Day 10 - An interview with Nikolay Davydenko - Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Q. After a great win like that, have you been in a position where you've come into a game against Roger feeling so good about your game with such good momentum?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, it's not about, like, if I should be play today against Federer. It's like -- because if you want to see, like, between Nalbandian and Cañas what I played some different games, different tactics. It was, like, you know, an all different play, like Nalbandian and Cañas and Federer is different players. You cannot play the same games, like, the same hitting balls forehand and backhand, and you think it should be enough for this one.

This was, I need to know -- I have two days, and I need to know, like, maybe in the match already see how which tactic I need to do against Federer.

Q. You may have been expecting a longer game today. I think the other day you said you were expecting maybe five sets, to lose a few kilos, I think you said, with the effort. Are you surprised how quickly you managed to win the match?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: This was not quickly, three hours, three sets. It was, like, I was played before one and a half hours, you know, three sets. And today was three hours.

And, no, it's, like, I was surprising, I was not tired like Cañas. And I was thinking Cañas was more stronger. But in the match, I see he was already tired, and he's losing power. And I don't know, and I still, like, feeling great, and I can hitting balls in the second and third set, just try to stay on concentration and attack balls. Like try to keep in the game, and winning some points. That was it.

And I see Cañas running, running, like, right, left, and tired more and more. This was, for me, was better. Today, I was feeling more fresh, not like after Nalbandian.

Q. Is there a relationship between the equipment you're using and the performance that you're recalling here and elsewhere? What I mean is, you're using a Prince racquet. Djokovic, Hantuchova, Sharapova, they've seen phenomenal rises in the way they play. Has this new technology anything to do with it, the Prince racquet that you're using?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, it's, like, we play all different racquets. Also Sharapova play different from Prince. It's not like the same we have racquets. But racquets is good enough to play on all surface. It's not only for clay. I played also on hard court the same racquets. But, you know, like, how do I say, I don't want to say something, like, for about Prince, like it was No. 1.

But I feel great because I'm changing first time after Head to come into the Prince and play straight, you know, like, semifinals Hamburg, win small tournaments, like St. Polten and then coming here in first my semifinals Roland Garros. Three weeks, like, in a row I played so great. And that was -- and was changing racquets straight after Rome to Hamburg. Still played now with Prince and feeling great.

Q. You've been at a high level for a long time now, going deep in tournaments, being in the Top 10. Do you feel as if the public appreciates you and appreciates how hard it is to stay at that level and play that consistently? You're kind of a quiet guy, I think, in the public's eye.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: First I want to just say I get, for me, it's like important, enjoy tennis. Not like to get pressure from someone and just thinking about I'm Top 10 player, and I need to try to keep my points or something to still Number 10 or Top 10, like defend my points here for quarterfinal last year. This was important, like, to play every match and just try and enjoy. If I enjoy, I play well. I get some chance to prove my game in a game. And then feeling better, better, and then was coming results.

But, you know, like I was enjoying to be quarterfinal, beat Nalbandian, and now beat Cañas. That's it. I was enjoy just for every matches. And I don't think about where I stand. It's good, yeah, Number 4 in semifinal Roland Garros, that's not bad.

Q. How would you like the public to think of you though? Do you ever think about how you come across to the tennis public, your image?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You need to be always make good results. Just first you need to be by Grand Slam, yeah, like semifinal, final, quarterfinal, because you're playing Center Court. And public you know who are you. Because you see, like, already stadium is full, and on TV, everybody watch you. From beginning, like, if you play on Court 2 or 3 or 4, no TV, like, how many people is there? Nobody interesting. Then it's more and more, it's better. Yeah, for everybody I think better if you play Center Court. Everybody wishing.

Q. Your record with Roger, what part does that play in the build-up to this match now? And how different is it because you've got Roger on clay?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I lost, I think, against him in Hamburg one time. Yeah, it was -- yeah. Yeah, it's -- I would say depends, you know, how you go in the match and how you prepare for the match. Because last year in the US Open, I just tried to do my best game, and I think I was surprising I played not so well. And it's just he hit me, you know, like, easy in three sets, and I have no chance. And I was disappointed for this time, because I think I am good now. I feel great, and I'm coming, you know, to fight and just try to win and beat Federer at US Open semifinal.

