Finally beats marquee players in top event
FROM THE SONY ERICSSON OPEN IN MIAMI – For the past three years, Nikolay Davydenko has been a near lock for reaching the quarterfinals or semis at majors and Masters Series events. However, he's been an even safer bet to lose those big matches, as he has never gone past the semis at a Slam (he's 0-5 in those), and had only once reached the final of a MS tournament before Miami. Davydenko won the Paris Indoors Masters in 2006, but neither Roger Federer nor Rafael Nadal were competing and the Russian beat unheralded Slovak Dominik Hrbaty in the final.
Davydenko deserves full respect for winning in Miami though, as the Sony Ericsson Open is unofficially considered ‘the fifth Slam’, and all the tour’s stars were present in South Florida. The No. 4 posted his first win in six meetings over Andy Roddick – who had just beaten Roger Federer – in the semis, and overpowered Rafael Nadal in the final: 6-4, 6-2. He didn’t lose a set in either match.
“He played good match, but I didn't play well today,” said Nadal. “So when you don't play at 100% at this level against top players, it's tough win, especially on hard surface. So for sure it's tough. I was playing very, very good tennis [the last weeks], but at the same time, I have to be happy about myself, because I improve a lot my level, and I was there all the time. I think soon I going to win a title, no? I hope so. I hope so in Monte Carlo.”
“I say for me it's mostly crazy,” Davydenko laughs. He survived a match point in his first match against Ernests Gulbis, and outlasted Italian Simone Bolelli and Mario Ancic in tight, hard-fought three setters before finding his A-game against Roddick and Nadal. Davydenko rightfully stated that winning this tournament has been the best achievement of his career.
“Yes, because in Paris it was Federer not play, Nadal didn't play and I have in the final, you know, Hrbaty, not top player,” he said. “Here Nadal was favorite, and also in semifinal was Roddick favorite. Just beat two guys in two sets is like amazing for me.”
Against Nadal, Davydenko was rock-solid from the baseline. He wouldn’t move back from the line, no matter what kind of shot Nadal came up with. If the Spaniard hit a ball deep, the Russian would just half-volley the shot back with added pace, thus always keeping the pressure on Rafa. Interestingly enough, Davydenko played most of his shots towards Nadal’s favored lefty forehand wing.
“I have good backhand cross,” said the champion. “Why I need to play a long line to him and think about what's happening? That's was I tried to play faster forehand and tried to do something, you know, to make some winners. That's was ‑‑ it was not think about play forehand or backhand, just feeling which ball, like, for me important, where I need to hit and feel more confidence.”
After losing his service game at 1-all, Nadal immediately broke back and held two break points in Davydenko’s next service game. On his first opportunity, the Spaniard netted a routine forehand. “After this point he start playing match much better,” Rafa said. “It was a big change because he was doing some mistakes. I was doing the same mistakes, too, but at this moment he changed a lot in the match. He start playing much better and was big change for me, no? And I didn't found a way. I didn't see the way for ‑‑ for try to change the match, no?” Nadal was forced into a backhand error on the second break point, and would lose his next service game at love. Davydenko would not face another break point in the match as he rolled to victory.
“I remember, you know, Djokovic beat Nadal in Indian Wells,” the No. 4 said. “He's play the same game. Because I remember he have good forehand, backhand, baseline, and he played short cross to him and very good control. Also play fast. You know, Nadal have no chance.”
BACKCOURT PROESS DOESN'T SHOW UP UNDER PRESSURE
Davydenko has always been one of the best players from the back court, but his main problem has always been his inefficiency of stepping up on the big points. He dominated Roger Federer in their Roland Garros semifinal last year, but faltered at the end of each set, to go down in straights. A few weeks earlier, the Russian came close to beating Nadal on clay in Rome, but after a three-hour slugfest, Nikky D. again came up short.
Winning what can be seen as the biggest Masters Series event of the year will surely give Davydenko the feeling he belongs among the elite ranks, and just might make him hold his nerve better the next time he faces one of the big guns in the closing stages of a Slam. “Maybe something change, you know, my tennis here in Miami,” Davydenko said. “I hope, you know, like in the future is also. Maybe I feel more confidence because I beat very good guys here, and now and in the future I start coming and I play something maybe different, maybe much better, much faster.”
The Russian is still being investigated regarding his infamous match in Poland last year. But Davydenko said he is no longer worried about the case.
“In my mind it's not every day in my mind. It's in my mind if you ask me about this one. Because if ‑‑ now I go from here, from the press, I forget already, because for me it's not now important. I don't think about investigation. It should be my lawyer thinking, and my manager. But for me, it's like really I'm forget straight what you're asking me.”
Nadal will still be the man to beat on clay courts this year, and he’ll have a very good chance to win his fourth consecutive Roland Garros crown in June, provided he doesn’t overplay himself in the four tournaments (Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, Hamburg) he’s scheduled to play before heading to Paris. Last year, Rafa reached the finals in all four of those events. He only lost one of those matches, in Hamburg, where he completely burned out against Roger Federer.
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