AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2026

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/F. Maestrelli

6-3, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Novak, congrats. How do you assess your form today compared to the first round?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, actually the same scoreline, so kind of similar feeling on the court of generally positive. Served better in the first match. I mean, did feel like completely two different tournaments playing at night and day today, particularly with the wind that I think has been blowing this year more than any other year that I've been playing here in Australia.

Obviously have to adjust to that and adapt to a different opponent with big serve. But, I mean, overall it's good. I'm pleased with the way I'm moving and hitting the ball.

Yeah, look forward to the next one.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. We're seeing you, it feels like, playing today very aggressively. The serve has been really potent. Just wondered how conscious that was to make changes and sort of, if so, what was the motivation?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I mean, I always try to work with purpose. I had a longer off-season, like the off-season before this one. When I have more time, then I obviously try to look at my game and different elements that I can really improve.

Otherwise, what's the point? What's the point of competing and coming out and not really trying to be better than you were the season before? That's the kind of mentality I try to nurture. It's been allowing to me play at the highest level at this age.

I'm glad that it's paying off, the work I've done in the off-season. It's the beginning of the tournament. Obviously I haven't played any lead-up tournament. I'm really happy I'm able to play this way, considering the lack of competitive matches for more than two months.

It's all been positive so far, positive signs. But I've got to keep it up obviously.

Q. I was talking to Ben Shelton about his YouTube channel. What do you make of the trend of players making their own documentaries, effectively?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't see anything wrong with that. I think we're living in a world today of digital media. The communication of the brand happens pretty much only through digital and social media channels.

Yeah, most of the, I guess, civilized world, people that can afford have a mobile phone with them at all times, this is how you want to communicate and connect with people. Yeah, that's what we have.

I guess everyone has a different opinion and subjectively what they think is the borderline, how much do you want to open the doors to your, you know, not just professional but private life to people worldwide. That's very individual.

I don't judge. Everyone has their own likings. But yeah, that's the way to reach people is definitely through Internet.

Q. I wanted to ask you about your coaching setup. Wondering what does a 24-time Grand Slam championship need a coach for at this stage of his career? What do you think you can still learn about tennis? What do you expect a coach to bring to you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think you always need at least a pair of eyes on the side of the court, if not two pairs, three pairs that know tennis, that have different expertise and they have different angles of seeing your game and seeing your opponent's game.

I obviously know the game of tennis very well. Very oftentimes, particularly in the competitive weeks when you are under stress, emotions are not as, I'd say, at bay as they normally are in a non-competitive week, then you have to handle much more than just your tennis and how you hit your forehand.

I feel like the coaching theme is contributing not only to observation from the side of the court of how you move, how you play, the technical stuff, the biomechanical stuff, but also how you feel, kind of helping you manage your emotions on day-to-day basis.

It's more than just the tennis, execution of the tennis shots. There's more things that come into the equation because you're an individual athlete. There's no substitution. There's nobody that can replace you if you're having a bad day. You just have to manage all these emotions and all the things that are happening to you on a given day that maybe you're not necessarily feeling the best, but you still have to find a way.

I think the coaching team, the physio team, fitness team is there to provide necessary support for you to excel in your performance and also find solutions during the match when you're overwhelmed with what's happening and sometimes you cannot think clearly. That's why you look to your team and ask for some guidance and ask for them observation that can be very helpful.

Q. You've been coming here to Melbourne for a long time, more than 20 years. What do you make of the evolution of this place, the vibes of this tournament? There's smashing tennis records constantly. There's complaints on the other side it's overcrowded and hard to get into courts, things have gotten maybe too corporate or too commercial. From your perspective as a veteran of this place, what do you make of that sort of push-pull between excitement of overgrowing and the idea that something is being lost by being overstuffed or getting too crowded, too commercial, too profit-centric at times?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Having too much crowd on this or any other tennis tournament is a very good problem to have (smiling). I think there are much worse problems to have.

I think every tournament wants record-breaking attendance and ticket sales. That's what I've been hearing actually this year and the last couple years for most of the slams and tournaments.

I mean, it's a good sign. Obviously we want more attention, more people coming and wanting to watch the tennis live, follow it, livestream, et cetera.

Obviously I don't know the possibilities of further expanding the facilities or not. I'm not obviously familiar with that dynamic. But I like what I have seen as evolution of this tournament. I like when the tournament is nurturing a mindset of always wanting to improve and get better in terms of facility, providing better conditions for players to practice, play, recover. That's what I've been seeing.

First time I came over to Australia, for the juniors, 2003 I think, something like that, 2005 for the professional event. I remember we were using the Gym B, as it was called, which was across the road. I forgot what the name of that AFL club is. Essendon, maybe? Something like that.

Q. Collingwood.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Collingwood. Sorry, my bad. I know there's a big rivalry. I apologize.

They were allowing the Australian Open to utilize their facilities, bigger gym, ice baths and everything. Then obviously there was an expansion of the facilities with the National Tennis Centre, indoor courts, more practice courts, better recovery, more locker rooms, better facilities, player dining. All positive signs, to be honest.

I think Australia has always been one of the best in that. So I don't see any negatives there.

Now, it's really about how do you find balance and how do you manage the amount of people that is entering the premises. I saw the other day with Alex Eala, that's been the talk, which has been the talk, which is understandable, there's players coming from respective countries, she's coming from Philippines, which is now a big deal. She's been the biggest-ever tennis player from that country, which is a big country, has a big interest. Things like that happen.

You could argue that it was maybe a poor schedule, maybe they could schedule on a bigger court, yes. Again, she's so young and she's just coming through. Obviously the first couple rounds, the schedule is so packed, the big courts with big names, it's difficult. It's not easy to manage that.

Again, it's a good problem to have, to be honest (smiling). Let's just imagine if there's lack of people coming or that stands are empty. That's a bigger problem. I mean, this is great.