An interview with:NOVAK DJOKOVIC
2009-10-15 01:28

THE MODERATOR:  Questions, please.

Q.  Obviously you must be extremely satisfied with this first match for you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  Well, yes.  It's great to win in straight sets and finish
out the job in a short period of time.
I've waited for a long time today to play my match, and I don't want to say
it was easy, because it wasn't.  Still, even though I looked on the court
quite comfortable, but I was trying to find my rhythm, especially on the
start of the match.

First matches are always the ones which are trickiest, especially if you're
playing against a lower?ranked player who has basically nothing to lose.
I was trying to fight for every shot and didn't give him any chance to come
back into the match, which was important.

You know, the conditions are a little bit different here.  The ball is
bouncing higher than in Beijing, and it's more humid.  I had a lot of
problems with sweat, you know, and the weather in general, but I'm happy to
get through.

Q.  You had a great week in Beijing, so you're really building some momentum.
 I think you made the Masters Final four times this year, so Shanghai could
be the one to make the break?through?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  I sincerely hope so.  I've played quite consistent on the
1000 events this year.  I did have some ups and downs, but generally I've
played some good tennis and unfortunately didn't make that extra step in the
final stages of the events when I needed to do so, but I was misfortunate as
well a little bit in those matches.  You know, I lost to Rafa, and, you know,
Andy Murray, as well, the ones who were playing some great tennis at the time.
But I had a lot of success on Asian soil the last two or three years, so I
just hope I will continue the same way.

Q.  What do you think of the new system where the top players get a
first?round bye?  Because obviously there are advantages and disadvantages,
especially if your opponent has had a good hard match and they're feeling
prepared and you come in a bit rusty?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  Well, there's always a different perspective and different
angles that you're looking at the system, but I would support a system for us
top players it's better, because in these cases when we are reaching the
final stages of some other events just the week before the 1000 events, then
we have an extra day or two to really rest and practice and get ready for
this tournament.  When you have a match less, obviously it's an advantage,
you know.  It's better.

And then, on the other hand, a little disadvantage, as you said, is you
didn't play a match and it's dangerous, because the other player had already
at least a match under his belt and he's able to get used to the courts
quicker than you.

Q.  Just wondering how you're feeling physically at the moment.  A couple of
your fellow guys in the top 10 or so have fallen over this week.  Are you
physically okay?  You're not going to fall over on us, are you?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  Yeah, it's strange what's happening, but in my case, thanks
to the God, you know, I'm feeling healthy and feeling physically well on the
court.

As you can see, I'm running all over the place, so I just hope nothing bad
will happen.  But you can never predict.

Q.  I have a totally non?tennis question for you, but I know you're very good
with languages.  I heard you speak Italian in Italy.  I heard you trying to
speak French in Marseilles.  I'd like you to tell me where your Chinese is at.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  I don't know, how does it go, how many levels of learning
you have to take?  But it's maybe second, third level.  I've learned some
basic stuff and some bad words and bad sentences that I cannot really say
right now.

It was mostly last year in Olympic Games in the locker room of Beijing and
this year again in locker room of Beijing.  I had some great friends ?? I
made some great friends there, the guys who were working the locker room,
couple of them.  I would name them, but I don't know what they are called,
but we had a lot of fun.  And I learned them a couple of words in my
language, and they did in Chinese.

Okay.  I know Wo?ai?ni.  Xie?Xie.  Ni?hao.  Then, okay, everything else is
bad.

Q.  One bad word is not bad.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  Wo?yao?ni.  The girls know what's going on.

Q.  I guess you're not talking to me.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC:  For sure not.  This sentence was not for you.  (laughter.)