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WIMBLEDON

June 24, 2008

Nikolay Davydenko

LONDON, ENGLAND

B. BECKER/N. Davydenko
6-4, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Nikolay Davydenko.

Q. What do you feel went wrong today?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I just starting feeling I am too slow today. Just soft grass you need to be much faster and play faster. And so from beginning I feeling like hitting balls, and it's pretty slow. Like on clay court, I hitting faster.
That's was, I don't know what's happening. But really was tough to say something, because really different feeling between, you know, another surface and grass.
That's was here you need to play fast how possible. Everything try to do good. If I say like my first-serve percentage 65%, it's not good enough for the grass. That's was I need to be much better.
And five doubles faults, you know, it's really -- that's was I losing my serve in first, second and the third sets. You know, here doesn't matter against who I play, I need to play good. I need to keep my serve good, and returning also how possible good.
But today was my return really bad.

Q. Do you feel it was more of a case of you playing badly than Benjamin playing well?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, he play good, but I play really bad.

Q. Would it have helped to have prepared more on grass rather than going to Warsaw?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, because last year I was the same doing. Like, okay, I play Halle in grass already one week before. But after I come here to the Wimbledon and I practice like one week before.
That's was I'm not coming one day before my match from clay to grass. I was already here one week and I was practicing here every day. That's was, you know, like, something -- I don't know. We'll see what's happen next year, what I can do and what I can change for the futures, for the grass court.

Q. So no injury or physically not well?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, it's like everybody injury. You know, if somebody ask, doesn't matter against which player, you know, or some player, can say I have here problem, here, there pain, everywhere painful.
But if you in the match and you concentration, you need to win match. It's doesn't matter if I have some problem or not.

Q. It's almost a year since your match in Poland that is still under investigation. What are your thoughts on how long it's taken, and why do you think it's taking so long?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I know from my lawyer it should be decide in July. Something prove -- he need to investigate, I don't know, telephone records from my brother and my wife.
But I say my lawyer is not telephone records any more. It's already done. It's long -- we waiting already like one year. I call to the telephone companies. They say, We have no telephone records from July and August from my brother.
And also my telephone records, what I was, like in Poland, yeah? I give it already before. That's was they have everything, all information from me, all what I did, everything. That's was I don't know what decide now. In July should be something new, but I don't know how long is waiting more. But I think this year it should be finishing.

Q. Has the ATP received all that it's asked you for, except the records you can't get?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah.

Q. And what is it exactly that you haven't been able to turn over to the ATP?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Excuse me again. Exact what?

Q. What has the ATP asked for that you have not given?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Just for telephone records of my brother, and is not accept any more. I would like to give, but I can't. That's it.

Q. Regarding any match where there's the possibility of tampering or a fix, and it's proven, what do you think the penalty should be?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, it's was interesting. Nobody can prove anything. Because if something find for me, is already tell me, or my lawyer. He's already waiting mostly like one year and didn't find anything, no proofness (sic).
That's was -- I don't know why, how long is waiting, for what reason. Maybe waiting for some reason if I do some mistake, but in other tournaments. Like, say, if I, I don't know, by Grand Slam, broke records or I made some referee do something and I have more penalty, more penalty.
Because with ATP rules, you know, like if you did something already you have penalty, it's waiting. You know, then you have again and again and more and more. That's was I don't know why ATP waiting. I don't know why ATP won't decide, and when is it should be finishing.

Q. What are your thoughts on what the penalty should be if anyone gets caught being involved in match fixing?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I think it should be disqualified, yeah, for I don't know for how many, one years, two years, three years, for the penalty about fixed. Because I think is most biggest, you know, penalty what you can give ATP. And for this reason I think it's good.

Q. What do you think about the length of time that it has taken to resolve this issue? Because it's your reputation that's been in question for the last year. Must be very upsetting for you.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I was upset, but what I can do? I cannot sue ATP, because is not ATP problem. Because ATP only can investigate. But sue Betfair, also no chance, because Betfair just say to the press what's happening in fixing matches, yeah, like this.
And what I can do? How I can sue Betfair? Also I speak with my lawyer. It's no possible. No chance.

Q. Your match aside, the one in Poland, do you believe match fixing goes on in tennis?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I think is no match fixing in tennis. I don't know why tell me questions only in tennis. For me is interesting. Is no fixed matches in other sports? That's was I don't believe is it some matches fixed in tennis because we, I don't know, like individual and top player, it's no reason to be, you know, play for the fixed matches.

Q. So all that activity, all that betting on your match in Poland, was that an accident? How do you explain that incredible level of betting?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It's can be, you know, like maybe because I'm Russian first, and we play in Sopot. It's very small tournament. Many things is happening. Because, you know, like it's center court. Many Russian there also watch match.
You know, I spoke, you know, in the center court with my wife and everything, you know, like of Russian. Maybe possible, if I can say something, you know, I don't want to play or I can retire. You know, some people can understand.
You know, it may be my mistake because I need to be quiet, I need to be concentration, I need to do, you know, only my job. Not to do something, talking with anyone or something like this, you know, in the stadium already in the match.
But what's happening is happening. You know, I try to defend me how possible, but I defend already one year. I don't know how long I can defend me more. Maybe to end my career.

Q. Has this been a bad dream for you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Bad dream. But not one day, few months. But I was still play good. That's was I'm happy.

Q. Are you confident about what the findings of the ATP will be when it announces the results of its investigation? If so, what do you think will be announced?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I think should be -- I don't know what can decide ATP if they have no proofness. That's was my lawyer try to make everything, you know. When is try to finish investigation now in this year, July or August. That's was, I am still confidence. It's like I already play one year. If investigate one more, I still playing. That doesn't know when is decide, but I happy play good. And why not?

Q. If you were a betting man, who will you say will win the men's tournament here at Wimbledon?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Men's?

Q. Yes.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Oh, it's was interesting. Like Nadal won, you know, Queen's, and Federer won Halle. It's was two guys still, you know, good of grass. And, you know, you never know what's happening.
But I don't want to say about Andy Murray because you're Britain.

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