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Davydenko triumphs

INCREDIBLE FEELING: Anna Chakvetadze is on cloud nine after defeating Nadia Petrova. - PHOTO: AP

MOSCOW: Top seed Nikolay Davydenko beat Davis Cup teammate Marat Safin 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 in an all-Russian Kremlin Cup final on Sunday to complete a unique double for the host country.

Earlier, in another all-Russian affair unseeded Anna Chakvetadze upset fifth seed Nadia Petrova 6-4, 6-4 in the women's final to win her second title in a month.

Davydenko broke Safin twice at the start of the third set to build a 3-0 lead before completing victory in the first all-Russian men's final in the 16-year history of the Moscow indoor event.

The win moved World No. 5 Davydenko a step closer to securing a place in next month's season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai.

Former World No. 1 Safin, who returned to the tour in February after six months out with a knee injury, was bidding for his first title since winning the Australian Open in January, 2005.

Chakvetadze, who earned her maiden WTA title in Guangzhou, China two weeks ago, outplayed the more experienced Petrova thanks to an excellent all-round game and greater court coverage.

Petrova, chasing her sixth title of the year, was playing with both thighs heavily strapped and was also nursing a chest injury.

``I was a little bit lucky today because Nadia was obviously not 100 percent fit,'' said Chakvetadze, who beat Petrova in both of their previous matches this year.

King reigns supreme

At Bangkok, teenage sensation Vania King of the United States defeated Thai No. 1 Tamarine Tanasugarn in the final of the Bangkok Open to claim her maiden WTA singles title.

The 17-year-old American, who turned pro in July, came back from one set down to beat Tamarine 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 24 minute match.

Tamarine's powerful groundstrokes caused problems early on for King, who lost the first set 2-6 in 41 minutes after a string of unforced errors.

Blake retains title

At Stockholm, American James Blake outclassed Finn Jarkko Nieminen 6-4, 6-2 to retain his Stockholm Open final on Sunday.

It was the fifth title of the year for the American World No. 8, who has won all four of his meetings with Nieminen.

With impressive baseline play and his powerful serve, Blake put the Finn under constant pressure throughout.

In the second set Blake grabbed two breaks and overran Nieminen, who also lost the final here in 2001 against Dutchman Sjeng Schalken.

The results (semifinals):

At Moscow (Kremlin Cup): Men: (final): Nikolay Davydenko bt Marat Safin 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. Semifinals: Marat Safin bt Igor Kunitsyn 6-4, 6-3; Nikolay Davydenko bt Fabrice Santoro 6-4, 6-1.

Women: (final): Anna Chakvetadze bt Nadia Petrova 6-4, 6-4.

At Stockholm (ATP Stockholm Open): Final: James Blake bt Jarkko Nieminen 6-4, 6-2. Semifinals: Jarkko Nieminen bt Joachim Johansson 7-6(8), 6-7(5), 6-3.

At Vienna (ATP BA-CA Trophy): Final: Ivan Ljubicic bt Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. Semifinals: Ivan Ljubicic bt Dominik Hrbaty 6-1, 6-4; Fernando Gonzalez bt Andy Roddick 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5).

At Bangkok (WTA Bangkok Open): Final: Vania King bt Tamarine Tanasugarn 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Semifinals: Tamarine Tanasugarn bt Severine Brémond 6-2, 6-3; Vania King bt Meghann Shaughnessy 6-1, 6-4. — Agencies

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