"I was lucky that throughout my career I was pretty good to adjusting to different conditions and surfaces" - Novak Djokovic after his opening-round victory at Astana Open
In the first round of the 2022 Astana Open on Tuesday at the Daulet National Tennis Center in Nur-Sultan, Novak Djokovic began his bid for consecutive title wins with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory against Cristian Garin of Chile.
It was his most convincing victory of the year and with this triumph, he now has 12 straight victories, extending all the way back to his title run at Wimbledon in June-July.
@DjokerNole cruises into the second round in Astana with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Garin!Simply flawless 💥
🇷🇸 @DjokerNole cruises into the second round in Astana with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Garin!
@ktf_kz | #AstanaOpen https://t.co/mgiuH6knor
At his press conference afterward, the Serb was asked how he handled the slower conditions at the Astana Open compared to the Tel Aviv Open, and he responded that the expertise he had accumulated over the course of his career had helped him.
"I was lucky that throughout my career I was pretty good to adjusting to different conditions and surfaces. I think that experience comes with knowing what to do," Djokovic said as per Eurosport.
He continued, saying that his high level of motivation before this competition also helped him adjust to the changes much quicker.
"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," he added.
The 35-year-old noted that, in reflecting on his performance, he made the most of every opportunity that he was given on the night. At the same time, he also acknowledged that playing in a new competition under unfamiliar circumstances is never easy.
"From the start to the end it was a great performance," Novak Djokovic said. "Playing in a new tournament in different conditions, 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," the Serb added.
"Winning gives you confidence, I’m just excited to compete more"- Novak Djokovic
Speaking to ATP Media before the Astana Open started, Novak Djokovic remarked that victories boost his confidence and make him "excited" to compete. Aside from that, he stated that, given the limited number of tournaments he has participated in this year, it's "a great success" to play consistently well on all surfaces.
""Winning gives you confidence. I’m just excited to compete more. Considering the small amount of tournaments I played this year, it’s a great success to play consistently well on the different surfaces. That’s always a goal to play well all around," Djokovic said.
Botic van de Zandschulp, ranked 34th in the world, will be the Serbian's next opponent in Astana as he pursues his fourth tour-level championship of the year. The Dutchman scored a similar 6-1, 6-1 win over Beibit Zhukayev in the first round to set up a meeting with the 21-time Grand Slam champion.