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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

April 6, 2008

Nikolay Davydenko

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How nice does that feel, sitting next to that trophy?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Umm, it's like -- I don't think so, like if Nadal winning can say, oh, okay I have my three or five or tenth already. I have already winning many times.
But it's different. Second time to win Masters Series, it's like for me something important, because, you know, fighting every match, you know, save match point and coming to the final and win, beat Nadal in the final, first time in my career.
I think it's -- I say for me it's mostly crazy. (laughter.)

Q. Do you believe that you're not really well-known in America, but now after winning big tournament like this in America maybe...
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: To be famous? Here? (laughter.)
Yes. Really. Because to be famous really in tennis you need to win Grand Slam. Or, like, say Masters Series, but not one, you know, like a few or maybe every one.
But, yes, I would say if I would like to be famous by self (sic) I need to win tournaments here and to play very good tennis and this was to beat No. 1 and No. 2 in the world.
I think and then I have more fan. Because if you see -- I didn't play on center court at beginning tournament, because, you know, we have here, Roddick, Blake, Americans, because we're in America, and Federer, Nadal, Djokovic.
Yeah, is the best player in the world and should be playing on center court and get TV.
It's good. But for beginning tournaments I don't want to play on center court. (laughter.) It was good for me to play on Court 1 or Grandstand and, you know, to feeling little bit more confidence to come here for quarterfinal first time in center court and feeling much better.

Q. Do people recognize you on the grounds when you walk around?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes. Because there's so many from South America, people, you know. And I think these guys very like tennis, because Argentina play Chile, you know.
And, yes, everywhere if I go it's everybody recognize me. But it's already before, before -- in the beginning, first week, because everybody I know here is big tournament in Miami and everybody knows some players. My face is not, you know, looks like Davydenko, no different (laughter.)

Q. Everybody knows you've been going through a difficult time. How have you been able to play your very best tennis at this extremely difficult time in your life?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't feel now something difficult in the moment. Really I'm beginning this year I was feeling great. Okay, like I didn't defend my Australian Open points, and I was starting, you know, feeling maybe this year starting for me so difficult because I need -- I'm No. 4 in the world and I need to defend points, many points, and what I can do, try to find my game.
It's mentally maybe sometimes, you know, heavy in your head, thinking about -- it's not something like how many money you do. It's like important how you feel in tennis and just think about my points, defend points and how I lose my ranking. I was 10, you know, I can stay No. 4.
That's was for me now, winning here, I can still, you know, No. 4.

Q. Was winning here the best performance of your career?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes, my tennis was so good today. Yes. I think I play -- it's the best tennis of hardcourt season, yes.

Q. Was winning the title also, this title, the best thing you won in your career?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes, after Paris, Bercy, yes, because in Paris it was -- Federer not play, Nadal didn't play and you have -- I have in the final, you know, Hrbaty, not to player. I was favorite here.
Here Nadal was favorite, and also in semifinal was Roddick favorite. Just beat two guys in two sets is like amazing for me.

Q. You had said out on the court you had never played that well in Miami before. What do you think what was the difference this time? What were you feeling? Was it really so much the racquet?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No. Really, if you see in beginning also tournament I can't lose in first round because I save match point.
But, you know, if something -- little bit lucky, you know, fighting and winning first, second, or third, then you become this, you know, feeling, even more confidence.
And then fighting in two-and-a-half-hour play matches because very long rally, and then you feel ball, you feel coordination. Here like is also you try to find -- you know, because in Miami humid, hot, windy. And.
You know, everything is like every day you feeling more comfortable and comfortable and you starting to play better and better.

Q. Rafa said he did not play well today. Gave you credit but he said he really had a bad day. How did you see it? Did you feel like you caused that bad day by rushing him a lot, by being more aggressive?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, sometimes you feel you have bad day. Depends how -- against who you play. Because you see if I play against Nadal and not so fast, little bit slow, he have chance to make, you know, long rally and play very good from baseline.
I start -- if I play faster, him no chance. He need to run and he get no control. That's was, for me -- yes, I see he didn't -- he didn't so good control from baseline. That's was, I think, good for me.

Q. Tactically you played a perfect match, as you just said, and I remember after you won your semifinal match you said that you would consult with Djokovic to find out how he beat him in Indian Wells. Did you actually make that call or was it just a joke?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, no, no. Yes, it's like -- I remember, you know, Djokovic beat Nadal in Indian Wells. He's play the same game. Because I remember he have good forehand, backhand, baseline, and he played short cross to him and very good control. Also play fast.
You know, Nadal have no chance. Also Nadal can come to say he didn't be top fit against Djokovic, because Djokovic play very well. That's was sometimes you can lose and you feeling, I play well, but I cannot play against these guy so good.

