The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Davydenko overcomes Melzer to take title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 22, 2005

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Davydenko overcomes Melzer to take title

ST. POELTEN: Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko overcame elbow pain to spoil Jurgen Melzer's upcoming birthday, beating the fourth-seeded Austrian 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 on Saturday to win the BTM Power Grand Prix.

Davydenko, who also beat Melzer in Monte Carlo last month, broke his opponent at 2-2 before pulling away to a 4-2 lead in the first set.

The Russian then capitalised on Melzer's shaky first serve, getting several forehand winners to close out the set in 49 minutes.

"I had s good start ... but then my elbow started to hurt," said Davydenko, who won his fifth ATP title and first this season.

In the second set, Melzer jumped out to a 3-1 lead. Davydenko changed rackets but could not find his rhythm, allowing Melzer to control the set and level the match.

After losing, Davydenko asked for the ATP trainer to look after his right arm. Whatever the trainer did, it worked just fine.

Davydenko won his opening serve, and then saved three game points before opening up a 3-0 lead in the final set.

Melzer, who was hoping to celebrate his 24th birthday Sunday with his first ATP title win, got frustrated and started swearing and smashing his racket onto the ground.

The home fans then helped Melzer recover his temper, pushing him to win three straight games. But the Russian stayed calm and fought back for the win.

Venus Williams triumphs

Venus Williams beat second seeded Nicole Vaidisova at the Istanbul Cup final to clinch her first tournament win in a year.

Playing in strong wind and drizzle, top-seeded Williams easily defeated the 16-year-old Czech, 6-3, 6-2, in the clay court warmup for the French Open starting Monday.

It was Williams' first final since Antwerp, Belgium, in February and first title since Warsaw, Poland, in May 2004.

The results: At St. Poelten (BTM Power Grand Prix): Final: Nicolay Davydenko bt Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Semifinals: Jurgen Melzer bt Christophe Rochus 6-4, 6-3; Nikolay Davydenko bt Jose Acasuso 6-4, 6-2.

At Strasbourg (Internationaux de Strasbourg): Final: Anabel Medina Garrigues bt Marta Domachowska 6-4, 6-3.

At Istanbul (Istanbul Open): Venus Williams bt Nicole Vaidisova 6-3, 6-2. Semifinals: Nicole Vaidisova bt Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi 4-6, 6-1, 6-0. — Agencies

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