It's been an amazingly boring day in Melbourne. All the seeds have not just won, they've demolished opponents. So thank GOD we have Kolya to entertain us:
Q. So much of the emphasis on tennis these days in the men's game is about players who are 6'7", 6'9". We have Karlovic, Isner, Del Potro. Huge men. Here you are.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Come on. But I am not so small.
Q. Relatively.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: To another guy, maybe.
Q. There are different ways of succeed in tennis.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: But these guys running like me? No.
Q. Trying.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: These guys just have different tennis. I think it's now at this time, if you see, it's tennis is so much different. Everybody can play. You know, some guys who make good serve and play volley and another guys running play only baseline and play very well.
That's was I ‑‑ Nadal also 6'0".
Q. A lot of stories in the papers are about how the male tennis player is getting bigger and bigger. When you walk past Isner you must think he's a giant.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: But why everybody scare me? Of me, I mean.
Q. Maybe you scare them more than they scare you.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yeah, but I hope I do my level, you know, and I can beat every 6'0" guys in the tour.
Q. Are you still one of the least‑known players? Do you get bothered for your autograph? You said no one in London did at all. Are you becoming a little bit more...
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: If I go outside now here, it's be difficult to do in autograph. But in the street in the city, yes it's easy. Nobody recognize me and it's good feeling really. Really good feeling.
Q. You live your life.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Yes. I like what ‑‑ how I enjoy my life, yes, like this.
Q. If you win a Grand Slam, what do you think will happen in Russia?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't go to Russia after Australian Open. That's was nothing happen there. (Laughter.) I have another tournaments, you know. I celebrate another tournaments then. It's okay.
Q. Do you think the people of Russia will celebrate?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: I don't think so. It's not like football. Not really. In soccer, yes, everybody go in the street drinking. But I don't think so if I win Grand Slam everybody start to drink, all Russia. I don't think so. But it's Monday. It be Monday next day and everybody need work.
Q. Do you think you'll get a call from Marat Safin if you win?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: He's now in Argentina. How can I call him?
Q. You don't think he will call you if you win a Grand Slam?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Why if I see him in Davis Cup in Moscow?
Q. If you're in Russia, do people recognize you in the streets? Do they know you?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Sometimes looking me, and then not believe it's me. Because Russia, like people think about how he can walk on the street because always he driving car. Never you see, you know, really famous people just walking somewhere.
Like say if you go in, I don't know, like in the bath sitting somewhere, people watching you and go, No, it's can't be him. It's not normal. It's mentally Russian.
Q. When the girls won Grand Slam and Myskina won the French Open, Putin rung her up. Do you expect a call from Medvedev?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Call? He didn't know my mobile number. But he did already send me to Russian Federation after I won London. Yeah, that's was very nice, what he did.
Q. What did he do? Tell us what he did.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: What he did? Just congratulate me winning World Cup in London, blah, blah, blah. Just letter. Like he want to send to me in London, but he don't know which hotel I stay. That's was he send to Russian Federation. I hope I pick up now this letter if I go to Moscow.
Q. Is the tournament really beginning now?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Now tournament begin? Yeah, I'm already spend two weeks here.
Q. Is it getting tough, the real tournament is starting now?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Maybe. I don't know. We will see after Verdasco match. Just now we all top 10 players. Yeah, it's fourth round. Yeah, like I tell before, also difficult for me third round because very good player. Mostly everybody good player. Depends of me, how I play.
If I play well, I hope I have chance to win.
Q. If you had to marry another Russian tennis player, who would it be?
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: Marry?
Q. Get married, like husband and wife.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: If I married another tennis player? Man or woman? (Laughter.). I have already wife. I have my beautiful wife. I don't want to have any ‑‑
IRINA DAVYDENKO: I hear you.
NIKOLAY DAVYDENKO: She's here.
Q. Sorry about that. (Laughter.)
