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NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 26, 2006

Nikolay Davydenko

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. A lot of mistakes out there, but you are through to the next round.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It was -- first set was for me like little bit pression because try to do winners quickly. Was to try to play fast but was like two, three balls then make mistake.
First set, he was running good. Tried to do no mistake and play very well. And then in the second set I try different, like thinking about like this is hard court. Center court is pretty slow. I think about, like everybody running here, play back, like thinking should be like playing clay court. Like make topspin, try to like make no winners. Just play right, you know, right, left, just with topspin, control, and thinking about waiting, you know, for mistake from Baghdatis.
It was, I think, my important thing, was he was running too many, you know. He was already tired after the second set. I think I get more chance to beat him then.
Q. We're not used to seeing this many mistakes from you.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah. Like, you know, sometimes you don't know how you feeling. Normally, like, I don't make so many mistake if I play from baseline. If like slowly, here, like I get good control. Then I try to do myself something.
But sometimes you feeling pression. Sometimes you try to like make winners and you do mistake by self, it's also difficult.
Q. Were you surprised that he had so many double-faults?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I think I was not surprised because it's was -- every time we changing, you know, from other side, like after was 5-All, and it was important to win my serve and I winning. Like before I was 3 serving, I losing on same side. Then we change, I won the serve. For me was important to concentration now to break him in 6-5 in the third. Because was windy, you know, in one side, wind. I was play with wind, you know. Before was against wind, I losing my serve and also he losing, also him serve -- service.
It was, I think, he was already tired after the 5-All and was 6-5. He was winning, try to break also me in 5-All. I was winning with game.
And then I think he was already like no control he get. I think he was really tired.
It was like, I don't know, I was surprising because he makes three double-faults. It's many.
Q. His running forehand crosscourt, how dangerous is that shot?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, normally guys, if some guys try, you know, to play forehand angle to the net, he just get passing shot is good. Now like he feeling very well, like with wrist, and he just forehand. And backhand he just feeling good. Backhand, forehand, you know, like crosscourt, it's passing shot.
For me, was important don't go to the net this important games, just stay from baseline because I know he just try to play fast or cross, and I know what he just, you know -- after the first set, I was like thinking about like still play from baseline and play right and left.
Q. He doesn't often go up the line on that running forehand, does he?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, you think you like -- like in first set, I never play before against him. I didn't know how he is playing.
Like I was surprising because he was played sometimes slowly, sometimes fast, because, like, he just pushing ball like really slow from backhand. Forehand just make topspin. Then one ball, easy, just try to make winner for me. It was like happen and he winning 6-2 because I play against him really slowly first set. He can do everything.
In the second set, I just already start to moving more, like play faster and to make more topspin and play everywhere and just not so many mistakes.
Q. Are you back in Russia now full-time, or no? It says you moved back to Russia in 2004?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Say, like, how you say, move back to Russia. Yeah, I still, like, yeah, I live in Russia but normally I never be there. I just -- I get only Kremlin Cup and just tournament there, if we get Davis Cup. Maybe I spend only after the season maybe like two weeks in November just in Russia. Okay, like, maybe say spend only few weeks in Russia in the year.
Q. So you're in Germany then?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, I spend more time in Germany because my brother lives in Germany and I practice more in Germany.
Q. Is that why you moved there when you were 15? Why did you move there?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, like, we get problem in Russia. You cannot like moving so great, you know, like flying from Moscow to Europe is three hours. From Germany, everywhere I can play tournament, and I play many tournament in Europe like France, Spain, Italy, everything there, for me, it was easy flight from Germany.
I think I was study two language, German and like for me, the second country, like for me is normally like I feeling like it's home.
Q. Do more people -- how many people know you in Russia? Are you very popular in Russia as far as tennis or not as much?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Not so much popular we get Russia tennis. You get like soccer and ice hockey on Russian TV. You don't see so much TV, tennis. Some private TV channel now started tennis. But like it's not like popular like tennis so much.
I think if somebody knows tennis, yeah, I am like famous. But normally, like, normally in Europe more.
Q. How about in America? How many people have recognized you this week here?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I was surprising. I start from last year nobody knows me in US Open. I was already Top 10, like 12, I was seeded No. 12 in the US Open and nobody know me. I was like thinking about like American people doesn't know tennis, only the No. 1 and No. 2.
