Novak Djokovic: “It was my best level since the Olympic Games” | ATP Tour

Shanghai

Djokovic: “It was my best level since the Olympic Games”

The Serbian makes a positive reading of this week in Shanghai

October 13, 2024

Novak Djokovic was unable to collect the champion trophy at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, which would have been the 100th of his legendary career. However, the Serbian makes a positive reading of his performance in the Asian ATP Masters 1000, after falling in the last round against Jannik Sinner this Sunday.

“Well, I think I can take positive things away,” the four-time tournament champion began explaining at the press conference. “First of all, I think my level of tennis was very good in this tournament, probably the best after the Olympics in terms of how I played, performed and fought.”

After winning the Olympic gold medal in Paris 2024, the Serbian had only participated in the US Open, where he lost in the third round to Alexei Popyrin in four sets. One more match with his country in World Group I of the Davis Cup was the baggage with which the Balkan arrived in Shanghai almost two weeks ago.

“This is what I work for and what I continue to fight for,” Djokovic confessed about reaching a new final in his career. “I don’t know what the future will bring, I will just try to flow to see how I feel at each moment. I’m still thinking about competing and playing next season, so we’ll see how far I go.”

Against the No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, he was close to taking the first set, but a great tie-break by the Italian tipped the balance on his side. “I gave it my all tonight,” Djokovic warned. “Maybe I felt like I wasn’t 100% fresh, but at the same time all credit to Jannik for playing the important points better than me, and that’s what made the difference.”

“[Sinner] “He deserved the victory, he was stronger in the important moments,” the Serbian continued his analysis. “But I think I still played pretty well in today’s final, which gives me reason to believe that I can still continue playing at this level with these guys who are the best in the world. I hope to be able to maintain this level in the coming months and also in the future.”

Over the last ten days in Shanghai, Djokovic beat Alex Michelsen (first round), Flavio Cobolli (second round), Roman Safiullin (third round), Jakub Mensik (quarterfinals) and Taylor Fritz (semifinal) without giving up a set. Only the best player in the PIF ATP Rankigs this season could beat him.

And the Serbian did not hide his words of recognition to a rival who has been above the rest this season with seven titles, two of them Grand Slam and three other ATP Masters 1000.

“His service has improved a lot, I think it has become his great weapon,” he said about Sinner. “He is very aggressive from the baseline, if he has a short ball, he takes the initiative. He is very solid with his forehand and backhand, he doesn’t make too many mistakes and tries to take time away from his opponent.”

“That is something that reminds me of me throughout my career, it is what I have done for many years consistently: playing at a high tennis pace, taking time away from rivals, suffocating them,” he analyzed about the game of his rival this Sunday. “That’s what you’re looking for, that your rivals always feel pressured with your shots, your speed, your presence on the court. “So he has that, this year he has been very consistent, it is very, very impressive.”

On the horizon, Djokovic has different challenges ahead. One of them is to join Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) as one of the three centenary players on the ATP Tour. “That was a bonus, that could happen. I wished it were today, but it wasn’t the time. I have to keep fighting to make this happen in the near future.” Time will tell when and where title No. 100 arrives.