Good morning/afternoon/early evening everyone. It’s time for the men’s final of the second Masters Series of the year, the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. Rafael Nadal is trying to pad his ranking points going into the clay court season where he has to defend a lot of tournament wins, and Nikolay Davydenko is trying to win his second Masters Series title.
Join in by leaving comments and we’ll insert them into the live blog as we go along.
Nate: I think this is going to be really good. I believe this stuff about Davydenko’s racquet, and he’s playing so aggressively. Roddick’s Agassi comparison was sound.
Nina: Hi Nate, I want to start off by saying something about Nikolay Davydenko. Here’s a guy who’s been the target of a gambling investigation and, in fact, the catalyst for a host of new, and some unnecessary, rules that go all the way from requiring background checks of coaches and trainers to monitoring cellphone use by spectators to prevent them from passing on live information about matches before they post online. And yet, here is Nikolay, still number four in the rankings, surpassed only by the three best players in the world. I pretty sure that match was fixed because hard core gamblers are positive that it was fixed, but this guy has performed unbelievably considering all that and he deserves a lot of credit. Wait, what did they say about his racket?
Nina: By the way, and this includes anyone listening in, predictions? For me, I can’t see Nadal losing.
Nate: He got a new racquet last week that’s 18 strings instead of 16. Says he has more control with it. But he only has one, so if he breaks a string or anything, it’s back to the old ones.
Nate: For my prediction I guess I’ll go with Nadal, but it’s not going to be easy. Davydenko played him extremely tight on the clay last year.
Nadal 1-1
Nina: I suppose, if the racket didn’t weigh too much, you’d play with as many strings as possible, right? Because you could put more topspin on it. What do you think about Vic Braden’s theory that the current wraparound forehand turns players away from the net and contributes to the lower number of net players we have today.
Nadal and Davydenko exchange breaks: 2-2
Nina: Gabriela Sabatini is in the house, god she’s beautiful! Good player too :0)
Pat: Nadal breaks back, good for him but I like Davydenko here, give us something different. I think the Russian wins in three, why not?
Nina: It’s not clear to me that Davydenko has any way of taking the game to Nadal. He won’t hit many service winners, his defense is no better than Rafa’s, he hits a flat ball but he doesn’t hit it hard enough to outrun Rafa. Am I missing something?
Davydenko fights off two break points: 3-3
Nina: Nadal is playing more aggressively than he normally would and he has to do it to have a chance against Nadal. So far it’s working but he’ll hit a lot of errors.
Nate: It’s me who’s missing something. Apparently, even though I’ve paid for a year’s subscription to their service, Masters Series TV will not allow me to watch the final live. Completely outrageous…
Davydenko breaks Nadal: Davydenko 4-3
Nina: So far aggression is working. Davydenko needs to finish off the match as soon as possible – he didn’t grow up in Majorca on clay. He even looks like he’s allergic to sun. I’ve been too busy getting set up this morning to pay close attention: is Nadal hitting the ball short? Nate, there you are. The match is on CBS not Fox and not, I would guess, ATP Masters Series TV, you got a TV anywhere around? It’s network.
Nate: (TV, but no antenna, no reception) So Davydenko’s taking Rafa’s time away, going for the lines?
Pat: Mary Carillo remarks how Davy was hoping for cloud cover! Guess what guy, you provide your own today! I don’t think he’s serving anything like he did with Andy, but he is stepping in and taking it early, that helped.
Davydenko: 5-4
Joel: Davy’s got better court positioning and his serve is really a weapon here. I’m inclined to think PD will be right. Davy will win it unless Rafa steps up.
Gloria: Hi Nina! Remember me, the Nadal fan, from Jerry’s Deli last year? I’m holding my breath during this match, because Davydenko is scary! Rafa needs to win this one to improve and underscore his No. 2 position. He has too many points to defend this clay season, and folks like Nalbandian are not going to let him slide on in for numerous easy victories. [What’s with the on-screen scorekeeper and all the mistakes?]
Nina: Joel and Gloria (good to see you here!), thanks for joining in. Hadn’t noticed the scorekeeping problem and the chair umpire missed a let call. Yeah, Davydenko is taking the court away from Nadal as Joel pointed out. Nate, what do you think about this more strings thing. See my question above.
Pat: Is anyone counting the shanks? Lots of errors so far.
Nina: Do you mean by Davy or both of them? Is Rafa being too defensive or is Davy down his throat too much for him to step up.
Pat: Davy with set points, who woulda thunk it? Davy not the greatest volleyer, but he’s getting them back, all except that last one that Nadal scooted up the line for a winner. Great point! Davy opening court up well that and grabbing the first set. Good stuff, Nadal playing too defensive here to pull this out, he’s going to have to rethink that.
Davydenko wins the first set 6-4
Nate: Nina, you mean their follow-throughs are too protracted, so they lose valuable time that could be used in moving up to net?
