Novak Puts In Special Request

Just before his pre-tournament conference at Roland Garros on Friday, the moderator announced: "Novak has requested he would like to answer only questions about his first-round opponent, nothing else to do with the draw at all, top half, bottom half, and he's asked his team not to mention anything about the draw, either.

"If you could respect that request. Thank you very much."

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/tennis-djokovic-adopts-head-sand-approach-french-open-145127865.html

Mmm...

"If Djokovic cannot face the fact that he will meet unheralded journeymen Croatian Ivan Dodig or Argentine Guido Pella in the second round, one can only guess how shocked the world number one will be when he discovers he will probably have to face seven-times Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals."

Perhaps he should have handed out a sheet of acceptable questions and read from his prepared statement.

What bull. They should just have asked him anyway.

Some could say it sounds like he's rattled.

He'll be "Saved by the Pell-a" in the 2nd Round.

He should count himself lucky, Fed's been handed the dreaded "Double Fognini".

"I won Monte Carlo tournament.....Prior to Roland Garros, that is the most important tournament on clay."

Interesting comment by Djokovic, do we agree with him? I would say Rome is equal or better to Monte Carlo.

Bit cheeky from Djokovic, Rafa won Madrid and Rome, so he is the leader of this clay season so far.

Interesting direction to take with the pressers, it has to be said. Anyone with a psychology expertise out there to decode this decision to Novak? Or failing that, HM and socal to speculate

lydian the double Fognini is a lethal burden that surely cannot be overcome. Fed to lose horrifically to Benny? Time to hit the bookies...

Yuck it up, as I said I am glad you guys are all enjoying yourselves. I am very amused myself. Interesting Djokovic doesn't want to answer questions about the draw. Maybe he doesn't like the fact that fed has a seemingly endless supply of easy draws and he doesn't want to say anything controversial. We know how tender the sensibilities of the legion of fed fans are, if he points out the obvious that Federer gets a never ending reservoir of easy draws he might be attacked mercilessly by Roger supporters and the media who can not broach any critique of the anointed one.

It sounds nervous to me. He should be loose and relaxed to take what comes, not twitchy and irritable like this.

His form going in is probably more the cause than the draw, though it now looks tough even to make the final.

I get what he means about Monte Carlo. I think Rafa made so because of his 8 in a row there giving it such an aura. Its also his home so to win it there and end Nadals stranglehold on it is pretty big. I do think as an event as whole Rome is the biggest for me though

If I were Novak I would rather play Rafa in the semi-final than the final anyway, I don't think the nerves would be as great so close to making history.

Perhaps even Nadal would as well, if he has to play Novak would he rather it be in the semi? As he is very likely going to beat anyone else who would be in the final anyway, if he is going to lose would he want Novak to have beaten him in every slam final? Better to lose in the semi if you ask me and if he wins he's pretty much won the title anyway

I have just finished painting a home made sign saying " Ferrer will triple bagel Novak in the RG semi". I will wave it around every time Novak wins a point in his first round match. I'm sure Novak will see it. Ha ha ha! He will then get a surprise if he gets to the semi's and it's Rafa!

Henman Bill wrote:"I won Monte Carlo tournament.....Prior to Roland Garros, that is the most important tournament on clay."

Interesting comment by Djokovic, do we agree with him? I would say Rome is equal or better to Monte Carlo.

Bit cheeky from Djokovic, Rafa won Madrid and Rome, so he is the leader of this clay season so far.

That's funny too. I wonder if Novak knows that Rafa won Madrid and Rome. Or were his team under strict instructions not to talk about such things. If you shut your eyes really tight and stick your fingers in your ears maybe it didn't really happen.

I don't know what to really make of this story. Clearly he's taking each round as seriously as he can. Perhaps he feels his losses in Madrid and Rome were due to a loss of focus in looking ahead too far? It does suggest he's feeling the pressure though in his pursuit of the career slam - he definitely wants that badly as he intimated yesterday:

"I believe in destiny. Your place in history is very important. Not many athletes, not many tennis players, experience and have the privilege to have their names in the books. Knowing I've already done something that makes me part of history [winning titles and being No1] makes me feel incredibly proud. But there is still a long way to go. I'm 26. I feel that I'm at the peak of my career but I still have many years in front of me. Hopefully, I'm going to make some new history, but I'm going to try to take it slowly because thinking too much ahead or too much behind can really disturb the moment. That's something that I've learned over the years."

