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U.S. OPEN

September 2, 2008

Nikolay Davydenko

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

G. MULLER/N. Davydenko
6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What an incredible match. Did you expect that kind of effort from him?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No. I was expect, yes, serve, big serve, yes, and good volley, but today was different. Like, he don't give me some chance to play from baseline. Just play so many slices, try to put ball, just -- it was not so many rally. It was like tough to make something from my side, try to do something, because I'm baseline player.
He just play very short beginning first set, and try just some points, make rally. But I have always, like, say, I have no chance, you know, to feel ball much better, like in before matches, because I play more from baseline, and I feeling more and more.
But today was different, and he play much faster. What I can say? I have not enough power to play today with no chance. Fighting, like I can win, if I have chance winning fourth set, maybe me fighting after, I can win, but bad luck, I was.

Q. Did the heat bother you at all?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, no, no. No, it's not heat. Just, you know -- really, in beginning tournament, also, I didn't play very fast here. I played slow. Just, you know, heat, I know feeling I have, it was in this tournament, not enough power, hitting balls.

Q. The tiebreak was some sensational shots by both of you. It's too bad it had to end with a match point with two net cords.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, I think it's -- not about only last point or some points. It was many points, you know. I have so many chance, you know, winning fourth set, but I didn't. He have just, like, maybe was -- he was lucky in the tiebreak.

Q. When you say you don't have enough power, in this tournament is this a cumulative fatigue or...
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, I just have trouble with racquet. This was I broke all my racquets now in the match. I have really never in my career, I never break like some racquets. You know, like maybe once in one year, but I broke all. I didn't have for fifth set racquets anymore. I broke --

Q. No racquets?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No.

Q. How many racquets did you break today?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Four.

Q. You broke four racquets today?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, just... Now go home, no racquets. It's good.

Q. Well, that's quite a contrast from Miami where you played the whole tournament with one racquet?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, but now I broke all. I really, I don't like these racquets at the moment, what I have now.

Q. With the past regarding gambling allegations, and it's a big thing that we're not supposed to talk about here at the US Open, but a match when you go and lose as the fifth seed to the player ranked 130th in the world, do you feel you have to start explaining to people, hey, this is real, there's nothing funny here?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, it's always tough to say. I can beat everyone, and I can lose to everyone. Today was -- he was playing good, and normally I have chance to win, but I didn't. What I can say? Just not a thing about investigation or something else. Just try to prepare for US Open. I try to play how good, I fighting every match and try also today. I want to win, but I didn't.

Q. There has been a report that you're about to be cleared. How big a relief will that be if that happens?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: What do you mean?

Q. There's been a report in the British press.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes?

Q. That your name is about to be cleared.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: What is "cleared"?

Q. Exonerated. If that happens soon, I assume that would be a huge relief to you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: And?

Q. Will it make a big difference in how you're able to approach your job?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe next year I start to play much more tournament. (laughter.)

Q. More?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: What?

Q. More tournaments?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, more tournaments. Yeah. Like, I don't know, this year I was pretty tired. I didn't play so much. And I don't want to play so much tennis in this year. That was I don't make such good result this year. Like, really, I didn't prepare for big tournaments. Like, really, starting season was just good because I won Miami, and for sure I finish in top 10, but I can feel, like, I can play better, but not this year. And I don't think so -- it was do something, you know.
Try to play much better for this year, you know. I finish how I finish. I have four more tournaments. If I go to Shanghai, maybe, probably be in Shanghai, and then I try the preparation for the next year, and more, better, not like for this year.

Q. Have you heard anything to that effect, that you might be exonerated soon?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, just I don't know. I was really tired just this year. Play tennis and try to do, prepare for, you know, the tournaments. I didn't practice so much, and, really I didn't make special things for the tournaments. Just play good here, and I really -- maybe I was disappointed because I'm losing, but, you know, it's really a coming result - you know, if I not prepare, I lose in matches.

Q. How have these allegations affected your attitude towards playing professional tennis?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Again? I don't understand.

Q. The allegations and all that you've been through with these allegations, how have they affected your attitude about playing professional tennis? I mean, you're talking about the fact that it affected you this year. You're not playing very well. Has it taken the joy out of playing? Just, if you can comment on that.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, it's like I really -- I don't know. I was period, you know, some month I enjoy play tennis. And then, like, say, after, losing first round Wimbledon, I was really so tired in Wimbledon. Mentally, physically, I was really -- after Wimbledon, I didn't play one month or two months, you know, tournaments. I didn't want to play. And I didn't practice well. Really, and I don't care, you know, which tournament I play next.
Now, you know, I was finishing season. I thinking now slow starting, preparing for US Open. Coming one week before, try to make good result here. Maybe, maybe, I try to prepare. You know, I have Davis Cup, and just four, five tournaments left indoor. I try my best to prepare, but I don't know how I feel mentally and, how I want to prepare. It's a problem.

Q. Couldn't that also be simply because you've played so much in the last few years? You're known as the iron man maybe prior to this season, you played every week. Doesn't that start to add up in terms of being tired?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Well, really, I don't know, because if I stay home, I don't practice so much. That's what I decide maybe I go to play more tournament and I can prepare in the tournament. I can practicing more, and I have nothing to do, just tennis, hotel, stadium, practicing all day, stay here on the court, and physically, everything -- doesn't matter how I make result. I have next week tournament, and I can prepare for this tournament.
Maybe for -- you know, I have chance, more practicing and make better result. That's was I play last three years, four years, so many tournaments. Is not because money or I like to play. It's just because I can prepare better, and I can play much better in the tournament.
If I take rest, I don't play tennis. And really, I don't want to play tennis after -- that's was -- I need to decide something to change after this year.

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