Davydenko Takes Miami and Challenger Roundup

The fact that Nikolay Davydenko was even in the final of Miami was surprising in itself. After saving a match point in his first match and getting through some other tough matches, he finally got a win over nemesis Andy Roddick in the semifinals. Later we would find out that he had started using a new Prince racquet in the tournament and only had ONE. Yes, one racquet for the whole tournament. If he broke a string during a match, he was in real trouble.

Anyway, the final on Sunday started out pretty evenly. The players traded early breaks, and Davydenko saved break points serving at 2-3, but then Davydenko started to find his form. Attacking Nadal's short balls with apparent ease and barely missing, Davydenko raised his level notches above even that he showed against Roddick. Davydenko steadied his nerves to serve out the first set.

In the second set, Davydenko didn't let up and got out to an early lead and didn't let up. Although Davydenko has been plagued by nerves in the past, he closed out the match confidently for his first win over Nadal, his second Masters Series title, and 12th singles title overall. After the match, Nadal explained how he and Roger Federer and Roddick might get all the attention but that in the locker room, everyone knows how good Davydenko can be.

Challenger Circuit Roundup

In Naples, Italy, local favorite and #1 seed Potito Starace claimed the title over Marcos Daniel, and Tomas Cibulec and Jaroslav Levinsky took the doubles title. In St. Brieuc, France, Christophe Rochus found a little career resuscitation by taking the title over #1 seed Marcel Granollers-Pujol and Adrian Cruciat and Daniel Munoz-de La Nava took the doubles.

Tournament Update: Semifinal Play in Miami and Bryans Take the Doybles Title

On Friday, the first semifinal pitted Rafael Nadal (pictured right, click for larger) against Tomas Berdych, who came into the match with a 3-0 record on hardcourts against Nadal. Nadal broke at 4-3 in the first set, served for it at 5-3 but couldn't close out the set. He had a set point at 5-4* but didn't convert it. Berdych lost the first set in a tie break with a double fault. What more is there to say about the second set except that it was really easy, and it seemed as if Berdych just gave up.

In the second semifinal, Nikolay Davydenko didn't look like he had a 0-5 record against Andy Roddick (both players pictured left, click for larger). Looking like a different player than 24 hours before when he upset Roger Federer, Roddick was back to the passive meters-behind-the-baseline play that has lost him so many matches over the past few years. Untroubled by nerves, Davydenko took full advantage of Roddick's paceless short balls and served exceptionally well. Roddick was up 3-1 in the tiebreak but Davydenko won it in the end. At 1all in the second, Roddick played the only exceptional game of the match, pulling off an excellent backhand pass and return to break for 2-1. Just when it looked like he was getting some energy and getting the crowd to work for him, he went on to lose five games in a row and the match.

In the doubles final, Bob and Mike Bryan (pictured right, click for larger) played, according to them, one of their best matches in some time with a 6-2 6-2 win over Mark Knowles and Mahesh Bhupathi. It is the Bryans' 11th Masters title and good news that they finally won a final after four losses already this year.

Tournament Update: Quarterfinal Action in Miami

The quarterfinals have been completed in Miami.

On Wednesday, James Blake looked to re-establish his hardcourt dominance over Rafael Nadal (pictured right, click for larger) in Miami after losing to him in three sets in Indian Wells. He got off to a great start with his attacking play, he was able to pressure Nadal and get a late break to take the first set 6-3. Then Nadal was able to raise his level and turn the tables and take the second set before really deflating Blake's hopes to take the third set 6-1. After two consecutive wins over Blake, who'd had a 3-0 head-to-head record, Nadal has to be encouraged that he is figuring the American's difficult power game out.

Nadal's semifinal opponent will be another player who has a 3-0 head to head on hardcourts against him: Tomas Berdych (pictured left, click for larger). Berdych beat Igor Andreev in straight sets. Berdych saved all three of the break points he faced and was able to convert on the only two he had - once in each set - to seal the victory. Amazingly, Berdych is the only semifinalist who has not lost a set in the event yet.

On Thursday, the top half played its quarterfinal matches. Although Janko Tipsarevic came into his quarterfinal match against Nikolay Davydenko (pictured right, click for larger) playing top tennis, Davydenko would have none of it. He got off to a good start and took the first set behind two breaks. He got off to a 2-0 start in the second set, but Tipsarevic broke right back. That would end up to be Tipsarevic's only game that set, as he was unable to hold at all. Davydenko surprisingly served nine aces in the encounter and has an uphill battle to climb to win this tournament, considering he has never beaten Andy Roddick, Roger Federer, or Rafael Nadal.

