Djokovic Unmasked

The number four seed, Marat Safin of Russia, against a qualifier, Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Montenegro, accompanied out for his big moment by Paul McNamee. There'd be a few butterflies in his tummy. Novak Djokovic makes his entry onto Rod Laver Arena at just 17 years of age. What a moment for him. 2005, I remember I qualified and played Marat. I did color a part of my hair just especially for that match. It was the first time on center court, so I did enjoy it. Didn't spend too much time on the court. I lost to eventual champion in straight sets very comfortably, but still enjoyed my time. It was a match that gave me a lot of experience and served well for the rest of the career. About as comprehensive as it gets in one hour and 14 minutes, the number four seed hardly raises a sweat and he says well done to the young man but he's forced outing in the big time. I'm the kind of person which likes to make the things look perfect and not just in tennis, some other things. I want to win and that is what it's all about. Tomorrow you've got this huge match against Roger Federer. Can you beat him? Roger is number one in the world, almost unbeatable. Just lost four or five matches last year and you know I'll just play my best and try to be aggressive and try to win. I knew it was going to get tough at times and that's what happened in the second set and especially against young players, you know, take a lot of chances. Who are new, I don't know so well. No questions, we'll call it later. Heads, tails. You feel the pressure when you read quotes like he can be the future number one, him and Andy Murray can be the new people on the block. Do you feel that? Do you think about it? Yes, well when you hear those comments, first of all it's very flattering, it makes you smile. Besides the victory in the straight sets today, I gained another experience, a good experience which is going to help me in the future. Yeah, he's a lot better player than he was 12 months ago I think when he lost to Roger here last year and yeah he's got he's got a great all-court game. Usually by this stage of the tournament we're talking about Roger being on court for half as long as everyone else and a bit of a different story at this tournament isn't it? Well yes, you know the players start to start to feel that that he is beatable and of course nobody's unbeatable but he was very very dominant. I have absolutely no problems with what Robert's been saying or my parents have been saying and I really don't care because he cares about his game, I care about mine and it's good when we play each other. I look forward to playing my best tennis against Novak Djokovic, I look forward to playing to win you know and that's what what my mindset is really. He's been number one player of the world for a while and the players you know started playing in a different way against him you know with the more belief that they can win so it's a it's a good thing for all of us. And your thoughts on Djokovic being there tomorrow? I don't know, he won yesterday, he played well, it's never easy to beat Federer and we will play tomorrow at the final and it's going to be a big moment of sports. I'm very very happy that I won my first Grand Slam here so hopefully we'll see you here in this stage more often in the future, thank you very much. And the crowd really got into the match and you know it was a huge relief when I won the last point, it was like a dream come true all the memories from the childhood and growing up playing tennis came back to me and you know I won the Grand Slam. Never had the role of the defending champion on any Grand Slam so it's a new experience but it's a challenge. I continue on playing thinking that something could help me out, maybe a treatment and things like that but it just kept coming back. You know I looked over I was confused because I thought it was one injury per time out and I saw a calf, a neck and an arm but I guess cramping is one condition. You know there's obviously some wiggle room and a little bit of gray area there. Well I mean it's happened before so I mean it's not the guy who's never given up in his career you know so that's kind of disappointing to see you know when you got two top guys playing each other and you give up. Another five set epic from the two best players in the world. Rafael Nadal wins in Melbourne at the Australian Open for the first time. Fred Zolger is in the last point for the second time in his career. I don't want to find excuses for my loss but you know I went to vomit and I had diarrhea before the match and it's just a bad way not to be able physically to go through the whole match. It's sweet 16 for Roger for the fourth time. Roger Federer will wear the crown in Melbourne, Australia. Well I mean he's amazing Roger obviously and the guy's to me the greatest player that ever lived. I'm up for always some side activities you know and this is obviously great to come here and learn some moves dancing moves and of course just keep your mind off tennis you know it's a long tournament it's two weeks you know dedication every single day or practice sports we're on practice court right now but you know just for fun so it's good. I definitely feel more comfortable with the racket in my hand just striking the ball but this is something new that I've done and it's really fun. Do you have any experience forearm dancing before? I actually one time I've done a couple of years back or a waltz. Really? But that's that's something else yeah this was more moves more I like it I like this one. Referent up winning this tournament