Q. In the ninth game of the first set you went up to the umpire and had a discussion. Were you complaining about him playing slowly?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, no, no. First time I was trying to get my ice towel back, because in ten seconds it gets very hot. Because we have one minute...

Q. The situation with the investigation, you've been in limbo for so long now. Is this something you think about only when we bring it up? Is it on your mind every day? How would you describe it?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: In my mind it's not every day in my mind. It's in my mind if you ask me about this one. Because if -- now I go from here, from the press, I forget already, because for me it's not now important.
It's important for me now thinking about how I could now for Davis Cup to Moscow, and I need to prepare for the clay court. And I don't know if I can play clay court now against Czech Republic, because I'm top -- I feeling good, but different surface.
That was what I'm thinking, and I don't think about investigation. It should be my lawyer thinking, and my manager. But for me, it's like really I'm forget straight what you're asking me.

Q. You're not concerned about what the outcome is going to be?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Not anymore. It can be investigate longer, but what -- it's nobody pushing me now. I can play tennis. I can do what I want normally, yeah. I just can win tournament.

Q. I have to ask about the racquet. Will the racquet be retired now, or will you continue to play with this particular racquet?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes, I think -- I didn't receive not yet, you know, another racquet. Yes, that's was I need to play the same racquets now of clay court season beginning by Davis Cup. But I have two more I need, you know, to prepare, also, and we'll see.
This racquet is my No. 1 racquet, you know. If I have difficult time, I need to think about this racquet.

Q. Why do you bring such a big bag on then if you only need one racquet? You could just carry the one on.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You see, I try to change my T-shirts every few points. That's was I need to keep, you know, for something else.

Q. How do you see the men's side now? Do you think it's wide open as far as who can be the dominant player this year? Roger Federer, for years, has dominated the men's. Do you think it's wide open where anybody can take over?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, just to say -- Federer didn't won Australian Open, didn't won Indian Wells, didn't won here. Every different player winning tournaments.
Yeah, but it's like season just begin. We have three more Grand Slams, and Federer is -- he's Federer. (laughter.)
Wimbledon I think he's favorite. Roland Garros, Nadal is favorite for Roland Garros, but physically in tennis just for the clay court.
I mean, we'll see in a year.

Q. Do you think the Masters Series should be a best-of-five-set final?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Ummm, no, for me it's good in two sets. (laughter.)

Q. But as a general principle?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, but it's enough. We have Davis Cup five sets, and Grand Slam. Because we have Davis Cup matches, and straight after we have tournaments, and you completely dead because you play Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and already Tuesday you need to play tournament.
It's so difficult. It's -- for us, we are not like animals. Maybe Nadal, but I'm not. I cannot do so much.

Q. Do you feel like you outlasted, as you call him, the animal today?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, it's like if you see -- because Nadal, if you see tennis from Nadal, he's strong. Good, you know, fighting every point. You know, he can hold long rally, and like what he like of clay court season.
Try to make guys tired in the match, and then you cannot holding. Like it's happening with me against him in semifinal in Rome. I can't holding. Third set in three hours I'm like already dead. He find power and he beat me.
That's was -- yeah. Physically I'm not so strong. Maybe I have tennis better, I see I play very well, you know, tennis. I play tennis, try to make winners, but not like make so long rally and, you know, play five hours match.

Q. So do you think that if this had been best three-of-out-of-five you think you would have beaten him anyway?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: In best five, yeah. I won two sets, but already was in the second set was little bit tired, yeah. If you see by 3-1 I made break, but it was -- for me it was difficult game, and you never know, really.
In a Grand Slam you can lose two sets and winning in five sets, also. That's was you never know what can be in five sets.

Q. Can you speak a little about the fact you played so much against Nadal's forehand, normally his better shot.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Like, say, it's not like -- because everybody thinking I want to play to his backhand, you know. I have good backhand cross. Why I need to play along line to him and think about what's happening.
That's was I tried to play faster forehand and tried to do something, you know, to make some winners. That's was -- it was not think about play forehand or backhand, just feeling which ball, like, for me important, where I need to hit and feel more confidence.
Then I hit just feeling I can hit backhand, cross or along line.

Q. We've always known you to be a very hard worker.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Uh-huh.

Q. But you haven't always expressed passion for the game. I think people haven't seen that in you. Do you think you showed more of that in this tournament, maybe, than in the past?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe something change, you know, my tennis here in Miami. I hope, you know, like in the future is also. Like clay court season coming now, and for me it should be different tennis.
Maybe I feel more confidence because I beat very good guys here, and now and in the future I start coming and I play something maybe different, maybe much better, maybe much better, much faster.
I don't know what to say now. For me it's good I won here, and we'll see how good I can prepare for the clay court season.

End of FastScripts

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