Novak Djokovic avait un objectif très clair ce dimanche : un 7e titre au Masters, une unité de plus que Roger Federer. Si son adversaire du jour, Jannik Sinner avait infligé à Nole sa première défaite depuis Wimbledon en phase de groupe, la donne était toute autre en finale. A l'expérience, le Serbe a remis les pendules à l'heure pour s'imposer 6-3, 6-3 en 1h43. Avec ce 7e trophée des ATP Finals, son 98e titre, il conclut ce qu'on peut légitimement considérer comme la meilleure saison de sa carrière. À 36 ans, il domine le circuit ATP comme aucun joueur ne l'a fait avant lui. En conférence de presse, il n'a pas caché sa satisfaction.
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00:00 (applause)
00:03 Thank you, guys.
00:06 Thank you so much.
00:09 The match against Alcaraz last night and the one tonight,
00:12 probably two best matches under the circumstances
00:17 that I've played this season.
00:20 Against two players that are in fantastic form,
00:24 and I mean, obviously, the quality of Alcaraz and Sinner.
00:29 We all know.
00:31 And playing Sinner tonight in front of his home crowd
00:37 and the way I finished the tournament
00:39 and finished the season is amazing.
00:41 I'm very, very proud of the performance, obviously.
00:44 What Goran was referring to is probably
00:46 after I clinched the year number one
00:49 with the first win over Rune.
00:51 I was not mentally present, I think, fully in the tournament.
00:55 After that, I was like, yeah, you know,
00:59 kind of half in, half out feeling.
01:02 And that reflected on my level of tennis and my performance
01:06 and the way I felt on the court.
01:08 Obviously, thanks to Sinner for, you know,
01:13 allowing me to be in the semifinals when I was there.
01:16 I thought, okay, now, you know, I'm going to try to step it up.
01:19 And I did.
01:21 I played really two high-level matches.
01:26 I started very aggressively tonight against Janik,
01:31 which was the difference, you know,
01:33 different to the group stage match
01:37 we had against each other.
01:38 And I think that match helped me prepare myself
01:41 better for the atmosphere, the crowd, you know, obviously.
01:46 I, you know, analyzed the match
01:49 and I looked what I could have done better.
01:53 And I think I've done it very well for the entire match.
01:56 Luka, congratulations.
02:02 Are you able to put into words
02:04 the emotions when that last point happened?
02:07 And was that the highlight,
02:09 or was it chatting with and hugging children?
02:14 It's always children, honestly.
02:16 I mean, obviously winning a match with this importance
02:21 and significance is always, you know,
02:25 an incredible feeling in the end and also huge relief
02:29 because there's a very high tension and pressure
02:32 that you feel on the court.
02:35 And I was, you know, pretty much playing flawless tennis,
02:40 sat in 3-2, and then I --
02:43 yeah, then I got tight, I must say.
02:47 Started to miss the first serve.
02:48 Crowd got into it.
02:49 And I was lucky that he missed an easy put-away forehand.
02:55 I think it was a 4-3 induce.
03:00 You know, you could say also I was unlucky
03:02 to hit the net cord on the passing shot for double break.
03:06 But, you know, at this level, it happens.
03:10 And I just maintained my focus.
03:13 And I could feel from the beginning
03:15 that it was a different vibe,
03:18 different energy from him and from me
03:21 comparing to the match we had four or five days ago.
03:23 I felt I -- you know, I felt that maybe he wasn't as free
03:29 or as comfortable from the very beginning
03:31 like he was in the four matches prior to the finals.
03:35 And I felt, okay, my opportunity is now,
03:39 and I have to take it.
03:40 I have to be controlling the rallies,
03:43 and I have to be the one that is going to,
03:46 sort of say, impose himself on the court.
03:48 He needs to feel my presence,
03:49 which wasn't the case in the group stage match.
03:52 So I think that was probably the major tactical difference
03:57 between the two matches.
03:58 And obviously him finishing with double fault is not ideal.
04:01 But, you know, it's a great reward,
04:05 I think, for what my team and I
04:08 and my family have been through this year,
04:12 being one of the, you know,
04:16 most successful years in my career that I ever had.
04:20 Four out of five major tournaments,
04:22 I won and played finals in Wimbledon.
04:24 So, you know, I couldn't ask for more, to be honest.
04:28 I'm very, very proud of this season.
04:31 I know, I guess, my dad,
04:33 just particularly, first of all, congratulations.
04:35 You anticipated it.
04:36 My question is, four out of five
04:38 of the most important tournaments of the year.
04:40 So my question is going to be for 2020.
04:42 Yeah.
04:43 How do you keep yourself motivated?
04:44 How is it possible to do better than this?
04:48 Well, you can win four slams and Olympic gold.
04:51 [laughter]
04:53 Let's see, you know.
04:54 I mean, I have always the highest ambitions and goals.
04:58 So that's not going to be different for the next year.
