INDIAN WELLS, March 14, R4: N. DJOKOVIC/P. Andujar 6‑0, 6‑7, 6‑2
Q. How did you feel about the match today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think I played one of the better sets in last couple months in the first set.
You know, he surprised me with his aggressive approach. He was taking the ball early and was playing well.
Second set, you know, I start playing a little bit more defensive, and I think that allowed him to come back to the match. All the credit for him, you know, to play the way he played.
And then, you know, the third set I regrouped. I think the second set I could have won, but, you know, I managed to stay calm mentally and just to find my rhythm again.
Q. With that second set, did you feel you dropped down just a notch, or was it him more lifting?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it was a little bit of both. You know, as I said, I allowed him to start kind of controlling the rallies; in the first set, you know, I was the one who was in the court.
This changed. For some reason I didn't move as well as. I was holding on my service games very closely, and he was winning comfortably. So we got to the tiebreak, and I thought that there is my chance. I didn't use it when it was presented.
But, look, you know, overall I think it was a good match.
Q. Are you pretty friendly with him? Do you know him pretty well? Because there was quite an embrace at the end.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, I know him really well. We go a long time. I think we played actually only one match under‑16 in Belgium. I had six match points, and I lost that match 7‑6 in the third set. So we still do remember a little.
We joke around a bit at the times when we were growing up. He is one year older than me, but we know each other very well.
Q. When do you think you played your best tennis last year? Was there ever a tournament like you were in the zone the whole time?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Ah, pretty much all first half of the year. I mean, I played great.
Australia was incredible tournament for me, and, you know, when you start year with a Grand Slam win, it gives you a lot of confidence. I was playing on that confidence run, and I was trying to, you know, be 100% committed to every match that I play.
I think that mindset that I had on just taking one match at a time helped me to have the streak that I had. But it wasn't easy, of course. Everybody was talk talking about when the loss will come, and it had to come sometime. I was aware of that. But I was not trying to think about loss or trying to think about every win that I had.
So I think clay court season was pretty much fantastic for me until the semifinals of French Open.
Q. Do you think you are at that same level at the moment? Is it still too early in the year to determine if you are playing as well as you say that you did last year?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: You know, I believe I'm playing better as the tournament goes on, and that is the goal, obviously, to perform as best as I can.
Of course my best changes day to day. It's not easy to always perform 100% every match you play on, because it's a different opponent, it's different conditions that you‑‑ you know, and as the tournament goes on you, you know, there is more importance, there is more pressure of the matches.
But I believe I'm playing better, and in that first set and in the third set today I think I've played, you know, as well as I played in this stage last year.
Q. Looking forward a little bit, when do you think you're going to make a decision about Davis Cup and Serbian Open, and does it make any difference to your thinking that the Czechs have decided to play Davis Cup on clay?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I've heard about that. Well, it depends, because I'm not thinking as far‑‑
right now I'm entered in Serbia Open, so I'm intending of playing it. But I still am not certain the way‑‑ how my tournaments are going to go now in the States and Monte‑Carlo.
Again, it depends, as well, for Miami what's gonna happen for Davis Cup. I definitely always look forward to play for my country, but the schedule is getting more difficult nowadays.
Q. What's so intriguing to play Berdych or Stepanek?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, they've been around for a while. They are great players, all‑round players on different surfaces. I think they know each other really well, so they make a great team for Davis Cup.
You know, we had that chance to experience how good of a team they are in Serbia 2010. We won 3‑2 and we reached the first finals of Davis Cup.
Q. Have you been in Prague?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I've never been in Prague. I've never been in Prague. If I decide to go to the Davis Cup, I would definitely try to experience a little bit of the city. I heard it's beautiful.
Q. At the top of the game with you and Rafael and Roger, you seem to have Nadal's‑‑ you seem to be able to dominate him. Nadal seems to be able to dominant Federer, and Federer and you seem to be the playing the closest matches. Do you think right now that is the best matchup in the game, you and Federer? How do you see it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, look, you know, first of all, they have been the two most dominant players in the last eight years before Murray and myself got to that top four of the world.
They have achieved so much, and I have tremendous respect for both of them. I think their rivalry is if not the best of all time.
But I have as well played many matches against Roger and Rafa. They are both different players and they both present a big challenge for me every time I played them.
It's something that, you know, our matches in the past have made me a better player; made me to understand what I need to work on to win against them. It's thrilling for us. It's challenging, as I said.
I think it's interesting for the crowd, for the tournaments, to always see the top players playing against each other. It's something that at the present moment gives men's tennis that extra positive vibe in sports.