Because I played before also already in Australian Open quarterfinal, and I have always chance to win. Because I see I was getting -- he have always sometimes trouble against me. And he -- that was -- you know, like, yeah.

It's not like coming, you need to play your best game. You need to find game, how you need to play against Federer, that's it. That's what I need to find (laughing).

Q. You just spoke about playing the sport of tennis for the joy of it. What gives you the most joy? Is it the competition? Is it your own improvement? Is it something inside you? The movement? What gives you that joy?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Most enjoying hit ball, make winners (laughing). Easy to win matches.

No, no. It's like enjoying in tennis, like, feeling you play forehand, backhand, and you just think about, I want to play like long line across, and I played that. And if I want to hitting there, you know, I play. Not like play, make mistake, I don't know why I did mistake.

If like, today, I was feeling, like, play like what I want, like, good concentration and hitting balls, and play to the long line, and, like, was, for me, like, with this enjoy. Because I know I want to play, like, long line, and I play it. And this is I'm enjoying. I go in, I make winners and, like, it's proof.

Because before like starting from first match, I just to do some mistakes. I don't feel so great balls. It's just like every match, something enjoying, and better and better. But I need to prove more, like, how many double faults I make for every match. You know, sometimes I losing.

And against Federer, it's pretty tough. If I do some double faults, he knows he can break me in my serve.

Q. The perception of you a little bit is that when it comes to the big occasions and the big players, you maybe have struggled a little bit to elevate your game, that little extra it takes to get to a major final or even a championship. Is that your own perception of yourself? Is it something you can work on?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe, I don't know. I need to ask coach what I need to do now in semifinal against Federer. Because he has different level, yeah.

But I don't know. It should be Federer -- if Cañas beat me today, Federer have more trouble, because he lose already two times and he has confidence. Against me, he never lose, he has more confidence. But for me better, you know, like, in semifinal, not losing Cañas.

Q. Were you aware, for instance, people were saying they saw the draw and they said, Uh-oh, Federer/Canas, Roger better watch it, were you aware of that and nobody was saying Cañas has to beat Davydenko?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Has to beat Davydenko?

Q. Yeah.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: When, today?

Q. People almost assumed that Cañas would be playing Federer and overlooked you.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Because every play is different. And some player, like good player, it's like Cañas or like Coria or some Spanish, Argentinian guy, these guys, if I play against these guys, I'm feeling I can beat. Doesn't matter if he beat Federer or, you know, because every player feeling comfortable against this player. And okay, against Federer, I don't know. Nobody feel comfortable. Only Cañas was winning two times.

And, like, today, I was feeling more comfortable for my match against Cañas, not like against Nalbandian. Because Nalbandian is different players, and, you know, and it was pretty tough to play.

Every player's different. I don't want to say my tactic, my only one game, and I play them every one like this. This was -- I need everything changing in a game. And it's tennis.

Q. Now that you have your new clothes, should we expect to see you on the cover of men's Vogue, like Roger? Are you planning to be a big star in fashion?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Which clothes?

Q. Your new clothes, now that you have the contract.

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, it's like -- yeah, it's French company, so also it's not bad. Play Roland Garros with French company here, it's nice. And, yeah. It looks more nice, not like my Nike, and Federer, I see like -- for me, it looks more nice. Soccer play, and not bad.

Q. Is the company now going lots of money because you're --

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, company already is big one. They're all enough for money. Because six teams in the soccer teams here in France, this was -- should be enough. Tennis, I don't know, just enjoy, like, me and Petrova to play. I don't know what the reason was, you know, take tennis. But it's good, you know, maybe some international already. Not only in France, now try everybody knows what is my company, you know, what I play. Good, good for company. I don't know.

Q. Are you getting rich because of the contract? Do you have bonuses?

NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I go rich? No, I have more money, my prize money to win here in the tournament.