Djokovic Explodes in Press Conference: "The Difference Between the Center Court and the Others is Immense"
Novak does not mince words and complains about the surface after his defeat: "The ball bounces much higher on the center court than on clay courts."
Without any hesitation, Novak Djokovic quickly went to the press conference after his defeat to chat about the key factors in his debut match at Indian Wells 2025 against Botic Van de Zandschulp. Without admitting any physical issue, the Serbian player focused on the difference between the court surfaces of the same tournament.
Was there any physical problem?
"Something always happens, but I don't want to talk about it. There's no excuse for a poor performance. It doesn't feel good when you play this way on the court, but congratulations to my opponent. It's just been a bad day at the office, I suppose, for me. I regret my level of tennis compared to the training sessions these days. Honestly, the difference between the center court and the others is immense. The ball bounces much higher on the central court than on clay courts. I struggled a lot with that, couldn't find my rhythm."
Comeback attempt
"The first four games of the third set were close, I had my chances. I made horrible mistakes. I thought I was dictating most points at the beginning of the set. When I watch the match, I'll see what I could have done better. He played great points on my serve. I shouldn't allow myself to be in this situation."
Two consecutive losses, does this make you appreciate how incredible it is not to lose in the early rounds for so long?
"It's hard to appreciate anything now, honestly. I'm disappointed to have lost, but I guess if you look at things with perspective, of course, I've had an incredible career. Being consistent for so many years, you have high expectations. Things have been different for me in these last two years, struggling to play at the desired level. I've had some good tournaments, but it's a challenge, a struggle."
Your vision of tennis
"I am who I am because of this sport. It has taken almost my whole life since I was very young. I try to be the best I can in all aspects off the court, but this is what I'm best at in life. I've given everything. This sport has given me everything, and I will always be grateful for it."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic ataca a las pistas de Indian Wells: "La diferencia entre la central y las otras es inmensa"