ATP CUP

February 5, 2021

Viktor Troicki

Novak Djokovic

Dusan Lajovic

Filip Krajinovic

Nikola Cacic

Team Serbia

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Viktor, bad luck today for you and the team. What were the keys in the end?

VIKTOR TROICKI: Three points. That was really unlucky day. Three close matches. At the end, yeah, we lost in a super tiebreak in doubles. We gave our best. We were unfortunate already in the start. We had some troubles with the team, but that's how it goes sometimes. You cannot plan anything.

Yeah, the boys were fighting. I'm proud of them. They gave their best. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. That's how it goes in tennis.

We'll try another time.

Q. Novak, you had kind of a good challenging match against Alex in your singles. Can you kind of talk about how valuable having those high-quality matches against top-10 guys is this close to the Australian Open?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it was a great match. I enjoyed playing on such a high level. I thought Sascha was serving terrific, both singles and doubles today. It was anybody's game really. He was set up, a couple points here and there in the beginning of the second. I just returned well when I needed to and closed out the match.

It's unfortunate we lost the tie. That's what this competition is all about. It's about the team, not about winning one match, singles match. Yeah, it's a tough one.

Q. Novak, you've played a lot of tennis over the last week. I know obviously you're really disappointed right now, but is there any part of you that thinks this may be a good thing for your run at the Australian Open, not having to play the next two days?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, look, I am upset that we lost. That's all I can say. I'm not thinking about the Australian Open or how many days I have left.

Q. Viktor, how proud were you to see the guys fighting back in the tiebreak in the second set especially, in the doubles?

VIKTOR TROICKI: In the second set, there was no tiebreak in the second set. We won it 7-5. In the third set it was super tiebreak.

As I said, we were up, then we went down. It was a few points here and there. It was really unlucky at the end. Nikola played well, Novak played unbelievable. I've never actually -- for his singles match, I was amazed what level both guys played, especially Novak. It was one of the best matches I've ever watched live. Unbelievable level from both of them.

Yeah, I mean, we were an unlucky team to end it like that. We also had troubles with Filip not being able to play today, also Dusan also had blisters. So altogether it's really unlucky.

Q. Nikola, can you talk about what was it like for you, especially in that tiebreak when you're hitting good serves or good shots and Novak is just giving you all this support and encouragement and enthusiasm? It was energizing as an outsider to watch what was going on with you guys. What was that like for you to be experiencing it?

NIKOLA CACIC: Yeah, for me it was a big pleasure to play with Novak, to be in the team. I had a first time chance to play the match, and it was an exciting match.

In the tiebreak I felt a little bit of pressure. I missed a few balls, and in the end we were a bit unlucky with my mistakes, and we lost in the end.

Q. Novak, considering what Viktor has just said about that singles match, what did it feel like playing that match, especially at the end when you had the match point and Alexander came back and it was back and forth? Playing a match like that, what did it feel like?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'd say big thanks to Nikola for fighting. He showed a great spirit today. It was not easy first time finding yourself in a situation like this obviously with no experience and being in the national team for the first time in such an important match.

So credit to him for believing and fighting and bringing good energy on the court. Look, as I said, it was anybody's match really between Sascha and me. We both got very tight, I think, the last three games. He dropped his serve two times, I dropped my serve one time, match point, lost that. Came back also the closing game, 6-5 in the third, it was a close one. I was 15-30 down and hit the big serve, almost 200 K to his forehand. He was serving tremendously well, big second serves. It was kind of unpredictable what's going to happen with his second serve. Once he misses the first, you think, I've got a chance, but then he comes up with a 215, 220 second serve. It's never easy playing against Sascha when he's in form, and he's in really good form. We pushed each other to the very limit, and I'm glad that I had such a battle with him.