US OPEN

August 27, 2025

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/Z. Svajda

6-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Novak, welcome. Congratulations.

Questions.

Q. Of course given all you've accomplished in this sport, you have really nothing left to prove, but I'm just wondering when it comes to that, when you take the court for matches, do you still feel like there is something left to prove for you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah. There is always something to prove once you step out onto the court, which is you're still able to win a tennis match.

I think it is just a question of perspective. Obviously in the larger perspective of understanding of what I have been through and what I have achieved in the many years that I have played on the tour, one can always think that there is nothing more to achieve or to approve because you've done it all, but it's quite relative. It's quite individual the way you see it.

But in a short-term type of mindset and perspective, it's really about trying to make the most out of that day and win a tennis match, find a way to win.

So that's what I've done today. I mean, I'm not pleased with my level of tennis, but, you know, you have days like this where you're not playing at your best, but you just kind of find a way.

Yeah, no, not to get too philosophical about it, but I still love the feeling of competition, the drive that I feel on the court. You know, I get really hard on myself a lot of the times because I expect myself to play always at the highest level, which is obviously not always possible. But, you know, I still have desire to compete with the young guys, you know. Otherwise I wouldn't be here playing.

Q. How are you finding the courts this year, particularly Ashe, and the balls? Because I ask partly because whenever you ask different players, they all have different opinions about the court speed and the balls.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In relation to what, last year or just in general?

Q. Yes.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I think the court speed, I can't recall actually what was the year when it changed, when it started being slightly quicker than what it used to be. But it's been now pretty much the same speed for some years back.

But I think it's the balls that are different. But whether it's the rubber, whether it's the fluff, I don't know what it is but it is different, or was different. But I've been hearing that a lot of the players think that finally there is some consistency with the balls that they have used in the US Open Series tournaments coming into US Open and US Open. They say, most of the players I have spoken to, they say that now, you know, they're almost the same pretty much.

That's good to hear, and we can instantly see less injuries with the joints obviously that we have seen. There was an unfortunate trend of injuries, I think was it last year or two years ago? So I think that has to be obviously taken seriously, and to make sure that there's no big fluctuation in terms of the quality of the balls.

As I understood, there is maybe two or three factories in China that produce pretty much all the balls for all the brands in tournaments. Yeah, if anything changes in that production chain, obviously you can feel it.

And also, it's a question I think of storage; how long is it in storage for, whether it deflates and loses its pressure inside. It's a sensitive thing. So you have to kind of, yeah, approach it seriously.

Q. Thinking about that jacket of yours with the four Grand Slam tournaments marked on there, there aren't a lot of you who have won all of them. What do you see as the significance of having a career Grand Slam? And do you recall at what point for you it was something you thought about and wanted to achieve before doing so in 2016 in Paris?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I didn't dream of that when I was a kid. When I was a kid, I was dreaming of playing and winning Wimbledon.

All the rest, you know, history, historic achievements that I have achieved really came to my mind as a possibility, including to complete the Slam, only when I was already on the tour quite a few years.

So, yeah, back in 2011 when I achieved my childhood dream to win Wimbledon and become No. 1, I was of course deeply satisfied, but then I was only at the time 23 or something like that years old, 23, 24, and I was, like, okay, I still have to play hopefully another, whatever, 10 years, 15 years. I still want to set new objectives, new goals. I'm an ambitious guy, so I thought, you know, if I won that year, 2011, three out of four slams and played semis of the French, why wouldn't I go for it?

So when it was achieved in '16, it was a huge -- most of all, it was a relief for me, because I primarily put myself, I have put so much pressure on myself primarily, and then of course there is always expectations of the people around, is this the year, and it's over and over again.

So when that was done, it was just the primary sensation or emotion was just a relief. Okay, I've done it, now I can move on and think about something else.

So I don't know. You know, there's a lot of debate on what the ultimate challenge in our sport is. From my experience and my career, I would say probably the top two things would be, yeah, winning the Career Slam or Golden Slam, including the golden medal at the Olympics, and staying No. 1 for many years. Because, you know, slams are such a big goal of every single player, and they take a lot of energy to be conquered. So for you to be consistently playing well over and over again, to be a contender for No. 1 in the world, that's probably one of, if not the ultimate challenge.

Because it requires a 24/7 attention to every single detail when it comes to physical recovery, preparation, mental training, anything really that revolves around an individual athlete, because in the end of the day, you have to do the job yourself on the court.

So, yeah, I have been blessed, honestly, to achieve these many great things.

Q. I was sort of curious how you're actually feeling out there on the court psychologically, because watching you, I think a lot of us have watched you a lot, are a little baffled. You don't seem to have a lot of joy out there in the last couple of days.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.

Q. And you have talked about trying to find your motivation.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Right. It's not a motivation thing. It's just like me a bit frustrated with my game, you know, and then I kind of go through stuff internally that, you don't want to know the details what I'm going through and telling myself.

Yeah, I'm just trying to be locked in, you know. Just trying to solve the riddle once I'm on the court.

It's not like I'm not finding joy on the court competing. I enjoy competing, but I don't enjoy not playing well. That's why I put extra pressure on myself and my team to be better the next day, the next match.

So, yeah, today was a little bit of a struggle to find that rhythm. That's why maybe you haven't seen me be so pumped after winning points and stuff.

I'll make sure I'll fist-pump just for you. For your eyes only, next one. (Laughter.)

Q. We're worried about you.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no, don't be worried about me. Don't worry. Don't worry.