Australian Open this year and holds all four grand slams how big an achievement do you think that would be? I mean huge it's just a couple of guys in the history of this sport made that so he's deservingly the number one of the world and probably next to Federer the biggest favorite to win the tournament but you know it's uh it's still a long way to go. Many regard him as the greatest player of all time is he going to add to his legend in Melbourne is it going to be a 17th grand slam championship well before he can even contemplate that Roger Federer he's got to get over the top of the informed Serb the man who has been to the top of the mountain here before in 2008 this man Novak Djokovic it seemed as though Novak Djokovic had to win the first set that was going to be his best chance of winning the semi-final that's just what he's done return around just inside of two hours Novak Djokovic says to Roger Federer you are going to have to do what you've done six times before in your illustrious career but it's going to be tough Federer takes a break away from the spotlight Djokovic is in complete command match point number three a third opportunity of going to the big dance on three hours exactly Novak Djokovic is the only Serbian man to win a grand slam title and on Sunday night he's got a chance to take another step to glory what a performance Roger Federer's quest for grand slam title number 17 ends at the semi-final stage Djokovic magnificent I think it's it's in one side it's good for the sport to have more players being able to to win against Federer and Nadal and all the credit to them what they have they have done in last five six years they've been very dominant and now these things are changing a little bit so from that from that perspective it's good for the sport Roger put Woodbridge after the match said it was sort of suggesting there was graphite injured and you out now that it was something of yeah I mean they say that very quickly you know so let's talk in six months again yeah there's a lot of similarities there you know we grew up playing in the juniors together we're very similar height similar build obviously very similar in age so I'm hoping we're very similar and Sunday tomorrow it's the match we grew up together we know each other since we were 12 years old we played a couple of times in juniors and a couple of times in an ATP tour it's going to be really interesting playing him you know for a long time and but we know each other's game really really well and it's a grand slam final and he has never won a grand slam and I think he's going to be very very much motivated to to do so this time because I think he he feels that he has he has more chance to to beat me than maybe you know facing Roger and Rafa at this stage and he's one point away from doing what seemed inevitable since early in the second set the second time Novak Djokovic ascends the mountain and reaches the summit in Melbourne only Serbian man to win a grand slam championship Novak Djokovic is once again the king down under oh I don't want to stop here definitely I want to keep my body healthy fit and ready for for some more challenges to come 2011 was a really good year and I think one player did unbelievable Novak he had a fantastic season one of the best seasons ever in the history of tennis Roger Federer had a fantastic season a little bit unlucky in a few matches during the season I'm really happy about my season now playing three finals of Grand Slam finishing the year number two of the world and winning the Grand Slam you know was a positive result for me and 2012 will be a for sure hopefully an exciting season one of sports great modern day rivalries produces yet another epic clash Nadal emerges on top once more and is on the way to the final in Melbourne in 2012 it's going to be Nadal against either Djokovic or Murray and in my opinion Andy if he want to to win that match I think he has to play more aggressive than than usual and that's what that's my advice but my advice probably is not worked very well because I lost the last six times against him the two great friends embrace after four hours and 50 minutes of the most unpredictable unbelievable tennis you can imagine Djokovic will go to the final in Melbourne again Rafael Nadal awaits what can be a bigger challenge than playing against Rafa Nadal you know one of the greatest players ever I mean the guy who's been who's been playing so well in this court so you never know I mean I'm going to try to recover and obviously he's going to be physical as well so I need to do some push-ups tonight I'm going to be a different situation for both of us and let's see I'm going to try to play my best to give my best and to bring the my tennis to to the next step to to have my chances that's unbelievable Djokovic is down players only collapsed to the court they win the championship he's bloody wouldn't blame it for failing him 31 points in the rally and the crowd just standing and applauding they're standing up here so special probably the toughest final that probably we ever played in terms of mentally physically but having a great great show no I I went back home with a big personal satisfaction the way that I played that final nothing negative to say about that match I give it my my best and him too so was it was a great final sometimes in the sport of tennis the phrase epic contest is overused not this time is the champion in melbourne for that was simply extraordinary yeah it was a remarkable match it was the longest match I ever played in my career and it was just an incredible occasion you know to play almost six