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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 24, 2007

Nikolay Davydenko

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. There was very little in the match as far as stats are concerned. Where do you think you lost it?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I think it was -- okay, it was bad luck because I get match point from second serve and he return just fine from baseline. But I don't know what's happened then.
Okay, it was mistake I didn't give chance to play this point. But then he play well. Like by 5-4 he just hit from baseline so fast and I have no chance.
Just I to try to fight just to get control from baseline. But I play slow, pretty slow here. That's why he gets every time coming to the ball and hitting ball make some winners coming to the net.
I have no pressure to him. He make pressure all match. That's why he won in the five sets. But normally should I know why the reason he play very fast in the first set and then second set and third like giving up two sets like this and then fighting start in the fourth set. That's why it was already a little bit different.

Q. How disappointed are you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Not so much, just because like it was different game. What was different between US Open and here. Yeah, from my side, normally I need to play a little bit more faster. I did so many mistake from baseline. He beat me from baseline. That's why I was surprising.
I need now to more -- now, okay, take rest after Australian Open and just try to consideration for practice for my baseline control and a little bit play more faster, more confidence to get from baseline. Today was different.

Q. So it was to do with the tempo of the game. He had a quicker tempo than you did?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah. He was get tempo, yeah, faster. This was for me normally get no chance.

Q. How do you rate his chances in the semis?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't know who against he play. Nadal or González, and fighting the same. Nadal play fast from one hand, and Gonzalez also play forehand fast.
They both make good top spin from baseline. Haas should be play if he get good serve and hitting few balls fast he get a chance to winning semis, but not like today, play good one set and then losing easy two sets try and then try to fight in the fourth. Maybe a guy like Nadal doesn't give it. Just trying to winning in the four sets.

Q. What did you make of having Hawk-Eye available on a match point?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Normally like I try to be risky. I don't know why it's was -- should be try -- you know, I know why I did do mistake. Normally I just return second serve back and then play from, you know, just play baseline.
But at match point I want to make winner from backhand. That's was my stupid mistake. Because I didn't make in the match like I make no return winners in this point.
That's why he hitting to the backhand top spin, and I try to push -- like losing a little bit ball, just try to hit long line. It was stupid from my side.

Q. We're only at the start of a very long year. Do you believe that as the year goes on you can genuinely bridge the gap between yourself and the top two?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Because depends how I start to play tournament and how is my -- how I improve my game. Normally, what I did in -- here in Australian Open I didn't something surprise myself. I didn't something do well from my side. My serve was not great.
Okay, baseline, I always play baseline control. I have guys three round is no special, not like fighting, winning in three sets. And then Berdych playing in the fourth round was like fighting already. Here in Australian Open just come, I don't know, like play only baseline and nothing else.
That's was coming to quarterfinal but didn't improve anything. Just every match think about what I did and what needed to for the next match, how I need to play. I play every match the same, every round. Nothing special. I didn't improve anything in Australian Open for my side.

Q. Did you notice what Tommy was saying after the third set? He was speaking to himself.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Uh-huh. I was surprising. I think Haas coming crazy. Speak by self in the match because nobody's talking. He say something, talk, just he talk, he can't play in Australia anymore good and something like this.
I was surprising what he talking about changing games.

Q. Did that irritate you any in any way when you were sitting on your chair and heard what he said?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No. Just only one time he talk too loud. It was surprising.

Q. Just on the rankings, it is important for you, do you believe to protect No. 3 and cut the gap between 2 and 3?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe protect Top 10 is already good, you know, still from my side. Like, okay, it's great if I do Grand Slam result like semifinal, quarterfinal, or final. Then end of a year you just coming to Shanghai and you prove how you play Masters there and what I did. I have Paris, and then I come from No. 6 to No. 3. That's just one weekend only one tournament, and then you have big ranking.

Q. Airness is French?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes. It's coming contract I think after -- I think from next tournament, from Marseille.

Q. You are happy with that?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Happy, yeah. I get clothes for free for three years. Yeah, happy.

End of FastScripts

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