Davydenko breaks to go up 6-4, 1-0
Nina: Oy, another break for Davy. Nate, I mean that the current followthrough is not towards the net but, instead, wraps around the body and points away from the net so the players’ momentum is not moving towards the net as it used to be. Also, this things about more strings in the racket. Wouldn’t every player want more strings if the racket didn’t weigh too much because you could grab the ball better?
Gloria: Rafa must not want this! He’s making too, too many errors!
Pat: Davy is hitting the ball flat enough with pace that Nadal cant get around on it, his swings are too big. OK, Davy with the early break, let’s see how he runs while he’s ahead. He ought to really try and put the clamps down early in the second set.
Nate: The follow-through thing makes sense. As far as more strings, maybe every player will want more after watching Davydenko this week. I gotta be off to work. Hope it’s not over by the time I get there…
Davydenko: 6-4, 2-0
Nina: See you later Nate. Rafa did get tired last week in Indian Wells and he couldn’t do much against Djokovic (I think?). He’s the only player to do this well in the Indian Wells-Miami swing and it absolutely tires you out.
Jenny: Hi Everyone, Davy’s whizzing isn’t he!
Gloria: Yes, Davy is truly outplaying Rafa!
Pat: Davy likes being a front runner, he consolidated that break with a good flat serve out wide. His serves have picked up, he’s cracking them in there now.
Nina: Jenny!!! Good evening. Okay, so what does Rafa have to do to get back in the match? Theories anyone?
Davydenko 6-4, 3-1
Nina: Jeez, has Davy popped some biceps or downed some banned substances of some sort :0) I’d never heard of the 18 by 20 racket before today. Where can I get one :0)
Pat: If Davy is worried about the heat, he’d better really hang in and try to close this deal in two sets.
Uh oh, break point for Davy now and this could be the match.
Davydenko breaks to go up two breaks in the second set: 6-4, 4-1
Nina: I’m really bothered by this because I always want tennis to put on a good show when it gets network time. It also speaks to the problem with having back to back Masters Series tournaments. Near the end, you get some very tired looking matches instead of exciting, close, tight matches.
Davydenko: 6-4, 5-1
Nina: Omigod, who is that player out there cracking shots left and right. He always takes the ball early but it’s a combination of things. Clearly the racket helps and I know that when I have a new toy, it helps my confidence. Nadal is probably tired, and Davy appears to be in the zone at a very fortuitous time.
Joel: theories? davy’s just outplaying rafa but for a couple of reasons:
1. rafa has had way more unforced errors today than in previous matches.
2. davy has better court positioning
3. rafa forgot to shave???
Pat: Go Davy! Nadal’s balls are kind of sitting up there, aren’t they? “Hit me hit me” they say, and Nik is doing just that. He’s pouncing on everything, and that break for 4-1 is pretty much the match, wouldn’t we all say? Is Nadal having sympatico feelings for Roger? He looks quite befuddled. His game just can’t cope today, he’s too loopy and Davy is playing shooting ducks in a barrel
Jenny: Second that Pat.
Gloria: This is too sad for Rafa! All I can say is at least he’s not getting throttled by Djokovic!
Davydenko serving for match: 6-4, 5-2
Nina: Joel, I’m going with “forgot to shave.” I don’t know if Rafa’s balls are sitting up more than usual or Davy is just taking them exceptionally early. It seems like the prospect of playing a three set match in humid weather pushed Davy to play aggressively, somewhat like Jelena yesterday was pushed to play aggressively against Serena, and it has worked like a charm.
Pat: Nina, I think what Nadal needs is a flatter ball thru the court, but he doesn’t have that shot. Davy is playing really really well, how great to see him keep the consistency going from the Roddick match. That right there, given how others have fallen off in this event, is his best accomplishment. When he nearly beat Nadal in Rome last year I thought he had found the way to beat nadal, i.e. taking the ball really early and moving like a laser around the court. He is really building on that strategy today.
Pat: Joel, I noticed he didn’t shave either!! What does that mean, I said? ‘Cause it must mean something.
Joel: rafa lacking in the “vamos!” department today too don’t ya’ll think? He’s not his usual “fired up” self. Davy caught both Roddick and Rafa after big wins – Rafa’s domination of Berdych was something new for him. But all credit to Davy – he’s gettin some serious revenge on the ATP people today 😉
Davydenko wins the Sony Erisson Open by the score of 6-4, 6-2
Nina: Good point Joel, I hadn’t considered revenge as much as I should have. Sweet, sweet revenge and there is no better response to adversity. Sorry we couldn’t give you a better show today, folks, but maybe we have a new power player and a new technology. Every 3.5 player in the world will be googling 18 by 20 racket stringing instead of getting out that report tomorrow morning. You can count on it.
Pat: OK, the moment has arrived, Davy wins, shakes hands….then the ATP powers arrive on court and march him off in handcuffs….just kidding. How nice to see the Invisible Man being highly prominent! Great inside out forehand to close the deal! Good craft!
Jenny: Well done Nikolay!! Sorry Rafa.
Nina: Well put Jenny. Sayonara everyone, thanks for joining in. We’ll be back live blogging for the final of men’s French Open. Predictions for that one anyone?
Gloria: Congrats Davy! You won it!