Что ждет Новака на РГ ?
Новак отсеялся в нижнюю половину сетку. Вчера он провел не самый легкий матч против Денниса Гремельмайера. Выиграл в 4-х сетах 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2.
Матч провел не самым лучшим образом. Концентрации не было, ошибок невынужденных наделал кучу, процент первой подачи низкий....Новак, соберись, дальше будет только сложнее!
А дальше у Новака испанский чел со сложным именем Мигель Анхель Lopez Jaen (26 лет, 264-я ракетка).
Желаем удачи!
Так держать!
Day 4 - An interview with Novak Djokovic - Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Q. (From French.) It is reassuring for you to do such a complete match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: It's always good to have easy matches on the tournaments like this. Of course, Roland Garros is a Grand Slam, and it takes two weeks. It's a really long tournament, and if you have a chance to play an easy match, a short match to save the energy for the continuation of the tournament, that's great.
So that's what I used today. I didn't know much about my opponent, but, you know, the most important thing for me was to just stay focused all the time, not to underestimate him. That's what I did.
Maybe a question I can ask myself a question.
Q. (From English) You had a very difficult first‑round match. Obviously today was much easier for you. You looked extremely businesslike today. I mean, you were obviously very focused on not making errors and playing your best game, I suppose.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sure, I like ‑‑ I'm perfectionist in the life, so I like everything to go the best possible way. Sometimes it cannot be that way in the first round. I didn't play my best tennis and I was struggling, but it was good in some way to have the longer match, so you can, you know, get used to the conditions, whatever, balls, and just try to find yourself.
Today I had something totally opposite. I had an opponent who made a lot of unforced errors. He didn't give me a lot of rhythm. I just played as much as I needed to play, so let's see how it goes in the third round.
Q. There's eight days now before the semifinals, and you only have three matches to play. What are you going to do?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm not thinking about semifinals at all in this moment. I'm thinking about only winning the tournament. No, I'm joking. (laughter.)
I'll have to go slowly, you know. Next opponent, next match. Every next match is getting tougher, tougher, and tougher. Physically I'm ready for upcoming challenges, and I think that's one of the most important things and key facts for the matches.
Q. Does it seem funny that sometimes in a Masters Series you play six days in a row, and now if you make the semifinals you're only going to play three times in eight days?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes. But, well, in Master Series events you play best‑of‑three sets, and here you play best‑of‑five. It's quite different, you know. In Grand Slams, everybody has motivation more to do well.
So you have to be careful, especially in my position where I have the role of the favorite in most of the matches I get in. I just have to accept it.
Q. First, if you know the Uruguayan tennis, Paolo Cueras. And if you know him, what is your opinion about his tennis?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, we can ‑‑ okay. I don't know much about him. I've seen him play just maybe one, two times. Well, obviously he's a clay court specialist. I heard he's a good player, but I haven't seen much about him.
Q. What's your reason for running for the players council?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, now, this is something that it's a very long story. We don't have time now to talk about that and decisions. I want to be focused on the tournament.
But, yes, the truth is that I am interested of getting into the players council in the future. The elections are soon or whatever. But I'm not thinking about that too much, you know, before the tournament ends.
Q. Are there things you'd like to change?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, sure. I mean, there are a lot of things you want to change and a lot of things on my mind, but if I start talking now we'll finish tomorrow. So there's a lot of things.
But the most important thing is that finally I'm feeling that all the players are getting together, getting united
THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.
Q. You're still to find your very best level, but do you feel like you're playing better with each match?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, that's what I was saying the last press conference, that I'm trying to get involved more and step it up.
So today I was ‑‑ I was happy with the way I played. I think it was much better than the last three matches.
Q. You had two service games where you got done Love‑40. Are you angry at yourself for getting down Love‑40 or pleased with yourself for coming back and winning those games or maybe a little bit of both?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I'm pleased that I managed to come back from Love‑40, that's for sure.
It's not easy in the certain moments, especially in the moments when you are serving for the set. And, you know, he was really close. He played some good shots.
But one of the best elements in my game today and throughout all the tournament was serve. So if I can rely on serve, then I'm relieved, you know, through the game. So then I can focus myself more on the baseline strokes.
I think I was focused a lot today. I didn't want it to just use the ‑‑ I used the momentum and just tried to be smart, you know, change the pace a lot. I knew that he's the player which likes to play the same pace, more or less.
But I managed to get to the stage when he made a lot of unforced errors. But, you know, it's good to get through in straight sets.
