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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 25, 2010

Nikolay Davydenko

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

N. DAVYDENKO/F. Verdasco
6-2, 7-5, 4-6, 6-7, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In the tiebreaker, were you trying to give your fans a heart attack or what?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, was surprising myself. I think last year and was very tough matches always. I have very good concentration tiebreak and I won mostly every tiebreak.
Today, I don't know what's happen. I really play tiebreak really bad. (Laughter.) Because 5-4 and my two serve and I didn't realize. You know, just I was disappointing, you know, just coming and sitting after fourth set and thinking, what I need to do now? If I lose tiebreak then my confidence go down. Just thinking, wow, bad luck for me.
I realize if you see in the fifth set beginning I was fighting my serve, just winning my serve. It was also not so easy beginning fifth set. But it's good fighting for me. It was four hours, and good realize some points and play well in the fifth set.

Q. Fernando thought you looked very tired at the beginning of the fifth set. Were you confident going into the fifth set?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I really tired, yes. Yes. Was difficult play against him, because if you see all match, he was serving fast, play fast. I think make so many winners like from forehand. Many.
I like mostly every serve have mostly 200-something, 210 kilometers per hour. It was for me not so easy to return. I really today very bad return for me. I really cannot return like first serve from Verdasco.
So many mistake did in the second serve also for him. But like I said, I now compare to my serve, like today I also was not so perfect. 160, 170. Sometimes was 200. But mostly I have to do like constant, like in first slice, serve and play baseline. Really tried to do different things, not only winning with serve.

Q. He has a reputation of being one of the strongest and fittest players on tour. How much inspiration can you draw from winning in the fifth set?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: He's strong physically, but not mentally. For sure he was strong. For sure he can play five, six, sets. But concentration you can't holding, you know, all five sets the same. That's was I know he have power in the fifth set, but he can make mistake.
That's what he did in him serve like after I break him 3-2. I have few good return, and then couple baseline good rally and I won. You know, just return. That's was also surprising me. Always, I know -- and if you see was today, I know Verdasco well. Always if I go until 4 or 5-All and then I have chance to break him and then winning like every end of set. Today it's was surprising I didn't make it in the third and fourth set.
That's was, I don't know, really difficult to play was today. Maybe it's so dry and sunny and balls fly, you know, fast. Center court also. I never play. Always show courts. (Smiling.) I really don't know what's can happen.
But I hope, you know, next match I play center court.

Q. Will you watch tonight's game, the prospect of playing...
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes. Yes. If they show on TV. (Laughter.)
If you see between day session, night session, a little bit different situation. Like temperature go down and start to get cold and the balls fly not so fast like in day. It's also like every day you feel different. Also like I practicing like I play match, and next day different weather. I feel different.
Always in Australia so difficult. You know, always every day you need to change something, because you really feel not so comfortable. Not the same. That's was two weeks in Australia, you need every day something changes. Difficult.

Q. Would you like to play at night, the night session?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't know, because I need to wait all day. Really, for me, all four matches I played day session. I like to play now day session. In Doha I play night session. Night was like 6:00, 7:00, it was already dark and play every day the same.
Same situation be better. That's was, I don't know if I play against Hewitt or Federer it be night session.

Q. If you play against Federer, who will be the favorite of the match?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I hope Federer.

Q. Why?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe because he beat Hewitt today, and like say he won already a few times Australian Open. He's No. 1. I'm No. 6. Why I need to be favorite if I'm not No. 1?

Q. Did you change something in your way to play against him last two games, last two matches?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, I start to run faster.

Q. It's probably better that you play him in night because you beat him in Doha. You beat him indoors at night. Is it easier to read the balls at night maybe?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe night session it's a little bit slow. That's was I have more chance running fast, and, you know, keep it every ball and do no mistake. That's was if I just see now Tsonga against Almagro I didn't see really baseline games. It's always like mistake or winners. Like play very fast.
That's was day session now today is really fast.

Q. And can you read the balls better at night with the eyesight or is it easier during the day?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: At the night, I think like because it's slow and you can return, you can play baseline, you can control ball, it's much better. A little bit colder. But I really don't know. I really don't know where is better for me play against Federer.
I beat him already two times. I already feeling good. (Smiling.)

Q. In your head is Federer still the favorite?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe. Yes, yes. Like he always for me favorite. But in the court, I try already change my mind. You know, I feel -- if I feel I have chance to win set, and next set, I realize. That's was I did last two matches.

Q. For years you've said you don't want to be a star and you don't mind playing on the back courts. But you seem to have quite a profile here. Has this been fun? What's it been like?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't say -- I like to play show court. I don't want to play Court 20 or 22. It's too windy there. For sure I would like to play in show courts. Maybe not center court, but another courts.

Q. Has this been a fun week for you being in the public eye a little bit more than usual?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You mean now, in this moment?

Q. Jim Courier is interviewing you on the court. That didn't happen in years past. This room is full.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah. That's was surprising. Why you guys here? (Laughter.) Just I don't know what has change. Why you come now and you asking me some private questions? I don't know. It's you. You need to ask yourself why you come here.

Q. We're interested in you, but do you believe this is your Grand Slam? Do you believe this is the one for you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: After today, you know, five-set match, I win two sets. Yeah, like if I can just play in three-sets matches I believe, you know, I can win. But if you see two sets won and then have chance in the fourth, but you never know. Because long match, five sets, today was good practice, four hours.
Mentally I still strong. That's was I believe I am still strong mentally. I don't know if I can win here, but tennis I try be good now, you know, feeling good.

Q. Have you allowed yourself to dream that it might be this time?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Dream? No, no. No, I never dream. Maybe in the night, but not in the day.

Q. Seems that Prince has found your phone number again. They offered a contract with the racquets again.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Just for Grand Slam. Because it's big tournament, I think for Prince it's be okay.

Q. You said last year all the money was for Sharapova.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes. Still like this. Nothing change.

Q. What will you get up to tomorrow? What's your normal day off?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Tomorrow, practicing. Really today do massage and relax and just try my body prepare for the match, for quarterfinal. I want to be fit for sure. Four hours for me today, it's difficult match.
That's was I hope I be top fit for quarterfinal against Hewitt or Federer.

End of FastScripts

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