Nikolay Davydenko

Born: June 2, 1981 in Severodonetsk (Ukrainian Voroshilovgrad Oblast in Soviet Union)
Height: 1.79 m
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)

Николай Владимирович Давыденко… stumbling over his own feet, showing signs of frustration when nothing critical had happened, hesitating to challenge calls even when TV spectators could see it was worth it, retiring without signs of injury, delivering serves with a regular, unthreatening pace, and even hitting two-handed volleys – sometimes from positions where a traditional overhead would have been the obvious choice. Watching these moments in Davydenko’s career, you might wonder: how did this humble guy born in Ukraine, tennis-wise educated in Germany, representing Russia, who went bald in his early 20s, become a solid Top 5 player for several years and a multiple Grand Slam semifinalist?
The short answer can be summed up by Juan Martín del Potro‘s famous remark after losing to him in the 2009 ATP Finals, the first edition of this event in London: “He plays like PlayStation.” If you only focus on Davydenko’s more awkward moments, you miss the bigger picture – he was a player who operated on the baseline like a well-oiled machine.
Davydenko once said he admired Polish ski-jumper, the best in the world in the early 2000s, Adam Małysz, who attributed his success to focusing solely on making a good jump. In tennis, it’s more challenging to concentrate only on yourself, as you’re constantly interacting with your opponent, but this focus was something Davydenko aimed for throughout his career. His game plan was simple: don’t think about the opponent across the net, keep high percentage of first serve in, stay close to the baseline, run fast, and hit clean, flat strokes off both wings as soon as the ball bounced. This straightforward, high-speed approach was remarkably effective, even against players like Rafael Nadal, who struggled to adjust to Davydenko’s relentless pace. Davydenko defeated Nadal twice in Masters 1K finals (Miami 2008 and Shanghai 2009), also winning their dramatic Doha ’10 final. The first of Davydenko’s three Masters 1K titles comes from Paris-Bercy 2006 – the last edition on carpet.
But while this method worked against Nadal, it didn’t against Roger Federer. The Swiss maestro, with his ability to vary spins and slice, could outmaneuver the Russian’s baseline game. Federer repeatedly frustrated Davydenko on the big stages, knocking him out of major tournaments six times, including two quarterfinals (Australian Open 2006 and 2010) and three semifinals (US Open 2006 and 2007, French Open 2007). Davydenko could often push Federer to 5-all in sets, but the Swiss almost always found a way to play tense sets better, it was a mental thing between them as “Kolya” admitted. In hindsight, Davydenko might rightfully think: <If I hadn’t met Federer so many times, I would have been a Grand Slam champion>. Davydenko lost four major semifinals (only Tim Henman lost more – six – never advancing to the final). Ironically, he had the best chance in his first semifinal when he faced Mariano Puerta at the 2005 French Open. The Russian was two games away from victory in the decider, but the Argentine coped better with the tight finish line. In hindsight, we know Puerta was probably playing that match under the influence of illegal substances.
That long-awaited breakthrough finally came at the 2009 ATP Finals in London, where Davydenko was in top form, having an impressive 18-5 record in tie-breaks leading into his semifinal against Federer. Perhaps that confidence helped him remain calm when he faced 0/30 while serving at 4:5 in the deciding set. For the first time in 13 attempts, Davydenko beat his nemesis, winning 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. “I had to hit fast and aggressive strokes and keep the points on my racquet. I stepped on the court, felt the ball, and did everything I could to finish it in straight sets. I was nervous during match point, and the emotions just burst out after I won,” Davydenko reflected. After 12 straight losses to Federer, he finally had his revenge.
Davydenko finished 2009 in style and carried that momentum into 2010, where he started the season by defeating both Federer and Nadal en route to winning the Doha title. By the time he entered the 2010 Australian Open, many pundits considered him a genuine title contender. He could realistically believe in achieving something similar to what Andrés Gómez (French Open 1990) and Petr Korda (Australian Open 1998) had done – claiming maiden Grand Slam titles late in their careers. And for a set and a half in his quarterfinal against Federer, Davydenko dominated, looking like he might pull off another upset. But Federer, ever the problem solver, rallied to win the match 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, 7-5. It was the last time Davydenko would reach the second week of a Grand Slam.
The final four years of his career were reminiscent of the first four – he often found himself eliminated in the early rounds. Doha 2013 marked the last time he reached an ATP final, where he came just a few points from the title. Despite the loss, he finished his career with an impressive 21-7 record in finals. For a stretch in the mid/late-2000s, Davydenko was a force to be reckoned with (fruitful period began as he triumphed in Moscow ’04), even if his flashes of brilliance were often overshadowed by more awkward moments. Unusually, Davydenko didn’t break into the Top 10 until he was 24, an age when many players who finally reach that level often enjoy just one or two standout seasons. Yet, once he got there after changing his style from a counter-puncher into an aggressive baseliner, he stayed for a remarkably long time, defying the trend seen in those who usually break through earlier in their careers.

Career record: 482-329 [ 346 events ]
Career titles: 21
Highest ranking: No. 3
Best GS results:
Australian Open (quarterfinal 2005-07 & 10)
Roland Garros (semifinal 2005 & 07; quarterfinal 2006 & 09)
US Open (semifinal 2006-07)
Davis Cup champion 2006
Masters champion 2009