The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Davydenko sails past Roddick, meets Nadal

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Davydenko sails past Roddick, meets Nadal

KEY BISCAYNE: Nikolay Davydendo beat Andy Roddick 7-6(5), 6-2 on Friday night, setting up a title showdown with Rafael Nadal in the Sony Ericsson Open.

Earlier, No. 2-seeded Nadal beat Tomas Berdych 7-6(6), 6-2.

Standing two meters (6 feet) behind the baseline, the Russian began reading Roddick’s booming serves well in the second set and rallied from a break down, winning the final five games.

“If I come in a little bit to start to returning, I have no chance. It’s too fast,” Davydenko said. “It doesn’t matter how you return — just in the court, and then you try your best.”

He’s the first Russian man to reach the Key Biscayne final, and he’s seeking his first tournament title this year. He said he’s playing well because he changed rackets before the event, and has used the same racket in all five rounds.

“It has a little bit more string, and I have more control,” he said.

The 5-foot-10 Davydenko lost only five points on his first serve.

Typical of his serving dominance was the eighth game, when he fell behind love-15, then won the next four points with two service winners and two aces.

“The thing about him you normally don’t see is the way he served tonight,” Roddick said.

The results: Men: Semifinals: Rafael Nadal bt Tomas Berdych 7-6(6) 6-2; Nikolay Davydenko bt Andy Roddick 7-6(5) 6-2. — Agencies

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