Related News
Injured Davydenko pulls out of Dubai
Source: Agencies |
February 25, 2010, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FOURTH seed Nikolay Davydenko was forced to retire with a wrist injury in his second-round clash with Germany's Michael Berrer at the Dubai tennis championships yesterday.
The Russian looked out of sorts, losing the first set 3-6, having battled back from a set down on Tuesday to get into the last 16.
"It started yesterday afternoon," said Davydenko. "I was thinking: 'Okay there's pain, but I will recover'. I warmed up (today) and the wrist was feeling okay but the match was different and it started to get swollen."
The world No. 6 is now a doubt for Russia's Davis Cup tie against India in Moscow next week.
Berrer, 29, dominated, breaking his beleaguered opponent in the fourth game after Davydenko had put a backhand smash into the net, and then held serve comfortably to clinch the set.
"I played very aggressive. I played the ball where it came from; he likes to play it from running," said Berrer, who has never made the world top 50. "I went to the net a lot, put pressure on the second serve."
The German has now won more ATP matches this year than he did in the whole of 2009 and he put this improvement down to his new coach, Claudio Pistolesi.
"(He's) given me a lot of confidence. I'm German and we're a little bit self critical and he's helped me to believe more in my strength," said the left-hander.
Berrer will now play Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis or Indian qualifier Somdev Devvarman in Thursday's quarterfinals.
Austria's Juergen Melzer beat Spaniard Tommy Robredo 6-3, 7-5 to earn a last-eight clash with Marin Cilic after the world No. 9 wrapped up a routine 6-2, 7-6 victory over another Austrian, Stefan Koubek.
Croatian Cilic was rarely at his best, making only 47 percent of first serves, and squandered six set points after racing into a 6-0 lead in the second-set tiebreak, eventually triumphing 8-6.
On Tuesday, fifth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advanced when Michael Llodra retired from the all-French match after dropping the first set 7-6 (9).
Both players were battling illness, and Tsonga said he was close to withdrawing before Llodra pulled out.
"It was difficult because I was a bit sick as well," he said. "With the travel from Marseille, it's really tough today. But I won. He stopped before me, so I will continue and I hope I will feel better tomorrow."
In Florida, second-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia and third-seeded Benjamin Becker of Germany won first-round matches at the Delray Beach International on Tuesday.
Seventh-seeded James Blake, a 2008 Delray Beach finalist, fought until after midnight to take a 6-1, 3-6, 5-3 lead over fellow American Taylor Dent. But he couldn't take advantage of three match points before rain suspended the match at deuce. Play is scheduled to resume with Dent poised to eliminate the seventh-seeded Blake.
The 2.05-meter Karlovic is known for his big serving, so he was not impressed with only posting 19 aces in his 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over Philipp Petzschner of Germany.
"I don't know what happened today," said the 33rd-ranked Karlovic. "Disappointing. Only 19 aces. No good."
Becker ousted 2008 Delray Beach champion Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 1-6, 6-0.
Two-time Delray Beach champion Xavier Malisse of Belgium fell to fourth-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France 6-3, 7-6 (5), while Germany's Florian Mayer, seeded sixth, was too good for Australia's Nick Lindahl, winning 6-4, 6-1.
The Russian looked out of sorts, losing the first set 3-6, having battled back from a set down on Tuesday to get into the last 16.
"It started yesterday afternoon," said Davydenko. "I was thinking: 'Okay there's pain, but I will recover'. I warmed up (today) and the wrist was feeling okay but the match was different and it started to get swollen."
The world No. 6 is now a doubt for Russia's Davis Cup tie against India in Moscow next week.
Berrer, 29, dominated, breaking his beleaguered opponent in the fourth game after Davydenko had put a backhand smash into the net, and then held serve comfortably to clinch the set.
"I played very aggressive. I played the ball where it came from; he likes to play it from running," said Berrer, who has never made the world top 50. "I went to the net a lot, put pressure on the second serve."
The German has now won more ATP matches this year than he did in the whole of 2009 and he put this improvement down to his new coach, Claudio Pistolesi.
"(He's) given me a lot of confidence. I'm German and we're a little bit self critical and he's helped me to believe more in my strength," said the left-hander.
Berrer will now play Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis or Indian qualifier Somdev Devvarman in Thursday's quarterfinals.
Austria's Juergen Melzer beat Spaniard Tommy Robredo 6-3, 7-5 to earn a last-eight clash with Marin Cilic after the world No. 9 wrapped up a routine 6-2, 7-6 victory over another Austrian, Stefan Koubek.
Croatian Cilic was rarely at his best, making only 47 percent of first serves, and squandered six set points after racing into a 6-0 lead in the second-set tiebreak, eventually triumphing 8-6.
On Tuesday, fifth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advanced when Michael Llodra retired from the all-French match after dropping the first set 7-6 (9).
Both players were battling illness, and Tsonga said he was close to withdrawing before Llodra pulled out.
"It was difficult because I was a bit sick as well," he said. "With the travel from Marseille, it's really tough today. But I won. He stopped before me, so I will continue and I hope I will feel better tomorrow."
In Florida, second-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia and third-seeded Benjamin Becker of Germany won first-round matches at the Delray Beach International on Tuesday.
Seventh-seeded James Blake, a 2008 Delray Beach finalist, fought until after midnight to take a 6-1, 3-6, 5-3 lead over fellow American Taylor Dent. But he couldn't take advantage of three match points before rain suspended the match at deuce. Play is scheduled to resume with Dent poised to eliminate the seventh-seeded Blake.
The 2.05-meter Karlovic is known for his big serving, so he was not impressed with only posting 19 aces in his 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over Philipp Petzschner of Germany.
"I don't know what happened today," said the 33rd-ranked Karlovic. "Disappointing. Only 19 aces. No good."
Becker ousted 2008 Delray Beach champion Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 1-6, 6-0.
Two-time Delray Beach champion Xavier Malisse of Belgium fell to fourth-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France 6-3, 7-6 (5), while Germany's Florian Mayer, seeded sixth, was too good for Australia's Nick Lindahl, winning 6-4, 6-1.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