hours at the finals of australian open against one of my biggest rivals so you know I didn't sleep sleep over that night until 8 a.m so yeah it was probably the best match I ever played most exciting one given as has been the discussion of the last few years of what a great era this is he's had the nadals and the federals and now the murrays and uh he's uh he's risen to the top it is logical in a way to expect that the top four players to be always the main contenders to win the trophy and then it's uh but I never want to underestimate the the rest of the field the rest of the players especially the one in top 10 top 15 and I had I was a few points away from losing the match against lorinca in the fourth round here so I mean that says that says enough about the competitiveness of the sport it is possible you know it is possible from them for them to make a breakthrough to win against the top guys and major events I guess the top four are are the most dominant ones in the last five years the only thing I can say is that I try to enjoy what I do and in every moment of the life that I have is a blessing so you know there are so many athletes and professional tennis players around the world because it's such a global sport that they want to be the best in what they do they want to succeed many of them they they don't succeed in the end so I'm fortunate to have this opportunity and to succeed I feel when I got on the court I have less to to lose and more more to gain you know sometimes you know when I played the finals here I just I didn't feel going in that I had a lot to lose it wasn't really the right attitude to to have um and the matches so you know I think now you know mentally I'll I'll go on with with a better attitude and hopefully play better he's on the verge of doing something that nobody has done in the open era adds another page to the brie of the Australian Open Championship he collects it for the fourth time becomes the first man in the open era to do it three times in a row firstly obviously we'd like to congratulate Novak I mean his record here is obviously incredible there's very few people have managed to do what he's uh he's done here so you know he's a very well deserved champion and well done again and nobody has their name engraved three times in a row a great achievement from a great player I'm full of joy right now and it's going to give me a lot of confidence for for the rest of the season that's for sure every tournament especially the major tournament is very special I'm aware of the fact that's an incredible trip for me you know being a professional tennis player to be also mentioned in the in the history aspect you know and winning three in a row it's it's a huge achievement so I'm always motivated for in every match that I play on I mean but of course Grand Slam finals are are always bringing something something new something special to every player and that's where you want to perform your best Stan Wawrinka best ever Grand Slam performance and goes to the semi-finals in Melbourne in 2014 the defending champion bows out there is nothing I can say you know I I gave my best I gave it all I tried to you know come out as a winner I tried to you know fight to the last point as I did in a very similar match that we had last year in fourth round the same court but it wasn't to be this time after a final that was dramatic and bizarre and puzzling it all ends well for Stan he is the man in Melbourne the 2014 Australian Open champion Australian Open has been always the slam of my career the first Grand Slam that I won back in 2008 and that opened many doors for me and allowed me to to have that confidence and necessary belief that I can I can still keep on doing and I can challenge the best players in the world so I love coming back I have a great memories from Rodeo Arena and hopefully I can have another great tournament here to be in the final four times here is I mean because I'm surrounded by guys like Roger Novak and Rafa it doesn't look like much but that doesn't uh that doesn't happen um that often so I'm very proud of that this is the match for which you have worked from now two months and this is where you want to be this is why you put all these hours on and off the court and trying to get yourself in a position to win Grand Slam trophy because that's what matters the most and I'm gonna I'm gonna give my best of course all I can do is is give my best and if it's enough great if not I literally couldn't have done anything more to to put myself in a better position come uh come Sunday. Fifth Australian Open Championship an eighth Grand Slam title he is in elite company Djokovic flings the racket into the stands congratulated by Boris Becker and the rest of his team. And isn't it great that we have Roy Emerson and Novak here tonight the two men that in over 100 years of the Australian Championships have won more titles than anybody else on the same stage tonight. His first major as a father Novak Djokovic. I love my time being here and winning the eighth Grand Slam title and being mentioned in the elite group of legends of our sport is a huge privilege and honor you know I can't say how proud how proud I am and that's going to serve definitely only as a great great deal of inspiration for the rest of my career. It's been an amazing amazing 10 years of tennis the sport that I love I've been trying to cherish every every tournament every moment that I spend on the court because you know that's something that I work for you know to be in this courts to play in front of the crowd and uh and compete I you know I love the sport. Djokovic