Novak Djokovic: I’ve Done Well In The Slams, But I Should Be Better At The Other Events

Defending Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic admitted yesterday that he feels he’s done well at the Grand Slams this year, but he should have done better at the other events.

Djokovic, who won the Australian Open, reached the finals at the US Open and Wimbledon and the semis at the French, has just one final appearance at an ATP Masters 1000 event, a win in Monte Carlo.

“Looking over to the last eight, nine months of the season, it has been a pretty good year, even though I maybe expected from myself better performances, especially at the 1000 events,” Djokovic said Tuesday in Shanghai. “In the Grand Slams, I’ve done pretty well. I won a trophy, played a semifinal and two finals, so I cannot complain about that. But the other events, I should have done better.

“But it’s fine. I’m at a good place right now. Something that makes me very happy is that I managed to, you know, kind of regroup and mentally find my concentration and, again, determination after the US Open final loss against Nadal. Played Davis Cup, then win a trophy in Beijing against Nadal in the final. This trophy meant a lot to me, this trophy in Beijing, after a few months with no trophies on the tournaments. So I regrouped. As I said, I’m at a good place right now. Hopefully I can continue that way.”

Djokovic set the bar so high in 2011 with his incredible start, and it’s a stretch that he admits will be difficult to duplicate.

“Well, I always expect for myself a lot, always have the highest possible ambitions,” he said. “Generally every year brings something different. It’s not possible to always be at your best, always to win most of the tournaments that you play on. I am aware of the fact that the 2011 season will be very difficult to repeat. But still knowing that I have done something like that, knowing that I’ve lost only few matches in a whole year, gives me a lot of confidence and also belief that I can do it again.”

Now ranked No. 2, Djokovic won his opening round match today over Marcel Granollers. Next will be Fabio Fognini tonight as a potential showdown with Roger Federer in the quarters looms.