Q. Did you see any of Roger and Milos last night? If you did, what do you think?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I watched the match, and I thought Roger did really well to come back to that match. And, you know, we all expected Milos to serve the way he serves. He's always serving really strong and using that as a great weapon.
It was a close match. Milos has a bright future in front of him. He's a very nice man in the first place, and somebody that you could feel that is very committed to the game. He's very professional. He understands the match play, what he needs to do in important moments.
That's going to be crucial for him to overcome those challenges in the future. But he has potential to be top 10.
Q. What needs to happen in Miami for you to go to Prague?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I still don't know. I mean, I can't‑‑ I don't want to make any assumptions or predictions what's gonna happen. So I'll just see how it goes. The time will show.
All those DC-related questions are coming from a single person? :scratch:
INDIAN WELLS, March 15, QF: N. DJOKOVIC/N. Almagro 6‑3, 6‑4
Q. When you play this well ‑ seems like this was your most complete match of the tournament ‑ do you say to yourself, If I play this well I'm not gonna lose; I'm just gonna beat any opponent?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, it's definitely satisfying to play well, you know. This is something that we all want to do, and we all practice very hard each day in order to play as best as we can, you know, in the official matches.
At this stage of the tournament it was important for me to stay mentally focused from the first to the last point. I am aware of the quality of my opponents. As the tournament goes on you're going to play more difficult opponents.
It's gonna get tough out there, and it's really important to hold your composure and try to play as best as you can. I mean, today I served well. I think I didn't lose many points on my service games in both sets, and that's something that I have been working on, you know. I have been trying to get more free points on the first serves.
This obviously hasn't been my weapon in the past, so, you know, I tried to use my serve in the best possible way, and then it gives me more confidence for what's coming up after that.
Q. With this run that you've had, there is this feeling that you've pretty much crushed everybody. That's really not the case. You have had unbelievably tough matches, and they've turned in those moments where you really have to be tough. In the past that was a spot where you weren't considered the tough guy. How did you teach yourself that toughness like today, for example? You go 3‑1, you get broken, you come back, break, hold at love, and then the whole game changes.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, well, you know, you have to try to hold your nerves at the important moments, especially if you're playing a top 10 player. And if you're playing the world's top players, you know, you obviously feel a little bit more pressure than in opening rounds, which is normal.
But I have played so many matches on the tour and the big stage, major events, and I learned over the years what I need to do in order to play my best when it matters the most.
I guess I use that necessary experience, you know, to perform my best, to cope with pressure, and, you know, just understand, you know, what shots I need to play at a certain time, even though sometimes you don't need to go for winners. Depending on your opponent, of course.
Today I had a very powerful ball striker on the opposite side of the net. He's very solid from groundstrokes and has a powerful serve. But I knew that he's inconsistent with that, so I just needed to hang in there, which I did.
Q. Specifically if you'd go just a touch further, when you're in real trouble, which is relatively rare, but what is your monologue? What are you saying inside yourself? Is your mind racing? Do you tell yourself, Calm down? What tactics are there? What's inside?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: A little bit of everything. In those moments, it's really important to be as positive as you can and just be composed and be focused on the point that's coming up.
You know, if you start to think too much about what happened or what's gonna happen, then,
you know, you're losing that focus. Then it can affect your reactions, your game after that.
You know, I try to think and have the very simple mindset even on the court,
you know. Take one point at a time, one point at a time,
you know.
That is the only way I can really deliver my best. (That's five 'you know' there)
Q. As well as you're playing and the fact that you've been doing it for quite some time now, do you still at times surprise yourself with a shot that you might play in a match and think, Where did that come from?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: (Smiling.)
Well, I don't think there is any more surprises, to be honest. I've played many years on the tour and I know that everything happens for a reason, so I believe that every shot that I play is a result of the work that I put into, you know, every day.
Of course there are some incredible points that I have played in games and matches in general in the last couple of years, but I still believe that work is behind it and that nothing is happening on an accident.
Q. Away from the match, when you're on change of ends and suddenly you see on the screen an advertisement for Head and you on top of a biplane, is that amusing or distracting?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, today I thought, Well, just remember that moment and remember that it was a lot of fresh air up there, so try to breathe in, breathe out. (Laughter.)
No, it was one of the craziest experiences I had, to be honest. Head came up with this commercial. I was wondering if they considered the insurance and everything that comes with the risk of that commercial.
But accepted it, and I think we made a good job. We made people talk about it.
Q. In general, and for yourself, how much of a factor do you think revenge can be in tennis?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Excuse me?
