World No. 5 Novak Djokovic shared his thoughts after a match in Shanghai, where he and Marin Cilic set a historic record by playing the oldest match in the history of Masters tournaments.
“Before the game, I was thinking about our combined age with Marin – 75 years. That`s impressive. I hope we have many more matches ahead and can set new records. I feel like today we played as if we were 15 years younger, which is very pleasing. We continue to perform at our best, even when facing younger opponents. Ultimately, age doesn`t play a decisive role: the main goal on the court is to find a way to win,” stated the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the press conference.
Djokovic also commented on the challenging weather conditions at the tournament. “Honestly, the humidity here is incredible. I don`t recall ever encountering anything like this in China, or even playing in such humidity before. But these conditions are the same for everyone – for me, for my opponent, and for all other players. It`s important to accept this and deal with the situation effectively. You have to sweat a lot, so the laundry bills this week will be substantial. But that`s fine. I hope it won`t stop me,” he added.
The four-time title winner also addressed the warm reception from Chinese fans. “I definitely need to brush up on my Chinese language skills. It`s always a pleasure to play in front of such passionate spectators. Over the years, people have given me their love and support, and I try to repay them with good tennis and, perhaps, a few basic phrases in Chinese. It was amazing to see the stands full. I know it`s national holidays now, but for the first match, the support was simply incredible. This is one of the most beautiful stadiums on tour, and I truly enjoy playing here,” he noted.
“It was tough on court; the match was very intense, and Marin is a great opponent. I`m glad I managed to overcome this first hurdle,” Djokovic concluded.
Jasper Carew 
Marcus Prine