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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2007

Nikolay Davydenko

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Tell us about the match.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Okay. If I start from first set, it's was okay. Better if I start already from last set because everything was first set some mistake. Okay, he was play good. He was try to play a long and fast. That's was for me very tough to be control from baseline and I did make some mistake. He make winners also great.
It was from my side, I don't know what's his problem was in the second and the third, why won easy. He did more mistake. I was hitting the same balls. And then in the fourth set is happening. He try play faster and more concentration get. That's was for me more long rally already start, and he push me forehand, backhand. I was running too much already from like finishing in the fourth set.
Was fighting. Try to break me by 5-4. Then come back and, yeah, I get match point by 6-5. In tiebreak was, yeah, amazing.

Q. What was going through your mind when you had him Love-40 and match points?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I just play the same what I did, just return, try to control ball. If he make winners, okay. But I was see by 30-40. I pushing ball and I try to get now should be winning this match already by 6-5 and 30-40. Then he was play in the net and then I was like go down and up, mistake.
But in tiebreak, yeah, was thinking about if I get less chance in tiebreak, because he play better. He get forehand, backhand, I think he play fast and make winners. That's was I was only running and play back and back. And that's was from my side I think was good. Just I fight in tiebreak, just good was concentration for tiebreak. He make only few mistake. That's it. He lose tiebreak.

Q. You must be very happy.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes. Already third time in quarterfinal in Australian Open. For me is like great.

Q. Third seed, in the quarterfinals, you haven't played on center court yet. Does that disappoint you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I was disappoint about I don't play in Vodafone Arena. I played already two matches there, then go Margaret Court, because is little bit different. Like there is feeling little bit more like indoor. Here it's like little bit windy, was sun from the side.
That's was tough to control ball. You don't see so great ball because was little bit dark, you know, was light, dark. In the court, you didn't see so great. Was tough.
I don't know why in quarterfinal put me on Court 4 or 3. We see (smiling).

Q. You think the tournament has ignored you a little?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: From first round, I don't like straight off play center court. I don't like to play so great from beginning. I need to prove to come into the center court. If I have great play, I need to come to quarterfinal, semifinal, to be prove my game. Then center court I play already better and better because every match you feeling you can play good.

Q. Playing so many matches, does a day off throw you off?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It was tough. Last year was final Davis Cup, finish in December. Should be normal after Shanghai I'm already get rest in November, then from December start preparation for the new season. Now I was take rest holiday about one week, two weeks. Prepare already later.
That was and, yes, not so much I think time for the rest. I was already injury from beginning the season. That's was I was already surprising, I feeling better here and still in the tournament.

Q. Did you fit a honeymoon in between?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Ha, ha, ha. Honeymoon was the same preparation for the season (laughter). I was in Maurice two week. It was the same. Honeymoon, tennis, mix everything together.

Q. Does your wife like tennis?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't know (laughter). Normally I don't know. She's like stay with me everywhere, where I stay, what I do, what I like to do, which tournament I play. Just she spending me time, that's it. If I don't play tennis, is okay for her. But I still play.

Q. Can you talk about Tommy Haas for us.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: He get chance at US Open. Normally I think about I losing in three sets because I didn't play so good and he play okay. He play good. He get good serve. He winning two sets. I don't know what's happen. He lose only one break in the third set. He lost third. Then the same was happen in fourth set. Then, you know, like coming. I won in five sets match.
But he's still good now in the moment if he beat Nalbandian. From my side is be good, because against Nalbandian, I think more player for me is tougher guy because I lose many matches already in quarterfinals, in Grand Slam, Roland Garros. Haas I already won quarterfinal US Open.
We'll see. But today my tennis was okay like from what I did now in Australia Open is good. We'll see how play Haas now.

Q. Do you feel good about playing Tommy? Do you feel confident?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Depends which court I play.

Q. Which court are you expecting?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: What do you mean?

Q. Which court do you expect to play on?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It's only two matches. I don't know which court. But not Margaret or Show Court 2. For sure not. Maybe Rod Laver and Vodafone. For me both courts, no windy, is already good like feeling better.

Q. Do you take special pleasure from meeting guys who have big game?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Which guys?

Q. Tomas, for instance. Such a difference between you. They hit the ball a ton, serve big. Does it give you special satisfaction to be able to take those guys out with the kind of game you have?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Normally if you have good control, doesn't matter who is playing, who is hitting ball, how he hit ball. If you just get control from baseline and you hit back, you feeling you can make some winners this point. You do no mistake.
That's was like then you play easy and easy against this guy. That's was is tough play against Federer because he play more faster and do the same against another guys.
If I beat Berdych like now, I play against Federer, it's complete different game because Federer play -- you know, every guy play different games. Now I play against Haas. He also play from baseline. He get good serve.
You never know what's happen in the match because it was like game. You try to fight, try to win match. If you get some lucky points, if both guy play good and you have one lucky point, then, Oh, he did mistake, you have chance to win.

Q. Kafelnikov was known for playing many games in a year. Is that why you also play many games?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No. I starting this year play no doubles, just only singles (smiling). For me it's okay. If I no injury, feeling great, why not to play most tournaments? Okay, now after Australia, I have two weeks rest to prepare for the indoor two weeks.
Coming back to America, I play Masters Series. Now I try to mix. If I play some good Grand Slam tournament, make great result here, some in other tournament, big tournament, yeah, I play maybe less tournament.

Q. Do you get bored when you're not playing?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Like, yeah, feeling the little bit not nervous. I get like find my power more and more. Just want to hit balls, like try to come back to the tour. If I don't play three weeks, maybe I becoming crazy.

Q. Why do you think Nikolay Davydenko has to wait till the middle of the second week to play on the main court?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Why? I don't know why. From my side, I feel great to start in show courts. Coming to semifinal, quarterfinal, play center court. You get another guys, Nadal, Federer, who get promotion, Baghdatis, who get adidas promotion, Nike promotion. He because pay for the TV and everything do for the center.
Me, I don't know, I need good company to make me promotion to put me in the center court. I have no promotion. That's why they put me in Show Court 2.

End of FastScripts

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