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TENNIS MASTERS CUP

November 16, 2008

Nikolay Davydenko

SHANGHAI, CHINA

N. DJOKOVIC/N. Davydenko
6-1, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. 20 minutes into the match and you were 0-5 down. Is that because he played fantastic or you played poorly?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: He play very good. We play both from baseline. I try to control, but he play fast. You know, he didn't play like one ball fast; he played like every point, very good concentration completely first set. Because he didn't make so much mistake. Good serve, good return.
Okay, it's different because I don't say I was perfect, but for me first set was 30% first serve. It's no good first serve. That's was maybe I have -- from baseline I have no chance. He play much faster and I have no chance.

Q. This was the very first final you ever played in any of the major tournaments. Were you feeling a bit nervous, considering you played quite well yesterday?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, no, no, no. Normally I never by final nervous. Doesn't matter which finals, Masters Cup or normal tournament. I really surprising, now today was for me, I don't know, like 15 or 16 finals in tournaments. Really was different and difficult, like feeling not so perfect like in Miami and other tournaments.
I lose already like three finals. Now it's four for me. But, you know, against Djokovic you need to be perfect, you know, also play very fast and very good. That's what he did, and I didn't.

Q. Can you talk about getting to the finals of the Masters Cup and not facing Federer. Is that a different sort of feeling for you to get to the final and not face Federer?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Federer was not in semifinal and I was. Also I was in final (smiling). Federer didn't win Masters this year. I won one: Miami (smiling). Okay, he won US Open, but who cares US Open (laughter).
Yeah, Federer is Federer. You know, he was already No. 1 player many years. Yeah, very good. He can't be all life play very good, you know. Some comes really young players, 21, 22 years old. Also fast, very good concentration, physically better.
Because I see Federer is not so physically, in the moment, not be perfect. That's was, yeah, other player have more chance beat him.

Q. You mentioned on many occasions that the key factors of your victory is to be positive. It seemed you were negative in the whole match today. Have you ever tried to persuade yourself to be positive?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, was very difficult, you know, if you losing 5-0 to be positive (laughter).
But now I'm positive, yeah. You know, if you see you have no chance of beginning set, you try, doesn't help you anything. You already feeling you're for sure hundred percent losing, it's very difficult to be positive. You try, try till in the end, you know.
I have chance, you know, in the second set, but I know I have no chance playing from baseline, what my key. Normally I play very fast and very good control, and today I didn't. Djokovic, yeah, play very good.
For me I think was today a very difficult day.

Q. When there is Federer and Nadal you were No. 3, and when Novak Djokovic make it No. 3 you are No. 4. Now we have Andy Murray and you are No. 5. So you're always the best player besides the big somebodies.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You think next year I be No. 6, No. 7, 8.

Q. My question is, are you satisfied with this position, or do you make it your mind to be the big somebody yourself?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe I need to change something, you know. I don't know really. I don't know now what I need to change, but we'll see.
Yeah, I want to be also much better, not to be No. 5, No. 4, No. 3, No. 6, 7, 8. It's really, I can beat Nadal, I can beat Djokovic or another players. But you need something, you know, to beat these guys. That's was in the future I try to find this key to beat these guys.
You know, it's not only by small tournament. It's important by Grand Slam, because there is very big points. There is big tournaments. That's was in four Grand Slam tournaments, if you make very good result is there coming your ranking, and there you finishing in best position.

Q. Can you talk a little bit more about when you broke back in the second set for 5-5, what happened in the next game. Seemed like Djokovic was really getting angry and the momentum was on your side.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, he was just nervous. He want to finish by 6-4. But I see he try to get faster to play points, and he make some mistakes. I also did so many mistakes like this. I see, I feeling. But I know if he just, you know, concentration go down. And baseline, today he play much better baseline.
Doesn't matter how he play one game; he still good concentration for next game. That's was I lost everything from baseline. He play faster, and I really have no chance.

Q. Who do you think will be No. 1 at the end of next year?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I want to be, but... (Smiling).
It's difficult say. Nadal, Federer. I really surprising Nadal now No. 1 because he make good result by clay court and won Wimbledon, yeah. But, what, next year anybody can be who stay in top 10.
If you see, Simon be No. 20 and now could make result good final Madrid and coming in top 10, coming here, play very good here. You never know. Some young players can play very good.

Q. You said you wanted to change something to get better. This week you said your volleys are not very good. Is maybe that something you can work on for next season?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Practice, practice. I'm really tired from practice. Maybe a sign something, give me some power, I don't know, to feeling I can beat everyone. It's also mental. Because we practice every day. You know, everybody practicing, but only guy No. 1 in the world, yeah.
It's really, yeah, I would say need volley, good serve, everything. But you can't practice always and only practice volley and come to tournament and say, Okay, I practicing volley and can play volley very good. It's difficult.
That's it. Okay, next questions (smiling).

Q. What came to your mind first after the last point? This is your fourth time in Shanghai. Can you name one thing which impressed you most?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Where?

Q. Here in Shanghai, Masters Cup.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Here in the stadium or in the city?

Q. In the city.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: In the city surprise me prices. It's cheaper here.
In the stadium, you know, for me it's a very interesting tournament because just only top eight players here. So good organization make just for top players. By experience, from my experience, it's very interesting, very nice. Every week we play tournaments. We know different tournaments. We know how is make organization there and there, and by Grand Slam.
But here in China, like I was playing Beijing, it's also very good. I hope next year Shanghai still like Masters tournament, in the same club. I think be the same how make organization for top eight is can be for 64 players.

Q. What came to your mind first after the last point?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: What's on my mind in last point? Oh, in my mind I was, Oh, great, I already finishing this season (laughter).

Q. In the 10th game of the second set when Novak was 30-40 down, he bounced the ball 17 times before his serve and it was a fault.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: That's short for him because before he did many. He can do 50 also.

Q. Then 11 more times and double-faulted. Do you laugh to yourself in your heart, Don't do that again?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, I was laughing because, you know, it's happening. It's really happening. Because in final you are nervous. You know, you winning. You feeling now you win tournament, you have a chance now, finishing by serve. Make double-fault, did mistake. That's was for me is normal. For him I think also. It's everybody can do like this.
But what I can say? It's just not every match. It's important match like here in the finals.

Q. A couple of years ago you played like 30 tournaments, many matches. This year you reduced a little bit.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Why a little bit? 22, it's less.

Q. How will you plan your future?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: 30 tournaments coming back. You know, I try to play more. I don't know why, but maybe I like it, still play more tournaments. Because I can practicing in the tournament. Good concentration, feeling I am still in the tournament. Next week try to make better result and better.

Q. Let's talk about your sponsors. We see you have two sponsors. Your current sponsors are all from China.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: When is starting I have sponsors from China? Maybe in the future.

Q. Li Ning.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, not yet. I don't have already. Ljubicic have Li Ning.

Q. You did a good job in this Masters Cup . Do you think that will help you to --
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: -- to change from mine to Li Ning (laughter).

Q. Does that give you the potential to have more sponsors?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: More sponsors? You think here, here, everywhere? (Pointing to his shoulders ) You know, if ATP change rules, we can put everywhere. It's no problem. I can also cut here and put some sponsors? (Pointing to the side of his head).
In the rule, we can't. You can have only two or three. That's difficult. That's ask question to ATP, why we don't have too much sponsors on the T-shirts.

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