TENNIS Internazionali BNL d’Italia – N. Djokovic d. M. Raonic 6-7, 7-6, 6-3. An interview with Novak Djokovic.
Q:How tough and maybe frustrating and important was that win for you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It is a big win because it gives a lot of strength and belief that I can carry into tomorrow’s final and also to the continuation of the season. He played on a very high level throughout the match especially with his serve that, I can say, is the best in the world. I can’t recall the last time when I was feeling so helpless on the return game, and also his second was brutal. It was a very tight match decide in the first two set for very few points, I could have won the first set tie break. He put pressure on my serve because when you serving like this and win comfortably your game then you don’t have much pressure on your return game. I got myself regrouped in the second tie break when I was 3-2 and him serving and at the end I won and that’s why it is important for my game and my confidence.
Q:What was that you wrote on camera?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I wrote for Serbian in Cyrillic ‘I love you’ to my people.
Q:Looking at the Roland Garros, do you think play against a player like this in 5 set is better or worse?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: In a way is better because you expect he drops his level of service and get tired because the clay is demanding physically. But he did surprise with his movements around the court, he improved his backhand down the line and moving very well. The variety in his shot, he play aggressively and you can feel the improvements in his game. It isn’t easy to play against these guy on any surfaces: you think clay is the slowest compared to the others, but the ball bounces so high when you hit it from the 4th floor…
Q:Both you and Rafa had tough matches this week. But looking at Raonic, Dimitrov, Nishikori, do you think there is change going on, more players who are challenging you guys at the top?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You name the 3 guys who are the leaders of a new generation of young and potentially very successfully tennis player. Obviously there is few transition in a tennis player career, coming to the top 15, top10 and then becoming a top5 is definitely one of the toughest competitors. You have to play on high level during all the season, be injury free. Dimitrov, Raonic and Nishikori are very talented players and they are a big challenge for the top guys.
Q:How much are you following what’s going on in Serbia and how those facts affected your concentration?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I followed it as much as I can, I am on the phone, following the news online. It’s the nature, higher force, a flood like hasn’t been remembered in all the story of my country, it’s a total catastrophe of biblical proportion. Half of the country is in danger not having electricity, immobilization, and where are talking about cities not small village. I enjoy be here and play but on the other hand I feel a little bit uncomfortable, so many sportsmen back in the country because of this situation, they stop playing and I am here to do this. I hope this little event we organize go viral cause unfortunately there is not enough awareness of what’s going on. There’s non coverage and this is the biggest flood Europe have ever seen. I hope people can find a common sense and spread the awareness about this flood. We need help. After that there will be a period of minimum several months of recovering, and we need as much as help possible in all the possible.
