"I played as well as I can" says Novak Djokovic after Astana round one victory
ATP
Novak Djokovic didn't hide his delight after winning his first-round match at the 2022 Astana Open.
Djokovic didn't get to play a lot in 2022 due to various reasons. He wasn't allowed to enter some countries, such as Australia and the United States, which is why he missed many tournaments.
Now, the Serbian player is back on the tennis courts again, and he showed why he was so missed at the events in those countries. In his first-round match at the 2022 Astana Open, the 21-time major winner beat Cristian Garin 6-1, 6-1.
Naturally, Djokovic was happy about the win, and speaking after the match, he admitted that he tried playing as well as he possibly could.
"From the start to the end, it was a great performance. Playing in a new tournament in different conditions, the first match, it’s never easy."
"You are looking to see how you can adapt, but I did it perfectly, really. I played as well as I can, just made him work, and used every opportunity that was presented to me."
Some players struggled to adjust to conditions in Astana. For example, the top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz lost already in the first round of the tournament to David Goffin.
Djokovic, on the other hand, handled it relatively well. He called it being "lucky" to be good at adjusting to different conditions and surfaces, which also helped him in Kazakhstan.
"I was lucky that throughout my career, I was pretty good at adjusting to different conditions and surfaces. I think that experience comes with knowing what to do."
"Winning a tournament, losing in a final or a semi-final makes a difference mentally. Coming into this tournament, I feel excited and motivated so I think that helps to adjust quickly."
In the second round of the tournament, Djokovic will play against Botic van de Zandschulp. The two have never met before.
