PETE ZIEBRON
Former world #3 Nikolay Davydenko retired from professional tennis earlier this month in Moscow.
Pete Ziebron Images
Two weeks ago at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, former world #3 Nikolay Davydenko retired from professional tennis.
Throughout his professional career that started in 1999, Davydenko won the 2009 ATP World Tour Finals, 3 Masters 1000s, the 2006 Davis Cup as a member of the Russian Federation team and he also appeared in 4 major semifinals. His winning percentage in tournament finals at a 75% success rate (21-7 overall) ranks 3rd all time, trailing only Rod Laver and Thomas Muster.
Nikolay Davydenko was playing the finest tennis of his career near the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010. During that time, he defeated 3 top 13 players to win the 250 tournament in Kuala Lampur, defeated #4 Novak Djokovic in the SF and #2 Rafael Nadal in the Final to win the inaugural Shanghai Masters 1000, defeated #2 Nadal in round robin play, #1 Roger Federer in the SF and #5 and 2009 US Open Champion Juan Martin del Potro to win the World Tour Finals, then won the 250 level tournament in Qatar in January, beating #1 Federer in the SF and #2 Nadal in the Final.
During that amazing stretch, Davydenko beat #2 Rafael Nadal 3 times and #1 Roger Federer twice. In fact, Davydenko retired with a 6-5 lifetime mark against Nadal, including 6-1 on hard courts.
Nikolay Davydenko career achievements:
- 21-7 record in Finals .750 3rd Best All-Time
- 2009 ATP World Tour Finals Champion
- 3 Masters 1000 titles
- 2006 Davis Cup Champion
- 4-time major semifinalist
- World #3 ranking in 2006
- 6-5 lifetime record v. Rafael Nadal
- 2008 ATP Tennis Masters Cup Finalist
Davydenko was known for playing seemingly all of the time. In 2006, he won the now defunct clay court tournament in Sopot, Poland on a Sunday in early August, then immediately flew to Toronto to play a 1st round match the very next day in the Masters 1000 event on Monday. I was on hand in Toronto to see Davydenko warm up with his brother and coach Eduard. Despite a valiant effort, Davydenko had little in the tank and fell to Xavier Malisse 3-6 5-7.
Four times Davydenko reached the semifinals of a major tournament. In 3 cases, he was eliminated by Roger Federer - at the 2006 Australian Open, the 2006 US Open and at Roland Garros in 2007. In his other trip to a major semifinal, Davydenko lost to Mariano Puerta in 2005 at Roland Garros, missing out on a chance to play Rafael Nadal, who would win his first major tournament two days later. Davydenko held a 2 sets to 1 lead against Puerta, who would be suspended from tennis later that year. How different could Davydenko's career have been had he reached the 2005 Roland Garros Final?
Congratulations on a fine career Nikolay, it was a true pleasure to watch you play matches in Toronto and Cincinnati.
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