Speaking of last years final..."I wanted to play [on], I really wanted to play. Who wouldn't have wanted to play? I had won eight games in a row. I was in the fourth set, up by a break, and I wanted to play. I felt great. I think it was close to 8pm, 7.45 or whatever. Then I think sunset was, like, 9.15. It was still light, you could still play. So I think in that hour's space I could do some more good things on the court. I remember that I was talking to a supervisor and I remember I said: 'I want to play.' They made a decision not to play. Why? How? For what reason? I don't know." Back to destiny. "Maybe I could have won if we had continued that day. But at the end of the day it wasn't to be. Maybe this year it's going to be. I still keep believing it is the year for Roland Garros."

It sounds to me like he wants it REAL bad...and that's a lot of self-pressure.
Perhaps before Nadal came back he thought RG would be nailed on this year and now having seen the 8 finals in 8 tournaments he's not as confident so he just wants to focus one day a time to stop the pressure building.

Who knows...but it's an interesting insight into his mentality at the moment.

It's an odd approach but I like that he is focused on the job in hand.

As for the Rome v Monte Carlo debate, I think MC's prestige comes from the lock down Rafa has had there.

If you were to ask what is the hardest Masters to win, you'd have to say MC. For 8 years, only one person managed it!

Rafa has been beaten at Rome more than once but MC was his own personal fiefdom.

Beating Rafa at Monte Carlo is, statistically at least, the most prestigious Masters win.

isn't Monte an optional MS? For me Rome is the most important clay Masters, but MC is obviously a much tougher ask as you going into Nadal's fotress. Not an easy task. So I can see why Djoko is saying that.

I think Djoko's statements kind of re-inforce my belief that champions add the prestige to the title, rather than the converse. Since Nadal rose to be RG champ, I think it has probably rose to become the second most important Slam.

Good on Djoko for going one match at a time, he hasnt even faced Nadal since MC, so no point in looking beyond the next match. That said, I think it also makes him look a little fragile, he seems distinctly beatable, like he has reverted back to his pre-2011 levels. I genuinely think that any player facing Novak have to fancy their chances, he lost 11 of the last 15 games vs Berdych, and was one point away from a straight sets defeat vs Dimitrov.

Despite me lauding his decision to go one match at a time, it would be shocking if the French Press respected those wishes

hawkeye wrote:I have just finished painting a home made sign saying " Ferrer will triple bagel Novak in the RG semi". I will wave it around every time Novak wins a point in his first round match. I'm sure Novak will see it. Ha ha ha! He will then get a surprise if he gets to the semi's and it's Rafa!

Henman Bill wrote:"I won Monte Carlo tournament.....Prior to Roland Garros, that is the most important tournament on clay."

Interesting comment by Djokovic, do we agree with him? I would say Rome is equal or better to Monte Carlo.

Bit cheeky from Djokovic, Rafa won Madrid and Rome, so he is the leader of this clay season so far.

That's funny too. I wonder if Novak knows that Rafa won Madrid and Rome. Or were his team under strict instructions not to talk about such things. If you shut your eyes really tight and stick your fingers in your ears maybe it didn't really happen.

Might have worked for me as Fed winning 7 wimbledons in a row is one of the most remarkable achievements I've seen in any sport.

socal1976 wrote:Yuck it up, as I said I am glad you guys are all enjoying yourselves. I am very amused myself. Interesting Djokovic doesn't want to answer questions about the draw. Maybe he doesn't like the fact that fed has a seemingly endless supply of easy draws and he doesn't want to say anything controversial. We know how tender the sensibilities of the legion of fed fans are, if he points out the obvious that Federer gets a never ending reservoir of easy draws he might be attacked mercilessly by Roger supporters and the media who can not broach any critique of the anointed one.

