CHINA OPEN

October 4, 2026

Novak Djokovic

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/A. Zverev

4-6, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the press conference with Novak Djokovic. We'll start with questions in English.

Q. I think for you to deliver your A game throughout the whole match, you explained you really have to have everything fall into place. Do you feel it's the case tonight?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, this is probably one of the two best matches that I played this year, next to the one against Sinner in the semis of Australian Open. Just obviously very thrilled to win against probably the best player in the world at the moment.

Sascha has been on the row playing incredible tennis, particularly last couple of months with US Open win. He's always been a top player. We knew that it was just a matter of time when he's going to clinch his first Grand Slam title. He has done that this year. Not only the first one, but the second as well in the same year.

With a great confidence that he's got, with the big serving, it's such a difficult task to play against him because he puts a lot of pressure on your service games when he's so consistent and precise and powerful in his service games.

When the opportunities are presented, which are very rare, you need to capitalize. I think this is what I've done. 5-4 second set, 5-4 third set, ready serve, played some good points, took my opportunities, and that was enough to win the match.

Obviously a lot had to happen to put myself in that position. I think I would probably highlight my serve plus-one game tonight was really good. I was trying to use every short ball to come in and put pressure on him, mix it up, come to the net, be aggressive. It was a high-risk tennis at times that I played, but I had to do it, otherwise it would be very difficult to win.

The crowd I have to mention, that they were phenomenal again. So engaged, so loud, so supportive. They for sure were a big deciding factor, as well, to turn this match around for me.

Q. You mentioned the match with Jannik in Melbourne as one of the best of your season. After such a great win, in a few hours back at your hotel alone, what will you be in your mind? Do you enjoy a bit more this kind of moment or in a few hours you already think about the next match?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I wish I had an extra day off to really enjoy the time, enjoy the win, but no time. I'm already thinking what I need to do to recover, get a good night's sleep. I know it is going to be a late night again and I'm coming back tomorrow. Now it's every single day you have to play. But that's okay.

I felt physically pretty good few days ago and tonight. The late finishes I had, almost three hours both of my matches, last two matches I played. But I feel okay. That cannot be better news for me, to be honest, because that wasn't the case for most of the year.

So yeah, I'm just thinking about tomorrow's match, my tomorrow's opponent. Amazing win tonight, but the tournament is not finished.

Q. You said in the third set of the Bu match that something seemed to click, that physically you were able to break through.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah.

Q. Four sets of tennis doesn't flip a switch necessarily on everything. The way you've played these last four sets, how much does that change your mentality looking forward?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I said it on the court, I'll repeat it again: these kind of matches are the biggest motivation why I keep on competing and why I keep on pushing myself pretty much on a daily or weekly basis to train and get myself on this level to be prepared to play the matches like tonight against the best players in the world and to win.

That's a kind of a proof or an evidence to me that I can still beat the best players in the world on the biggest stage. I always knew that. I always know that. Things are a bit different nowadays. It's hard to be consistently playing on the highest level like the youngsters.

I'm really happy with myself and proud of the effort. As I said, the feeling overall is really good. Of course, when you're playing this well, then confidence is higher, then you kind of forget about all the issues and challenges, and you just keep on moving.

Yeah, I'm hoping I can back that up day in, day out. I still have to come out tomorrow night fresh, as fresh as I possibly can be.

What awaits for me is another extremely difficult opponent who is on a role: Medvedev. I know his game really well. He won a tournament last week. He's loving the kind of conditions in China. It's no surprise.

I'll have to come up with another great performance if I want to have a chance to win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in Chinese.

Q. After the match on court you were playing the violin. You only do that when your daughter is on-site. So was your daughter watching this match, or is this something that is a celebration with the Chinese audience?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, well, I hope my daughter was watching this match. I'm not sure. I will check. I know my son for sure was, but my daughter I think also was. Let's see (smiling).

Yeah, this is a kind of a celebration that I started doing with her, because of her passion and love for violin. It just came out in that moment. It's one of the celebrations I have. It's also a way to, yeah, I guess express my love and connection with my daughter, but also with the Chinese fans.