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Novak Djokovic moved one step closer to tennis history with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win over Alexander Zverev in the semifinals of the 2021 US Open on Friday. The Serb is now one win away from becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete the Calendar Slam.
Zverev played at a reasonably high level for most of the match and managed to force a deciding set. But the German lost his serve early in the fifth and then gifted the Serb another break with a horribly timed smash.
Even as Zverev struggled to deal with the pressure of a deciding set in a Slam semifinal, Novak Djokovic stood tall and emerged with his 27th straight win at a Major. After the match, Zverev lauded the Serb's mental prowess, saying that he would prefer to play anyone but Djokovic in crunch moments of a match.
Zverev's comments did not come as a surprise as Djokovic has an uncanny ability to raise his level in tight situations. When asked how he had gained his ability to up his game in crunch moments, Djokovic explained that winning several matches from losing positions in the past had given him confidence in his own abilities.
"Well, you don't develop that kind of reputation I guess instantly," Novak Djokovic said. "It takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of matches won at the biggest stage when you are down match points, so to say."
Djokovic, who has beaten fellow great Roger Federer from match points down in multiple Slams, pointed out that winning high-stakes matches has given him an aura of invincibility, particularly at the Slams.
"Probably all these big matches that I won, big titles over the years, have kind of built that kind of aura around me that players know there's a never-die spirit with me, especially when I play Grand Slams," Djokovic continued. "They know that until the last shot, you know, things can turn around, which was the case in several occasions throughout my career."
Djokovic asserted that he is "glad" that his peers consider him to be an impenetrable fortress. The Serb declared that he always wants them to feel the heat when facing him in Majors.
"So I'm glad that my opponents think of me that way," he added. "I want them to feel that they are under extreme pressure when I'm facing them on a big stage in Grand Slams."
"Once you're in that situation, you can really comprehend what a player goes through" - Novak Djokovic on Serena Williams' failed bid for a Calendar Slam in 2015
Serena Williams came close to achieving the Calendar Slam in 2015. However, her bid was ended by Italian Roberta Vinci in the semifinals of the US Open.
Unlike Djokovic, Williams used to be quite tight-lipped about her pursuit of the Calendar Slam in the lead-up to the US Open. The Serb, on the other hand, has been quite vocal about his desire to make history, going as far as to claim that it would be the greatest accomplishment of his career.
During the press conference, a reporter suggested that Djokovic, unlike Williams, is a lot more comfortable with his position.
When asked to weigh in on the matter, Djokovic, who won the 2015 US Open, recalled speaking to Serena Williams at the time and revealed that the American legend "was very emotional" about the whole process.
Djokovic further pointed out that since he is now in the same position as Williams, he is able to understand just what the American legend went through in 2015.
"I remember in 2015, I won US Open," Novak Djokovic said. "I was talking to Serena. She was very emotional about everything that was going on. I can relate to what she's been going through right now. I understand it now. Obviously, once you're in that situation, you can really comprehend what a player goes through."
Williams did not take any questions about her Calendar Slam bid throughout the American hardcourt swing in 2015. Djokovic claimed he understood why Williams chose that approach as it would have only added to the weight of expectations on her shoulders.
"I understand why she wanted to avoid all the questions about it because in the end of the day, you have to go out on the court and deliver," Djokovic added. "You're expected to always win. For a great legend that she is, she always has that expectations from everyone, including herself."
Djokovic highlighted that he, too, is under pressure to deliver. However, he explained that different players have different ways of dealing with such situations, which is why he does not mind speaking about his Calendar Slam bid.
"It's no different with me," Novak Djokovic said. "We all have different formulas that work for us in terms of how we want to feel on the court, how we prepare ourselves, how we recuperate."
"I don't mind answering the questions what you guys have," Djokovic added. "I don't think I have anything additional to say what I already said. Of course, I can talk more about it in details probably after the Sunday's final. I'm trying to obviously keep things simple and respect my next opponent and prepare myself well."
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