And then I was like after Australia Open, I was in Shanghai, beat Agassi, I think, and I was play good against Federer in America. I come to Indian Wells already last like last tournament. Already people knows who I am. Just say name, coming to autograph, was surprising.
Q. How about here?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Here, the same. Not more like America, more like Chile, Argentina, Latin American. Difference.
Q. Let's go back to last year, Split, Croatia, Mario. Tell me about that match. What was the atmosphere like?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Against Ancic?
Q. Yes?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It was really cool because it was like so loud and people was crazy. We play in Croatia, semifinal. Croatia was tough team. Just for sure you want to win matches.
For me, I was like, I play good. Normally, against Ancic, I was play very well and feeling I can beat him normally. But then I was after the -- because we play I think three and half hour. I was like thinking about, like, I was tired after this match, and it was Sunday against Ljubicic for me and I was like I cannot move anyway. It was difficult to play.
Q. You never actually played him on a hard court. You've been indoors or on clay. Will this match be different?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, like --
Q. You played Mario on a clay court, inside, but not on a hard court outside. Will it be a different match in that way?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, maybe, because like depends how he play and how he is serving. Because hard court is normally, if some guy is good serving, it's difficult to return. And if he play fast, you know, it's difficult to play, also control from baseline. Because by that he was play really slowly. From me it was easy to play from baseline, get control in the second set and the third.
But you never know what's happening.
Q. When you beat him in Split, it was an emotional moment for you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, like, it's normal because I was already Top 10, and he was, you know, like Top 30 maybe. For me, I don't feeling pression because I feeling I beat him because I play already indoor in Croatia. I play very well in indoor. In this time I play very well. I get good control. I think he get pression in the Split.
Q. Even with the crowd on his side?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Doesn't matter, but I think he have more pression. He was do more mistake, not like me.
Q. But the crowd here responded more to Baghdatis. He's more emotional. He responds to them. You seem calmer and quieter.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, but I have questions why I play center court today? Can you tell me why I play today on center court?
Q. No. 5?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Because Baghdatis. No, not like me No. 5. I play against number guys, I can be on Court 1 or grandstand. Normally like Baghdatis more famous after finals of Australia Open, you know. Come to here and everybody want to see Baghdatis. I think tournament put us on center court. But normally not me. Not like I am No. 5.
Q. Maybe I don't understand. Do you think it's because you're quieter and calmer and people like more emotional players?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't know like emotion. Normally, I play my game, you know. I don't want to like something changing, like in the center court. Doesn't matter if I play center court or grandstand. Maybe if I'm a easier player of Court 1 or grandstand, not so much people to watch.
Q. What have you liked about Miami? You've played here. Is there anything you like about this city? What have you done here other than tennis?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Normally, I come every year here. This was really humid before. I don't like humid because tired and like losing easy, you know. Like you feeling good, you come to here, good preparation, feeling good tennis, then you can't play because physically you tired, very tired.
Here, like now it's not humid. It was easy to play. It was surprising. Now I feeling good in tennis and I can running and I can good control now. It's cold here now, and I think for me it's good.
Q. Outside of tennis, do you do anything during the tournament? Do you go fishing? It says you like to fish.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, but normally I play singles, doubles, singles, doubles every day. I get no time. If I losing now, just finish now tournament, maybe I spend a few days here for fishing or just for holiday. Normally I like in Florida, to stay. Is very good weather, is beach, is sun. It's perfect.
Q. Even though you're ranked -- Marat's ranking has dropped so much because of injury, do you think of yourself as the No. 1 Russian?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Who, me?
Q. Yes.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Like by ranking, yes.
Q. In your mind.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Say, my results. In my mind, like right now I feeling good because I just make some good result, you know.
But normally, I respect Marat because he was No. 1. He winning two Grand Slams. He beat best guys, you know, in the world. He beat Agassi, Sampras, everybody. He was -- I think he was the best player in this time. He beat Federer also.
Because normally, like, if I need to think about if I beat Federer, then I can think about I am better player, you know. But I didn't think about, not yet. You know, I need to prove. I need to try to beat everybody.
Q. Your family, what do your parents do for work? Do they work? What do they do?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, just, you know, still in Russia and now coming to me. I come back to Europe and just coming to me to look Davis Cup for few weeks. Still by me. But no job, just in holiday for ever.
Q. For them? For them, holiday for ever?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, yeah.

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