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US OPEN

August 26, 2019

Novak Djokovic

New York, NY, USA

N. DJOKOVIC/R. Baena

6-4, 6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Last year I spoke to you on the court after your victory and you were talking about sort of the arduous road that you had to go through to get here, and you really relished the victory so much. This is a different kind of gateway to the final Grand Slam of the season, obviously winning two of them and playing so strong. Talk about the mindset and this match under your belt. Talk about the mindset getting into this tournament.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I mentioned in my last press conference that obviously at this stage of my career and my life, Grand Slam -- it's mostly about Grand Slams, really. How can I, you know, set my shape and form to be at my best to reach the peak of my tennis performance and my abilities on the Grand Slam. They matter the most in the history of our sport. And certainly motivate me the most.

Of course I do value every tournament that I play on, especially the big ATP 1000 Masters events, try my best. These are the events where I want to perform my best.

Taking that into consideration, it's no different approach than it was in the past ten years. Very motivated, very focused, very determined to do well. I have been in this particular situation many times in my career, and I know, you know, what feels comfortable for me, what I need to do in order to get far in the tournament.

Obviously I have lots of respect for anybody that I play against, and today I played against a player that I never faced before. That doesn't happen too often.

It was a solid performance. I think I can still play better, but it's kind of expected for the first match and then, you know, I'm hoping that I can build from here.

Q. He still has a couple of months left before he officially retires but a good friend of yours, Janko, lost his match today. How did you feel when he told you he was going to retire?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Because of my friendly relationship I knew that before his announcement, a little bit before.

Obviously he's emotional, and we all are too as his close friends and colleagues and compatriots for many years. I have known Janko, played on the same side of the court, opposite side of the court with him. I shared with him a lot of wonderful emotions in my life. Privately, as well. I have known him since I was nine, ten years old.

He was, like, always a role model for all of the young players in Serbia and my generation because he was doing so well. He was the best junior of the world and he was someone that, you know, had a very promising career in front of him in professional tennis, judging by his results in junior tennis and had a really good professional career, two top 10 year-end finishes and also quarterfinals of slams. You know, he had some marathon, epic matches with Roger and myself here and so forth.

Very outspoken guy, very honest, someone that, you know, speaks his mind. Cares a lot about integrity of the sport, as well. Was very vocal always for, you know, for the players and what they deserve.

It's sad to see him leave, but at the same time, considering what he has been through with his body in the last three years, it's kind of understandable. He had a lot of surgeries and injuries. And he just didn't manage, unfortunately, to get back on that track where, you know, where he was top-10 player.

I wish him obviously all the best. I know he has a tennis academy that he's taking care of now in Belgrade and expanding Mexico, worldwide, China. He's doing a great job. He's someone that he's very devoted and also very smart and surrounds himself with the right mentors and people. I'm sure he's going to do very well in anything he does after tennis.

Q. In Cincinnati, a really interesting thing happened as the tournament went on. High in the stands one fan held up a big sign that said "15" and the fan next to him held up the sign...
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I saw that.

Q. Of course everyone knew what that meant. My question is go back to that 15-40 moment. What, as a competitor, went through your head? Was your breath important? Did you have a sense of doom, a sense of fight? What happened at that moment and since then what has that moment meant?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think regardless whether you're an athlete or not, I think we all, as human beings, when we face, you know, this kind of adversity or major significant moment in our life, you know, it seems like we're going to fail at something that we work so hard at trying to do. Most common reaction is to kind of stress out and just to be kind of unable to get the best out of yourself, in a way.

So I just try to, as clichÃ© as it sounds, and as simple as it sounds, I just try to be in the moment, really, and understand that I can't affect anything that is happening off the court or what has happened that got me to that point of being one shot away from losing a match.

But I think also the more often that it happens, the more experience you have in knowing how to handle it every next time that you're in that position.

It takes training, takes understanding of yourself, and I think on the deeper levels to really know how to maintain that focus and be in the zone regardless of how great this moment is and what is happening and all the noise and try to just focus on the next shot and what you need to do.

That was basically the tactics, if I may say, mentally. But you also need a bit of luck obviously your way, especially if you're match points down and your opponent is serving.

Q. How much of advanced data and video and analytics been a part of your preparation?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's been part of my preparation for the tournament in every match for the last ten years.

Q. Any more or less trends that you find interesting?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, technology is advancing, is improving. You know, I have people, analysts in my team that are responsible for providing data and information and video and data analysis on every next opponent that I play against. I have to do my homework. I think it's something that is so logical and so normal. You know, it's part of, in a way, my job as well to get myself ready for what's coming up.

Q. You have won many titles at Wimbledon and Australian. Here you have three titles. What about this tournament that provides a window for opportunity for other players like Cilic or Del Potro or Stan. They came here and won. What's different about here than the other majors?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, maybe what I would point out is this Grand Slam is the last Grand Slam of the year. So some players maybe might have been more exhausted, less freshness in the legs, so to say, than is the case, for example, in Australia is the beginning of the season.

Because it's a long season, it's a lot of surfaces that you have to change and it takes a toll on your body. So maybe that's the case why, you know, this tournament has provided some different names from the big 3, big 4 that have won the major title.

You know, nevertheless, Del Potro and Cilic are not the outsiders, so to say. They have been in top of the men's game, played finals of other slams. They deservedly won this title at least once.

Q. Given the fact this is the first match you played on Ashe since you won it last year, I assume you practiced on it. Is the surface similar? Faster than last year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It is. This surface is pretty similar to last year. I didn't notice any significant difference. It is cooler in terms of weather than it was last year. I remember last year the first week was really warm, really humid throughout the tournament. It was really humid, which is affecting the play obviously and it's affecting your fitness on the court and everything else.

Very pleasant conditions. I really like the conditions of the balls, the speed of the court, the weather is fantastic. You know, it's just very enjoyable.

Q. Have you decide to be at the Davis Cup final this year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes.

Q. Can you explain the reasons?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, reason is that I want to represent my country (smiling).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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