July 15, 2006, 1:35AM
Blustery day fails to deny Davydenko
Top seed reaches Swedish semifinals by beating Massu
BASTAD, SWEDEN - Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko beat Nicolas Massu 6-4, 6-3 on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Swedish Open.
"I'm very happy to have reached my first semifinal in Bastad," Davydenko said. "It was difficult to control the ball because of the strong winds, but I still managed to play well."
The Russian will play Agustin Calleri of Argentina, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Robin Soderling, the last Swede left in the clay-court event. Second-seeded Tommy Robredo of Spain also advanced to today's semifinals, beating qualifier Evgeny Korolev 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Robredo will meet fourth-seeded Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, who ousted former top-ranked player Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain 7-6 (5), 6-2.
After losing the first set, Robredo broke the 18-year-old Russian in the opening game and the last game at love. In the decisive set, Robredo broke to lead 2-0 and then held the rest of the way.
"This time I want to make the final after losing three times in the semis here," Robredo said.
Davydenko broke to lead 2-1 with a backhand return, which was all he needed to take the opening set. In the second set, he broke the Chilean 1-0 and then again to love for a 5-2 lead.
Ranked a career-best No. 5, Davydenko reached his ninth quarterfinal of the year.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/ten/4048731.html
Saturday, July 15, 2006
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.
http://www.tsn.ca/tennis/news_story/?ID=171375&hubname=tennis
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.
http://www.tsn.ca/tennis/news_story/?ID=171375&hubname=tennis
Davydenko reaches Swedish Open final
Davydenko reaches Swedish Open final
July 15, 2006
BASTAD, Sweden (AP) -- Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko defeated Agustin Calleri 6-3, 6-3 Saturday to reach the Swedish Open final.
In Sunday's final, the Russian will face either Jarkko Nieminen of Finland or Tommy Robredo, the second-seed from Spain.
A sellout crowd of nearly 7,000, including six-time French Open champion Bjorn Borg, watched Davydenko take the first set. 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 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 passed Calleri with a backhand on his third match point.
His previous best in the clay-court event was a quarterfinal berth in 2002 before losing to Carlos Moya.
Updated on Saturday, Jul 15, 2006 9:02 am EDT
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;_ylt=Age5jdwvhvTIiaztYR6j5Ns4v7YF?slug=ap-bastad&prov=ap&type=lgns
July 15, 2006
BASTAD, Sweden (AP) -- Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko defeated Agustin Calleri 6-3, 6-3 Saturday to reach the Swedish Open final.
In Sunday's final, the Russian will face either Jarkko Nieminen of Finland or Tommy Robredo, the second-seed from Spain.
A sellout crowd of nearly 7,000, including six-time French Open champion Bjorn Borg, watched Davydenko take the first set. 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 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 passed Calleri with a backhand on his third match point.
His previous best in the clay-court event was a quarterfinal berth in 2002 before losing to Carlos Moya.
Updated on Saturday, Jul 15, 2006 9:02 am EDT
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;_ylt=Age5jdwvhvTIiaztYR6j5Ns4v7YF?slug=ap-bastad&prov=ap&type=lgns
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