Yes, we are all aware how Federer has been drawing Ferrer in his half or quarter for years, while his rivals didn't have such luck

This is Federer's first easy draw in years and somehow you talk this bs?

For all the gs from USO 2011 to AO 2013 Fed had the harder draw.

Isn't this all rather counter productive for Novak, hiding from "press"ing questions and ignoring the obstacles in front of him ?

Its one thing going into hibernation and excluding your presence from the public eye, becoming a reclusive figure, but its quite another demanding ignorance from the media wide attention he has to face on a day to day basis, whilst trying to maintain the usual off court interviews and paparazzi interrogation as well as trying to appear normal.

Surely this side skipping requires more energy to get through, than just taking each day as it presents itself ?

Just read the first post of this thread properly. This was an awesome idea from Novak. If only the other players could afford the same respect to each rounds opponents.

break_in_the_fifth wrote:Just read the first post of this thread properly. This was an awesome idea from Novak. If only the other players could afford the same respect to each rounds opponents.

I think I did, I'm sure I did, maybe I didn't, maybe I did.

I'm confused now, but that's not unusual. 8¬^

May be he is more feared of Dimitrov in 3rd let alone Rafa in the semi's and hence his team wanna avoid questions outside 1st round.

Jokes apart, Novak's team is so focused on winning the FO and they don't wanna discuss anything before the result and wanna take it step by step match by match rather than thinking too much ahead.

Now that the media are accepting special requests other players have followed suit...

Roger says no questions about the Rome final (he had a headache), his hair or possible retirement dates. He would welcome questions about his draw.

Rafa says no questions about the Monte Carlo final (he had a headache), where David Ferrer is in the draw or when his knees will force him to retire. He would welcome questions about Madrid and Rome.

JubbaIsle wrote:

break_in_the_fifth wrote:Just read the first post of this thread properly. This was an awesome idea from Novak. If only the other players could afford the same respect to each rounds opponents.

I think I did, I'm sure I did, maybe I didn't, maybe I did.

I'm confused now, but that's not unusual. 8¬^

You say the other players ??? I have never heard Roger, Rafa or indeed any of the top players dismiss their first round opponents as being inconsequential . or speak with disrespect.. I think as far as I have ever been able to see they have treated their opponents each round at a time.. Unless Im missing something. I think Novak is being defensive because he is having pressure put on him and if Im honest he is finding it hard to deal with He is of course doing the right thing by saying nothing no more or less imo

Chydremion wrote:

socal1976 wrote:Yuck it up, as I said I am glad you guys are all enjoying yourselves. I am very amused myself. Interesting Djokovic doesn't want to answer questions about the draw. Maybe he doesn't like the fact that fed has a seemingly endless supply of easy draws and he doesn't want to say anything controversial. We know how tender the sensibilities of the legion of fed fans are, if he points out the obvious that Federer gets a never ending reservoir of easy draws he might be attacked mercilessly by Roger supporters and the media who can not broach any critique of the anointed one.

Yes, we are all aware how Federer has been drawing Ferrer in his half or quarter for years, while his rivals didn't have such luck

This is Federer's first easy draw in years and somehow you talk this bs?

Really his first easy draw, last year fed had a run of 5 straight draws with Djokovic where only 3 big 4 guys showed up and he got the other big 4 opponent and Djokovic got the other. Fed's draw in Rome also was gooey and tasty as they come. I think this is a bit of an exaggeration that this is Fed's only easy draw in year, no?

I think Novak is putting too much pressure on himself, I think he went into MC without any expectations because he hadn't practiced and was injured, so he loosened up and played really spectacular. Djokovic is in poor form right now, I think he will turn it around although as usual he doesn't get much of a break from the RG people. His form has been dodgy and he has put too much emphasis on RG. What happens if you don't win there still is a whole season left to play. It sets him up for a painful dissappointmet at the end of the day it is no more important than other slams.

socal1976 wrote:I think Novak is putting too much pressure on himself, I think he went into MC without any expectations because he hadn't practiced and was injured, so he loosened up and played really spectacular. Djokovic is in poor form right now, I think he will turn it around although as usual he doesn't get much of a break from the RG people. His form has been dodgy and he has put too much emphasis on RG. What happens if you don't win there still is a whole season left to play. It sets him up for a painful dissappointmet at the end of the day it is no more important than other slams.