is the great story spoiler yeah uh you know we've seen this before we get psyched up for Federer winning another Wimbledon title or another US Open title and Djokovic is just that much better it's clinical and uh it spoils the story but you have to take your hat off to him. Djokovic serves to the point of Federer off the frame at Justine now backhand for Federer is netted Djokovic raising his arms and it just shows that Federer had to be at his absolute best just to stay with Djokovic there's a little bit of a smile there it's a rueful smile it's a sort of sorry I couldn't do better. Each time I come back to this tournament and step on the road labor arena I uh I have this um this beautiful memory from from 2008 and and of course uh over the years I've been playing some of my best tennis in this tournament and hopefully I can keep on going. Well done Novak. Thanks guys. Well done Federer. Cheers. Novak Djokovic now serving for the championship six points to three in the third set tie break the crowd hushes again and again Novak takes his time as he prepares he serves I feel like I've been here before. Firstly I'd like to congratulate Novak um six Australian Opens is an incredible feat um and also for what he's done the last year so it's been incredible consistency and um yeah just want to say well done to him and all of his team. And he continues to be at the top of the men's game he's setting new markers all the time. A tennis match is a blank canvas and this is Dennis Isterman's masterpiece. Novak uttering the words unbelievable and it certainly was. Someone said at the beginning of the year hey if you're gonna beat Novak at at the Aussie Open uh what would you say to them? I would say are you crazy or what? I'm not used to losing in Australian Open second round I mean I've always played so well throughout last 10 years I've been you know I won six titles here and you know it's uh disappointing but at the end of the day I have to accept it. That's why we love live sports you know that's why we watch it that's why people come to the stadium people watch it on tv you just don't know the outcome even though the odds are crazy in somebody's favor. There's always a chance for the upset and that's why I'm a big sports fan voila. Victory and it's major number 18 for the Swiss Maestro and liver on the big stage against Rapha. That's his greatest win. I never missed a grand slam in my professional career so it was a bit strange I must say. I'm very excited to uh to get back on the court and uh and compete. Match point Djokovic serves backhand return from Chung forehand Djokovic. Chung makes good ground to his forehand cross court Djokovic chips his one back a slice from Chung and then retreats to his baseline Djokovic misses his backhand and Chung has beaten a former champion. There'll be headlines about a generation shift this is a breakthrough performance by Hyun Chung. At least I wanted to challenge him to earn it without me handing it to him and that's what he has done so yeah. I don't know what he's gonna do but uh of course he's gonna fight for the most important thing. He's too good to not fight for it. Has done it a sensational six for Federer down under. It's been a long break unfortunately forced break due to an injury. You know expectations are there I think because also partly because I've had a great record here in Australia but also I've you know managed to win you know most of the tournaments around the world and the biggest ones and so I've I've been in you know in situations to uh where I was raising the trophy of this tournament six times before so I you know that gives me enough reason to believe that that uh that I can I can do it again. Guys like that the same for Rafa and Roger I mean they all want to win and especially Novak and sometimes final is not good enough especially the grand slam finals nobody's going to remember you how many finals you play they're going to remember how many titles you have. Djokovic demolishes Pui. He has his eyes on a bigger prize and the master says to the apprentice it's not your time just yet. It's a race as well in a way you know and who's gonna improve more who's gonna stay more I guess determined to uh to to be the best player in the world. He's my biggest rival uh that you know in my career I've played so many matches against him epic matches on this court. Plenty of uh occasions that we we met in the in the important stages so uh yeah have been a special yeah he's a an unbelievable competitor. These are the kind of matches that you live for the finals of slams playing uh the greatest rival at their best. It's just a game it's just a tennis game and the the only way to to have uh chances to to beat against a player like Novak is to play at the at the best level that that you have. It's been an annihilation this evening there's no other word. I'm aware that making history you know of the sport that I truly love is something special and of course it motivates me. Ends with a substantial victory over one of his great rivals and he enters the record books with a historic seventh Australian Open title. Well no one can argue he's not the best player in the world right now. I don't say I have been destroyed I have been uh playing against a player that was at the highest level possible in my opinion tonight and a player that playing like this is difficult to to win. What's your favorite part about celebrating a big title? It's just a huge relief first of all you know I think you know everybody goes through it differently but um you know one thing I think we all share in common is the attentions, the pressure, the