Djokovic: "The match has been decided by one point, that's tennis"

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It's rare for Novak Djokovic to let a match slip away when it comes down to the wire, but the Serbian couldn't do it tonight against Jack Draper in the round of 16 at the Indian Wells Masters 1000. Minutes later, the Serbian reflected on his performance in the tournament.

An Indian Wells tournament that, despite having won it five times, has eluded him for too long. Since 2016, Novak Djokovic hasn't emerged as the champion here, a gap that Jack Draper has widened after a brutal battle where the British player crossed the finish line one second ahead of his rival. One of those matches that leave a mark for the entire season, especially considering that the British player hadn't defeated a top 10 player in the last twelve months. A bitter outcome for the Belgrade native who, despite showing that he still has the level to beat the best, couldn't find the winning edge this time. With these words, he left California.

A Lot of Noise in the Stands

"I don't know, I'm not sure what kind of crowd you're referring to, but ultimately, sports are what they are; you can’t control the emotion in the stands. I understand that people can get carried away by the heat of the moment, by a battle like tonight's; it's normal for them to get excited during a point, or perhaps in between points. You know, it's pure emotion down there, so I don't judge or criticize anyone. It was an incredible match to be part of, and I’m sure the people in the stadium experienced it the same way."

Match Decided by One Point

"Everything came down to one point, nothing more. We played an incredible point that eventually cost me the break, although it was great to win it. The downside is that I ran out of gas completely and didn’t start feeling slightly better until late in the third set. I had a careless game to close it at 5-4, and that's when I managed to get the support from the stands; I felt their energy, so I'll hold onto that moment. I was close, really close, but I made some unfortunate errors on my part. In the tiebreak, I was up 4-3, then 5-5… that's tennis."

Draper Regains His Best Form

"I don't think there's any significant difference in his level compared to what he had shown before his injury. I mean, today he proved that he can play at a high level. I hadn’t been following him much in recent weeks, but I know he played some good matches in Dubai. Here he is the defending champion; we know he likes the conditions that suit his game, and it showed today. He's playing very well, with confidence, so he becomes very dangerous when he's confident and in good shape. He's a great player and a great guy; I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament."

Novak Djokovic Reflects on His Defeat at Indian Wells

"Right now, I have a bitter feeling inside me, which is normal after losing a match like this, but I am proud of myself for fighting in this way and giving it my all on the court, that's for sure. This is the only thing I'll take as a highlight, the fact that I didn't give up and always tried. Obviously, today I lost to a great player, but it was an extremely even match over two and a half hours. Of course, I'm a bit disappointed, but it's only been a few minutes since I walked off the court. I wish I could have done better, but it was a great battle."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic: “El partido se ha decidido por un punto, así es el tenis”