On this I agree with you socal... It started of his own making .. however the media have taken that up and have piled it on bit by bit. He is finding what most of them do when they have been at No.1. for some while .. everyone is on his back and sadly thats what happens when you are at the top. I believe Rafa is quite happy with his ranking at the moment.. it has taken the pressure off coming back the way he has .. nothing was expected of him and I believe from what he has said that having already won it 7 times and breaking Borg´s record if he never won it again it would not be the end of his world.

It does seem an odd request. But what's more intriguing about what the Moderator said is that Djokovic has asked even his own team not to mention the Draw to him. Now why would Djokovic want the Moderator to tell the world about a presumably private disussion within his own camp? Answer that question, and I think you'll find the purpose behind why it was ever mentioned at all.

If you look at the analyst picks at ESPN - there are 9 of them - four of them choose Djokovic to win the whole thing: Cahill, Drysdale, Evert and Garber. Add in Peter Bodo and most of them are willing to say that Djokovic's form on clay after Monte Carlo is virually irrelevant to his chances to win the biggest tournament on clay. Do you think any of these people would be saying the same thing if the Djokovic results on clay this Spring were the Nadal results on clay this Spring? Never. If Nadal had been performing on clay in 2013 like Djokovic has, all you'd be hearing and reading about is that there is almost no way Nadal would have any chance to win Roland Garros. Bodo is the most ridiculous of this group, trying to posit the notion that after Monte Carlo, Djokovic "could have decided" to just "keep his powder dry" and wait for the "big event" in Paris - in effect, tanking matches. Bodo's insistence in sporadic columns since February is that Roland Garros is Djokovic's main - in fact almost only - objective in 2013. So I guess Bodo's theory of Djokovic sandbagging in Madrid & Rome is an attempt to keep the theory he's been pushing for months in his columns, relevant.

But does anyone really think Djokovic was simply laying low, losing by his own design for some payoff later? This is nuts. In his opening match in Madrid against Dimitrov, it was a night match that went on for 3 hours. Is that the way you sandbag, by staying on a court for over 3 hours and then getting out gutted in the end by a guy who's cramping? NO player ever wants to lose his first match. Period. It's a personal humiliation. Especially when you're #1 in the world. In Rome vs. Berdych he's sitting at 6-2, 5-2. Four points from the next round. Against a guy he owns. And then just unravels, losing 5 straight games, that set, and then the 3rd Set. If you have designs to tank, why get yourself into a position 4 points away from winning and then decide it's time to throw in the towel by losing 5 straight games and then have to play a whole other set with a plan to lose that too? You'd have to believe in a host of Tinfoil Hat conspiracies to believe Djokovic orchestrated all of these losses so that he'd be primed and ready for his biggest objective of his career. But apparently, this is behind the thinking of the analysts above. In their view, Monte Carlo is the true - indeed, the only - barometer of the clay season. To them, the Djokovic losses have no meaning. His one triumph on clay is the only thing that counts. But what if the opposite is true?

What if the aberration at Monte Carlo was Nadal being a shade short of his best, and not that Djokvic was in some kind of ascendancy? As the clay season wore on one thing was clear no matter what side you come down on: Nadal with each event was playing a bit better each week while Djokovic wasn't. To believe those like Bodo who think Djokovic was playing oppossum is to say that Djokovic so "owns" the Men's Tour that he can simply decide when he wants to win or lose. That no losses matter since he can win or lose at his own choosing. This is insanity. Maybe the real reason that Djokovic doesn't want to talk about anything is because he's knows theories like the Bodo Tinfoil Hat one is nonsense. Djokovic has put Roland Garros as his career objective. That's a lot of pressure, especially at a tournament where he's only been to one Final. That loss to Dimitrov - coupled with the meltdown against Berdych - could well be signs that the air might already be starting to flow through his respiratory system with more difficulty. And RG hasn't even started yet.

