SHANGHAI: An inspired Nikolay Davydenko beat top seed and world number two Rafa Nadal 7-6, 6-3 to become the first Shanghai Masters champion on Sunday.
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.
Spaniard 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.
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.
“I’ve only lost five (career) finals and that was my 18th win,” said the 28-year-old. “In finals I can play well but I need to get to the finals.”
Davydenko may not be the most glamorous player but he has finished in the top five for the last four years and he beat Nadal in their last meeting in a Masters series final in Miami last year.
A long rally in the first point set the tone for a baseline battle and it was the Russian who grabbed the initiative with a break in the third game.
Nadal has not won six grand slam titles without being able to dig deep and he saved two break points on his next service game before using his slice to get himself back to 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 $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.
Stosur triumphs
In Osaka Japan, Samantha Stosur captured her first career WTA title when she defeated Francesca Schiavone of Italy to win the Japan Open women’s tennis tournament on Sunday.
The Australian third seed, which dashed Caroline Wozniacki’s defense of the title in the semifinals on Saturday, chalked up a 7-5, 6-1 victory over the fourth seed in just 68 minutes. It was her sixth appearance in a final, following Cincinnati this year, Seoul in 2008, Prague in 2006, Gold Coast and Sydney in 2005.
Stosur, the 2008 Wimbledon mixed doubles champion, put an end to Japanese Akiko Morigami’s last appearance on the tour, and eliminated 2002 champion Jill Craybas of the United States on her way to the final.
