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BARCLAYS DUBAI TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN

February 23, 2010

Nikolay Davydenko

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

N. DAVYDENKO/F. Serra
6-7, 6-4, 6-1

Q. Difficult first two sets, weren't they?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Guess maybe it was too many mistakes was from me. Normally I was same every tournament come the first match, I try to do no mistake, but no also winners. Just try to find control in the game and step by step find game, my game.
And today was I'm not fighting. I don't know with what, really. It's so many -- balls were so fast, you know. It's very difficult control normal. Like say just play, just control balls was difficult. Not only do some winners.
And Serra was in first set a pretty good serve, first serve. So many chance to have like only with serve. Really I have no time and no preparation. It's very difficult.

Q. Hawkeye challenges played a big part at the end of both of those sets?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, it's helping. Sometimes it's really helping really to do some challenges. It's very interesting. Like, you know, you have some chance, you know, to change your game. It doesn't matter. What can say, just little bit chance in the game, I think for us is very important.

Q. Did you make those challenges certain that your ball was good, or did you do it just because you hoped it was okay?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Sometimes really you don't know. You're 50-50. Because like one referee says out and the other referee says I don't know, and you're thinking just challenge. But if everybody say out, then maybe for sure it's out.

Q. Facing two breakpoints at 4-All in the second set, that was the match in the balance for you there, wasn't it?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe, maybe, because -- like but also, like if it you find Love-40 was 3-2, you know, Serra's serve. I have really so many chances really make break in the second set and winning maybe more easy.
But I don't know. It's a game. Sometimes it's stupid concentration, you know. Just you do mistake, easy mistake, and then do this point, and then next point and next point you're losing and starting from zero again.
I say I know against Serra I was so like he beat also in Rotterdam like first set Soderling like 6-4. But then losing easy third set at 6-1.
That's what I was thinking, okay, he won first set. Maybe I still have chance. Because if I win second set, maybe I have easy to the third.

Q. Are you still in your light-hearted happy mood? Or did Australia, the disappointment of Australia, change that at all?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't know what is changed. Now is a new tournament, new media, everything new. It's for me starting from zero everything. Tennis, like I don't know, say, press. Just I talk with you now first time after first match.

Q. So after winning London and through all the earlier rounds of Australia, your press conferences were very good.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You like it? (Laughing).

Q. Yeah, I like it. So I'm just wondering whether that's going to continue, or whether you're going to go back to the old Nikolay that didn't say very much?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I didn't say very much, maybe I start better in English. Maybe I start to talk something different, not only about tennis.

Q. You told me in Australia that you were planning to come here a week early this time and prepare here. Is that what you did?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, no, no. I have really problem. After Rotterdam, I was in semifinal with Soderling. In the second set, I was fell down, and I was thinking I broke wrist. I have swelling three days. I cannot touch anything from left wrist.
I don't know if I can play here. Maybe I was already thinking I retire from Dubai because I did everything, just treat, physio. And I come here and I didn't know really I can play here. That's what I asked for Tuesday for the late day.
But start feeling little bit better. It's still pain, but I hope you know I continue today match and really feeling good. It's not something really big problem. I hope my injury, you know, now recovering and I can play here and Davis Cup.

Q. What did you have for treatment? Did you have a scan and everything?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes, I scan. I was thinking I broke something because the same day after the semifinal in the evening late, I have so much pain I cannot touch anything. That's what I was scared. The next day I scan and just look bones and everything.
I don't know how my -- everything, muscles some, but bones was okay. They said okay, it's perfect. If anything broken, and I still maybe can recover fast. If inflammation go out you know in a few couple days, maybe I start to really practicing. But I didn't preparation. I didn't make anything. It was pretty difficult. I need to concentrate on my injury and recover as fast as possible.

Q. So did you stay in Rotterdam or did you go home?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, no. I go to Germany and did some treatment there, and then arriving here late Friday. Just like little bit here during Saturday, Sunday.

Q. Has the injury cleared now?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Really still a little bit pain, but I was hoping, you know, if I play and play and do some exercise and everything, maybe it's recover faster.
I don't know really which way is better. Do something or don't do anything. That's what I try this way. I try to do something. It's still with pain. Sometimes I cannot really hit very good from backhand because it's --

Q. Is it the serving arm or the other one?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Sometimes the return. If you see, I did so many returns from backhand. Normally I just always try return very well. And second serve was today was not so good for me. Was sometimes is pain and I'm relaxed my wrist, and I cannot control the ball.
But I'm hoping just every day will be better. You know, if start to be pain, I don't know what I need to do. I need to again ask physio what I need to do, relax or play. Really for me it's now very difficult time because I have Davis Cup also now, so now every week tournaments. Now in my mind I don't know what to do.

Q. But it was that wrist, the right one?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Left one.

Q. You have the Doha title. Do you have your sites set on the Middle East double: Doha and Dubai?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Well, you know, I was in Doha I think I was few times already in the semifinal. I played always good it's like first week, and I have good preparation before tournament. I come before to each tournament.
I play good in Doha. Here it's like you come from indoor and outdoor, different temperature. You know, in Rotterdam it was minus 5. Here like plus 25. You know, breathing different, everything. You need to get ready.
For sure I need one week before coming here everything, for practicing, do everything, you know, exercising.
Dubai is like interesting. One week outdoor, and then I have Davis Cup indoor, and then America outdoor. It's so -- it's not so easy, really. Always go indoor, outdoor.

Q. Before Doha you were in Abu Dhabi, and also you got sick from poison and food, also the weather. How much this matter is a problem here in Dubai, especially the temperature will rise 5Â° the next two days. How much will you feel?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, but it was perfect. I was not sick because I come from minus to plus. In Abu Dhabi I come from plus 30 to plus 20. You know, that's what's different. That's what I'm scared now. Coming from here to Moscow, it's minus 10 or minus 20. You know, it's really a risk to get to be sick.

Q. Who do you travel with Nikolay? Do you have a physio or fitness trainer with you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes, I have physio and important wife.

Q. Does your brother travel with you now?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Not yet. He have academy now for February. Just kids coming for this month. That's what he's still in Germany now. I have five or six kids from Russia come there. He was like this month February he want to spend there in the academy, but for sure he's coming to Indian Wells and Miami with me.

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