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PILOT PEN TENNIS

August 24, 2006

Nikolay Davydenko

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Nikolay.

Q. You seemed to be very aggressive on his service games. Were you feeling comfortable? Wide variety of shots. Feeling comfortable on his serve?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, it was like was surprising I play very well, good control from baseline. From forehand, from backhand I make so many winners. Maybe was because in center court, night session, was not so hot, and ball flies not so fast. You have more control in night.
Say balls fly slowly and you have movement better, that means you can move into every point, just hitting balls. I think for me was today better. And he play not so fast. He make slicing. I was control this ball from slicing. I play cross, along line. Was for me easy. He didn't play fast. That's what for me was easy.

Q. As the highest ranked player left here in the draw, do you feel more pressure to win?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I never feel something pressure to win because normally really I don't care about future, winning tournament or not. I just thinking about for the next match. I was like good prepare here, good confidence, because every match I play better and better. Today play match was play good. I hope I try to play tomorrow play good. Doesn't matter I win or lose, but is feeling good coming to US Open and play Monday, Tuesday. By feeling I play very well in New Haven, you confidence is good, you hitting every ball, you think you can play next week also good.

Q. You don't look at this as a great opportunity to win this tournament?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: How say, you know, I not concentration to win this tournament, I just concentration to play every match good. That what is automatically is coming. If I win today, I try to play good tomorrow like for me, important for me play good on hard court. If I win, is okay coming to the final. You know, I not like concentration now I need -- Blake losing here first round, now I can win here in New Haven. Soderling play good. He beat also tough guys. He can play also very well. Maybe he concentration to win this tournament. For me now like every match is important.

Q. It's a big change going from Rochus to Soderling. I'm sure you have to worry about his serve first. Talk about the challenge.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: We'll see tomorrow because he was play today at the day. Was like hot, like warm, ball was fly fast. Night session a little bit different. That was dark. You know, some little bit different service. Should be a little bit slow. Ball a little bit heavy. I think it was for me better to play night session tomorrow. We'll see.

Q. How would you describe your return of serve as part of your game? Is it strong?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, it's not like only return. It's about everything. It's control ball for everything, like from baseline, from returning, from slicing, everything. If you feeling better and better, like every shot, if you hitting, you feeling you didn't miss. That is what is important. I think I can feeling better with balls. That was for me important for the next week and for the next match also.

Q. Saw Andy Murray on television. He beat Federer recently. He was asked how to beat Federer. He said you have to keep the ball away from his forehand. I assume Federer has the best forehand in the world. From what I saw of your forehand, is there anybody in the world that has a better forehand than you, aside from Federer?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, Federer get every day good forehand. For me, maybe I have best forehand some days, like in some matches I can hitting good. Federer every match hitting concentration to forehand very well. That's just he win everything.
If I play like this today, my forehand every day, maybe I can say like my forehand is the best. For today my forehand is good. That's what I don't know what happen tomorrow.

Q. Would you trade your forehand for anybody's besides Federer?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Normally I feeling more like for the backhand. I like to play clay court. That was important for me, everybody play to my backhand. I hitting also winner from backhand along line. I'm concentration more of backhand.
Of hard court is tough. It pretty fast here. You just need to control. You can't make only winners here. Good control from topspin from the backhand, forehand. Sometimes you can make winners, that's what I just try. Just concentration for forehand winners.

Q. You were on today.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, I was surprising myself also.

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