expectations and just all this things and emotions that you go through. My favorite part about winning it is is seeing my family and sharing this trophy with them and that's that's for me the the favorite part. We are playing in tough times we young players always have to beat all these unbelievable legends. Yeah well Novak is part of three guys who are by far best players ever who play tennis and if you play a Grand Slam finals against them I mean it's always going to be a a match where very small details are deciding. To beat the best you have to beat the best and that is what we and everyone inside the Wow well right now Djokovic has to do something different. He's got it all going on lovely flow to teams tennis two sets to one to the Austrian. I definitely did not feel good and I didn't know what the next moment brings. It's something that you have to accept that you're going through and those kind of circumstances really kind of forced me to let things go and and to really try to be in a moment and fight my way back. Djokovic infuses belief in his camp in his supporters with a rally like that and calmly as you like Djokovic takes us into a fifth and deciding set. We are going to see the agony and ecstasy etched on not just the players faces but the fans as well. Now he believes absolutely that he's going to win this. The Djokovic dynasty down under is still intact. It's an eighth Australian Open. Once again he's the last man standing. First time I stepped on the road level arena to play a match was against Maritza in 2005 so it's been 15 years. Quite unreal that that much time passed. It was easier for sure in a different era to to win big titles that's 100 percent but I'm happy that I can compete with these guys on the on the best level and I really hope also that I win my maiden slam when when they are still around because it just counts more. Definitely my favorite court, my favorite stadium in the world and I'm blessed to hold this trophy once again. Thank you very much. We've been on a long journey. The Australian Open is going to go ahead and there's been many times over the past eight months where that would have been in doubt. We have now a chance to showcase our ability as the major events capital of the world as well as our capability on delivering these events in what is a very challenging time for all of us. My challenge is as a coach to stay in the team with Novak and try and witness for him to be the best tennis player in the history of tennis. Oh absolute genius from Djokovic. That's the way to seal the deal. Djokovic ruthlessly efficient. Novak just slipping down in the painted area there. This doesn't look great with Novak right now. Maybe that's right on the hip flex of that. Oh even higher. Seems to be above the hip but the the replay of the slip looked like it wouldn't have been up that high really. I just try to stay in there you know and I was hopeful that whatever is happening there is going to feel better and towards the end of the fourth you start to feel better. His will to win remains undiluted. Today he dug deeper than he's ever had to dig before. As anybody else I want to start a season in best possible fashion. I've been fortunate to do that in the past many times and that kind of sets the tone for the rest of the season so hopefully I can have the same success I've had many many years. I didn't know a few hours before I stepped on the court tonight whether I'm going to play or not. If I am part of any other tournament other than Grand Slam I definitely wouldn't be playing but it's a Grand Slam it matters a lot to me and the stage of my career. Truly amazing. His desire is unquenchable and he is through to the quarterfinals for the 12th time at the Australian Open. He's the eight-time champion here. The level of the pain was bearable so I couldn't actually play but I somehow managed to to find a way and win and that's what matters the most and now I got another 40 hours or something like that till the next match. Of course I'm not proud of these kind of moments you know when I break the record of course I'm not proud of that. To me it happens and then today it actually helped even though I don't intentionally do it. And fittingly he finishes with an ace. In the end it was Novak who produced a 24 karat gold performance to make his ninth final. The way I felt today I like my chances and I'm definitely going to go for a title. Daniil is the man to beat without a doubt. I mean over 20 wins in a row and he's on a streak. Out of those 20 matches I mean almost half of them you know came those wins came against the top ten players. I mean it's really impressive what he's doing and he's like a master chess player as Jim Currier called him a few days ago. A very smart player knows tactically how to how to execute the game plan very well. I'll say he's a man to beat so and to beat Novak for sure here in Melbourne you need to be at your best you need to show your best and that's what I'm It's two sets to love. He has a stranglehold on the final. You know Roger, Rafa and myself are still there for a reason you know. We don't want to hand it to them and we don't want to allow them to win slams. Oh standing ovation please. How complete a player he is and he has championship point. Up for Novak is nine Australian Open titles. The world number one majestic in Melbourne again. I'm proud I'm you know happy of course but also I feel a huge relief as well. He really was very motivated from the moment we step in Australia practice 14 days in Adelaide was really he was really keen to do well here. He knows that this is his court this is his