Q. With all the respect you have to do with the opponents, but a lot of people is thinking about already the semifinals between Djokovic and Nadal. For all the experience you have now on clay and playing against Nadal, how do you think is possible to beat Nadal, Nadal in five sets at Roland Garros?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: With all due respect, I know you ask me a long question, but I don't want to answer because I still need to win a match to get to Nadal.
Q. So compared to last year, obviously you are more favorite. Had your approach changed from last year, especially coming to second week?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yeah, for sure coming to the stage in my career when I feel really confident about a lot of matches I played, the big ones.
It's important to feel good physically and mentally before coming to the two‑week long Grand Slam.
There's a lot of tough matches, best‑of‑five, but this year is quite different. I'm coming as a Grand Slam champion. Get a lot of respect and appreciation from the players. It's a different approach, you know. I have more confidence and I believe much more in my myself.
But in the other side as well, you have more pressure, more responsibility, but I'm dealing with it pretty good so far.
Q. I believe your next opponent Gulbis also trained at Niki Pilic's academy. I'm wondering if you knew him from back then or how much you know of him, how much contact you've had with him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: On and off the court. We know each other on and off the court. (laughter.) Crazy experiences off the court as well. For three years we've been practicing in the Pilic Academy. He's a great guy. I know him.
He was very talented back then. I was speaking with Pilic, and he told me all the best things about him. Already then he was very powerful.
So he was about to grow up, and as you can see, he's very tall. He's using his height for the serve, which is one of his biggest weapons. He makes a life really difficult for his opponents when he's serving well. He has a big forehand, very talented guy, but still getting through, you know. He made some good results here and there, but he's not consistent.
So maybe there's my chance, you know, with the experience and the patience that I have.
Q. Would you like to t
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No (laughter.)
Q. You were talking about your serve today, but return of serve also very important. You got off the block well, hit some winners, moved him around. Can you just talk about your mentality as to when you decide to go for it and then when you decide to play a little bit safer?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I was saying after the match two days ago that in the first three matches I wasn't able to find my game and just get the rhythm, and I didn't step up in the returns or the baseline. My game was a bit defensive, and more than usually.
So that's what I was trying today, to step in more in the returns and just be more aggressive, because that's me, you know. That's how I return well. That's how I play well. That's my game, you know. If I start to change, many times I get out of my comfort zone, and that's not good. Then things go downhill.
So today, on the start of the match, I was ‑‑ I wasn't really stepping in my return. I was more blocking and just trying to get longer rallies and take it from there. But then in the continuation of the match, second and third set, I was really happy with the way I returned.
Q. Getting back to the crazy experiences, one would think you seem like more the crazy guy than him. He seems very calm and cool. Is that a proper assumption? He was very calm when he was in here.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Ernests?
Q. Yes. You seem sometimes crazier than he is.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Don't be so sure about that. (laughter.) I think I know him better than you.
Q. Does it seem like it's gone very quickly? All of a sudden you're in the quarterfinals?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I think it did, really. The time has passed really quickly. But, you know, since you start to play long matches and you get involved, you know. You're very focused during the Grand Slam, any Grand Slam. You try to just, you know, think about tennis, and even on your off days to practice.
There is a lot at stake, you know, involved. There is a lot of responsibility and expectations, of course. It's important for every player, especially for me in this moment, you know. I just want to keep on going and try to be consistent with my results.
As the third player of the world, of course everybody see me already in the last couple of days of the tournament. But again, you know, it has passed really, really quickly.
Q. When you were together with Gulbis, did you play a lot of matches together, or were you just sort of hitting?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: He was destroying me in practices. I couldn't win a match. On practice? No chance.
Q. How recently is that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sorry?
Q. How recently was that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Two or three years ago. So all the pressure on him, okay? (laughter.)
He's a favorite. Whatever. I play ‑‑ no responsibility, nothing to lose.
Q. Simple question for broadcasters. How are you pronouncing your name? It was Djokovic last year and something else this year.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Oh, my God. What do I have to so you can learn my surname, how to pronounce?
Q. Just pronounce it once.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Djokovic.
Q. Somebody said you wanted it Djokovic.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Maybe in American, Djokovic.
Q. You've spoken often this season about your increased self‑confidence and belief, especially since the Australian Open. You have two very well‑loved champions in Roger and Rafa that you're competing with, obviously, on the court. Do you ever feel like you're competing with them also off the court in terms of the public's affection?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, no, no. Not too much. This is individual sport, and everybody has their own lives and their own style. We're all different, you know.
I'm n