05:02 That's for sure.
05:03 But, you know, the drive that I have is still there.
05:09 My body has been serving me well,
05:12 listening to me well.
05:15 I have a great team of people around me.
05:18 Motivation, especially for the biggest tournaments in sports,
05:21 is still present.
05:22 So it still inspires me to keep going.
05:25 And in the end of the day, you know,
05:29 people see you performing in the big tournaments,
05:31 but they don't see all the weeks and months
05:33 of dedicated day-to-day, week-to-week work
05:38 and trying to build your form
05:40 so that you can pick where you want to pick.
05:44 And for me, obviously, those are Grand Slams
05:46 and, you know, World Tour finals.
05:47 And, of course, next year also, hopefully, Olympic Games.
05:50 So, yeah, the mindset is the same, and I'll keep going.
05:56 I don't know whether I'm going to have
05:58 as good of a year next year,
05:59 but I'm going to keep this kind of freshness of mind
06:09 and, in a way, motivation to do that.
06:15 Is the Olympics next year your major target
06:23 because it's the one major one that you don't have?
06:28 Well, it is definitely one of the major goals for next year
06:34 other than Grand Slams.
06:35 So, you know, it's going to be very congested schedule
06:42 with going from the slowest to the fastest surface in sport
06:45 back to the slowest.
06:48 Clay, grass, clay, and then hard court.
06:50 So that's obviously a very demanding,
06:55 challenging stretch of the year.
06:58 And I'm going to have to speak with my team
07:01 to see how we can plan out our preparations,
07:05 training so that I'm able to play my best tennis
07:10 where I want to.
07:12 Hello, Novak.
07:14 Which Novak is stronger, Novak 10 years ago
07:18 or Novak right now, and who will win this match?
07:24 10 years ago was 2013, so I would say Novak of today.
07:27 2015 was one of the best years,
07:30 probably the best year I had, you know, with whatever,
07:34 19 finals in a row on all the tournaments
07:37 and three out of four slams.
07:38 And, you know, I had quite a great 18 months,
07:42 you know, 2015 and half of 2016.
07:44 So, but again, the moments in time are different for me.
07:52 I mean, I don't try to play as much as I did play
07:57 10 years ago, so I have to pick and choose
08:00 the right tournaments and right periods of the year
08:04 where I can perform my best.
08:07 So it's tough to compare.
08:09 But someone did ask me the same question not a while ago,
08:12 and they said, you know, the question was actually phrased
08:14 like, "Who would win," you know, in the matchup.
08:17 And I said that it would be an easy job for a 36-year-old.
08:21 Yeah.
08:23 Joking, of course.
08:25 I don't know what will be the score,
08:26 but I would give the young myself a hard time.
08:30 That's for sure.
08:31 No, but can you not touch the mic, please?
08:35 I apologize.
08:37 Sure.
08:39 Other than learning not to touch the mic,
08:43 what are some things you've learned about yourself
08:45 this year, both as a player and as a person?
08:51 Oh, not to get too philosophical,
08:54 but I think let's start from the player.
08:58 I mean, I learned and kind of confirmed once again
09:03 that the right scheduling and programming
09:07 is giving me the benefits and the results that I want to.
09:11 So I really wasn't happy with my clay court season
09:18 up to Roland Garros and was doubting my game a lot.
09:24 But then, you know, I do have a great team of people around me
09:29 that remind me of the fact that I should trust the process
09:32 and that normally in the Grand Slams,
09:35 I'm a different player, and it's true.
09:37 So that was one of the key turning points,
09:40 I think, of the season for me, winning the 23rd Slam in Paris.
09:46 That kind of, I think, gave me really wings
09:49 for the rest of the year.
09:50 Since then, I lost two matches and won many tournaments.
09:53 So, yeah, always around clay court season,
09:58 I go through kind of a roller coaster mentally,
10:01 I think, game-wise as well.
10:04 But I'm thankful for it because normally that's the time
10:09 where I learn a lot about myself and how to stay in the moment
10:13 and how to not, you know, project too much negativity
10:18 on myself and the surrounding if I'm not playing well,
10:22 if I'm not doing well.
10:24 As a person, you know, again, balance of the private
10:30 and professional life is the key.
10:33 I mean, obviously it's different for everyone.
10:35 We're all different individuals,
10:37 and this is a very demanding sport
10:41 with a high travel intensity throughout the year.
10:46 You have to play it worldwide, which is beautiful,
10:48 which allows us to travel the world
10:50 and play in front of many different people and nations.
10:54 But at the same time, you know, it separates you from the family
10:59 and from the dear ones.
11:00 So that was probably the biggest challenge I had internally
11:06 for me is how to balance things out
11:09 and still be able to participate in my children's lives
11:12 and my wife's life and be able to be there when it matters
11:17 and when I'm not, then, you know, how can I stay connected?
