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MASTERS SERIES MONTE-CARLO PRESENTED BY ROLEX

April 25, 2008

Nikolay Davydenko

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

N. DAVYDENKO/I. Andreev
6-3, 4-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That looked like a very difficult match. Can you just talk about it for us.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: For about match? Hmmm. Like was in beginning, I didn't play like beginning first set, 3-1 down. But I starting play good, you know, fighting good because played both good rally, I win 6-3.
And then few mistake. I don't know. I think like Andreev change tactic, start to play first few games really slow, and try not to do anything, no winners, just, you know, try to make topspin easy and keep balls in the court. And I start to do mistake.
I losing my serve. And, you know, he see he can, you know, have chance in second set winning. And that's was maybe he won, you know, 6-4.
But then we play already like more one and a half hour. For us was really difficult say something. Maybe physically, maybe mentally was also tired.
But, you know, 3-1 down in the third set, I was thinking, yeah, what I can do? Just play games? Just try how possible fighting? If I lose, I lose.
But then I come back and, you know, 5-3 for me. And then, you know, I was surprising Andreev start to play good, did no mistake, you know, come back by 5-All. And if you see 5-All starting Love-40 my serve, and next game was 40-Love him serve. And I won.
Maybe I was lucky for this match.

Q. Do you think it was your level that changed a lot through the match or his level?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, I think it's sometimes I play like good. I didn't make so much mistake. And sometimes like I play games, I do just mistake. You know, can't do anything. Like losing easy points.
And Andreev try, you know, play good topspin forehand, try to make winners. And if I see like last game, yeah, he did just only mistake. And I was surprising, yeah. Like maybe he was tired. Maybe I don't know what's happening.

Q. How do you explain your up-and-down? Is it physically? Is it your typical clay game?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I think it's clay because it's really difficult to say. Sometimes if you see, like in the return, I stay three meters behind the baseline. And if I serve, start to serve, I stay more in the court and try to make winners. And that's what's sometimes I losing my serve because I try play fast and I do mistake. And then if I go for the return, I just try to do topspin and play a long rally and winning points.
And sometimes it's difficult to think about what better: make winners or just play behind and make only topspin and running?
So it's tough. Second week for clay court, I cannot decide what's better for me.

Q. Both of you had problems with serve. I think 16 breaks of serve. Any particular reason? What was happening with the serving?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, balls is really heavy here. I don't feel good topspin or good control, you know, for the serve. Maybe it's because it's second week of clay court. Because last week was really terrible, you know, weather in Estoril, and so windy. It's really was tough, you know, to do something with serve. Just, you know, make topspin and play rally.
And here is good weather. You can do everything perfect. But, you know, I try. Sometimes working, you know, like I good serve happening, but not every time.
I don't know. I need to work, yeah.

Q. Do you enjoy playing on clay? What do you like, if you like it?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Sometimes I'm thinking like what I play now with game, I was thinking I want to come back on the hard court because it's really tough, you know, running so much. You know, like today, like returning from the second like, you know, side, running straight to the net. I don't know how many kilometers I run. But it's pretty tough. It's really tough. Different. Because coordination is different. And I try to play fast. It's not possible. Because like if I try to make winners and I can't, sometimes I losing my confidence.

Q. Now you are in the semifinals against a Spanish player. What is your opinion?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: What my opinion? Both good clay court players. And Ferrer, I think he play good now in this moment. Nadal also. You know, two guys the same. I think Nadal have more confidence because he won last year here Monte-Carlo. And Ferrer won Valencia. That's was two guys, good confidence. I don't know who win.

Q. If you play Nadal, you just beat him in Miami. Do you think it can help you or it's totally different?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Nadal, Miami? You know, it's like different, yeah? Monte-Carlo/Miami, clay court/hard court. Was there for me was good because it's was fast. Nadal have no chance to running. Here for sure he have --
You know, I cannot hitting just three forehands and then make winners. And you don't know how many balls hitting. For sure it's very tough make some winners here. It should be different tactic.

Q. Do you enjoy playing against him?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't know if I enjoy play tennis now in the moment because it really tough, every match for me, you know, like fighting. I don't know. I can losing yesterday, I can losing today. And just know what stay behind me and be lucky, you know, winning matches.
I don't say I'm very good confidence like top fit, you know, to play like in Miami. But with fighting every points and try to do something and winning matches, it's like for me already, you know, something important. I think it's good preparation for the futures for the clay court.

Q. You think you're maybe tired mentally or physically or both?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Both. Because every week I played. If you see, after Miami I have straight Davis Cup. Like I have no chance, you know, to prepare. I was just a little bit practicing good or come back, you know, from zero, starting little bit make physically condition. Just prepare for the clay court. I just start to play every matches and play until final in Estoril. Coming here, I have no time. That's was, I decide next week I don't play Barcelona and I want to prepare good for the Rome.

Q. You're going to change your schedule for the rest of the year and maybe play less?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah. Depends from result. If you see I have good result now. I need time, good preparation for the tournament, for the next tournaments.

End of FastScripts

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