Nothing to play for except my pride: Djokovic
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
SUPER Serb Novak Djokovic admitted on Monday that he has little left to play for this season except his pride.
The 20-year-old has already reached the Masters Cup in Shanghai after winning Adelaide, Estoril, Miami and Montreal, reaching the final of Indian Wells and the US Open, and advancing to the semi-finals of both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Now he is simply marking time until the season-ending finale in China. But for Djokovic, winning is everything.
"For me it's not about getting the points, the money or whatever. It's about winning," he said in Vienna, where he will face American Robby Ginepri in the first round of the BA-CA Trophy on Tuesday.
"I think there is no better feeling than when you win.
"It doesn't matter whether you're winning in the smaller tournaments or winning the bigger tournaments. Of course, the success is bigger if you win in the bigger tournaments, but now as the third player in the world I can say I went over the limits this year.
"I qualified for Shanghai, and looking at this year's results I don't need to try logically anymore. But it's not about that. Whenever I get to the court I try to win. It's that hunger for success, so I can really assure everybody that I'm going to try 100 per cent at every tournament
"I had an amazing year this year. I played a lot of semi-finals and finals and I won some major tournaments in Montreal, Miami, and had some amazing wins over the best players in the world.
"It meant a lot to me, and with that success you get more respect from the players and everybody else. It's important to keep this momentum going and try to do well in the rest of the season and coming years."
Djokovic is not expecting an easy ride against Ginepri, preferring a faster court. Last year he lost in the second round to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.
"Ginepri is not an easy opponent," said Djokovic. "This is a very slow surface and it doesn't suit my game too much. I was hoping they were going to change it, but this year unfortunately it's the same.
"But it's the same for everybody, and Ginepri is a player who also likes to play on the faster surfaces. I'm going to be the favourite, but my first match indoors, it's going to be a dangerous one." AFP
The 20-year-old has already reached the Masters Cup in Shanghai after winning Adelaide, Estoril, Miami and Montreal, reaching the final of Indian Wells and the US Open, and advancing to the semi-finals of both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Now he is simply marking time until the season-ending finale in China. But for Djokovic, winning is everything.
"For me it's not about getting the points, the money or whatever. It's about winning," he said in Vienna, where he will face American Robby Ginepri in the first round of the BA-CA Trophy on Tuesday.
"I think there is no better feeling than when you win.
"It doesn't matter whether you're winning in the smaller tournaments or winning the bigger tournaments. Of course, the success is bigger if you win in the bigger tournaments, but now as the third player in the world I can say I went over the limits this year.
"I qualified for Shanghai, and looking at this year's results I don't need to try logically anymore. But it's not about that. Whenever I get to the court I try to win. It's that hunger for success, so I can really assure everybody that I'm going to try 100 per cent at every tournament
"I had an amazing year this year. I played a lot of semi-finals and finals and I won some major tournaments in Montreal, Miami, and had some amazing wins over the best players in the world.
"It meant a lot to me, and with that success you get more respect from the players and everybody else. It's important to keep this momentum going and try to do well in the rest of the season and coming years."
Djokovic is not expecting an easy ride against Ginepri, preferring a faster court. Last year he lost in the second round to Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka.
"Ginepri is not an easy opponent," said Djokovic. "This is a very slow surface and it doesn't suit my game too much. I was hoping they were going to change it, but this year unfortunately it's the same.
"But it's the same for everybody, and Ginepri is a player who also likes to play on the faster surfaces. I'm going to be the favourite, but my first match indoors, it's going to be a dangerous one." AFP
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