Nikolay Davydenko acknowledges he dreamed of achieving big things in tennis, but didn't really expect to become a big star and have the career that he had.
Davydenko, who turned pro in 1999 and played until 2014, won 21 ATP titles during his career and achieved a career-high ranking of No. 3 in the world. Also, the former Russian tennis star won the 2008 ATP Finals, won the Davis Cup in 2005, as well as reached four Grand Slam semifinals.
When Davydenko competed on the Tour, the Big Three were pretty much dominant forces. Still, the Russian managed to make a very notable career for himself and he was regarded as one of the better players throughout his entire career.
Davydenko: Did I believe i'd win 21 titles and be No. 3? A tough one
"Ten years was a difficult period for me, a transitional one. I moved to Germany, wasn't achieving much, and was physically weak. Did I dream of great victories back then? Of course, like any kid. Did I believe I'd be third in the world or win 21 ATP titles? It was a tough one. But perhaps my tennis journey only proves that not everything is smooth sailing. If you really want something, it's important to keep working, and the results will come, sooner or later. It would have been better sooner, of course, but things can be different," the 44-year-old told Championat.
After making an admission about his career and results, Davydenko also advised every young player out there to work hard every day and believe that everything was possible.
"I would advise not to rest on your laurels. Keep fighting and look for opportunities to improve your game in training and tournaments. Try to seize every opportunity to break into the elite of world tennis. You always have (at least) two doors; it's up to you to decide which one you'll enter," 2008 ATP Finals champion Davydenko said.