There's no way Novak lost deliberately.

But I've also rarely seen him less bothered about losses than he was in Madid and Rome.

I don't see those losses as a sign of pressure.

Last year's clay performances were pressured. He was angry on court, smashing racquets etc. It wasn't good

It's totally different this year. I also feel like his best tennis is being produced, it's just in patches.

So it's not been ideal preparation but it's not quite as bad as it seems on first impression.

Excellent post antonico; the idiocy of pundits has to be seen to be believed.

Djokovic is struggling at the moment and may not keep his appointment with Nadal. I hope he does.

HM Murdoch wrote:
But I've also rarely seen him less bothered about losses than he was in Madid and Rome.

I don't see those losses as a sign of pressure.

Last year's clay performances were pressured. He was angry on court, smashing racquets etc. It wasn't good

It's totally different this year. I also feel like his best tennis is being produced, it's just in patches.

So it's not been ideal preparation but it's not quite as bad as it seems on first impression.

I don't know what his demeanor was after losing to Dimitrov and Berdych. If you say he was "less bothered", then all I can say is that whatever he stated publicly might not be exactly what he actually thought. The mere fact he instructs the Moderator to enforce a line of questioning to be avoided tells me that all isn't well mentally in the Djokovic camp. Rule #1 when you have to face the press is: you never tell them what they can or cannot ask you. If the press asks something you don't want to answer, the game to play is you give an obfuscating, gobbledeygook response - repeatedly if necessary - to let them know that's all they get. Telling them not to ask you about a given subject is a defensive posture, and only makes the press more determined to get under your skin. And more to the point: why is Djokovic so reluctant to talk about his Draw, anyway? He's been on the tour for almost 10 years. He knows how the press works. Draw questions are stock in trade stuff from the press all over the world. Yet it's now he decides such talk is off limits? Call it what you want, but I'll be charitable and say this is hardly a sign of strength and confidence from him. It makes him appear scared. The request itself is simply bizarre.

He may have been pressured last year - I don't know that's exactly how he felt a year ago and no one does, bar him. But last year it's clear he was playing much better than this year. And not just on clay. In 2013, Indian Wells was a disaster from his point of view, losing a 3-0 break lead in the 3rd Set in the SF to Del Potro and managing one more game thereafter. And Miami was a lot like Madrid and Rome. I agree his preparation coming to this is far from ideal. He's had a total of 4 matches in the last 30 days. If he's to win The French Open this year, he'll be the first player since Agassi in 1999 to do so with less than 15 matches on clay going into RG. Djokovic has had nine matches on clay this year, and with the last four of those spread out over four weeks, he'll have it all to do at Roland Garros to be sure.

For a player as successful and as good as Novak is, there is far too much disrespect of the guy on these boards

As usaul with him and Andy, they are damned if they do and damned of they don't

If only they could be perfect, like Roger clearly is

I now even more than ever want Novak to win this event

Imagine! Winner of all four slams at the age of 26, nearly two years before the mighty Roger achieved this. What bile would the Novak detractors spout then?

Let the fun commence!!

Who's spouting any bile? Lol it's always the Fed fans with you guys... You Murray supporters here are always so melodramatic.

banbrotam wrote:For a player as successful and as good as Novak is, there is far too much disrespect of the guy on these boards

As usaul with him and Andy, they are damned if they do and damned of they don't

If only they could be perfect, like Roger clearly is

I now even more than ever want Novak to win this event

Imagine! Winner of all four slams at the age of 26, nearly two years before the mighty Roger achieved this. What bile would the Novak detractors spout then?

Let the fun commence!!

Didn't Nadal already do that (plus Olympic Gold) at age 24?

Also, hasn't Djokovic already done it anyway?!

EDIT: No, I thought he had but I misremembered

So Antonico, boiling it down, your point is that what Novak says publicly may not be what he really feels but, based on what he said publicly, we can tell how he feels; and that's scared.

