US OPEN

August 29, 2025

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/C. Norrie

6-4, 6-7, 6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I wanted to follow up with something you said in your last press conference about the weeks No. 1 being one of the more important stats of your career. You have 428 total weeks No. 1, but a lot of people think it should be 429 because when Jannik Sinner had his points taken away from Indian Wells last year when he had his positive tests and his suspension, if those points had not been on his ranking for one week in August earlier, you would have gotten back to No. 1 for one week. Curious if you think the ATP should change that for someday when someone is maybe closing in on that record.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Maybe we will have this discussion another time, but right now I'm okay with it (smiling). Right now, it's fine. Yeah, honestly I forgot about it. I didn't even think about it.

Look, you know, it's been a great career of hunting the No. 1 for me and defending the No. 1. I've been there longer than anyone, so it's one week more or less at this moment in time is not so relevant, but maybe that will change, I don't know (smiling).

Q. I think you'll be okay.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I'll be okay for a little while, yeah (smiling).

Q. Do you feel better now about the way you're playing or the way you're feeling?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Playing. Playing was good. I mean, particularly third and fourth kind of started swinging through the ball a bit more. And honestly, I was pleasantly surprised with Norrie's level. I think he was playing really aggressive. I was not used to playing him, you know, him playing so close to the line and just really taking the ball early particularly on the forehand side.

You know, credit to him for fighting and playing some really good level, particularly in the second set and beginning of the third. But I guess when it mattered, I came up with some really good points, good shots, good serves. Yeah, serving performance definitely the best so far.

Yeah, these kind of matches and performances give me, always give me hope that I can go far, challenge the best players in the world.

In terms of how I'm feeling, it really goes up and down, to be honest. Yeah, it's frustrating for me, honestly, that I'm not able to feel 100% always like I have for 20-plus years. But yeah, I guess the circumstances are quite different and I have to get used to the fact that every match there's something that might happen as it has been the case this year pretty much every slam.

I'm just, you know, trying to do my best, manage the days when I don't have a match, you know. I'll probably skip tennis training tomorrow and just focus on recovery, because that's I think for me and my team overall the priority at the moment.

I'm feeling the ball all right. Can I play better? Yes, always. But I'm happy with the amount of hours that I spend on the court playing matches in first three rounds. So I feel it's more about just managing the body and getting it as fit as possible for next one.

Q. With the back, was that something that happened in the first set? How concerned were you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, it did happen. I was 5-3 up, I think it was 30-Love, and it was quite an exciting point, and I was at the net and I was kind of moving in the right direction, and I caught the ball. Just made a quick move and reaction, and I felt the left side of my back.

I finished that game, and I just felt like, you know, I needed treatment. Again, you know, I told Cameron at the net, like, I don't want to -- you know, I don't know if he thinks that I was doing that on purpose to bother him or not, because it's absolutely not, was not my intention.

But I felt like I needed that treatment, and I felt better after that. You know, when the meds kicked in, as well. I don't know when it gets cold tomorrow, I'll see what the reality is.

But yeah, I was lucky, lucky not to, you know, have that burden stay there. It was just there for a few games, and after that it was fine.

Q. What can you do to give yourself the best chance that when you get later in the tournament you don't have half a tank, I think was your term, other than not practicing tomorrow or something like that. Is there anything else you're trying, anything you're doing differently?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, if anybody has been very open and curious about trying new things out or, like, getting whatever sports science, medical sports science, claims that it's good out there, whether it's machines, whether it's different treatment, methods or whatever it is, I'm the first one to try it out, because I really, I not only want to be able to extend my career and perform well at this stage for as long as I can, but also, I love the wellness and longevity. I just am very attracted by that, like it's one of my biggest passions in life.

I always love to see not only how sick can we be but how healthy can we be? Prevention, I work a lot on that.

But I don't think there is much more that I could do than what I'm doing now, to be honest. If the body doesn't listen to me when I go deep in the Grand Slam tournaments, as it was kind of the case last few slams, then that's a hard one to swallow for me, because I know the amount of hours I'm putting in daily to care for my body, but at the same time, you know, biological age is not something that I guess you can reverse, and it is what it is.

The wear and tear on the body all these years is taking a toll, and I'm aware of it, but I'm resisting it. You know, I'm trying to do my best to still be out there competing with the young guys in the highest level.

Q. Novak, at the end of Wimbledon you were very philosophical, very reflective, and you spoke about the future and the questions you have.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.

Q. As you've gone through the summer and now three rounds here, how are you feeling now compared with at the end of Wimbledon, both mentally and physically?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think I was, yeah, quite open in the press conference after semis, gave a little bit of insight of what's happening in my head. I mean, I'm asking myself questions of course more, you know, nowadays than I have been ever before in terms of, like, how long do I want to keep going at this level, and how do I want to approach my schedule to kind of extend my career, because I really want to play.

I still feel like I enjoy myself competing, can be very hard on myself and my team, I know that, but I still feel like I have game left in me, you know, to play at the highest level.

As I said before several times, as long as I have that feeling really of that level is still alive, is still present, I feel like I want to keep going. I want to keep pushing myself to see, you know, whether I can have a shot at another slam or, you know, any big tournaments.

And also enjoy the support and the love that I'm getting really last couple years has been amazing anywhere I go, and I really, you know, enjoy that feeling. And there are other reasons and motivations I have for still keep on playing.

But yeah, there's internal discussion happening as well for me, but I try to focus my thoughts and my attention to this very present moment of what needs to be done, so I'm still competing, and I might get a little more philosophical again when I finish the tournament, but I'll try to focus on next challenge here.