After watching what for me has been the best match this claycourt season,I have new found respect for Weaponless Nikolay.Yes he remains weaponless but man oh man his hitting against Nadal was amazing!

However,for the original title,Davydenko employed the Rome final tactics of Roger Federer last year.I swear it was like watching a mirror performance of Roger last year accept that his two handed backhand doest allow the high bouncing ball to affect him.This man took the ball so early and his crosscourt forearm was the mirroring Federers last year.Not only was he taking that ball so early,he was working the angles and coming in to the net just like Federer last year.He also had a high percentage of first serves in.

Davydenko maybe a workhorse but I take my hat of for him after his match with Nadal and have new found respect for him.He pushed Nadal and he proved that Federer had his tactics right last year and this is what it will take to beat Nadal.!

I was actually thinking this was the best match of the year so far.
Davy played a heroic match. To me it was a different match compared to last years final. Mainly because Davy won so many long rallies. The reason why Raffa won is because he changed tactics in the third; he started to shorten the rallies and took more initiative. This is the proof Raffa has developed his game big time; nowadays he switches from defending to attacking when needed.
The best part for me was that Davy was prepared to hit 6/7 winners to finally win the point. He also neutralized Rafa's game with hitting fast paced balls straight in the middle and as soon as he got the change created extreme angles. Angles which are not many players are able to produce (only 1 name pops up.. ;) )
And for once and for all; Davy proved he's the best returner of serve out there!

Fully agree with greasepipe here I saw the match as well and my feeling was more an achievement by Davy of playing very well from the baseline and accept the rallies from there more than short the points to the net..Rafa is definitely a big man who, at least on clay, has now a very good plan B in place, i.e. he has the ability of short the rally and move near to the net: but I guess this is so also because he is now in the "zone", i.e. the man is so confident on his Tennis at the moment that he definitely try and (do most of the time) stuffs that are really out of his usual Tennis. The open question here is the following: How this B game (and this unusual shots for him) will stay there on fast surfaces. This is the real open question...This is the real wait and see issue. :)

BTW: As I said already in another threat: Davy is not a no weapons player: He has few (almost no weakness) from the baseline and this is a very important weapon in particular nowadays in which almost 99% of the matches are won from the back..

But it seems that no one sees this point: Anyway... :rolleyes:

Disagree...Whilst he was happy to slug it out from the baseline he was getting a lot of short balls from Rafa and he made his way to the net.The second set alone he won 22/24 ventures to the net, a stat that indicates you have to come in against Rafa.

He was however amazing of the ground and his ability to slug away at balls taking them so early for over 3 hours was amazing.I really thought he was going to win this one.

He remains weapomless for me simply because as you say,he is very good from the baseline but most matches are won from there anyway.He just hits the ball very early with astounding timing,sorta like a Monica Seles in her prime.But being able to hit balls from side to side from the baseline isnt a weapon its just consistency!

and great and solid consistency is a weapon Darky..But I agree to disagree..I am not a big fan of Davy and his Tennis..Nevertheless I like to defend him because he is far from being so weak as some Wise (Analysts) are pretending here and in other boards. Besides, by so doing, I am destroying one of Wise's pillar to prove that this is the "weakest era of all Tennis history "roflmao : Davy is just the proof of the contrary, this is an era like any other in the past with the main characteristics of having two VERY BIG BOSSES out there..

Ciao.. ;)

Whilst I agree that Wise is a bit overboard with his slating of Davydenko I do think he is a bit weaponless.Consistency isnt enough these days and you have to look at Lleyton Hewiit as a prime example and you can also look at Sanchez-Vicario,she fell short so many times regardless of her being so consistent.

Maybe his ability to stay in rallies is a weapon but its not enough!

Davydenko had a really good match, it was fascinating viewing and did stall some of the less than complementary things I had been saying about him. I am still not his biggest fan and am not convinced on his weapons, but he really did have a great match.
As regards coming into the net; he didn't do this anywhere near enough, imho. When he did, the positive results were plain to see. I just couldn't understand why he didn't do it more.

I have to agree with this.He did have so many opputunities in rallies to end points quicker by getting there.I found myself laying my bed screaming GET TO THE NET!!!! He did however come in a lot I mean that second set stat was astounding for me!

I still think it's risky to come to the net against Nadal, you really have to be patient, if Rafa is anywhere near the baseline, he's able to produce a passing shot. Davy picked the right moments. The fact he won in the second so many netpoint proves he played very dominant from the baseline.

What i would have liked to see is that Davy played more dropshots. Drag Rafa to the net.

He was getting so many short balls thats why he came to the net so much.In general Rafa does drop the ball short but its the spin that allows it to kicj back.Davydenko was able to take that ball so early and open the court thast why he was able to get to the net.
He did dropshot a few times but it was poor poor shot selection wrongly executed.Nadal however when ever he was breakpoint down came up with some magic drops.

Its weird!

He's not my favourite player is Davy. But I'm not sure he is 'weaponless'.

One thing that I thought may give him a slight chance against Rafa is the fact he often takes the ball early, therefore cutting down his opponents recovery time and building pressure. Not too many other guys on the tour do that, and obviously taking the ball early is something which most people struggle to do against Rafa.

His game does look boring, but it works for him and always makes him a difficult guy to play against. Rafa will be desperately hoping he's not in his half of the Roland Garros draw!

I previously used to believe that Agassi was the earliset taker of the ball until I saw Nikolay.Its astounding how his timing to do that is impeccable.

And really I suppose this brings us back to the "talent " debate again - Davy does not excite, does not look a great tennis players, yet his taking of the ball as early as he does is probably unique to todays tour and he should be applauded for that. Clay should be his best surface anyway cos of his lack of ability at net and in serving.

Agreed! Davydenko seems to be a robot baseline basher and his tennis isnt of the most beautiful,but does one need talent to prevail or do well.In his case no and he is a prime example of it.

I really though after his performance against Nadal have to applaud him.I think had he played like that,he would have beaten Federer by a similar scoreline to Vollandri.But Federer also is like the Williams girls of late.He rather lose to a nobody than to a big name!