11:20 How can I, you know --
11:22 Obviously technology allows you to communicate,
11:25 but, you know, it's different when you're away.
11:28 And especially after achieving so much
11:33 and being as old as I am, you know,
11:38 there is always a question mark, you know,
11:39 should I be going for another year like this
11:41 or maybe less or maybe I stop.
11:44 And, you know, I do have those conversations internally
11:47 and also with people around me.
11:49 But I think -- Well, I don't think I'm super grateful
11:57 and blessed that I still have great support
12:00 of the closest ones to keep going because, you know,
12:02 without that, I wouldn't definitely be going
12:05 because, you know, you say, you know,
12:10 obviously family is the priority in life
12:12 and their well-being and health
12:14 and the moments that we share with each other.
12:17 But at the same time, you know, for me personally,
12:19 and of course people around me, but for me personally,
12:23 it's still, you know, a huge motivation
12:29 to keep going and making history of this sport.
12:31 So I still enjoy it. I love competition.
12:33 I love, you know, winning tournaments, obviously,
12:36 and being the best in the world.
12:38 And I know that there is a lot of people around the world,
12:41 especially from my region, that follow me
12:42 and they want me to keep going, which is, you know,
12:45 an added strength.
12:47 But, yeah, so it's kind of juggling between the two,
12:50 you know, really understanding how to maintain that balance
12:53 that will allow me to be happy,
12:57 fulfilled professionally and privately.
13:01 - Last one.
13:02 - Okay.
13:04 This week you overcome your old rival, Roger,
13:08 for the title of the U.S. tournament.
13:09 - Yeah.
13:10 - Beating your two new rivals, Carlos and Yannick.
13:15 And how much their presence give you extra motivation,
13:22 like, okay, it's not your time yet,
13:24 so we give Carlos time here and sit here
13:27 and see if he can do it.
13:30 - So it's -- if you understood the situation in this way,
13:36 I'm glad.
13:37 You know, hopefully they feel the same.
13:41 Yeah, I mean, I want them to feel that kind of pressure,
13:47 and when they play me, I want them to feel that it's,
13:50 you know, it's going to be a --
13:55 you know, it's going to require the best tennis from them
13:59 in order to win against me.
14:00 So that's what I want my opponents to feel, no doubt,
14:04 because that helps mentally coming into the match.
14:09 And I think the more I win on the biggest stage,
14:11 the more this kind of aura grows,
14:14 and I'm glad for it, no doubt.
14:16 But, of course, that's not going to win you the match,
14:18 but it might give you the little percentage, a little edge.
14:24 But, you know, what I said on the court,
14:26 for Yannick, I really mean it.
14:28 Very nice guy, great values, his family, entire team.
14:33 He deserves his success, and he needs to keep going
14:36 because he's definitely on the right path,
14:39 and I'm not the only one who is saying
14:41 that he can win slams and be number one in the world.
14:44 And I would be very surprised if that doesn't happen.
14:50 I don't know if it's next year or the year to come.
14:52 He's 22.
14:53 A lot of time ahead of him.
14:54 Rune Alcaraz and him are, you know, the big three,
14:59 next big three, if you want to call them,
15:01 and they're going to carry the sport.
15:05 You know, I will hang on for as long as I feel like hanging on,
15:12 as long as I'm still --
15:14 I think as long as I'm able to win against them
15:16 on the big stage, I'll still keep going
15:18 because, you know, why stop if you're still,
15:23 you know, winning the biggest titles?
15:24 But once they start to, yeah, kick my butt,
15:29 then I will consider probably having a little break
15:35 or maybe a permanent break from professional tennis.
15:38 But, yeah, Yannick, the Italian tennis is in good hands.
15:42 I think Yannick is someone that is very professional,
15:45 that loves his country.
15:47 He does all the right things with his people,
15:49 and it's great that we have a World Tour finals
15:52 in a country that really loves tennis and loves sport.
15:55 Of course, Calcio is Calcio,
15:56 but tennis also has grown so much in the last years
16:01 with Berrettini's success, his success,
16:03 you know, Fognini before,
16:04 and, of course, Mosetti and everyone else.
16:06 But they have really obviously been doing a good job
16:09 systematically with Federation that, you know,
16:11 is giving so many players, both men and women.
16:15 And, you know, of course, ideally for them,
16:18 it would be an Italian winner and different result today.
16:20 But I think what I said on the court, I really mean it.
16:24 It was amazing to experience this much attention
16:29 and support and popularity like we had in the last 10 days,
16:33 all of us players.
16:35 It was really amazing.
16:36 I played here already two years,
16:39 but this year was something different.
16:41 I think it's credit to Janik as well, of course,
16:45 being Italian and being one of the favorites
16:47 doing the title and the anticipation.
16:50 And I think the excitement of the whole nation
16:53 to support him and to back him
16:54 was something that produced this incredible energy
16:57 that I really enjoyed.
16:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]