Day 12 - Nicolay Davydenko Interview

Day 12 - Nicolay Davydenko Interview
Friday, June 3, 2005
Q. You were up two sets to one. Again, you were up one break in the fifth set. Finally you lost. It could be a little frustrating for you.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, it's not frustrating because it's really ‑‑ really difficult because it's not like only, you know, like should be I win this match 'cause only it was for two. It was not like ‑‑ I had no match point. And he play well. He just moving better. He play from baseline better. And I have all time problem.
It was not like, say ‑‑ okay, was confidence he have better today. I try something to run, like something to fight, but it was difficult. It was for me like, yeah, say, difficult.
Q. Could you be more precise? What kind of difficulties was it? The control of the ball?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, because I'm already tired and moving every ball, this was difficult, yeah. And like then I try something to make winners and also to control ball also was not so easy. I make many mistake then.
Already he just try to just play forehand, backhand, topspin, is for me. And then just make difficult control from his ball. Like I make mistakes, few mistake. That's it. I lose some game.
Q. It was a very close game, close match. You were nearly winning this game.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, you know, for me was good. I play fast in the second, third set. I'm moving good. Everything play good. Then he try make long rally. I just was tired. You know, just try too fast, but was already slow. In the fifth set, it was slow. For him, this was perfect. He just make topspin, forehand, backhand. That's it. For me, it was nothing.
Q. So maybe it was a problem of you were tiring because you played a lot of games, because you played something like 10 games in the last three weeks, that's correct?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah. But, you know, it was really difficult today match. I started already from first set. I didn't thinking I can win easy, no. Second, third set, yeah. It was difficult for me second set to win. I just break only one game. And then I was pushing in the third set. This was for me, I'm surprised. I win easy.
And then he try again in the fourth, and was for him is better. You know, he just ‑‑ today he play better than me. From baseline he was better for, like, say sometimes I make winners, but is not enough to beat him tonight.
Q. Was the wind a problem for you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Problem it's moving. It's difficult to move of center court, you know. It was really slippery in clay court, yeah. And he make topspin, forehand, backhand. Now he's moving, now he play me a forehand or backhand, I'm slippery, go outside from the court. Then he play from another side, that's it. I have no chance to move.
It was really difficult. It was if I play faster, he have no chance. If I play a little bit slow, he have chance to beat me easy.
Q. Today we saw you have a very good serve.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, because I have nothing to do any time concentration something different, just to play maybe like good serve to make and I was okay. Just make few serve. Then I was tired in the fifth, I cannot make any first serve already.
Fifth set I cannot do anything. 'Cause I already started about 2‑All, like I was surprised to win this game about 4‑2. And then my serve, you know, it was normal. For me was normal I losing this serve 4‑3 because it was difficult already in the fifth set.
Q. Was it a problem of you were nervous? You were very close to be in the first final in a Grand Slam. >
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: No, no. It was really feeling already start in fifth set. I losing my control by games. I losing from baseline, long rally. I losing everything. You know, if he just try to play long, I losing every time. And I just try to keep some like short points just to make winner, something to make easy for me. But this was difficult in a clay court.
Q. What happened to his serve in the third set? He was losing a lot on his serve. Did you notice that?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Is sometimes, you know, like you feeling good, you just pushing like everything your body perfect, the serve. You know, you go, just try concentration everything first serve, you make good serve. Then really already just running too much, you know, tired. You try also to make serve, but is not happen. Is difficult.
Q. You had a great tournament. Third in the race. You must be satisfied overall.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, okay. For me is good, yeah, in Top 10. But, okay, I say today is bad luck for me because this was close, yeah. This match was really close. But, okay, say not ‑‑ like fifth set for me, yeah, I thinking I lose already match because I feeling I have no chance then to just to beat him.
Q. Next you are going to play on grass. You have never won a game on grass. You will try?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I go to the Wimbledon preparation before one week.
Q. After there will be the Davis Cup against France. You could be the leader because you are very strong on clay. We saw that. What do you expect for that?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't like five‑set matches. It's only Davis Cup to be also play like here five sets. I will see.
Q. Why did you think you'd lost the match in the fifth set? Is it because you were tired?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, because in two sets ‑‑ in the fourth set it was something, yeah ‑‑ you know, you play ‑‑ I try to play the same, everything the same, like second set, third set. Fourth set play the same, but it was already slow. I just try to push ball, but it was already slow. For him it's okay.
Fifth set I feeling I losing more control like more mistake, yeah. If I try to play there, I try to play baseline good, or cross along line, that's it, I losing control and I make mistake. Was happen in the fifth set, I cannot do anything.
Q. How were you physically at that point?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Physically in the fifth set I was maximum. Just try to play how I can. I just do everything what I can do. But this was not enough.
Q. You played excellent match. It was 11‑1 in aces for you. 7‑1 in double‑faults for him. Really you had this chance in the fifth set. What you actually missed was a couple of short balls that you really didn't play well, which seem even as easy balls, so probably that's the key you miss.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: You know, was also 4‑3 and he serving. I have also chance to be 5‑3. But I make, you know, like just ‑‑ like maximum concentration, but I can't do. Like I try to make winner and I can't. Just everything what I want to do, I can't. In this point, I can't do anything. And I was losing, losing, losing, losing, and try to concentration and just every ball, but is losing, you know.
Like from up go hundred percent down of zero. That's it. I cannot do anything. This was difficult.

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