Melbourne (AFP)

Between the concern born of air quality and the desire, under pressure from the new generation, to win its 8th Australian Open, Novak Djokovic described his state of mind on Sunday on the eve of the start of the first Major of the year.

If he manages to keep his title, the 32-year-old Serb will win his 17th Grand Slam tournament on February 2 to get closer to Roger Federer (20) and Rafael Nadal (19).

QUESTION: How did you react when you saw the smoke from the fires plunging Melbourne into an air layer described by the municipal authorities as "dangerous" on Tuesday?

ANSWER: "I was worried. Melbourne must have been the most polluted city in the world that day. It was sad to see players and ball pickers feeling sick on the court. But I had faith in Melbourne , the "city of the four seasons" as we call it, where the weather changes very quickly. There was a lot of rain one night and winds that cleared the sky. And the last three days have been really good, the fresh air, as if nothing had happened (according to the official Australian body that measures it, the air quality in Melbourne was "dangerous" Tuesday and Wednesday, "bad" Thursday, "average" since Friday, and it must become "good" again on Monday, note. Is it going to stay like that, we don't know. The lights are not out. Hopefully the worst is behind us. "

Q: You spent a lot of energy to win the ATP Cup with Serbia. Did you then adapt your preparation for the Australian Open compared to previous years?

A: "It has been a long time since I had two weeks of such intensive preparation before the Australian Open, even if I participated in the Doha tournament, in the Hopman Cup (exhibition by mixed national teams, editor's note. I spent a lot of physical and emotional energy during this ATP Cup which, for me, was perfect from an individual point of view with victories in all my singles (including a very clear dominance over Rafael Nadal in the final, editor's note) and my doubles. Our team won the title, which is one of the highlights of my career for me. It was two phenomenal weeks and excellent preparation for the Australian Open. that's right, I gave a lot. So I actually adjusted my training sessions by focusing on recovery rather than pressing a little more on the accelerator. little shortening of workouts while maintaining good intensity . "

Q: What is Medvedev, Thiem or Tsitsipas missing to win a Grand Slam tournament, since you shared the last twelve with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer?

A: "It is obvious that they are getting closer. They are literally just one set away (Daniil Medvedev pushed Nadal to the fifth set during the previous Grand Slam tournament, in the final of the 2019 US Open, One day it will happen. It is inevitable. They are not missing much: they have games that require a lot of skill and they have this skill. They spend hours preparing for it, on and off the courts. But to win a Grand Slam tournament and to stay at the highest level for years, a player must also gain mental and emotional maturity to understand his own strengths, to fight his own fears "In the last 10-15 years, Rafa, Roger and I know what to do mentally in each of the situations we find ourselves in. This is probably what gives us a little edge."

Comments gathered at a press conference

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