And to the last, and most anticipated, quarterfinal, between Roddick (pictured left, click for larger) and Federer. Both players started well, especially on the serve. Neither player had much of a look on the other's serve, and the set fittingly went to a tiebreak, which was nothing like the set. Roddick got out to a double minibreak 4-1 lead with a smashing return winner, then promptly lost the next two points on his serve. Roddick got the minibreak advantage back and made no mistake as he served out the set with an ace. Federer only won one service point in the tiebreak, Roddick only three.

In the second set, Federer started feeling it a little more. He had his first break point on Roddick's serve early in the set, which Roddick saved. Roddick saved another at 3all after having 40-0. Finally at 4all, Roddick started missing first serves more, Federer strung together some passing shots off ill-advised Roddick approaches and broke. He served the set out and the match went to a decider. Roddick got off to a solid start in the third and held easily for the most part. Same for Federer, who had not faced a break point all night. At 3all, Roddick was down 0-30 and pulled out of the game with four straight points. A passing shot winner and three Federer unforced errors later and somehow Roddick was serving for the match. He stretched his consecutive points won streak to 11 by going up 40-0 before Federer saved two match points with forehand winners. With his box almost unable to watch, Roddick finally slammed down his last 140mph service winner of the night to beat Federer for the first time in almost five years. Unfortunately for Roddick, he can't celebrate this victory long as he has to play Davydenko tonight in the semifinals; at least he can take heart in the fact that he has a 5-0 record against Davydenko and has only ever lost one set.

In the doubles, Bob and Mike Bryan coasted into the final easily while Mark Knowles and Mahesh Bhupathi won the last five points of the match tiebreak to save three match points and win. The Bryans will look to win their first title of the year after a run of disappointing losses in finals

Here are all the results from Thursday's play in Miami:

Singles - Quarterfinals

[6] A Roddick (USA) d [1] R Federer (SUI) 76(4) 46 63
[4] N Davydenko (RUS) d J Tipsarevic (SRB) 62 61

Doubles - Semifinals
[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) d J Coetzee (RSA) / W Moodie (RSA) 61 64
[4] M Bhupathi (IND) / M Knowles (BAH) d [6] M Damm (CZE) / P Vizner (CZE) 76(5) 46 11-9 - Saved 3 M.P.

Tournament Update: Third and Fourth Round Play in Miami

The third round finished up on Monday and it took no time for the drama to begin. Simone Bolelli saved all six break points in the first set against Nikolay Davydenko (pictured right, click for larger) and took it in a tiebreaker. In the second set, it was Bolelli's turn to have lots of chances - he had six break points, all of which Davydenko was able to save. Davydenko then got the break at the end of the set and coasted to an easy victory in the third set.

Julien Benneteau (pictured left, click for larger) scored an upset over countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. While the scoreline looked convincing, the result was more due to Tsonga's poor play than Benneteau's strong play. Benneteau saved all of the break points he faced in the contest. Janko Tipsarevic ended Thomas Johansson's run with a straight-set victory.

Roger Federer got an easy passage into the fourth round when his opponent Robin Soderling (both pictured right, click for larger) retired with a problem with his legs. He told the umpire and Federer that he could not move them. Mario Ancic got off to a good start against Juan Monaco; the two exchanged breaks and Ancic took the set in a tiebreaker. Monaco squeaked out the second set, and in the third, Ancic really found his form and took the third set easily.

Without a doubt the craziest match of the day was that between Mikhail Youzhny and Nicolas Almagro. Youzhny got off to a very quick start and built a 4-0 lead before Almagro clawed back and forced a tiebreaker, which Youzhny took. Almagro rebounded nicely and took the second. The drama really heated up in the third set. Almagro was serving for the match at 5-4 facing break point, which he saved. Youzhny pretty much freaked out on himself, smacked himself on the head three times with his racquet, which caused a cut that needed medical attention. Needless to say, Youzhny broke back and won the match in a tiebreak.

In the night match, Andy Roddick (pictured left, click for larger) had a tight first set against Ivo Minar and got out to a good start in the second set before playing a lazy serve game to draw level at 4all. He broke immediately again and made no mistake serving out the fairly routine straight-set victory; however, Roddick still has not shown the form that won him the Dubai title so he will want to raise his level.

Click here for all of Monday's singles results and here for all of the doubles results from Miami.

On Tuesday, the full fourth round was played.

James Blake (pictured right, click for larger) played solid attacking tennis in a straight-set victory over Radek Stepanek. He did have some trouble with his serve in the second set and was broken twice, but he still managed to end the match in fairly routine fashion.

Igor Andreev (pictured left, click for larger) outlasted last year's finalist Guillermo Canas in a greuling straight-set match that lasted over two hours. Andreev was up a break in the second but could not maintain the advantage; he also let slip a match point on Canas's serve before finally closing it out in the tiebreak. Because Canas had made the final last year, he will drop out of the top 20. Tomas Berdych (pictured right, click for larger) handled Dmitry Tursunov with no problem in just over an hour. Always capable of playing top-quality tennis, Berdych has quietly moved through the draw and has won his matches with relative ease. Berdych saved the only break point he faced and broke Tursunov all four of the times he had a chance to.

