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DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN


February 26, 2011


Sergiy Stakhovsky

Mikhail Youzhny


DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

STAKHOVSKY-YOUZHNY/Chardy-Lopez
4-6, 6-3, 10-3


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. One set down, and then...
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: And then? One set all and final tiebreaker win, you're right.
SERGIY STAKHOVSKY: You were there?

Q. Were you pleased with the way you played today in comparison to the previous matches this week? Do you feel as if you played your best match today?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, actually I think we cannot say we play best match. We start a little bit slowly with first serve, first and last actually. (Smiling.) Yeah, that's why first set was so slow.
But after we start to play better. Maybe was a little bit lucky in second set when it was three time deciding point on my serve. But I think in final tiebreaker we play really good and much better focused.

Q. I know you played a little bit last year and you won the Halle title, but do you plan to play any more tournaments this year?
SERGIY STAKHOVSKY: Well, I mean, I believe we both enjoy playing each other together, together in doubles, and I'm looking forward to it.
I mean, depends on Mikhail. It's his schedule more tight than mine.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, now actually won 250, now 500, now I already has to ask to Sergiy if we can continue to play or maybe... (Laughing.)
SERGIY STAKHOVSKY: Two out of two is good.
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, actually, I think we like way how we play doubles together. I think we prefer to continue.

Q. What is it that makes you two click so well on the tennis court? You seem very well combined together.
SERGIY STAKHOVSKY: I would say that we understand each other out of the tennis court, because I believe we are friends off the tennis court, and on the tennis court it helps a lot.
I mean, Mikhail is really great player, and he really can help me out in my tough moments. So it's really -- for me, it's really easy to play with him. I mean, what I need to do? I need to return one return in one game and we can break the guys. How easy it be?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, actually in the doubles -- I mean, for singles players and doubles, it's really important how you feel the opponent. So that's why -- you know, I can't say I'm (indiscernible) when I play with Sergiy, but all the time it's nice atmosphere during the match, before the match.
We don't have more nervous like we have during the match before and after. That's very important, because sometimes you understand when you play with doubles partner, yeah, for him it's the same like for us in singles, you know.
Sometimes you feel the nerves. Even if you are tired or you have injuries, something, you know, now you can just try to enjoy this time on court. With doubles players, sometimes it's more pressure what you need to do on the doubles.

Q. Both of you are great singles players. Does playing doubles help you?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: You know, of course sometimes it's help; sometimes no. Of course, if you play five hours match in singles and after you need to play doubles, it cannot help you.
But it's easy to say singles player, Sorry, I'm tired. I need to play singles tomorrow. I have a little bit injury, I cannot play, and he understands you.
But if you play with doubles players, you cannot do like this one, because you know this guy coming here because he play doubles with you. You know, you feel really bad after that.
But with singles player, yes, sometimes when you lose the tournament, like I lost first round here, and I prefer to be here and play doubles. If I am still in the tournament, I still practice, I still play, so it was good.

Q. Since you voiced your preference of staying together as a pair, would you sort of set any goals for the season?
SERGIY STAKHOVSKY: Destination London.

Q. Yeah? Is it?
SERGIY STAKHOVSKY: Because I live there. But, yeah, I mean, we try to play the best we can obviously. As Mikhail said, there are some hard times in big tournaments when you play five sets and you can't really get out on the court and produce your hundred per.
That's what we understand. We never complain or take any advantage of it. As soon as somebody is a bit injured, we never push it hard in doubles.
So, I mean, I believe that's why we're sometimes successful, because we enjoy playing with each other. We don't feel the pressure.

Q. As two good singles players, what is that part that you enjoy in the doubles? Is it that you enjoy the doubles more than the singles?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: You know, in doubles you don't have so much pressure as in the singles. Because singles, actually for us it's not a game. Our motivation and our everything is like different tournaments.
In doubles here -- of course nobody like to lose, but you understand doubles actually second after singles. That's why it's not too much pressure, and you know for why you're doing this one.
Sometimes you just try to practice some part of your game. You know, if you feel bad serve, you start to concentrate more serve, more return. It's always good.

Q. How will you reflect upon your singles performances here? Was it good to come away with the doubles victory on the back of that?
MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Okay, all years before, I know doubles actually help me to maybe - I cannot say to come back to the singles - but it help me to show good level in the singles.
You know, because sometimes after the doubles you start to feel like sore for return and volleys. You start to understand if you can do this in doubles, why you can't do it in singles. It's almost similar.
So that's why a lot times the doubles helps to singles as well.

Q. And it's not the first time in this tournament you've won a champion's tiebreak convincingly. What is it about you two? I think you beat Dlouhy and Hanley. What is it about you guys that makes you win champion's tiebreaks? They can be quite tricky, can't they?
SERGIY STAKHOVSKY: They can go both ways. We were quite lucky to have a good start. I mean, we started every single of them with some decent returns and serving well.
I mean, as soon you got a big lead, more or less -- I we got 5-0 and 4-1 I think against Hanley and Dlouhy.
I mean, it's a bit easier for us to play than for them. So I can't say that we will win all of these tiebreaks so convincingly, so this was just a good week for us.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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