TENNIS MASTERS CUP


November 13, 2008


Nikolay Davydenko

SHANGHAI, CHINA

N. DAVYDENKO/J. Del Potro
6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was a pretty good performance. Can you play much better than that?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, I think I was show tennis much better in Miami. In Miami I think was the best tennis what I play. Today was different.
Today we didn't play so fast, I think. Play much slower. Balls was softer. We did long rally. I see Del Potro was nervous, like losing first set. In the second, he was already a little bit I think less concentration and make more mistake. That's was I have more chance. In second set I have more concentration and play better and better.

Q. Can you tell us how you feel about reaching the semifinals, and who would you prefer to play?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I feel great. You know, I think I have chance, you know, beat Djokovic, but I didn't, and today was my last chance coming to semifinal.
Two different players. I think it should be Federer beat Murray, I play against Federer, yeah. Or if Murray beat Federer...
Really, I don't know for sure. You know, now is Murray showed very good tennis in the moment. I have against Murray much better result because I won this year also match and I lost match, and against Federer I have 12-0. I never win. It's different situation.
That's was I don't know. Against Murray I have more chance. Doesn't matter how Murray play; I have more chance I think. And against Federer I don't know, because really losing against Simon, he show not so best tennis I think in the moment.
But you never know. Federer is every day different guy. But for me it's Murray, I think, priority.

Q. You're in the semifinal, but we also see Andy Murray is in the semifinal in his first Masters Cup. Djokovic also. Gilles Simon also has a chance. Can you give us some comments on the new generation of tennis.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: New generation? I don't know. I'm 27 and these guys are 22, 21, 20. It's five, six years younger. I think tennis, it's not different in the moment. Just I know I see these guys have good baseline, running, you know, all match, just try good concentration. I don't see any change, you know, in tennis in the moment.
I know Federer was No. 1, and he have the best tennis what I see. But another guys I don't see really - not yet. Maybe in the future something, you know, coming.

Q. Can you talk about the momentum or the importance of winning Miami for you this year. It's like the fifth biggest tournament, or so they say. Did that give you a lot of confidence? How important was that for you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, every week is different week. Miami was, you know, in April. It's already forget. You know, half year already. I need to show new result, another result, better result.
I win Miami, but I didn't make good result in Grand Slam. That's was I really disappointed this year. I hope I can for the next year concentration for Grand Slam and play better there.

Q. Novak seems a little bit more serious this year than last year. Last year he was doing all his imitations. Do you notice that about him at all?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You think he's this year more nervous? You know, some players, like not say junior, young players, yeah, like 22, 21, he's just first year coming, make very good result.
For the next year he know he's already a very good player, and he need to defend points, he need to defend ranking. Still No. 2, No. 3 for the next year, next year, yeah? You start to be serious, because you thinking you already coming for another level.
If you start to lose some points to guys who stay No. 20, No. 30, you start to be nervous, because how possible? I'm No. 2, No. 3 in the world, and I can't lose match. Then you start to be nervous. You thinking -- I don't know what you thinking, but sometimes, like me also, it's possible. If you nervous in the match, you can lose match doesn't matter against who.

Q. I remember the new racquet you had in Miami. Are you still using the same? Can you talk a little bit more about it.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, but after US Open I say racquet is not good (laughter).
Yeah, but I think it's still everything from my mind. You know, it's in my head. I thinking racquet is good, racquet is bad, but I know sometimes is problem in my body, you know, what I do, how I feeling every day, what I do in the court. If I have good concentration, doesn't matter I think which racquet I play, I can play good.
But, yes, stay with Prince racquet already four years. Now in top 5. It's good result, I think, for me. Yeah, but I want to play better. You know, I don't want to stay top 5. I want to prove something. I want to do some good result by Grand Slam. I did semifinal, but I want to come to final.

Q. Some guys say the season is too long and they feel tired right now. It seems you never complain and you always have good physical situation. You also have few injuries. How can you do that?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, everybody tired, but it's depends what you do after the match. Depends how you relax and how you try to be fit for the next match.
I know everybody have some pain. I know everybody is tired and injuries or something like this. But we try to recover as fast how possible because we are professional player. We need to recover in 24 hours.
If you didn't, if you not fit, we cannot play the next day. We try different way how we can recover fast. I don't say about doping, but I say massage or something like this, you know, (laughter), wife, and la, la, la, relax, you know, in the mind (smiling).

End of FastScripts