January 7, 2011
N. DAVYDENKO/R. Nadal
6-3, 6-2
An interview with:
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. First tournament of the year and
another final. How do you feel?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I feel good,
but I surprising because I'm in final.
Maybe I'm surprising myself, because it's
pretty tough, you know, here and just Federer,
Nadal, Tsonga. I'm not really top 10, and, you
know, for me it's tough tournament.
Beat today Nadal, No. 1. I know he's
last year have good form. I don't know, today he
feel different. For sure he was not best form.
Normally he's much tougher and plays -- he's
stronger.
I don't mean tennis; I mean physically.
He was completely tired running, fighting for
points.
Q.
But why do you say you're
surprised? You certainly have the game, and
you've won here in Doha. Why do you say
you're surprised?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Because last
year I won because I won London. That's was,
for me, I don't care against who I play. I beat
also Nadal and Federer in the Masters Cup.
Here in Doha, for me, it's like same
situation, it was. Last year, if you see after Doha,
I didn't win any tournaments. After my injury I
play not so good, and I didn't make any
semifinal. I have no good result.
That's was, for me, really surprising
beginning this year. I am again the final, and I
hope it's not be my last final, you know, in this
year.
Q. What do you think your level is
now? Is it similar level to here last year or
not?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO:
You know,
every day is level different, because how you feel
just -- you know, how you sleep and you wake up
and you feel so comfortable and you are relaxed
and not so much nervous and you play easy and
fighting for every points and feel good balls.
I see already how I, before warmup,
starting warmup before the match, and I already
know how I play and how I feel, and I know I
need to be nervous or not.
Q. And how did you feel before the
match today?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Pretty good,
really. Just was not so easy to run here, you
know, just very difficult running on this surface
here in Doha.
I don't know why it's really surprising me.
Last year it's was -- physically I was much better
and running much faster. Now, you know,
maybe my tennis a little bit better, but physically
I'm not so strong, you know.
Every point
running, it's not so easy.
Q. So do you think your best tennis is
still to come?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: For sure, you
know, by every match, winning, you know, guys,
top 10 players beating on the tournaments, it's
confidence coming back, and for sure it's helping
me so much, you know, come back. Level, it's
also coming, you know, tennis level, and
automatically, you know, coming after physically,
for sure, because fighting for the points, every
points and running.
I hope, you know, for Australian Open I
can be fit also for five-sets matches.
Q. It doesn't look you have to be
nervous for the final. You have such a good
record. You won the last six finals, so
something special where you go on the last
day of the tournament?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Now I start to
be nervous, because you really pushing me,
finals, six winning (smiling).
Yeah, would be nice winning seven. You
know, it's not so bad. But I don't play, you know,
against, you know, top 50 guys. I play against,
you know, good player, Federer. It's different.
875098399
visit our archives at asapsports.com
1
I never play final, I think, against
Federer. Always play semis or quarters, but the
final I play always against Nadal. That's was for
me much easier to win. I don't know why. Now
it's different situation. That's was I think it would
be much tougher.
Q. I'm gonna push it some more.
Federer said today that when you're healthy,
when you're fit again, that you should be a
regular player in the top 5. So what are your
goals for this season?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: For sure I
want to come back in top 10 this year, because I
really good practice and I have good tennis now,
and, you know, it's just starting tournaments.
Last year my hope was the same. You
know, winning Doha, quarterfinals Australia
Open was -- yeah, every tournament make
result. But, you know, if you injury, and then you
cannot play three months, then it already start
different situation, and it's like you don't know
what's can happen.
That's was I don't want to say anything.
My goal, it's my goal. I just want to enjoy and not
to be injured. If I enjoy tennis, for sure I can
make good result.
Q. Which memories you have about
your match against Roger in Australian Open
last year?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Memory, it's
like I can win easy and then I lost easy. You
know, that's was memory.
Yeah, last year I lost in Cincinnati again
in semifinal, and, you know, just -- but is already I
have different level. You know, now is maybe
my tennis level better, and that's was if I still
continue like I play today or yesterday before,
you know, and just I feel my forehand, backhand
I can play good, I have good control, if I still
tomorrow the same, you know, level or maybe
better, you know, just important for sure I need to
have good legs and I need to run and control the
ball. Because I saw Federer try to play fast,
easy, just two, three points, try to make winners,
you don't want to run so much, and that's was for
me I need to find this, you know, solution, how I
need to play against him tomorrow.
academy and he work with his son. Son plays
some Futures every week most this year, and for
sure he's come with me now Doha and
Australian Open, maybe Rotterdam, but after
America, like Indian Wells and Miami, I have
another coach, because he want to spend time
with his son also on the Futures.
A rare mix, but I never change coach,
just for time, you know, just for couple
tournaments. And then if he see I play bad, he
just come back again. He coaching me again.
But now we have good time. We are
practicing together all December, and he just -he wanted, you know, because I need to defend
points and he want to start with me now here and
just see how I play. If I start to play good, he
say, Okay. You play good and you can go now
alone.
Q.
Of the four Grand Slam
tournaments, is the Australian Open the one
where you think you have the most chances
of going far?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: If I was five
times quarterfinal, I think so, I have good chance.
Just only problem I am not top 8 seeded player.
I am already not top 16. That's was is already a
different situation. That's was I can play against
Nadal, Djokovic, or Federer already in the fourth
round or fifth round, yeah?
That's was already difficult. You know,
just need to see against who I play and how I
play.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports
Q.
Can you tell us about your
coaching situation? I think you had stopped
working with your brother last year? Are you
back with him? Can you tell us everything
behind it?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I never stop
with my brother, because he is now have tennis
875098399
visit our archives at asapsports.com
2