AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2006

Nikolay Davydenko

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, I don't think about anything. Like was Love-40 and, you know, I don't concentration like I want to win this match, you know, my game and my serve. But I still, you know, like try to fight, like try to fight third set and fourth set like the same in my serve. I was I think lucky in this game because he still start to play good after 5-1, yeah. He was in like make winners for me and was tough. I play, it was difficult. I cannot already run because we play already 3 hours, 30 minutes. It was difficult to run like right and left. If he make some make winners, it was tough for me. But, you know, few points he make like mistake. You know, I make good serve. I think it was for me was lucky this point.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, like I was concentration. Could make first serve. And like after you never know what's happen. And it was good for me. Was make like ace.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, I finish like late. I play Shanghai, and I think still my form is the same like last year. I think it's still the same like last year here in Australia Open, quarterfinal. Now I still like here also quarterfinal this year. It's for me already good result.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Was good. I like this. You know, crowd, it's okay. Like, you know, it doesn't matter. We play many tournaments, many like Davis Cup matches in like in other city, you know, like in other country because it's very loud. But, you know, it's not like do something people say to you, you know, bad words, you know, for the players. This is, I never see before. But normally, if crowd is like so loud, it's okay. I never mind. It's normal.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, I didn't believe, you know -- I think nobody believe I can win, you know, match today because I was already in third set was like losing my serve 4-3. He's serving. You know, I try like play the same, you know, try to fight. This game I win like 4-All and then try come back, was 5-4. But it was difficult also in the third set. Finish, you know, the set because he running good, I try to running also good, and we play a long rally. You know, was important make no mistake. He make like many mistake in the third set. This is for me good.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, I think my physically was today already better because like I play five sets. I thinking I was dying after two sets, I cannot like running, was like difficult for me run. And then I try running third set. I try running already fourth set. I thinking, like, I finish already in fourth set, I (can/can't?) retire from my match. But still running right, left, right, left, you know. I can't running, you know, go straight or back, you know. Only right, left. For me was important if he didn't make not dropshot or something like this, only play from the side. It was better for me.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, I lost many times against him. Sometimes I losing 7-6, 7-5. Is difficult matches against Federer. But I need, yeah, play I think more better, not like today. Because all match I am running, yeah, right, left. He playing good. He play fast. Federer make good serving, play many volleys. Because Hrbaty just play from baseline. Plus I was running, make slice, come back, we play many from baseline. Against Federer, he just try hitting ball, then go to the net, play more volley and winners. You know, it's pretty tough against him to play enough this match like today.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It's difficult to say. I think I need to play more faster, like better control in from baseline.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Haas little bit not so fast like Federer. He's like make more topspin, and he make little bit slow. Hrbaty play fast. But Haas play normal, like make topspin, good slice, play good serve, but not like Federer so much go to the net or something pression. I don't feel so much pression.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, here Rebound Ace is faster, yeah. Little bit you need -- is different run. In Roland Garros I can run. I make easy run because you slicing. Easy make topspin. He cannot go to the net because I can play long rally. And here he can shouldn't play faster. He can like make net cord, something, you know, for me difficult to moving here. I think if I moving, you know, five sets, is tough.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I think I guess maybe I go fishing for like few minutes, and then take rest little bit, little bit practicing, yeah, 15 minutes maybe. We'll see.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't know. It's like ATP something do promotion for me somewhere here.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah (smiling).