Davydenko win denies Djokovic, Nadal flops
Source: Agencies |
November 29, 2009, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
NIKOLAY Davydenko sealed the last semifinal berth at the ATP World Tour Finals in London on Friday, claiming the victory he needed over Robin Soderling to send 2008 champion Novak Djokovic spinning out of the tournament.
Serbian Djokovic completed Rafael Nadal's miserable week with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 defeat of the Spaniard but it proved in vain for the world No. 3, who could only sit and stew as Davydenko completed Group B by defeating Soderling 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3.
With Nadal bottom of the group having lost all his matches without winning a set, the other three ended with two victories each but Soderling progressed in first place and avoided a semifinal showdown with world No. 1 Roger Federer.
Davydenko edged into second spot by virtue of a 5-3 sets record compared to the 4-3 of compiled by Djokovic, whose hopes of defending the title he won last year in Shanghai and climbing to world No. 2 above Nadal were crushed. Soderling, only playing in the year-ending showpiece after American Andy Roddick withdrew because of a knee injury, will play Argentina's US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro for a place in the final.
Davydenko will try to snap a depressing 0-12 losing record against Federer.
Despite exiting the tournament, Djokovic refused to blame the group format that caused complete chaos the previous evening when tournaments officials took an age to work out the final standings in a tight Group A.
Equation
"I think in Masters Cup, in World Tour Finals, (the round-robin system) it's actually good," Djokovic, who beat Davydenko earlier in the tournament, told reporters before discovering his fate. "Maybe the fact that every set counts and every game counts puts a little bit more pressure on you," added Djokovic, who was left to rue a second-set capitulation against Soderling earlier in the week that ultimately proved costly.
Thankfully there was no repeat of Thursday's head-scratching, mainly due to the fact the equation this time was much simpler.
Davydenko knew victory would take him through at the expense of Djokovic and the fleet-footed baseliner proved up to the task.
He saved two break points in the eighth game of the first set before taking the opener on a tiebreak but had no answer to an inspired Soderling in the second as the Swede leveled. Soderling's concentration wavered in the deciding set and his forehand went to pieces at 2-3 to hand Davydenko the break that was to prove decisive.
Nadal never looked in the mood to light up the impressive O2 Arena from the moment he walked on court against Soderling for his opening match on Monday and against Djokovic he again looked a shadow of the player that began the year in such devastating fashion by claiming the Australian Open title.
"It's not very disappointing, no," Nadal said before packing his bags for Spain where he will prepare for this weekend's David Cup final against the Czech Republic.
"It's only disappointing if you arrive here with the feeling that you have a big chance to win. But I didn't arrive here with that feeling."
Serbian Djokovic completed Rafael Nadal's miserable week with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 defeat of the Spaniard but it proved in vain for the world No. 3, who could only sit and stew as Davydenko completed Group B by defeating Soderling 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3.
With Nadal bottom of the group having lost all his matches without winning a set, the other three ended with two victories each but Soderling progressed in first place and avoided a semifinal showdown with world No. 1 Roger Federer.
Davydenko edged into second spot by virtue of a 5-3 sets record compared to the 4-3 of compiled by Djokovic, whose hopes of defending the title he won last year in Shanghai and climbing to world No. 2 above Nadal were crushed. Soderling, only playing in the year-ending showpiece after American Andy Roddick withdrew because of a knee injury, will play Argentina's US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro for a place in the final.
Davydenko will try to snap a depressing 0-12 losing record against Federer.
Despite exiting the tournament, Djokovic refused to blame the group format that caused complete chaos the previous evening when tournaments officials took an age to work out the final standings in a tight Group A.
Equation
"I think in Masters Cup, in World Tour Finals, (the round-robin system) it's actually good," Djokovic, who beat Davydenko earlier in the tournament, told reporters before discovering his fate. "Maybe the fact that every set counts and every game counts puts a little bit more pressure on you," added Djokovic, who was left to rue a second-set capitulation against Soderling earlier in the week that ultimately proved costly.
Thankfully there was no repeat of Thursday's head-scratching, mainly due to the fact the equation this time was much simpler.
Davydenko knew victory would take him through at the expense of Djokovic and the fleet-footed baseliner proved up to the task.
He saved two break points in the eighth game of the first set before taking the opener on a tiebreak but had no answer to an inspired Soderling in the second as the Swede leveled. Soderling's concentration wavered in the deciding set and his forehand went to pieces at 2-3 to hand Davydenko the break that was to prove decisive.
Nadal never looked in the mood to light up the impressive O2 Arena from the moment he walked on court against Soderling for his opening match on Monday and against Djokovic he again looked a shadow of the player that began the year in such devastating fashion by claiming the Australian Open title.
"It's not very disappointing, no," Nadal said before packing his bags for Spain where he will prepare for this weekend's David Cup final against the Czech Republic.
"It's only disappointing if you arrive here with the feeling that you have a big chance to win. But I didn't arrive here with that feeling."
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