At Wimbledon,
On his win over Sinner: “It’s a fight, win. I’m very happy to have finished it in three rounds. Each set was tighter than the score would suggest. I hit the right shots at the right time. I was a bit erratic on serve, but I always managed to play him one more shot, especially late in the game. At 5-4, on my serve, he had two set points and he committed a few faults which gave me the victory in the tie-break.
On the penalty for interference in the 2nd set: “I have to accept the referee’s decision. It had never happened to me before. I saw the replay. My growl stopped before he hit the ball. For me, the referee’s decision is not the right one. But I accept it.”
On the serving time warning: “I made a huge effort not to get too mentally scattered and I was able to keep my composure, even if I was angry because, again, it wasn’t was in my opinion not the right decision. I didn’t see the clock but I think the referee should have taken into account the context of this game. I had already had a warning and the game was long and stressful. We don’t know what would have happened if he had succeeded in breaking it. But I knew how to keep my calm.
On the fan who shouts ‘Vamos Rafa’: ‘It’s just love. Love and tolerance (ironical smile).
On the final against Alcaraz: “It was expected by many people since the start of the tournament. This is probably the best final possible. We are both in good shape and playing well. It’s going to be a big challenge.”
On Alcaraz: “He can do anything. He’s one of the fastest guys on the court. He is very young but already very brilliant on grass. This will be his first final here. I don’t think many expected him to play on grass as well because he mostly improved his game on clay and hard courts. But he knows how to adapt to the challenges offered by surfaces and opponents. His game is already very effective on this surface. It has also been one of my strengths since the beginning of my career. He’s an incredible player and a good guy off the court. He is respectful of everyone.”
On Paris’ revenge (Djokovic’s victory in four sets in the semi-finals): “It had been a big game until he started to suffer physically at the start of the 3rd set. The level before was very high. Here the conditions are very different. Of course, I have more experience than him in the Grand Slam final or at Wimbledon. But he is very motivated. He is young and he is hungry. But me too. So let’s enjoy this feast!”
Statements taken at a press conference
