Radu Albot ‘take your daughter to work for a day’… against Novak Djokovic | ATP Tour

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Radu Albot ‘takes your daughter to work’… against Novak Djokovic

The Moldovan speaks to ATPTour.com ahead of the 30th Grand Slam

August 24, 2024

While Radu Albot was on his way back to his hotel after his US Open final round win Thursday against Shintaro Mochizuki, his wife, Doina, was checking the lottery numbers on her phone to see if there were any qualifiers.

Doina needed to scroll for a long time – all the way to the end where 128 players were drawn, in fact. The Moldovan was set to face 24-time Grand Slam champion and runner-up Novak Djokovic.

“My reaction was that I have never played him, so it is interesting, it will be interesting to do that, but also at the same time what you expect is that if you qualify you will get an easy match, of course, than playing with the second seed,” Albot told ATPtour.com. “I trained with Rafa, we train with Roger, but I have never trained with Djokovic and it will be the first time we play on the same court.”

The experience will be made even more special by having his wife and daughter, Adeline, with him. Adeline went with her mother to Arthur Ashe Stadium to take a picture on the world’s largest tennis court, not knowing that her father would be playing there soon.

This four-year-old boy while on the Tour met players like Federer, Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Perhaps his most special encounter happened earlier this week at the US Open players’ restaurant. Adeline met local names: Billie Jean King.

“It’s really nice. I think two years ago we were getting these little toys, dolls, they were plastic. And so it was [Billie Jean King] with a tennis racket in hand,” said Albot. “And he was playing all the time with this little toy, with a racquet and now he has met in person, the real person of that toy.

Albot added: “For me, seeing him and my wife in the stands is something special. You play your whole life, and sometimes, you have an extra supporter in your team, a little one, so this is very exciting to hear. “

This will be the 34-year-old’s 30th major match, but his first against a Slam champion in a major tournament.

“Yeah, I’m not going to cry and be like, ‘Oh, I’m unlucky’. That’s right. I’m looking forward to this challenge, and I want to see what I can do, how I can play, and how the game will be, especially if it will be in a big stadium full of people,” said Albot. “It will be all over the world on television. I’ve already had so many messages from home about wishing me luck and beating Novak that there’s nothing else I can do, go out there and do my best, compete as much as I can.

“I know if I play well, I will be happy. Yes, I go to the field to win. But we know who Djokovic is. We know his records. We know his achievements. We know his confidence, especially after winning the Olympics recently. So I’ll just go there and try to focus on myself, and if I play well, I think I’ll be happy with that.”

The number 138 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will be able to rely on previous meetings against the top player. He has played Roger Federer twice, including a clash in Miami five years ago, when Albot won the first set before losing in three tight sets.

“I think it helps. “I think it helps to know what to expect from the crowd and I think it also helps to know what to expect from one of the greatest,” said Albot. “When I was playing with Roger, I went to the court with only the intention of winning the game. I wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh, I wish I could take a game’, or, ‘I wish I could take a set’, or anything like that. No, I was just going to win.”

The nine-time ATP Challenger Tour champion explained that keeping that mindset helped him against Federer, but facing Djokovic will be different.

“Novak is very complex. He has a great body [attributes]of course. You are going well. He has good shots from both wings, forehand and backhand and serves and at the net, he is also good. So the experience I got in the previous games playing Roger, Andy and other big boys, will help me a lot in the next game,” said Albot. “On the court, especially in the five-setter, it’s a little different, because there are many things that can happen during the match. It’s a long game, and I have to prepare myself mentally and make the right changes during the game.”

Ten years ago, Albot qualified for the first major draw at Flushing Meadows. Since then he has reached World No. 39 and won the ATP Tour title in Delray Beach, but the Moldovan this week was thinking about that time.

“It’s not that easy to play tennis at all. It’s not easy,” said Albot. “But being here, and being here by myself, and playing three matches, and winning all three Grand Slams and qualifying for a major event, especially when you come from a small country where there is none. financial support, no staff support, nothing – you’re doing it yourself in an event like this – it’s so big.”

Ten years later, Albot will compete in the main tournament of the US Open for the tenth time. The Moldovan, who will play four-time champion Djokovic on Monday evening on Opening Night inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, enjoyed the field.

“I am very proud that I can represent the country because not everyone in the US knows about small European countries. I come from a small country that is not famous at all. I would like them to know that I am from Moldova,” said Albot. “Secondly, I want all people to know that I am on the court, me, myself and my team, and you can say that all my friends, and my whole country, are on the court as well, to compete and win.”

“Third of all, I would like them to know that everything is possible, even if you come from a country where you don’t have that many opportunities in your life, or many opportunities… .”