US OPEN

August 22, 2025

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

An interview with:

NOVAK DJOKOVIC

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I wanted to ask you about throwing out the first pitch at the Yankees game.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was a great experience. I want to thank the Yankees organization for making it possible for me. It was my first baseball experience overall. First time visiting any baseball game.

It was a packed house, almost 50,000 people. Obviously big rivalry. Probably biggest rivalry you have in the baseball, with Red Sox and Yankees. Got that privilege to be able to access the locker room and meet Aaron Judge and the guys. So impressed with Aaron particularly and his size. I mean, he's humongous. I mean, incredible. (Laughter.) Yeah, he was very nice. I gave him a racquet, signed racquet, and he gave me a bat.

Yeah, I was warming up with one of the guys for that pitch. It was in the level ground. Then once I got to go and, you know, throw the first pitch, I was on elevated ground, like a little hill. I didn't throw that accurate, but it still wasn't as embarrassing I think as some of the other guys I saw in the past (smiling).

Yeah, it was fun. It was really... I was treated very nicely, and I was very honored to be there. To be honest, I became a fan. You know, I didn't follow baseball that much, didn't know what to think of it, to be honest. But since yesterday, I really became a fan.

I followed it as everyone was giving me, like, a little bit of details and insights on the game. Then, you know, once you really understand it and you follow it, then you really immerse in it. I really liked the experience.

I didn't stay all the way through to the end, but I watched more than half of the game and really enjoyed myself.

Q. I wanted to ask what you, and if you have a sense of other players think of the prize money increase here this year for the champions, across the board, and whether that's movement you consider satisfactory in the kinds of things players are hoping for or if there is still work to be done in that area?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, it's a step in the right direction. Obviously it's always nice and positive to see that Grand Slams are willing to improve the prize money overall across the board for the players.

Whether it's an ideal situation for us, I think overall I don't think so. I think there is still a lot more room for improvement in that sense.

By the way, just for the record, I'm not talking about myself, because I see that in the past when I talk about this topic, people like to say, Well, look at him, wanting more money for himself. It's not about that.

I'm just talking about overall in general as I was talking about it, you know, previous years, that, you know, not many tennis players live out of this sport globally. That's not something that I see has been talked about enough.

So it's a step in the right direction, and of course I always welcome that and I always like to see that happen.

But it's also, you know, important to understand that we live in a very commercial world. Entertainment, sports business is very big. And for Grand Slams, they are doing very well, as well. So, you know, US Open increased the prize money. Other slams are doing it too. But they also have a bigger revenue than the previous year.

Then there is the inflation part, which is a completely different topic, but important to take in consideration when you talk about these things.

But again, overall, it's definitely a positive step.

Q. You haven't played much at all since Wimbledon. You had spoken I think at Wimbledon about sort of that balance of getting to the late stages in tournaments and having no gas in the tank. I guess you have to balance the rest against coming in without too much preparation. I was wondering if you could speak about your preparation ahead of this and also, you know, how it feels to come in cold, probably the wrong word...

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: 'Cold' in terms of the matches, official matches. Obviously I didn't have any matches since Wimbledon. So it is the right term in a sense, but I have put in a lot of training in last three, four weeks.

I decided not to play because I wanted to spend more time with my family. And to be honest, you know, I think I earned my right and have the luxury of kind of choosing, picking and choosing where I want to go and what I want to play.

To be quite frank with you, I don't enjoy the two-week Masters events anymore. It's just way too long for me. My focus is mostly on the slams, and I have said that before.

But I also like other tournaments. I'd like to play more of the other tournaments, but I just, we have currently informally, unofficially, 12 Grand Slams a year, you know, when you think about it. I mean, Grand Slam is two weeks and the other Masters events are almost two weeks, as well.

So yeah, it's just not any more prioritizing the heavy schedule as I used to. I'm not chasing the rankings or building up my points or defending, et cetera. I just don't think about it anymore.

For me, it's really about where do I find motivation and joy? Where will I be inspired to play the best tennis? And where do I care to be, really, and play?

And slams are obviously the four main tournaments where I always feel the most motivation. Then the other tournaments here and there where... I don't actually have any schedule other than slams, to be honest.

I kind of like feel in the moment what I want to do and how I want to balance things out with other priorities in life. Family being, of course, the main one and being there for the important dates, speaking of which I'm going to miss out, maybe going to miss out on my daughter's birthday. It's the 2nd of September, so if I'm doing well I'm still here.

But those are types of things that I really don't want to be missing anymore. So it's just on a personal level for me important to be there, to show up, you know, for the people that have been showing up for me for all these years playing tennis.

Q. Seems like a lot of the guys on the ATP have been against the two-week Masters. Complaints from the players. Also fans think they go along too slowly. Do you think there should be talks about switching back or is it just set in stone?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't see how that's going to happen, to be honest. The contracts are quite solid, as I understand, 30-year contracts.

I don't know. Unless all the Masters events come together and the ATP board on the tournament side is supportive of the idea of going back, which I really doubt, I don't know what the sentiment is from the tournament side, to be honest.

But I have noticed that a lot of top players have been quite opposing the new change of the almost two-week events, the Masters level.

Yeah, I support the players. But in the end of the day, when the players needed to be active and when there was a time of negotiations and decision-making, players weren't participating enough.

This is an ongoing story of the players, particularly top players. They express their feelings, but then when you really need to put in the time and the energy into conversations, meetings, which I know it's very difficult. I have been there, trust me, many times.

But it's necessary because then, you know, you're doing something not only for yourself but future generations, and you're making the right moves, the right steps, and contributing.

I don't know. I don't know. Let's see what happens. I just doubt anything will change in the foreseeable future when it comes to these contracts that are quite solid and bring a lot of revenue to the tournaments.

Q. Novak, with your perspective on what Roger did and Rafa did and you are still doing, what are your thoughts on what Alcaraz and Sinner are doing and the challenge for all players knowing that they are likely going to be there in their way?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think their rivalry is amazing. What they have done in the previous two years is, you know, remarkable for both of these players. Particularly this year the finals that we have seen them play against each other in Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and a few other tournaments, it's just amazing for our sport.

On a global sport stage, these are the types of encounters and rivalries people get very excited about. When it comes to individual sports like ours or boxing, Formula 1 racing, whatever it is, golf, people love to see rivalries. I think their rivalry is, without a doubt, the best one we have in the moment. And it looks like it's going to stay like that for some time.

And then you have obviously other young players that are definitely going to challenge them, and hopefully somebody can get in the mix. You know, Rune was there, and he kind of goes up and down. Fonseca. There are players that are able to have that Djoker spot, the third spot.

I kind of empathize with the third guy, because I was in those shoes with Federer and Nadal. I want to see a third guy coming in (smiling).

But it's fun. Obviously to see these guys play on such a high level is amazing.