TENNIS Internazionali BNL d’Italia – N. Djokovic d. D. Ferrer 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. An interview with Novak Djokovic.
Q:You haven’t played for 10 days before the tournament, after this victory which is the percentage of your physical conditions?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It was the most physical match I had on clay this year, I am really glad to overcome this challenge because David is a great competitor, I respect him a lot, we all know how good his record is on clay, the best after Nadal. Knowing that I am going to work for every single point of the match, coming out as a winner gives a lot of satisfaction and confidence and I am really glad.
Q:Which were the key points of the game?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The serve was good, I lost the rhythm after 90 minutes. The match becomes different if you don’t have the first serve in and the short point, the aggressive of the first shot, Ferrer get into his groove and was hard to win the point. So I had to do it the tougher way, I am happy the way I sustain the focus.
Q:Both Raonic and Dimitrov made the semi-final this tournament, and also Nishikori last week in Madrid, so how do you see these three young players?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: They’re great, it’s a new generation who is improving his quality on different surfaces. Kei is playing the tennis of his life and it’s a pity he is injured last weekend. Now you have Raonic and Dimitrov who are in good form and it’s good for tennis to see new faces, new players able to win these big matches and come to the finale stages of big tournament.
Q:Dimitrov has been awarded as the most stylish player of the tournament, are you jealous?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, at all. He deserves it.
Q:How are you reacting after these match in this week?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I am reacting very well, I am playing with pain free and as long as it stays like this I am happy, It wasn’t an easy decision to skip Madrid but now I see it was the best decision because now I am able to play with pain free.
Q:There has been a quick turnaround for you in this tournament: you play in the morning, at night. How do you prepare for this?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It’s the experience to play in this particular kind of situations. Over the years it helped to kind of think about the good and bad things I have done today, overcome that mentally and think to the next one. It’s a back to back everyday to play at a high level. Tomorrow is semi-final and that’s why there are5 people travelling with me and have both coaches here doing their job, scouting and analysing my next opponent and I hopefully will be ready for this.
