Day 6 - An interview with Nikolay Davydenko - Friday, June 1, 2007

Q. I guess winning this tournament is all about peaking at the right time. You had a good start this season, and things weren't, probably, quite as good as you wanted them to be in March. Now everything seems to be coming together for you. How do you see the way this season has progressed for you?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: It looks the same like last year. It's okay. I don't think something changed so much, my results. Because last year I was in this time already winning one tournament and this year not yet. That was maybe this result this year is a little bit different.

Yeah, but I tried to keep, you know, play good and try to get some points and to make my ranking higher in the event, points by some tournaments, like here or before tournament. So this is really tough, because you need to get always in. Sometimes you're disappointed. You're losing CHECK EARLY like before what you did last year, and here, and try to do it for the next week for the next tournament better and better.

It is always now I don't make the same tournament, not like the same results. Like last year was quarterfinal Hamburg, and this year was semifinal Rome. This is some different weeks, the results. Yeah, it's still good here. Still I was won. I think for me already, it's not bad.

Q. You have three matches, you seem to be progressively looking better and better.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Because of three sets, maybe it was not so tough draw. I was seeing. I have some Spanish guy, some Argentinian guy who play only from baseline, fighting. And it was baseline not so long, really. So it was pretty easy matches.

Q. Now, of course, it gets even tougher because Nalbandian and Monfils are out there trying to beat each other up, and who knows, it could go five sets. How would you see a match‑up against either one of those two?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: These guys play more from baseline. I need to be fit physically first, and for sure tennis to play control from baseline points, and fighting like these guys both doing today.

So it is, also, I need to do the same for next round against both guys.

Q. Nalbandian is more or less predictable. You know how he's going to play. Monfils, he's still learning to play tennis in a way, and he's a bit unpredictable. Does that make him difficult to play?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Monfils, because he is play at home in French, yeah. He support of people here, and he try to fight like Davis Cup. He play for the country, and he's fighting for every ball.

Nalbandian, if he win like every matches, he plays better and better and better, you know. It's pretty tough to stop him for every round, because he's feeling confidence higher, and feeling great.

I think against Monfils, it is a little bit different to play or Nalbandian. Nalbandian I have a little bit more pressure from Nalbandian, not from Monfils.

Q. You plan to play as much tennis this year as you did last year?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I think, I don't know, the same.

Q. What did you play, 100 matches or something in 2006?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, just how many matches I play already? 30? 30? It's already the middle season. If I can like ‑‑ if I make no result good, I can finish in 50 matches, yes? If you make some results you can be more. We'll see. It's only June. Starting June, and I have time.

Q. Maybe the better question is will you play as many tournaments this year as you did last year?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Depends how I result by some tournaments.

Q. And you've gotten married. And how does this change how much you want to be out on the road playing tennis?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Just now, except now she's my wife, not my girlfriend. If I say somebody is already wife, that's it. Maybe for her it is better, you know. And for me, she's still the same girl, just my wife.