Novak Djokovic addressed the media after his victory in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open over Andrei Rublev – 6:0 (6:1, 6:2, 6:4).
In the semi-finals, he will play with the American Tommy Paul.
“I know his style of play, although I have never played against him. I’ve watched it over the years. The tennis game of life. He is explosive, dynamic, fast… He dictates points with his forehand. A very complete player. First semi-final for him, he will have nothing to lose. He will try to play the best tennis”, says Novak.
He also had a message for his opponents.
“I can’t say that I felt this confidence because I had incredible matches here, unforgettable for me. It’s hard to compare because I’ve experienced a lot of success in Melbourne. In the last two matches, I played against players who are in form and I won. That sends a message to rivals in the draw. I feel good on the court and getting better as the tournament goes on. I have never lost a semi-final, I hope it will stay that way”.
He also praised the new wave of American tennis players.
“I always tried to give my best at the slams, especially now. Especially now because of the injury and what happened last year. America is important for our sport, some of the biggest tournaments are played there. The players there are good, the USA has always produced top players. Now we have a list of six or seven games that are knocking on the biggest door. American tennis is different from European tennis, there are different schools of tennis. American tennis focuses on a strong serve, going to the net. Some of the greatest champions come from America. McEnroe, Sampras… Agassi is the first to return so well. Tennis has evolved, and everything has changed. Rackets, balls, court speed. Not so long ago we had three out of four Grand Slams on grass. There was a lot of sliding, now it’s better to play from the baseline”.
And in the match with Rublev, there were provocations from the stands, which is why he asked the referee in the chair to react.
“If it keeps happening I won’t be able to do much. It’s a few individuals, I’m not judging all the fans. If someone provokes and insults me, then I react. “Maybe not the first or second time, but I asked the referee to react,” Djokovic added.
“I always tried to give my best at the slams, especially now. Especially now because of the injury and what happened last year. America is important for our sport, some of the biggest tournaments are played there. The players there are good, the USA has always produced top players. Now we have a list of six or seven games that are knocking on the biggest door. American tennis is different from European tennis, there are different schools of tennis. American tennis focuses on a strong serve, going to the net. Some of the greatest champions come from America. McEnroe, Sampras… Agassi is the first to return so well. Tennis has evolved, everything has changed. Rackets, balls, court speed. Not so long ago we had three out of four Grand Slams on grass. There was a lot of sliding, now it’s better to play from the baseline”.
