Intro:

Reigning US Open champions Novak Djokovic and Samantha Stosur spoke on Thursday ahead of the start of the Grand Slam as they look to defend their titles.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) (on returning to US Open as a defending champion)

"It's great. I've never had that feeling returning to New York. It's a unique feeling and I'm really looking forward to the start of the US Open. I had a great last two weeks on hard courts and a really busy summer. But you know I needed this week off, no official matches, so I'm getting ready and feeling good about myself at this moment."

SUPER CAPTION: Novak Djokovic, Defending US Open Men's Singles Champion 

SOUNDBITE: (English) (on his form coming into the US Open)

"It was a very emotional Olympic Games for me. I had a great summer, had some really tough matches in the Roland Garros final and Wimbledon. Obviously I wasn't able to bring the gold medal back for my country from the Olympic Games which was very emotional. But I bounced back. I was never really in doubt of going to Toronto. I had very little time to adjust to the surface conditions and time zone, but it turned out to be a fantastic week that brought me a lot of confidence and self-belief, so I am really looking forward to the US Open."

SUPER CAPTION: Novak Djokovic, Defending US Open Men's Singles Champion

SOUNDBITE: (English) (on losing to Roger Federer in Cincinnati)

"You know, maybe mentally maybe I wasn't there, I wasn't fresh. I had a very exhausting and very busy four and a half weeks starting with the Olympic Games and maybe it caught up with me in the end. But look, he was a better player that day on the court. He deserved to win. Regardless of that result, I'm still feeling great, confident on the hard courts and I'm sure I'm going to have a great two weeks."

SUPER CAPTION; Novak Djokovic, Defending US Open Men's Singles Champion 

SOUNDBITE: (English) (on her hopes of recovering from her recent poor form) 

"I think the last couple of weeks I've been playing pretty well and obviously you want to absolutely peak at this moment in these couple of weeks. It has been a bit of an up and down year, but I'm doing the right things and hopefully it's just a matter of time."

SUPER CAPTION: Samantha Stosur, Defending US Open Women's Singles Champion