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January 10, 2007

Nikolay Davydenko

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Q. What's the problem?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Normally, like the physio said, I've got muscles tight, maybe like a foot problem muscles, but important now I go to Melbourne and make like MRI because doctor says it can be like some injury, like a stress fracture, because if coming this one I can be retired from Australian Open, that's why it's very important not to be some injury.
I have now a couple days, just check and see what's wrong, what's happened there, because it's coming from last week in Doha. I was finishing match Friday semifinal, but really worse, I had problem, I had inflammation a little bit, the muscles, and I was coming here, should be like -- I ask for the last -- like play last match here for Tuesday and see what's happening, but after my match like I was like three days' time here, but is nothing like go take rest, muscles still the same tight. Now I was retired today.

Q. Which foot is it?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Right. But normally I get both foot the same muscles pain, but worse is like right.

Q. And it could be a stress fracture?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Doctor says it can be, but is not like 100 percent. That's what I need to check.

Q. So what, you'll get some sort of scans or --
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: MRI coming -- just I try to fly tomorrow to Melbourne, check at the stadium, go to the medical, see a doctor who can tell me something. Normally if I got a stress fracture I need to rest like six weeks. But normally -- I am from Russia, I never take six weeks.

Q. So you've had this problem before with a stress fracture?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, never, that's why it was surprising because I never get so much painful. Okay, I guess I'm tired muscles, but if I don't play two days it's take -- like be fresh already. But now after I was Doha I was finishing Friday and start to play Tuesday and feeling the same, I feel my muscles tight, not coming out anything. That's what I need to check important because we're starting to play five-set matches.

Q. So there's a chance that you may not play the Australian Open?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, could be.

Q. You played a lot of tennis last year and there's been a lot of withdrawals from this tournament. Roger Federer today said that he would like to see the Australian moved back in the calendar to give the players a longer rest. Would you like to see the calendar moved back, as well, or the Australian Open moved back in the calendar?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: The Open move, why?

Q. To get a bigger break.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, but is not possible because we go from January in Australia and then February in Europe. Some guys play in Europe, some guys play in South America, tournaments. It can't be moved. Normally if it's moved, move all tournaments from there because middle of January start Australian Open. If somebody wants to play like first Doha, Sydney can play, but if nobody -- like Federer start to play already like Australia, like exhibition, for him I think new year was spent in Europe and then coming here.
Everybody like do their calendar end of the season. I don't think it's something you need to change calendar. It's most important to talk about Davis Cup changing time after Grand Slam straight, but not like moving Grand Slam to somewhere.

Q. So why do you think so many people have pulled out of this tournament then?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Because it's a small tournament. Second one, I don't think so nobody care about here, tournament. Need to prepare, like if you go through a few matches and go to prepare for Australian Open. It should be the same like balls and surface normally is the same, but after I play last year, like I play every year here, they're coming to Melbourne, a little bit different. The court is a little bit more slow and balls flying not so fast like here. That's why somebody maybe want to prepare a few days before.

Q. So you think it's due to the fact that this is a small tournament and no one cares rather than the injuries themselves?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe because, yeah -- many guys is injuries, the same, like muscles tight. I was seeing in the locker room, my physio, some guys, also losing first round here and get also problems. I don't know, season just begin but everybody injured.

Q. Apart from the injury were you happy with your form and are there any particular areas of your game you would like to improve?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, feeling great. Tennis, like mentally, confidence still good because I finish late, like feeling tennis -- my tennis is great. Only problem, like now important to -- normally my tennis all the time coming, like how I run, like how I get my foot good. Just is moving well, I can play good tennis. If I can't move, my tennis not so great. Today was trying to move but was difficult. If I get some pain, tight muscles, for what I need to play, for what I need to finish matches, it can be worse, can be more tired. Then I can retire after the first set. Just try to play for feeling okay, I can finish match. Normally I can finish match, just stand on the court and lose second set. Better I take rest and just prepare for -- try to prepare for Australian Open.

Q. Do you think if the surface was closer to Sydney than Melbourne, less players would withdraw?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Normally like everybody try just -- I don't know how you say, like normally I like to play before Grand Slam tournament. Like I won New Haven before US Open, I won Poertschach before Roland Burros, then play semifinals in Grand Slam. I don't feel tired. Is good prepare. Sometimes maybe if you feel great -- if I feel great, I like to play here, I like to finish here tournament how I can. If I want to win, I try to win here. But if there's some injury, you feel tired before a Grand Slam, better retire from here and go there. Just you have a few days to take off, take rest, and you can already just start good from first round.

End of FastScripts

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