An inspired Nikolay Davydenko beat top seed and world No. 2 Rafael Nadal 7-6, 6-3 to become the first Shanghai Masters champion yesterday.
The sixth seed blasted winners from both sides throughout the two-hour contest, winning a tight first set 7-3 in the tiebreak and then getting the only break of the second to secure his fourth title of the year.
Nadal, still short of his best form after the knee and abdominal injuries that have disrupted his season, battled gamely in his first final since May, but always looked second best against the gutsy Russian.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Davydenko, the world No. 8, sealed his fourth win in four finals this year when the Australian Open champion went long with a backhand and a subsequent Hawkeye challenge ruled in the Russian’s favor.
The 28-year-old bounced up and down in delight at his victory and then raced over to kiss his wife, who has been supporting him from the stands all week.
Davydenko may not be the most glamorous player in tennis, but he has finished in the top five in the world for the last four years and beat Nadal in two sets in their last meeting in a Masters series final in Miami last year.
PHOTO: REUTERS
A long rally in the first point set the tone for a baseline battle with both players trying to blow the covers off the ball and stretch their opponent.
The Russian, who lost the Masters Cup final on the same court last year, got the first breakthrough as early as the third game, moving to the net to volley home a winner.
Nadal has not won six grand slam titles without being able to dig deep, though, and he saved two break points on his next service game before using his slice to great effect to get himself back in the match at 4-4.
Davydenko kept up the pressure, however, and it was no surprise when he raced to a 5-2 lead in the tiebreak, clinching it three points later with another sizzling forehand winner.
The second set continued in similar vein, with Davydenko now full of confidence and still finding winners whenever Nadal sent him anything short over the net.
The 23-year-old former world No. 1 missed a backhand to give his opponent a break for 4-2 and the Russian held his nerve to serve out for victory.
Davydenko’s victory earned him US$616,500 and will greatly enhance his chances of securing one of the three remaining spots at the World Tour Finals in London next month, which would be his fifth straight appearance at the men’s season finale.
■JAPAN OPEN
AP, OSAKA, JAPAN
Third-seeded Samantha Stosur of Australia earned her first WTA singles title with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Italy’s Francesca Schiavone at the Japan Women’s Open yesterday.
Stosur, ranked 15th in the world, broke Schiavone to go up 3-1 in the second set and dominated the fourth-seeded player the rest of the way to close out the match in 1 hour, 8 minutes.
“I played very well in the first set and barely made a mistake. I was still playing well in the second and nearly led 4-1 but she got back into the match,” Stosur said. “I just told myself not to panic, keep doing the same things as I did in the first set and stay positive .... Obviously I’m pleased to bring it back and close it out.”
Stosur 25, defeated top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark on Saturday to advance to the final of the US$220,000 tournament.
Stosur has won her last four of five matches against Schiavone, all in straight sets.
Two of those wins came this year, with the Australian winning 6-1, 6-4 at Indian Wells and 6-4, 6-2 at the French Open.
It was Stosur’s first title victory in six WTA tournament finals.
She has won 22 doubles titles and four ITF titles. Prior to yesterday’s win, the Australian’s best result this year was runner-up at Los Angeles in August to Ana Ivanovic of Serbia.
Schiavone has claimed one win from 11 tournament finals.
Top seeds Chuang Chia-jung of Taiwan and America’s Lisa Raymond won the doubles title with a 6-2, 6-4 win over unseeded pairing Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa and Abigail Spears of the US.
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