ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2025

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

An interview with:

THE MODERATOR: Novak, congrats for your 100th tour-level title in Geneva last week and yesterday with a lot of emotions here after winning the gold medal last summer, and also taking part in Rafa's ceremony. Give us your thoughts about these three incredible things that have happened.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, exactly. It was a busy day yesterday and very nice, wonderful day. As you mentioned, obviously winning 100th title, that is a nice milestone, of course, definitely much needed for my game and confidence level coming into Roland Garros.

Then coming here yesterday with memories of the locker room celebration last year after the Olympic gold, of course. But primarily to celebrate Rafa's career and Rafa's achievements in this tournament.

So it was a beautiful moment, really one of the nicest moments I have experienced on this court. Really, walking into the court with Federer and Murray alongside and being there for Nadal and experiencing all the glory of yesterday's celebrations of his career. We were all happy for him because he absolutely deserved it.

I felt like last year's Roland Garros, he didn't know whether it was the last one or not, and then I didn't feel like he was getting a proper farewell even at the Davis Cup. I think this was very fitting good-bye for such a legend.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Obviously you saw Andy yesterday quite soon after ending your partnership. Was that a bit funny or odd, and did you crack any jokes about the fact that you then went and won a title?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He did. He did. (Laughter.)

We joked around a little bit about his dress code yesterday, because I never saw him dress up so well (laughter). So we kind of joked around, you know, talked a little bit about golf, family, of course, and had also time to speak to him and Roger in the room about, you know, reflecting on some of the nice memories we had in our rivalries and kind of playing Nadal here at Roland Garros, et cetera. So that was quite special, being in the room with these two guys first for quite some time.

In terms of the joke about the tournament, yeah, he did congratulate me, and he said, Now that you have a proper coach, you're winning tournaments (smiling).

I don't know. I didn't take that as a joke (laughter). I mean, yeah, of course he was joking, but, you know, I think I have said enough, but I will say it again: Andy is just an amazing person. First of all, someone that I have spent most of my career with since the very young age on the tour, traveling, playing him, facing him in the earliest days under 12 and all the way through to the last days of his career.

For him to join my team and for us to give a shot to this player/coach relationship was really and incredible thing for tennis and for both of us. I was very privileged and honored. I was enjoying myself very much regardless of the fact that we haven't had maybe the success we both wanted or people expected us to have.

But I still think that, you know, I have learned things on the court with him, I have enjoyed my conversations with him about tennis, because I still think that he's one of the most brilliant tennis IQ guys out there.

Whoever he decides to work with next, if and when, you know, that player is going to be lucky because he has definitely a lot to share, a lot of great insights. It just didn't work out between us in terms of results, in terms of what we were hoping for, and that's all there is to it.

Personally, I actually enjoyed my time very much with him, and I feel like we have a closer relationship because of our working relationship in the last four, five months.

Q. You made your respect for Andy very clear there. I just wonder, could you confirm and clarify, was it your decision to stop the relationship?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was mutual. It was mutual.

Q. Did you make the call?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: We both wanted to have a call and to speak, so we -- actually, we both were on the same page. So it was not, you know, his initiative or my initiative. It was both of us coming together and just saying, you know, I think we should stop here.

That's what it was.

Q. I thought it was interesting for you to describe last week as much-needed. I'm wondering if you could explain why and how you hope that can affect you coming here.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, the reason why is very simple. I needed to win matches, and particularly on this surface. For me at least, it doesn't maybe come as natural to play well from the blocks, so to say, from the very first tournaments of the season on clay.

So I'm the type of player that needs to get some matches under his belt before the big tournaments like, of course, the biggest one being Roland Garros and being the biggest priority on this surface.

So that's the biggest reason why I went to Geneva. Obviously I had family there, so I was feeling good off the court, as well, and I already had a great time last year, to be honest, played semis last year and was very well-received by the public in Geneva, great support.

Yeah, so this year I felt it's a great chance for me to get some matches, but it's also a great chance to win 100th title, and I'll take anything that is kind of left on the table in a sense. Ruud was not in the tournament this year. He was dominating the last three years. I actually saw him, and I said, Thanks for not coming there and letting me win. (Laughter.)

Yeah, it's a different feeling for me now than it was two, three weeks ago, for sure. The way I'm striking the ball, maybe not too much of a difference, because I feel like on practice sessions I was playing well even before, you know, Madrid tournament, but just, yeah, it happens if you lose a match or two consecutively, and then, you know, you don't feel you have enough match play, you start to maybe doubt your game. You don't want to be in that state of the mind coming into Grand Slams.

So I'm just glad it all turned out to be perfect for me in that sense, and yeah, let's see how I'm able to play here in Paris.

Q. At Roland Garros, they still have the line judges while at other clay events they have more and more the electronic system.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.

Q. What do you prefer? And can you explain why?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, first I'll say that I understand the people who are more traditionalists and who like to have the line umpires on the court. I think it's part of our culture and tradition that has been there for decades. I do understand that aspect of it. It's hard to make certain changes, and you don't want to give everything away to the technology, right?

But if I have to choose between the two, I'm more of a proponent of technology. I would say it's just more accurate, saves time, and just maybe also less people on the court, which at times is actually good if you're playing on a smaller court and there has been, you know, numerous times where players would collide with line judge or line umpire and so forth.

Maybe that's not the most important reason, but I just think for accuracy and efficiency, it's better to have technology, yeah.

Q. Just to go back to yesterday, looking at the big four, you're the last one standing, you have seen them go one by one, you have been at all the ceremonies. Wondering when you're in this moment, what does it mean to you? How does it feel? Can you see the end of the road, too? Is it weird not having them around? Yeah, what does that feel?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I mean, honestly I was thinking about my end of the road as well last night or yesterday when we were watching Rafa having his speech, particularly those moments when we were in the back room, the three of us, and I was just, yeah, obviously talking to Federer and Murray about their good-byes and reminiscing and reflecting on the rivalries, and of course part of me is proud that I'm still there, that I'm still going, but at the same time, I was, and I still am a bit sad that they're all gone, because those guys were my greatest motivations of why I competed so intensely and for so long.

Yeah, I do, as I said, I do think that Rafa deserved what he got yesterday in full intensity of its glory, and of course that each one of us dreams of being remembered in such way and celebrated, of course. I do wish one day that I can get the kind of good-bye from the world of tennis, for sure.

But I didn't think about the exact date, if that's what you're looking for (smiling) or a moment. It was more just in general of how beautiful that moment is and, yeah, I mean, I got emotional as well when we were listening to him speak and seeing the reactions of his family, of his team members. It was really heartwarming moment.

Even though we were the fiercest rivals, it's that personal touch that is out there when you kind of spill your heart out on the court, as he did yesterday. It's almost impossible it doesn't touch you deeply.

That's what we basically told him, you know, when we were on the court. It was really wonderful. And kudos and credit to Roland Garros for doing an amazing job, you know, to celebrate Rafa.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in French.

Q. Last year you wanted to become an Olympic champion, and you became one. This year you wanted to win your 100th title, and you did. Do you want to win your 25th Grand Slam this time?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I actually was considering winning a 25th Grand Slam before, so it hasn't changed much, but it's true that after the Geneva title, I feel more confident. I feel more positive about my level of play because I had a lot of concerns regarding my game play, and I needed to reach a level that would be the one that I wanted as I was about to start the biggest tournament here.

But now, after Geneva, I feel better, I still have a lot of ambitions, I still have high objectives. I will focus on the first round, and I would like to maintain this high level, this dedication hopefully to reach the best possible result.