AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2012
Melbourne, Australia
by ATP Staff
|
27.01.2012
Defending Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has been in high pressure-filled situations before during the final weekend of Grand Slam events. Friday evening was no exception, as the Serbian denied an inspired Andy Murray 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-1, 7-5 in four hours and 50 minutes to reach his third final at Melbourne Park. Djokovic saved three break points in the 11th game of the final set to hold serve before breaking Murray to clinch the victory. “You have to find strength in those moments and energy, and that keeps you going, I guess,” said Djokovic. “At this level, very few points decide the winner, as it was the case tonight.
“I think this was one of the longest, if not the longest, that I’ve played in the later stages of a Grand Slam. I have to be satisfied. I have to be happy. As a tennis player, you practise hard every single day knowing that you will get an opportunity to be part of such a great match and on such a high level.”
While both players are incredibly fit, each struggled physically, and Djokovic believes it played a role in there being 18 breaks of serve throughout the match. “I think we both went through a physical crisis,” stated Djokovic. “It was a very even match throughout, from the first to the last point. As I said on the court, I think we both found it easier to break each other’s serve rather than just serve it out and keep our serve going.
“We both have great returns, and it was very difficult because we put a lot of pressure on each other’s serve. So even though I was 5-2 up in the fifth, I knew even playing against the wind at 5-3, I’m not the favourite in that game. It proved to be the truth. But I held my composure. I was happy to react the way I did and win in the end.”
His opponent across the net in the title match will be World No. 2 Rafael Nadal. Djokovic swept all six of their meetings in 2011, but the Spaniard has an extra day of rest on the World No. 1, having topped Roger Federer in his semi-final match on Thursday. Djokovic expects nothing short of a vigorious battle with the 10-time major champion. “There is no secret it is going to be physical again. I will do my best to recover. I have a day and a half,” said Djokovic.
“I will try to get as much sleep and recovery program underway and hope for the best. I think that’s going to be crucial for me to recover and to be able to perform my best, because Rafa is fit. He’s been playing well. He had an extra day. He definitely wants to win this title.
“But I have been in similar situations before where I had the long matches and I’m supposed to play. For example, a couple years back with Roger I had a very long match, and then the next day I was supposed to play the final. So we are familiar with these kind of conditions and situations, so we will try to take the best out of it and recover.”
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Article source: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/01/4/Australian-Open-Friday-Djokovic-Reaction-To-Murray-Win.aspx
January 27, 2012
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