Denis Istomin produced the biggest upset of this year’s Australian Open when he knocked out six-time Melbourne champion Novak Djokovic in five sets by 7-6 (10-8) 5-7 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
Istomin admitted that he has not sunk in what he achieved in Melbourne saying his upset win was unreal.
“It is unreal. To beat Djokovic in five sets. It’s a great win. I am still feeling tired a little bit. I didn’t expect what I am doing now and what I did on the court. If you don’t think you have a chance, then there is no reason to come on court. Of course, I am also working hard, trying to do my best, and I did today. The feeling that I had really got the win came when I finished the match. Because you never know with Novak. So even it’s 40-love or 40-15 on your serve, you don’t still reach it maybe. I have to concentrate until the end. Novak has more experience in these matches. Like I said, I just played and I tried to win. This win means a lot for me. I just hope it is not the only victory of mine. I am trying to keep going same way and trying to win some more. If someone had said at the beginning of the year that I was going to beat Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, I would have said he was crazy, especially in five sets. It was impossible to think about that I could hold five sets with Novak, physically and mentally. I need to recover from this match because it was five sets. I don’t think about the win now. I have to concentrate on the next match. I was preparing normally, like always. Someting you have a good feeling, sometimes you don’t have a good feeling. At this moment everything is good. I didn’t do special preparation for this match. I do always the same. ”
Istomin had two set points to take a two-set lead but lost them but he didn’t get discouraged.
“I wasn’t thinking about the set points. He was serving two serves on the line. I had no chance on the second set point. I did not think about the match point. I was just trying to keep playing.”.
Istomin has worked with his mother as a coach for many years and feels lucky to be coached by her.
“I think it is not hard to work with my mother as a coach. It’s great. I was lucky that my mother is coaching me. The good thing that I don’t need to pay the coach extra. Everything to my mother. It was all years together. We have a good relationship. We understand each other very well”.
Istomin was involved in a car accident in 2001 and the doctor said that he didn’t think he was going to start again to play.
“It was a bad accident but my mother always believed in me. She always said: “Just keep going and just practising. “.
Novak was not the dominant player of the past two seasons but Istomin feels that Djokovic continues to be the same in terms of level of play.
“Maybe today he wasn’t the best player. I think he is still very good but the level of all players is growing. If you can see everybody is fighting, it’s not easy even for Roger Federer or other players to win against the top 20. More young players are emerging as well. The level of the game of all players is growing.”
Istomin said that he is not so popular in Uzbekistan yet but this win could raise the level of popularity.
“I am not a superstar in Uzbekistan. I have been living in Moscow for 10 years, so I am not going too much to Uzbekistan. If I play in Uzbekistan. It was not my best victory. I beat David Ferrer in Indian Wells and Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon. I think for me these were the best victories”.
Istomin is well known as a marathon player, as he played many five-set matches. He played ten times against Andreas Seppi and five of their matches were decided in the fifth set.
“I like to play against Andreas, especially in Grand Slams. Five times we played five-set matches. I am lucky I did not play against him here in the first round. He beat Nick Kyrgios in five sets. They played here two years ago. They had five sets again yesterday. They are nice players. I am happy for Andreas’ win agaisnt Kyrgios.
