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TENNIS MASTERS CUP

November 14, 2007

Nikolay Davydenko

SHANGHAI, CHINA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. It's impossible for you to beat Federer or your mind is also in the Davis Cup final or how is the situation?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, my mind is still in here in Shanghai. Uhm, no, it's not like impossible to beat Federer. Just, you know, sometimes mentally is tough or physically. Today was really tough for me physically.
I was play some good points and he play very fast and I was sometimes play good and then next point concentration was less and playing not so good.

Q. You seem to always have a way to deal with taller, stronger guys on the ATP. After the loss to Roger, have you learned something to deal with him, fight with him?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Give me question. I don't understand.

Q. After the 11th loss to Roger, have you got some more ways to fight with him?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, still happy, you know, to be on the tour. I don't want to die now after losing against Federer.

Q. Rather than talking about what it's like to lose to Roger for the 11th time, did you talk about what you see the difference between him and you when you're playing each other tight like that? What are the critical differences that you can point to?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I think between me and Federer, it's just like maybe he get a bit more confidence better and hitting forehand get more faster. Try to make really good winners. And very good serve.
Sometimes he make good concentration and make first serve and then winning points from forehand or some with volley.

Q. One could look at the second half of this season and make the argument that things are tightening up at the top of the men's game. Is your impression the game is becoming more competitive at the very top?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, I don't want to say like okay, but if you see Federer, Nadal, is not like winning all matches. Is also Djokovic beat Nadal and Federer. And Nalbandian beat in Madrid and Paris.
I want to say just from my side, you know, like was tough for me here just to be prepared very good for Shanghai to play very well here because I have before injuries and play not so great in Paris and St. Petersburg.
That's was, you know, like season -- end of the season and really tired, you know, mentally and physically. That's was, you know, now just what to say? Just to prepare for the next season, how possible physically to be fit, you know, against like Federer or Nadal, to be physically stronger.

Q. Are you at the point where you can't wait till this season is over? Maybe you have a nice vacation planned or something. Are you thinking, There's still Davis Cup left, but you'd like it to be all over and already 2008?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, I be happy to come for finals to Davis Cup because it's really history of ITF, Davis Cup, you know, Russia playing against America. They play in Russia. We play now in America finals.
If we win, I think it's the best moment, you know, in my 2007 year, you know, be in America for Davis Cup.

Q. You broke him twice today in very important moments. Did you see him doubting more than usually compared to the games you played with him before? How would you say your serve was today?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Okay, you know, just I broke him in US Open. I broke him everywhere. You know, not only here few times.
Yes, I need to work with my serve much better, much constant because today I was -- because you don't need to serve against Federer very fast because he returning very well then. Just if you serving topspin to the backhand, he can't do anything, he don't make winners, he just put ball back and you just make baseline like movement. You see who play better from baseline.

Q. The ATP has withdrawn the punishment towards you for the $2,000 fine. Any comment on that?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Normally what about fine for $2,000 in St. Petersburg, everybody read. I don't have anything because this was ATP was decide. Just check video in match and everything was okay. That's was I tell already the press before I don't think I get fined for this. It's okay for me. I very happy.

Q. Do you think what happened outside the court has an influence on your game, those match-fixing talks makes it difficult to concentrate on your game here?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, normally I'm just try, you know, to get -- just get concentration for my match today. And, you know, I know I have last match now against González. I won already González few matches, and he beat Federer. That's was surprising for me.
You know, for sure I try to win against González 'cause last match and to what I need to lose already nothing. Just concentration for next match.

Q. As you're playing the Davis Cup final for Russia, will you have any holidays? Australia, it's a long calendar.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes, I go Sunday I fly already to Maldives for one week, take rest, and coming already Monday like for Davis Cup prepare.

Q. One more question on the $2,000 fine. First they punish you, then they give you the fine. Second, they say you're not fined anymore. Did you expect they were asking you or telling you, Sorry, we made a mistake, excuse us?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't want to say ATP was punish me. No, no. Everything was clear already in St. Petersburg. It's just because in the rules, after warning, I get fine. It doesn't matter it's worse coming fine or not. It should be in the rules coming to the press from ATP. That's was of after warning I get fine. I get minimum fine $2,000.
I was already spoke with referees in St. Petersburg. Everything was clear already there. I know already after St. Petersburg I don't have any fine.

Q. Directly on Roger, he's lost more matches this year than he has in the last couple, and to more players. People are talking maybe he's a little more vulnerable now.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: More tired maybe (smiling).

Q. Should we be thinking he's easier to beat now or should we not be thinking that?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, everybody older - also Federer. He's also 26 next year, 27. That's was I think he's, you know, more tired for the next year, and concentration you're losing (smiling). You waiting. Everybody always waiting.

Q. Have you watched many of the other matches here? If so, other than speaking about Federer, can you give us your sense of the rest of the field, who has really impressed you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Just David Ferrer impress me. He was physically strong here. Mentally also. That's was very good. End of the season he just good prepare for Masters Cup, and I hope he's already in semifinal, winning two matches.
I don't know, like who is then. Nadal, it's always Nadal. He fighting, try to fight. But Djokovic, I don't know. I was surprising he was tired here for play not so great matches.
But from my side, what I can say? Still now to play Roddick/González decide who coming to semifinal.

Q. You're one of the best returners on the tour. Since you played Andy Roddick and Federer in three days, can you compare these two guys' serve? What is the feeling to return their serve? Which one is more difficult to handle?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It's tough to say because Roddick serving faster, you know, like little bit maybe 20 kilometers faster from Federer. But Federer also, you know, sometimes he get good concentration, serve very well, make some aces, and is pretty tough to return.
Everything what I keep, you know, to -- you know, to try to touch ball, I try to returning. If some come aces, I cannot do. I think no one's can do.

Q. The second game of the second set was 11 minutes long. You held. What does a game like that take out of you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: For me, you know, maybe mentally, you know, to fighting, fighting for every point. And I know if I win, like just doesn't matter if I lose all match, just for me it's important. Was so long, you know, game.
From my side if I was winning and I get a little bit more confidence. I was really tired after this game, but confidence was very good.

End of FastScripts

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