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SHANGHAI ATP MASTERS 1000

October 16, 2009

Nikolay Davydenko

SHANGHAI, CHINA

N. DAVYDENKO/R. Stepanek
6-1, 4-6, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. (In Chinese.) In this match, you two players had different styles on the court. You are a baseline player, and he's a serve and volleyer. In the second set he had very good quality and net-approach strategy, but you still the final winner of this match. So what's your view on the difference of the players' style? So his style is less and less. Does this mean that there is no future for the serve and volleyer?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Like, say, Stepanek is player who, against him, very difficult to play. It's like you don't know what he can do in a match. It's makes stop ball, make slice, make topspin volley serve.
It's a different game, and you can losing your game. You can losing also time running to the ball, because it's always he try to change. Like if you see in beginning first set, like always, all first set, he try only to do only serve/volley, play faster, but he have no chance. I play well.
And then he start to change game in the second set, start to have better return, play more rally from baseline, did -- yeah, some good point from baseline, make good winners.
And, yeah, he have like same -- that's was maybe he make some good results in some tournament and fast surface, because this guy change game, and against him it's very difficult to play and very difficult, you know, control all match.
That's was I losing my second set, and I try again keep it -- you know, he destroy me in the second set, like my baseline. And I already try in the third set find my game and try to, you know, realize baseline to do no mistake, play better and better, good concentration, and he start again to do mistake from baseline. He don't have any chance.

Q. It's highly likely that you're going to meet Djokovic in the semifinal, and you two have met last year in Masters Cup final. Will you be more motivated than last time you guys meet here?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, doesn't matter.

Q. He lost in two sets last time, last year.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, it was final Masters Cup, you know, last tournament in the year and biggest tournament in the year, and now we have semifinal. It's like really doesn't matter which tournament play against Djokovic.
We play also Davis Cup, you know, also losing two sets. And, you know, I try, you know, winning, and if I won third set and he's retired, yeah. But, yeah, last time he play me pretty fast. I have no chance. He play very good baseline. Really, I cannot do anything.
That's was -- I don't know how -- okay, he won Beijing, have good confidence. I really don't know how he play now tomorrow, yeah? Or I don't know how he win today. We'll see, because if he play fast, okay. If I have chance, I try and to do my game what I did today, so I play good baseline.
If I still have good control, maybe I have chance, you know, play the same game like Djokovic and winning match.

Q. You said that in the second set he destroyed you. He dominated you. Were you worried at the start of the third set? Were you thinking, maybe I could be going home today? It could be all over?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Possible, yes. Always possible to think about like this.
But, you know, in beginning first set, he try winning first game in my serve, and I was thinking if I losing now with my serve, then I losing match; it's for sure. Because then he try more, have motivation already, concentration in the serve and can play better and make good serve.
That's was -- it's, you know, sometimes it's every point so important or you can losing match or you can win match, because if you see it's like match sometimes it be like 50/50, and then you don't know who can win, decide point. And then if decide point, give you chance to win match.
That's was I really -- today was, I think it was decide game in big first game in the third set. And destroyed, because, you know, he start to returning. In beginning first set, for me was easy, my serve, winning. And in the second set, he start very good returning, you know, make some good points from baseline.
I try, you know, to change something, and didn't happen, you know. I start think about what I need to do, and then I start to try to make winners. I lose so many points just by self.
And, you know, it's in the match happening. And can happen, you know, like -- you can lose very fast or you can fighting, try to be concentration, and find your chance to win match.

Q. And I guess with the third-set matches it's more dangerous because you cannot get a chance to come back like you do in the Grand Slam in the five-setters, even though they're harder, physically?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, well, it's different. Grand Slam, yeah, you can lose -- you can find game just in beginning, like, say, in the third set, and then you can win match five sets, you losing first two sets. It's different situation.
Yes, then more physically, if you can keep concentration all five sets is different game. Here is pretty fast. You play maximum three sets. You try from beginning, from first set, try to win every point and winning first set and keep it just to maybe win for one-half hour but not more.

Q. We all saw your beautiful wife there by the side of the court. Does it make a big difference that she's here with you? As for someone in their late 20s, has family become a large part of the motivation that gets you going?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Um, no, she travel with me already, not first time, yeah? She's already with me from 2003. I won my second title. She was there. She still travel mostly every tournament. Just maybe few weeks take off, she go home to see parents, but normally she have the same life like me. (laughter.) But not play tennis; just watching tennis.
Yes, support is very important for me. Yeah, for my wife or from my family, like I have now normally -- yeah, my brother also travel with me, but not here, not in Asia. That's was mostly all concentration of just for my wife here.

Q. In general, you always play good when season is going to end. Any the reasons about that?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't know why it's happening. Really, I don't know. Maybe depends -- depends situation, you know, how is it tournament goes on and how is it feeling here, how is the court, how is the balls, everything, you know, how you win first round and then step by step you play good or not good.
Yes, in Asia I think all three weeks I did good result. Play one tournament, quarters, now semis here. It's like every week, get some result. I think it's not so bad.
Still have three more tournament, but we'll see. I know I play very well in Paris/Bercy but not every year, and I need to defend my semifinal this year, also. Was also not so easy.
I think it's -- everybody should be there, for sure Murray and Federer also be there. I don't think so if these guys retired now from two Masters Series tournament, and I don't know if I have chance, you know, coming to the semifinal there, but if lucky, maybe can play good and can make good result.

Q. I have two questions for you. The first one is you made a big step today for the race to London. How much is it important for you at that point? And the second one is about, I know you are in the middle of a big fight with your sponsor for clothing in France. Can you tell me what the situation is right now about that?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Uh-huh, okay. About dreaming to London, is not so much dream. It's like, yes, I would like coming to London. For sure it's -- everybody enjoy last tournament to be the best top eight guys if I play there, and also good prize money.
And if you make good result there, you have more points end of the year like I need now defend my final. That's was -- you still keep your points until for all years. It's also very good.
But I don't know what's can happen, you know. Can come and maybe not. If can reach, be good. Not? Okay. You know, I'm not so disappoint at this point.
About Airness, it's was small trouble, you know, with just maybe with, how say payment, didn't realize like stay in contract. That's was we start to be worry, because I finish my contract this year in 2009, because it's was already three years, and I need to do something, and that's was we start to speak with lawyers.
I don't know. I am here. Lawyers speak now in French. We'll see what's be. I coming to Paris/Bercy and already I want to talk with guys, and we'll see. That's was I heard Airness want to get still with me another contract for the next season, also. That's was surprising. We'll see what can happen.

End of FastScripts

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