THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 1, 2026

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/S. Tsitsipas

6-3, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions.

Q. Last press conference you talked about how the sport of tennis needs to innovate in order to grow the sport and target multiple demographics. Have you thought about how tennis could innovate a little bit more? What are your thoughts on being mic'd up?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In practice?

Q. Yes.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't know if I'll be comfortable being mic'd up during the performance. Practice is fine.

But there are different ways of innovating. As I mentioned in the previous press conference, I think we also have to look into the format of competition and rules of how we play on the respective tours.

Just the point is how do we attract new fans, younger fans, younger audience, that has a short attention span. They like the dynamic content, which we actually have. Tennis is a very dynamic, exciting sport. One on one.

But sometimes it can go for too long. If you're not a diehard tennis fan, maybe it's not as interesting for other people to watch something for three, four, five hours when they have everything available on their screens, right?

It's not hot water. It's not just me talking about it, thinking about it. As I can hear or see in the last 15 years, there's a lot of people talking about how can we all improve the sport.

Not much is happening on that end or changing. It still stays in the theory rather than in reality. Let's see. I don't know. Obviously I'm not in a position to have the magic wand and change and decide what needs to be changed.

I'm always open for discussion. Happy to use my platform or whatever influence that we can collectively improve the game.

Q. Stefanos said earlier he believes the gap between you two is bigger today. Do you agree with that?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I mean, today... I don't know what's gap he was comparing to from before. I mean, we haven't played each other ever, I think, on grass. It was a first time.

Stefanos is not in the best shape like he was when he was top 5 in the world and playing Grand Slam finals. That's obvious.

You could feel that in important moments where he would miss some shots that normally maybe he wouldn't. But that's tennis. When you play at the highest level, if you don't have confidence, you start to overthink on the shots, then you're not really feeling comfortable playing the right shots at the right time.

He's still, I think, finding his confidence and trying to get to that desired level, to the level that he played on before for many years.

Yeah, today I think I raised my level, and he probably didn't play as well as he can. So, I mean, that was enough for a straight-set win.

Q. I remember at the US Open last year you challenged Serena to come back. What did you make of seeing her back on Centre Court?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You're talking about Serena?

Q. Yes.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I said it even before the tournament started that what she's doing is incredible, epic. I've always been a fan of Serena. I'm sure she wanted and expected to at least win one match or more. Knowing how competitive she is, the mind of a champion that she has, she's not happy with just showing up on the court. She wants to win.

I hope for the sake of tennis and all of us that we be able to see her more. Let's see. Nobody really knows what's going to happen, whether she's eager to play on Grand Slams maybe. I assume that US Open is somewhere where she would like to play. I mean, playing in her home slam would be amazing for her and for everyone else.

But let's see. I was watching match a little bit. Look, she hasn't played for years. She had two children. I mean, people are used to when we talk about Serena, I mean, also in my case, some great champions, people always expect you to play at your best because they're used to seeing you dominate the sport for many years.

She's 44. I mean, she has two children. Coming back, it's normal that she still is not at her best in terms of movement. She hasn't played a match, I mean, in so many years. People need to cool off a little bit with judgment and criticism and everything. Let's just enjoy the greatness, who she is, what she represents to the sport.

Her wanting to give it a try and just come back is an incredible gift for our sport. I think people sometimes, I don't know why they don't appreciate that enough. They just start to speculate, judge or whatever. It's like, Hey, guys, enjoy. You have the greatest ever to come play for you, to bring more attention to your sport.

For me, I don't understand this kind of thinking and this kind of approach by people and judgment. But people are people. This is something they're going to do.

I really support Serena. Always have. Hopefully she's going to play more.

Q. You fell twice today. Do you think we have a problem? Several players fell since the beginning of the tournament. I can't tell if it's more than usual. What is your perception? Is it business as usual?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.

Q. Grass, shoes?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's grass. You're going to fall more than any other surface. That's one. And two, you're going to probably have even more risk of falling if the roof is closed because the grass is slippery. There's more moist, there's more humidity. It's more slippery on the court.

With my kind of movement that is quite dynamic, yeah, I mean, I've been lucky so far that nothing really major in a bad way has happened. It's not something you can predict. It's not something that you can - how can I say - prevent, as well. In the heat of the moment, you're fighting, battling, it can happen.

Q. At the end of the match you said you wanted your next match to be an outdoor Wimbledon match. Could you expand on that comment?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Expand? I don't know what I need to expand on. It's just my desire. I'd love to play outdoor Wimbledon grass court match. Haven't had a chance so far. So let's see.

Q. How significant for you has been witness other great athletes achieve amazing things like Rory with two green jackets, or Messi in the World Cup. You another significant example for you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The question is?

Q. How has it made you feel to watch.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: To watch. I love watching greatness in making and continuing of the evolution of the greatness, like Messi, like LeBron James. These guys. Curry. Rory, as you mentioned. It's amazing to see.

I feel like we all are setting the bar higher and moving the needle of what people thought is possible in terms of level of competition and level of performance at a late age.

Golf, okay, it's a bit different because I think age maybe doesn't play too big of a role, I think, in terms of performance. Of course, it does. But maybe comparing to tennis or, I don't know, other sports, basketball, football, whatever, but still the amount of pressure and attention and dedication that goes into all these global sports and the athletes we mentioned are just outstanding.

I'm always a big fan of witnessing history. Messi is born the same year I'm born, '87. Who else was born that year? Somebody in Formula 1. Verstappen? Hamilton is a bit older. Anyway, it's a good year to be born (smiling).

Of course, I admire them, respect them and follow them. Of course, I'm following World Cup, NBA league, Formula 1, golf. I love sport. Sport is a beautiful area of life that we all admire, regardless of the fact that I'm an active athlete myself, I mean, it's actually even more because I know how it feels to be and what it takes to be that great in your sport.

Huge respect for them.