tournament and he proved it you know these two weeks with injury with everything that he is the nine times Australian Open champion and wow beating Medvedev like this unbelievable unbelievable performance. Grand slams are what you dream about winning when you're a young tennis player so I dreamed of winning Wimbledon becoming number one player of the world when I was five when I took the racket for the first time in my hands. Managed to achieve those dreams and in 2011 in Wimbledon and then after that of course the love affair and the relationship with tennis in terms of joy that it brings me when I play is still there of course that's important very important aspect for me but professionally you know looking at things you know I feel always it's it's important to set your set your goals you know long-term goals short-term goals so of course the two biggest goals were to reach the longest number one in history you know weeks at number one rankings and that's something that I'll be able to reach now in several weeks time and once that's that's done obviously I'm gonna focus mostly on the slams you know they're trying to play my best tennis peak at the right time in Roger and Rafa they have their own trajectory and journey I do have mine and it's wonderful to be part of the same era with them and very challenging as well but I'm enjoying it. Everybody has been distracted by this and unfortunately not all parties involved there's been no winners. It's hard to describe the feeling you know I never had it never faced anything similar we're all humans and we all make mistakes and you know I try to learn from them. Djokovic's visa was cancelled at 7 29 am. I respect you know the Australian government's decision you know whatever is going to unfold from from this moment onwards I'll have to deal with it. The Djokovic drama has finally come to a head the world number one kicked out of the country on the Australian Open. When everything is said and done I'll definitely take some time to reflect on everything that has happened. I will serve for the title for a second time. It's the miracle 21 major titles greatest players of all time. Of course you know the events of last year did affect me last year but you know this year you know I was just looking forward to come back to a place where you know I'm overwhelmed with more positive memories you know of all these years that kind of overwrite what happened last year so the way people received me in Adelaide last couple weeks was very emotional for me I was very very happy to be to be received in such way and hopefully I can give them some good emotions watching me play live and on TV. Just keeping an eye on him here he's trying to shake it off. Yeah he hasn't tweaked a hamstring has he? Unfortunately this year just few days before the tournament started I injured myself and I kind of had to deal with that throughout the entire tournament. I do feel that Djokovic is hampered a bit right I mean you can see it in some his breaks to the ball the movement but it's so impressive the way he is still able to manage a point manage a match he understands the strengths of his game and how to play to that and kind of minimize those areas of weakness. The most dominant performances of Novak's career anywhere let alone here in Melbourne where he has been the finest of all time. You know he just has such a pedigree as one of the all-time greats already and I think it's going to be tough for anybody to kind of dethrone him. Novak through to the last four and you won't find too many here in Melbourne who don't believe Novak won't be the last man standing come Sunday. I'm just very grateful that I'm actually able to to play you know I the way it looked just before the tournament started I thought that it wouldn't be possible so I'm still here and still holding on. Looking to continue his quest to climb into a galaxy of his own he will be going for title number 10 at the Australian Open on Sunday. He's one of the herd of goats now so it's not that shocking that he's going for a double digit number of victories here in Australia. Australia has been very good to him just like you said I he basically owns this court he walks on this court I think with an extra sense of of pride and commitment to the fact that it is his house and he's not going to let anybody invade it so we'll see how it goes. Fact 10 champion of Australia for a 10th time but he is the best player on the planet again. It was just a moment where I put down my mask of a warrior and became a brother and a son and and just teared up. The message really for any young tennis player around the world who is watching this now and dreaming to be here where Stefanos and I am dream big dare to dream because everything is possible don't let anybody take away the dream doesn't matter where you're coming from I actually think that the more disadvantaged childhood you have the more difficulties and more challenges you have the stronger you become. I don't say 100% but 97% of the players on Saturday when you get the results of the MRI you go straight to the referee office and pull out of the tournament but not him he is from other space you know his brain is working different and he gave everything you know therapies 77 therapies a day but you know he got through and he won the tournament. I don't know how long I'm going to still be competing and playing I still feel good about myself my game there's no no reason to to think about an end to to the career so I'll keep going and take it take it slowly and see you know see what what happens next. Thank you so much and hopefully see you next year.