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PILOT PEN TENNIS

August 26, 2006

Nikolay Davydenko

NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT

THE MODERATOR: At the end of the press conference there will be a special presentation to Nikolay from one of our sponsors, South African Airways.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I get plane, Boeing 747 (smiling).

Q. He had a number of break chances in the first set. You fought each of them off. Did you elevate your game on those points?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, like from beginning, like little bit was -- like something feeling not so great, because two matches I played night session was dark, was still 7:00 at day. Maybe was a little bit faster for me.
He was make only serve, hitting fast one point. It was, for me, I do so many mistake. I cannot make some rally good. That was not so good control.
I try just keep on service. Like was good first serve. That was what I was winning my free serve first for three games. That was after I break him back and was just keep my serve. Like from beginning second set, I feeling better and better. Already was dark. It was maybe feeling already better from baseline. I already play good every point.

Q. Was there a turning point when you felt like you stopped making errors? Was there one game or one point that kind of got things going for you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It's difficult to say because sometimes he beginning -- sometimes he hit so fast and I have no good control, you know, from baseline. Sometimes he just hitting topspin and just try to keep like play every points. Was better and better.
I don't know. It's depends how Calleri play was. Sometimes he tried to make fast winners. It was tough for me. Or he just play really fast cross from forehand that was not so good control from my side.
Try like also change some racquets. Was not happy, like stay in the same racquet, was better and better. Just, you know, like you need from beginning to after make it something like confidence I think and like feeling balls. That's was better.

Q. You said he was hitting the ball hard. Is that something you got used to as the match went on?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: What do you mean?

Q. You said he was hitting the ball hard. Was that something you got used to as the match wore on, you were able to adjust?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, he beginning was very fast. From the second set was a little bit slow from his side. I get more control from the second set. Maybe it's like, you know, changing from the weather also. Day and night, it's different.
He was not so great already service. It was dark already. He make only from -- already second serve. I get return and play from baseline.

Q. They announced you as the Ironman of the tour. You're playing every single week on the tour. Do you enjoy playing tennis? Love being out there?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I enjoy if I win matches. If I losing, I just -- like I was, you know, need to practicing. Like losing in Toronto first round, practicing all week. Coming to Cincinnati, losing Monday, practicing all week. You know, I don't like too much practicing. That's what's better to win matches in the tour, not so much practice. Just warm up, and then still in the tour. Just play more matches. It's more easy, looks like.
Not only to physical condition, something like practicing two, three hours a day, it's too much.

Q. Is this the absolute perfect way you could go into the US Open, by playing as many matches as possible right here and winning the thing?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It was, like say not so long matches, like one hour something, two sets. For me, yeah, maybe I play Tuesday match. I have two days off, like prepare also practicing there. Is balls the same. Maybe different little bit hard court. Maybe little bit faster there. Just need little bit practicing there.
But by my mind, yeah. Like I win tournament here, feel already beginning from first round, I think -- I hope I play already good in hard court.

Q. All week you've kind of just said, I'm just playing matches. I'm just playing matches. Not really focused on winning the tournament.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah.

Q. When you did win, you let out the big scream.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, I'm happy really. Like, say, first title this year. I never did before. You know, like I was already five finals this year, yeah? Like I win two matches -- tournament. I won two tournament. Lose in the finals.
That for me was pressure, like final, fifth final. I need to win. That's what maybe like this. Beginning from first set was a little bit nervous. Try to have something to do, do mistake. Now I am happy. Third title already in hard court, because I didn't win so much tournament in hard. That was for me here, so that's already good.

Q. What was the key for your victory tonight?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Key? Is depends. Just control. Just coming to get fun in the court. My brother say, Don't care what's happen. Like if you losing, you losing. But just make for you like important things.
You need to like prepare to US Open. That's what's like match, it's how you feeling. You just from starting to play better and better and better. It's like just baseline. Control from baseline. It looks I can play good in hard court position like not so good serve I get, like not big serve.
Just only good control on hard court. Not to do some many mistake. I think was important things of hard because everybody changing from clay court to hard court try to hitting fast, try to play short ball. If I keep play like in clay court, just little bit different tennis, but try to make also good control like in clay court, like happen here, I could play from baseline. It was important.

Q. Talk about your serving on the big points. You made some really big serves when you needed them most.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: From my side?

Q. On your serve, yeah.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It sometimes happen. You know, maybe if I don't feeling so good from baseline, I just try to concentrate something different. That maybe for me was also important. Like you get breakpoints and I need something to do maybe.
I was not concentration make some very big serve, just was for me important was from first serve beginning playing points. That's was like make some risky, but I think was today lucky for me, some points. Because he was breakpoint and I make some good serve. That's was like, Oh, he cannot get no chance.

Q. Was that the best you've served through the week, in this match?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah. No. Like it was already play in second match against Srichaphan, I make also good serve, because like day and was ball fly faster. Just also concentration the first serve, also make good serve.
Yeah, today was only important points I make good serve.
THE MODERATOR: As I said earlier, we have a special presentation. South African Airways became an official sponsor of the ATP Tour. They announced a three-year sponsorship deal. They are also the official airline of the Tennis Masters Cup. As Nikolay won the tournament, he's also the winner of two business class tickets. South African Airways is giving away two business class tickets to winners at 10 tournaments. Alan Melville from South African Airways will present Nikolay the certificate.
ALAN MELVILLE: Congratulations, well-played.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Thank you.

End of FastScripts...

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