Q. How did you think you played today?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I started slow. And I think the reason was my late finish last night in doubles. I think I was one of the last players. Our match was really late, I think one of the last matches that finished. I went to bed around 3:30 in the morning. So I was quite tired to start a match. But then I managed to stay.
It was very important to win the first set. So after, I really served well and put a lot of pressure on him.

Q. Are you reasonably satisfied with the way you're playing up to now? Also, are you getting more and more used to the heat and humidity?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I am. Conditions are extreme. We said it on the start. But it's all the same for everybody. I've been playing pretty good tennis so far. I just have some things I need to work on, of course. Not really hundred percent satisfied.
But I've played the last two matches as much as I needed to play. Serve is going great, which is an encouraging fact for upcoming matches. As soon as my serve is on a high percentage and a high level of performance, then everything else is going smooth.
So it gives me a lot of confidence, and motivation is here, there's no doubt. You know, another couple of matches, dream come true. But I'm going step by step.


Q. Have you got into the business of pin collecting at the Olympics and swapping? If so, who have you been doing it with?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I didn't take it now with me. But it's a nice question, yes. That's one of my hobbies here, pin collecting. I've seen a lot of athletes doing that. I've collected more than probably 50. I'm going slowly (laughter). I really plan to collect more.
Yeah, I mean, this is something that I'm going to have till the end of my life. I don't know if I'm going to be able to play an Olympics another time. Who knows what's gonna happen.

Q. You are in the last eight as well as Rafael. I think maybe Federer might be in the last eight. The first three seeds are in the last eight. It's quite different from the last Olympic Games. What happened? Do you not care about the US Open any more?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What was the last thing you asked?

Q. I'm thinking whether you not think about the US Open. You just try so hard at the Olympics. I wonder why.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yeah, Olympics is very important to all of us. Obviously you can see that by the performance we're having. You know, in my case, I've said that winning a medal on the Olympics for me would mean like winning a Grand Slam even more.
So I'm really trying hard to stay in focus. It's a very hard schedule. Okay, I'm not any more in the doubles, so I'm gonna have a bit easier schedule. I'm going to focus on my singles. I'm in the quarterfinals, playing well so far.
So it's not that I'm not thinking about US Open. US Open is coming up and it's a very important event for all of us. But right now, we are living up for the moment and trying to focus for Olympics, which is our priority goal.

Q. You mentioned the doubles, which you don't normally play. Was it the attraction of a medal that got you to play doubles here?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, that was one of the reasons. I wanted to have more options to win a medal. I knew that the schedule is going to be tight for me - but not just for me. All the top players, as you can see, are playing doubles. As I said, you have more options to win the medal. If something happens in the singles, then you have doubles left.
I really wanted to go far in the doubles, even though I'm not playing doubles so much. I'm still unexperienced (sic) in that matter. It was unfortunate to finish in the first round.


(source ASAP Sports, photo/AFP/Getty Images)

Novak Djokovic - Beijing 13. August Interview