Haddie-nuff wrote:

socal1976 wrote:I think Novak is putting too much pressure on himself, I think he went into MC without any expectations because he hadn't practiced and was injured, so he loosened up and played really spectacular. Djokovic is in poor form right now, I think he will turn it around although as usual he doesn't get much of a break from the RG people. His form has been dodgy and he has put too much emphasis on RG. What happens if you don't win there still is a whole season left to play. It sets him up for a painful dissappointmet at the end of the day it is no more important than other slams.

On this I agree with you socal... It started of his own making .. however the media have taken that up and have piled it on bit by bit. He is finding what most of them do when they have been at No.1. for some while .. everyone is on his back and sadly thats what happens when you are at the top. I believe Rafa is quite happy with his ranking at the moment.. it has taken the pressure off coming back the way he has .. nothing was expected of him and I believe from what he has said that having already won it 7 times and breaking Borg´s record if he never won it again it would not be the end of his world.

Yes, I don't like all this talk of publically calling out the FO as the be all to your season. In tennis you have to just focus on the very next ball and what you are doing, the second you start thinking about how important the match is or what the score is you don't have the right focus for the game. The more you buildup the FO in your mind the more likely you are to play poorly in the crucial situations, especially for a player like Novak who is at his best beating the expectations. Ultimately, you have plenty of chances for prize money and glory this year and beyond don't make this one tournament such a huge deal. Rafa since he has been back Haddie as you say has exemplified this. He is enjoying every match and taking it as it comes and he is by far the hottest player on tour this year.

banbrotam wrote:For a player as successful and as good as Novak is, there is far too much disrespect of the guy on these boards

As usaul with him and Andy, they are damned if they do and damned of they don't

If only they could be perfect, like Roger clearly is

I now even more than ever want Novak to win this event

Imagine! Winner of all four slams at the age of 26, nearly two years before the mighty Roger achieved this. What bile would the Novak detractors spout then?

Let the fun commence!!

I have to agree with banbro, I don't think this thread has been particularly bad. But the fact is banbro, that Djokovic doesn't even get the respect that other 6 slam winners get in the discussion with comments like Chang was better from the baseline and then some people actually agree with these kind of statements. The fact is that Fed is perfect and the other great players even like Nadal, Murray, and Djoko are continually given less respect than they deserve. Particularly Andy and Novak.

Even in regards to Andy, when Andy had not one a slam yet last year I posted that he was the best player by a huge margin not to win a slam. Even with this rather obvious and at best mildly complimentary statement about Murray numerous people argued that no that wasn't true that the portly super-talented one Dave Nalbandian was the best player to never win a slam, at that time Murray had 4 finals appearances and 6 masters. Clearly a lack of respect exists for both murray and djokovic, and even to an extent for Nadal. You can like whoever you like, but I don't like Roger, I still give the man his due.

Antonico, good post although I don't agree with all that you say you do make some strong points. The guy has a quirkly personality and reads a lot of these self help books. Every player not just Novak has their own way of dealing with the pressure of competing. I don't know if from this statement you can build the mountain you are building. To me his form is the most distressing aspect of it, this statement one way or the other could mean a lot or it could be way blown out of proportion, we will have to wait and see.

break_in_the_fifth wrote:Who's spouting any bile? Lol it's always the Fed fans with you guys... You Murray supporters here are always so melodramatic.

Are we really?

That is a bit rich coming from a Federer fan. Take a look at the Rome Masters discussions. As Fed won through to the final certain posters were proclaiming the great form he was in and drooling. He gets hammered in the final then the epitaphs were out again.

Nothing like a Grand Slam to promote player tribalism

socal1976 wrote:Yes, I don't like all this talk of publically calling out the FO as the be all to your season. In tennis you have to just focus on the very next ball and what you are doing, the second you start thinking about how important the match is or what the score is you don't have the right focus for the game. The more you buildup the FO in your mind the more likely you are to play poorly in the crucial situations, especially for a player like Novak who is at his best beating the expectations. Ultimately, you have plenty of chances for prize money and glory this year and beyond don't make this one tournament such a huge deal. Rafa since he has been back Haddie as you say has exemplified this. He is enjoying every match and taking it as it comes and he is by far the hottest player on tour this year.

