficult to get.

First set was great. I mean, I started off with a very solid game. I put a lot of returns back in play. Yes, he was making errors.

And then, of course, second set, it changed because he started serving with more percentage and less errors from the back of the court. His forehand was lethal. He was really making a lot of winners and good stuff.

I was set point down. I found my first serve and I thought that last two matches, the serve has been working really well, so I think in these kind of conditions that is obviously an advantage.

Q. Rafa made some interesting comments yesterday about the next generation. He was disagreeing with the view that it's harder now for players to win a first Grand Slam as a teenager, or below the age of 20. I was wondering if you agree with that viewpoint? Or whether you think there's been such physical advances in the men's game that it is tougher for young guys to win a Slam below the age of 20?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think first of all I believe in general something that will probably never change is that biologically, if you are younger, you know, you recover faster. You have more I guess capacities to train and to build. So that is an advantage age-wise for sure. That's how biology works.

So, from that point of view, whether we are now or 50 years ago, 50 years from now, it is going to be the same. Technology has advanced absolutely with the racquets and of course balls and everything else.

But also I think the quality of preparation, recovery, some insights, it's brought scientific insights that tennis players have in general have access to nowadays, you know. That hasn't been the case, maybe 20 or 30 years ago. So for sure, that is complimenting the overall quality of the game I think for all of us.

And, you know, I remember when I was breaking through to the top 100 and coming in to professional tennis waters as a teenager. It was definitely a less professional approach from players than it is today.

Of course, with the exceptions of the top guys, but I think now you have just a much larger group of players, more players in general that are taking care of their bodies, what they eat, how much they sleep because it matters, especially in this sport that is individual, so you can't really rely on anybody else but yourself.

And to the last point, whether it's more difficult or not to make the breakthrough today than it was maybe when Nadal and I were doing that. I think in terms of points, the points system, it is because when we were coming up, there was a different ranking points system in place. And there was not as much of a distance or this balance between the opening rounds and the later rounds and it was, I think, a little bit more evenly distributed. So, from the ranking standpoint I think it's more difficult.

But at the same time, because all the advancements that we talked about, and just the amount of tournaments that you have, and I think for most of the guys also coming from the countries where federations are strong and financially stable, you know, also they have big teams of people.

Right away, I mean, as soon as they get on a junior tour level you see them with coaches, physios. That was never the case before. So, a definite advancement, so it's kind of both ways in a way.

Q. Jeremy Chardy said he found you a little bit nervous at the end of the match. Do you agree with him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't think I have been more nervous than what I usually am when you are facing a set point, you know (smiling). And the game or, so to say, the match is close. Of course, everyone is nervous. I mean, now how you handle that, how you control that, that's different. So I haven't felt, you know, extremely nervous or anything like that. It was normal because I was -- he was up in the score in the second set. I was kind of chasing the whole second set. He played well and he was one point away to win the set. Of course, I felt my nerves a bit that game. But nothing particular.

Q. If you win tomorrow, you win three matches in a row for the first time since the Australian Open. How do you assess your performance over the past four months and how much do you feel you need to improve for the next couple of weeks?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I thought probably since Queen's last year I've had great, a very high level of tennis all the way to the end of the Australian Open.

Most of the events I played I reached I think finals at least and after Australian Open I had a long break. Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo. Monte-Carlo was definitely better than Indian Wells and Miami. Indian Wells and Miami I haven't felt my best, I haven't played my best.

Look, it's all a learning curve especially when you are losing in early rounds and matches that you are supposed to win against players you are supposed to win.

Of course, it does feel disappointing especially because I was on such a roll for so long. But I have to move on.

It's not the first time in my career that I'm kind of experiencing those ups and downs, you know. I tried to keep it as stable as possible not to have too big of an extreme kind of swings. But everyone plays their best when they are playing against the top players.

So, I mean, it's kind of a huge challenge always to overcome any match in the big tournaments because everyone is motivated but that's fine.

As I said, I'm experienced at this level. I know what to do and the good thing about tennis is you always have an opportunity within a week or two weeks, three weeks, to rectify maybe certain things that you felt like were not working and then, obviously, I'm building slowly. And Roland Garros, on clay is where I want to peak. But of course I would love to try to get as far as in this tournament and also in Rome next week as possible. Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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