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U.S. OPEN

August 30, 2010

Nikolay Davydenko

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

N. DAVYDENKO/M. Russell
6-4, 6-1, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Are you pleased with the way that you played out there today?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I am?

Q. Are you pleased? Are you happy?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Pleased? New word for me.

Q. That's all right. Content? Happy? Not happy?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Um, yeah, I'm happy to win, you know. Just it's always be happy winning matches. You know, it's just some small things what I need to do, you know, in couple days before my second match.
Because I know in the first set I was nervous and play some different games. Just need to improve my baseline, because for sure I can play better. But, you know, fighting and playing matches maybe confidence be better and maybe game be better.
Just not only practicing. You need to have matches and can be also feeling confidence and feeling balls and everything.

Q. You started the season very strong, but I know you were out with injury. If you could talk a little bit about your physical condition right now, are you able to go out there and play at 100% or less, and if you could describe, please.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't know, really. Today was -- for sure I will try always play 100%, but you don't know what's going to happening.
Like today with balls, now is very warm. Is not warm; is very warm. Five-set matches is really difficult, for sure. Like you play two hours or three hours, it's already different.
But always be easy to win in three sets, and, you know, not losing, you know, so much power. Play like a long rally and then you already tired. For sure I am a little bit tired today but not like 100% tired. That's was I really don't know if my physically condition is pretty good for five sets. I need to see also. Depends how matches and how I play.

Q. So you're uncertain right now about your ability to really go out and be, you know, your full self? It sounds to me you are a bit uncertain about your condition.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, I never tell before or after my first match I am very good shape and I can win tournament.
I just be easy and just say, I'm okay. You know, just concentration for the second match. (Smiling.) I don't know what's going to happen.

Q. How has the season been for you, though? You had some weeks off and then you came back. Do you feel like you've been playing better tennis coming into the event?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, for sure be at holiday much better. You know, feel much easy, you know, nothing to do and feel comfortable. It's enjoy life.
Then, you know, come back to tennis, and, ah, start to be in -- for sure I am happy now come back, have recover from injury and feeling now in the tournament. I like to play, you know, more tournament matches.
But tennis is different. Not better. For sure not better. Before my injury I feel much more confidence and I feel much more stronger. Now, like guys say, top 10 players, Yeah, if you play matches, you feel like top 10. In the moment, I don't feel like this. I don't feel like I play like top 10 player now, not in this time.
Maybe. Depends how are my matches coming, how I fighting, how many matches I win. Then I can feel it. Then I can say if I feel very good and if I can play like top 10 player.

Q. What is the difference between top 10 player level and your level at this moment?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe like every players like try, you know, to do no mistake or just hitting like balls like have -- top 10 player have more concentration in the important point. Then if you have chance, you realize this chance. Like you have like 90% chance to win this point.
Another player just fighting and losing. It's always be like this.

Q. When you come back from a broken wrist, what is the most difficult thing to recover in your game?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Head. Mentally problem. Because you always practicing. You can play forehand, backhand, but for sure it's important on the match what you need to do with forehand and backhand.
That's it. You can hit balls, but where you hit and how you hit, that's the much important. That's was everything it's important in your mind, like concentration and you see how the ball finally -- where you need to play and everything. That's very difficult.
That's was if I play more matches, then I know for sure how I need to play and where I need to play.

Q. Did you feel something maybe click in Cincinnati?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: For sure, yes. Two matches get like small, you know, help to play better. For sure it's like every match what I win is give me something.
But I'm person is not like coming from one match and I say like, Oh, now I feel like good shape. Sometimes like I can play beginning tournament, and I remember I was play not so good here and I coming twice in semifinal, you know, in US Open.
But in beginning I just fighting. I don't play so well. I don't play like top 10 player. But, you know, step by step, and really helping, you know, a little bit lucky, fighting, winning points, winning matches. And then coming, you know, just already in the third match you feel already much better and you play much better.

Q. You have a lot of points to defend till the end of the year. Are you anxious for your ranking?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Not much, no. No. I know I can like say after maybe like China, Asia tour I can be out from top 10. But, you know, it's life. It's just if I can do result, maybe I can defend points; maybe not.
You know, we have some tournaments. If I not coming to London, I have more time for rest. I have more time for enjoy, you know, time, holiday, and preparation for the next season.

Q. How do you estimate your chances to be back in London in the Masters?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Winning tournaments. You know, there's only one chance what I can do. Winning all Grand Slam or Masters or two Masters, you know, just to get some points for the London.

Q. What's your coaching situation right now? How much of a role, if any, does your wife have in it?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You want to be my coach?

Q. Are you taking applications?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, my brother is my coach. He is here. Yeah, I don't know which press give it some information I was with, you know, my brother not anymore with me.
I just tell some tournaments he not with me. That's was my wife is always with me. And my brother coming for some Grand Slam tournaments, big tournaments, but not every tournaments.
He's always be my coach, because if I go home I practice with him. Just sometimes I need some help and I just have another coach who just helping me by the tournaments, like in Toronto, Cincinnati, and maybe in another tournaments in the futures.

Q. Question about Richard Gasquet. Do you think he can go back in the top 10?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: He was good player. For sure is also head problem. Not about tennis. He play very good tennis. It's like if he was already like in top 20 and top 10, why not? You know, always you can come back. It's not big problem.
Or maybe not. Have two choice, yes or no. (Smiling.)

End of FastScripts

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