Q. He really went for his shots. What surprised you about him?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I kind of knew that before the match he's going to go for his shots, because we played one time before, and I know him from a couple of years already, but he served really precise, and really, really strong.
So it was very difficult for me to get any rhythm on my returns, and, you know, I had to keep the high percentage of the first serves in order to really stay with him, because, you know, he hit some good returns, and he was being aggressive, and that was the right tactic. But I managed to stay...

Q. In the last weeks, maybe since the Olympic Games, you have a relation with an athlete from Paraguay; is that true?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I've heard that this has been the main subject in the papers, and I've heard that even they showed it on the TV two days ago when I played my first match, so I'm denying this, and I'm saying that we don't have a romance like people call it already. I even heard that she's here, so it's kind of strange, because I would be the first to know, probably.
Yeah, the papers are probably trying to make another scandal of it, you know. Another romance. This is part of my life, and I have to accept it like this, but we know each other, that's true, and we met, and then she came to watch my matches, but there is nothing more than friendship.


Q. What's been the greatest comeback in a match you've had in your career and worst blown lead?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Sorry, what can you ‑‑ can you repeat?

Q. Of all the matches you played, what's been your greatest comeback in a match, and the opposite, your worst blown lead?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I don't know if I've won any matches from two sets down. I was not in that situation, but ‑‑ one ‑‑ I had couple of really long five‑setters, marathon matches, actually the one against Monfils, when I just collapsed on the court, it was like three, four years ago, so it was one of the great matches I had.
No, most of that five‑set matches I play, I won, so I have this positive score, which is good, you know, and the important moments when I need to play my good, best tennis and when I need to step it up, that's what I do. So you gain more experience having those matches, and for me, today, was very important mentally to survive that first set, you know, and when I was 6‑2 up, he came back, he had set point and the serve. It could go either way, but these tough matches are making you stronger mentally, especially, so, you know, you can use that experience for the future.

Q. And the opposite? Your worst blown lead? Where you had a lead, control of the match, and you lost it?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, again, I don't think I ever lost when I was two sets up.
I don't know. I mean, nothing comes up in my mind right now, but I've had some loss, you know, leading a set and a break, but not many of those.

Q. You were moving pretty well today, but I have to ask you, how does your ankle feel? Is that pretty much done with? Are you okay?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, yeah. I think it's already history. I don't want to ‑‑ I don't want to challenge it, you know, again. I wish ‑‑ I wish that doesn't come back, but today I didn't feel any discomfort on the movements, especially the quick ones. Where I had to tape when I fell dead in last match, I had to tape my ankle. I decided with my physio that there is no need to tape my ankle now even though for the cautiousness maybe I had to do that, but I didn't feel anything, so I think it's history already.

Q. Just talking about the media paying attention to your life a little bit. Since you kind of became one of the top three, one of the top ranked players in the world last couple of years, how much do you pay attention to the media reports?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: I try not to too much. Media is part of every professional athlete's life. You cannot avoid it. Certainly I do follow, but, you know, you try not to pay too much attention, because media can, you know, make you a star and can bring you down in a day, so it's just big power in media, and I accept them as a part of my life, part of my business, my profession, and, you know, it's a matter of balance, again, you know, it's just ‑‑ you are a professional player, you're one of the ‑‑ as you said, I'm one of the top players in the world so I get a lot of attention from the crowd, from the public, from the media, as well. So I have to be careful what I say, right? And just get used to it.


(FastScripts by ASAP Sports via US Open, photo/AFP/Getty Images/Nick Laham)

Novak Djokovic - US Open 29. August Interview