Q. Revenge as a motivating factor in tennis? How much is it for yourself and for other people in general, do you think?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I don't believe in revenge. I believe revenge is a very negative sensation, very negative word. So I don't like to revenge to anybody for anything. I believe that, you know‑‑ I guess you just need to focus on every match. That's it. Have this positive mindset, not thinking about revenging, because that's kind of takes out the negative emotions, I believe, you know, in my case.
Q. How much are you in touch with Jelena Gencic these days?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Jelena Gencic? I spoke to her a couple weeks ago when actually I was in Belgrade before going to Dubai. We try to be touch all the time because we haven't seen each other for four or five years.
Yeah, she has had an incredible effect on my career, and she has learned me all the basics of the tennis. I always go back to her and, you know, share the success that I had and remembering those moments in the childhood when we were starting to play tennis.
She was one of the very few people, including my family, that actually believed in me, that believed that I could be the best and I could be, you know, a Grand Slam winner.
Q. Why is it so long that you hadn't seen her?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Um, it was‑‑ she was away for a little bit, and then I, you know, I started traveling, and then I‑‑ you know, we lost contact.
But then, you know, we came back. What's important now is that we are in touch.
Q. That sort of famous moment when you first showed up and it said you had a headband in the bag and everything ready to go, talk about that moment and also how she instilled belief into this little kid.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, you know, it's a nice story considering the fact that Serbia was not a tennis country. We didn't have any tennis history. We had Monica Seles that played for Yugoslavia before she came to the United States, and ?ivojinovic and couple more player, but, you know, Serbia was never specifically a tennis country.
It was more team sports, basketball, volleyball. That's where we had lots of success. So young kids coming up, you know, 90% were‑‑ you know, whoever wanted to become an athlete was looking up to these team sports.
Tennis was very expensive, especially at the time when we had wars and economical crisis and a lot of problems as a country. So to be able to buy a racquet and pay a coach and all these things was really expensive for our standards.
But, you know, my parents made a sacrifice. You know, I'm blessed and grateful, you know, to be out here and with their help.
I was fortunate, as well, to be meeting on the way, you know, of me growing up as a tennis player, developing as a tennis player, some people like Jelena Gencic, Niki Pilic, those people who have great knowledge about this sport and experience.
Jelena, she's 75 now, I think, and she's still playing seven hours a day each day; and Pilic as well. He's that generation that's playing six hours a day.
So these people are more than just tennis coaches. They breathe tennis, you know. They lived every day‑‑ they have this positive fanaticism about the sport. So that's where I have this discipline and professionalism. It comes from that time.
Q. Did you ever think at some point when you were a kid that team sports would fit your personality better, or was the individualism of tennis something that really attracted you?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think the individualism of tennis and just being a very special sport, something that wasn't developed in our country, wasn't that popular and supported by the country.
So it's hard to say what I felt as a kid. As a four year old I can't really remember. I just remember I fell in love at the first sight.
Again, it was not by accident. They were making three tennis courts in front of our restaurant. It was probably for a reason. It was kind of a destiny for me to be able to start and play tennis and get the racquet.
You know, in my family nobody played tennis. They were all professional skiers or soccer players or something else, you know.
So that's how I started, you know. Really, I'm spending a lot of time hitting balls and I was watching‑‑ whenever I wasn't on the court I was outside and watching somebody playing. I was really obsessed with the sport, and I guess that desire is still present.
Q. I understand from Tipsarevic that the Serbian men's tennis team is going to stay in a house near Wimbledon during the Olympics. Couple quick questions: One, is there anything you'll miss about being in the Village, and who is going to be the domacin, the host of that house? Will there be any competition over the title of grill master?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, first of all, yes, it's true we're gonna stay in a house nearby, because it's more I think convenient for us to be closer to the Wimbledon tennis courts and be able to come on time for practices, for matches, and not to be worried about the traffic in London that can be horrible sometimes.
You know, we do feel a little sad and maybe regret that we're not staying in Olympic Village, because Viktor is the only one of us four that hasn't played Olympic Games. You know, he would really love to stay in the Village, but he understands that it's maybe better for his performance to stay close by.
But we will go there. We will definitely be out there. You know, the 2008 Beijing Olympics were incredible experience for all of us. We got to see the best athletes in the world, to have a meal with them, to have a chat, which is not something that happens every day.
Who is going to be the host? Well, we are all men in the house, so I don't know. We'll try to get a woman at least, you know, to take care of us. (Laughter.)
I like these non-generic questions in press conference of early rounds, since there's usually not much too talk about and it tends to be a bit boring. Hardly any scoops from Nole's these days though, it's one of better ways to get to know him without meeting him in person.