Roger Federer (pictured left, click for larger) had a difficult time with Jose Acasuso in the first set. Acasuso saved all four of the break points he faced and was able to force a tiebreaker, but Federer won that and then coasted in the second set. Federer did not face a single break point in the match and only lost three points on his first serve.

In a see-saw match, Janko Tipsarevic (pictured right, click for larger) scored the only real upset of the fourth round with a three-set win over Mikhail Youzhny. Tipsarevic got off to a quick start in the first set and built a 2-0 lead but Youzhny came back to win five games in a row and take the set 6-3. The rest of the match, however, was all Tipsarevic, including a bagel in the second set.

The most dramatic match came from Nikolay Davydenko (pictured left, click for larger) and Mario Ancic. Ancic got off to a good start and took the first set 6-4. Davydenko rebounded well and took the second set. The drama mostly came in the third set when there were five breaks in a row. Davydenko served for the match at 5-4 in the third before doublefaulting on the break point to bring Ancic back even. Davydenko was able to break back straight away and finally managed to hold serve to take it 7-5 in the third.

In the late match, Andy Roddick (pictured right, click for larger) fought off an inspired charge from Julien Benneteau, who had beaten Roddick the last time they met. Serving better than he had in the first sets of his two previous matches, Roddick held easily until he was suddenly broken at 4all. Playing defensive, passive, and listless tennis from the baseline, Benneteau was controlling almost all of the baseline rallies and was getting the majority of Roddick's serves in play. After just four games in the second set, Roddick had already amassed ten more unforced errors and for a stretch could barely keep the ball in play. Then, at 3all in the second, Benneteau suddenly became unable to serve. Roddick started going for his shots more and a couple of double faults later and Roddick went on a streak where he won six games in a row. Suddenly the rains came with Roddick up a double break in the third and after a 45 minute or so delay, the players came back out around 11:30pm and finished the last few games of the match in routine fashion. Luckily for Roddick he ended better than he started, but he will have to raise his play several levels if he wants to have a shot at ending his 11-match losing streak against Roger Federer in tomorrow's quarterfinal match.

Click here for all the singles and here for all the doubles results from Tuesday's play in Miami.

Daily Roundup: Sunday, March 30

Following Saturday's near-insanity, Sunday's play in Miami was relatively calm, though not without some drama of its own. Dmitry Tursunov (pictured right, click for larger) lost his calm over a time violation warning and got booed when he refusd to shake the umpire's hand after the match, but he managed to keep his cool long enough to put away the three-set win over Feliciano Lopez.

Paul-Henri Mathieu (pictured left, click for larger) beat Carlos Moya in straight, but not routine, sets. Mathieu was broken serving for the match in the second set but rebounded nicely to break again and take the match.

Juan Carlos Ferrero got off to a good start against Tomas Berdych (pictured right, click for larger) by breaking in the opening game; unfortunately, though, he was unable to hold in the set and could not recover in the second. Berdych took the match in straights.

The day's biggest drama came thanks to James Blake (pictured left, click for larger) and Fabrice Santoro. Santoro went up an early break but got broken right back and Blake went on to take the first set relatively routinely. As the match wore on, the physical effects of the hot and humid weather started becoming apparent for both players. Blake seemed to be dealing with an upset stomach and though he had the break in the second, he could not hold on and the set went to a tiebreaker, which somehow Santoro found the energy to win. The third set really came down to which man could last longer. The two traded several breaks but finally, Blake broke to win the match 6-4 in the third set.

Rafael Nadal (pictured right, click for larger) survived some rain interruptions - one brief, one more lengthy - to get past Nicolas Kiefer in straight sets. In the day's later matches, Igor Andreev ended the run of Kevin Anderson in three tight sets.

In the night match on the stadium, two fiery players - Fernando Gonzalez and Guillermo Canas (pictured left below, click for larger) - played a fiery match, which Canas won in two tight sets that took over two hours. It was a high-quality encounter, in which both men played some fantastic points and hit some spectacular winners, including a between the legs winner from Gonzalez early in the second set. Gonzalez was the player with more chances in the first set, but Canas saved all four break points he faced. The set went to a tiebreak where Gonzalez had a set point on his serve and could not convert. In the second set, Gonzalez managed to get the first break of the match but was broken when he served for the set and Canas won the battle in the end.

In doubles, Marcelo Melo and Andre Sá (pictured right, click for larger) pulled off a nice upset over Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram, who had won both the Australian Open and Indian Wells. Also in doubles, Gustavo Kuerten finally got a win of some kind, with his partner Nicolas Lapentti. They beat Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez in straight sets.

Click here for all of Sunday's singles results and here for all of Sunday's doubles results.