Djokovic admits Federer's health a concern during their semifinal match "Obviously he was hurting"

Defending champion Novak Djokovic discovered his rhythm towards the end of the first set in his match against Roger Federer at the Australian Open, before racing to a three set victory.

The World No.2 gave his thoughts on his performance, and revealed that he too was concerned about the fitness and health of his Swiss adversary.

“I was trying to focus on myself, been told by the team as well to prioritize my own things rather than really thinking about how he's feeling or how he's going to move, how he's going to play. But it's easier said than done,” Djokovic said. “When I was on the court at the beginning, I was really paying too much attention on his movement. I wasn't in the right balance, I wasn't hitting the ball. I wasn't executing the shots the way I wanted.

“After clinching the first set, which was crucial, I relaxed more and started swinging through the ball better. I felt more in control of the match in the second and third set.”

Djokovic is well aware of the dangers of underestimating Federer, and knew he would face a tough test regardless of the former champion's condition.

“It's never easy to play Roger. I mean, obviously he was hurting. You could see it in his movement. Respect to him for trying his best. After losing the first set, he got a medical. He came back and played all the way through. That's really worth respect. It's unfortunate that he was not at his best,” Djokovic said.

“I still think he played pretty well. He was coming to the net and trying to mix things up. I don't know exactly to what degree his injury is, but when you're feeling a little bit hurt, you kind of go for your shots even more.”

After leading his team to victory at the inaugural ATP Cup, the Serbian has been in tremendous form this season. Dropping only one set thus far, Djokovic appears determined to win his eighth Australian Open title.

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