Totally agree with you and haddie, unfortunately the intense pressure is one of the aspects of being the #1, the man to beat at nearly every tournament...and it's only exacerbated by the career slam possibility looming on the horizon. It does seem like Novak is trying to deflect media attention, but I'm not convinced that this is the right way to go about it - the media won't necessarily appreciate the instruction. I hope he's alright mentally, I'd hate to see him bow out early. We want the best players through to the end. Maybe it's a surprise to Novak that he's being so talked up, given Rafa's RG record and recent form? I know the media need to trumpet rivalries and so forth, but realistically Nadal's the hot favourite.

@banbotram, fair comment, but bear in mind that people aren't giving Novak stick here, more discussing the reasoning behind his decision. I firmly believe that if Federer had tried to do this, plenty of people would be decrying him as arrogant for attempting to dictate to the press - it's just the way things go when player loyalties are involved.

socal1976 wrote:Antonico, good post although I don't agree with all that you say you do make some strong points. The guy has a quirkly personality and reads a lot of these self help books. Every player not just Novak has their own way of dealing with the pressure of competing. I don't know if from this statement you can build the mountain you are building. To me his form is the most distressing aspect of it, this statement one way or the other could mean a lot or it could be way blown out of proportion, we will have to wait and see.

I can't ever remember a player walking into a press conference and having the Moderator announce that Player X will not answer any questions about...their own Draw in a tournament. I've seen players refuse to talk about off court personal issues, such as Capriati's past legal troubles upon her return to the tour. That I can understand. But using that same leverage and applying it to your potential opponents is simply mind-boggling. What makes it even worse is this is the first time I ever remember Djokovic himself has ever issued such an edict. Actions like this don't just happen for no reason. He has specific reasons to depart from what otherwise would be a mundane piece of business from the media. It's their job to ask such questions about foes. No one ever puts much stock in what's said by players or written by the press on that matter anyway. It's just a necessary detail the media has to do because it's part of their job. That Djokovic has decided to intrude on what would be just ordinary chat by shutting it down altogether is what's puzzling. It's not me making the mountin. It's Djokovic. In fact it's not even a mountain. It's more accurately a fortress. And for no apparent reason. Out of nowhere, he announces his Draw is a subject off-limits. Very odd.

HM Murdoch wrote:So Antonico, boiling it down, your point is that what Novak says publicly may not be what he really feels but, based on what he said publicly, we can tell how he feels; and that's scared.

Well, it was you telling us all how "less bothered" he was by losing, as if you knew such was the case. Right?

Ja Im sorry, no point in pretending that what Novak is doing is the norm. Its very out character for a man who is the Djoker of tennis. For him to suddenly not want to speak about the draw, indicates one of two things. Something is not right in camp Djokovic, or he has grown an ego having beaten all of four players since MC. I vote the former.

I cant see the French media accepting this, nor should they, really. These things naturally progress. Next players will request to only ocus on their next practise sessions, or their next meal. Broad press conferences havent stopped him from winning six Grand Slams, three as world number one. So lets not pretend he is somehow weakened or distracted when he has to speak about the draw.

Do you think he could be a touch jealous of all the attention Nadal is getting? He is the number 1 in the world, he beat Nadal in MC and he is being written off somewhat as favourite for winning Roland Garros.

He feels like he is the main man now, but is still constantly over shadowed by Rafa and Roger, I suspect the Madrid crowd also got under his skin as well and perhaps was thinking of taking down Rafa in Rome when he served for the match against Berdych, already checked out and looking to Rafa

I wouldn´t say that Novak is jealous of the attention Rafa´s getting. More I would say he is concerned about Rafa´s form- Like everyone else, including Rafa himself, he never expected Rafa to be the threat he has become yet again so soon. Putting it plainly Novak wants the FO.. he knows it is Rafa´s baby and he wants to be the one to take it from him. The whole thing has grown and got out of proportion in his head I think, and with his own form having declined he is if not scared, extremely worried. What do you do when you have something troubling you .. "dont talk to me about it " Frankly i think its that simple

It's incredible how much cod psychology this has created.

