Davydenko and Robredo reach Bastad final

BASTAD, Sweden (AP) - Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko beat Agustin Calleri 6-3, 6-3 on Saturday to reach the Swedish Open final.

In Sunday's final, the Russian will face second-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo, who rallied from 4-2 down in the third set to beat Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Robredo lost three previous semifinals at the Swedish Open.

''I'm playing pretty good and hopefully tomorrow I can play as good as today,'' Robredo said. ''If I'm playing like this I have a chance.''

After trading breaks twice in the decisive set, Robredo broke again to lead 5-4. He moved to match point at 40-30 and clinched it when Nieminen's forehand sailed long.



''At the end of the first set I had a few problems, but when I was a set down I started hitting my forehand a lot harder and I think that's the reason why I won in the end,'' Robredo said.

A sellout crowd of nearly 7,000, including six-time French Open and five-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg, watched Davydenko take the first set against Calleri.

''The first set was perfect for me,'' Davydenko said. ''I controlled it and he made many mistakes. I didn't have to hit so many winners.''

Davydenko, who has a career-best ATP ranking of No. 5, broke the unseeded Argentine early in the second set.

Calleri broke back to 3-3 with a straight forehand down the line and appeared to be back in the match.

But Davydenko broke right back, taking a 4-3 lead when Calleri netted a backhand after a long baseline rally. The Russian staved off a break point in the next game before holding his serve.

Davydenko wrapped it all up by passing Calleri with a backhand on his third match point.

''In the second set, he tried to make some winners and play faster,'' Davydenko said. ''He didn't make so many mistakes and was pushing me.''

In four matches here, Davydenko has lost just one set.

Davydenko's previous best in the clay-court event was a quarter-final berth in 2002 when he lost to Carlos Moya.

The only Russian winner of the Swedish Open was Alexander Metreveli in 1966.

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