How about:
1) He just wants to focus on each opponent in turn as he thinks this might help him play better

and

2) There's barely been a press conference in the last few months where's he's not been asked about Rafa and he's just bored of talking about it.

But of course, the only logical conclusion is that the guy on tour who has the best record against Rafa, who has won 8 of the last 11 matches against Rafa (including the last one, in straights) is now running scared of him.

I also note that Federer can turn in two absolutely abject performances against Rafa but all he deserves is credit for being so brave and keeping plugging away (as if there's an alternative! What else would he do? Refuse to play?).

But off the back of one press conference, we decide Novak is the one who is scared.

I'd say it was unbelievable but it's pretty much par for the course on this forum.

You amuse me HMM.. this IS AFTER ALL what this forum is about. It is an exchange of views and you are no more an expert on what Novak is thinking than anyone else .. you dont agree with "cod psychology" and there are those of us who dont agree that it is as straightforward as you would like to think it is.

So 606 has achieved an exchange of opinion.. no more no less.

Thing is Haddie, it's odd how the consensus is the most salacious interpretation when it comes to Novak.

Roger completely bombs in two matches v Rafa = he's brave for even trying, it's amazing he can even walk at the age of 31.

Rafa lets a player into his head for a whole year but eventually beats him on clay = the ultimate competitor.

David Ferrer blows almost every key point he's ever faced against the top 4 = he's the epitome of bravery.

Novak on one occasion doesn't want to talk about the draw = running scared.

I don't care if people think the above, it is after all a forum.

But, in the spirit of the exchange of ideas, I reserve the right to say when I think the standard of reasoning is rubbish!

OK HMM lets get one thing straight... I have no argument with you on your opinion. NONE. But my take on it is this (and you dont have to agree with me). I am no way saying that Novak is running scared as you put it- But Novak has made it perfectly plain for some months now his ambition is to win the FO title. Now we all know that when Rafa returned from injury no one ... not Rafa himself.. ever believed he would regain the form he has so quickly. Novak MUST HAVE seen the chance this year of achieving his goal. Sadly for him the more improved Rafa was getting his own form was dropping off. He I earnestly believed saw his chances getting slimmer with every tournament Rafa won and every match he lost. Lets put it this way.. you have been working to taking a driving test .. pressure on.. coz Dad says he will buy you your first car... the pressure comes from yourself and the nearer that test gets the more nervous you become. I honestly believe that the pressure has also come from within his own camp. What do you do HMM when people keep questioning you on how you feel about the possibility of meeting Rafa in the semis YOU DONT WANT to talk about it. No neither would I .. and neither should he have to. I thing he has done the right think by not answering those questions.
Im not saying he is running scared.. Im saying he simply doesnt want to think or talk about it.
He has made his own mountain to climb HMM. He knows that even if he does win the tournament he has to get past Rafa in the semis-- not something you dream about is it.

HM Murdoch wrote:Thing is Haddie, it's odd how the consensus is the most salacious interpretation when it comes to Novak.

Roger completely bombs in two matches v Rafa = he's brave for even trying, it's amazing he can even walk at the age of 31.

Rafa lets a player into his head for a whole year but eventually beats him on clay = the ultimate competitor.

David Ferrer blows almost every key point he's ever faced against the top 4 = he's the epitome of bravery.

Novak on one occasion doesn't want to talk about the draw = running scared.

I don't care if people think the above, it is after all a forum.

But, in the spirit of the exchange of ideas, I reserve the right to say when I think the standard of reasoning is rubbish!

If prior to a press conference Roger gave instructions that no one should mention Rafa or If Rafa in 2011 gave instructions that he didn't want to talk about how he couldn't win a final everyone would be calling them scaredy cats. People are bound to question Novak if he's so touchy about something he's given instructions he's not willing to talk about it. However you look at it he's sort of asking for trouble. Of course the press won't honor it (I hope!). They are there to ask tricky questions. Novak has just told them what his trickiest questions are. They should go for it!