TENNIS in DEPTH.

Nikolay Davydenko could miss Russia’s Davis Cup tie with India after being forced to pull out of the Dubai Championships with a wrist injury.

The Russian struggled through Tuesday’s first-round match before pulling out of his second-round match with Michael Berrer after losing the first set 6-3.

“I thought about quitting before the match, but in practice I was OK. A match is different though,” he said.

“It was too much for me, it gets too risky now, and it’s better to retire.”

Second seed Novak Djokovic survived a minor scare before seeing off fellow Serb Viktor Troicki 3-6 6-4 6-2, but it was the exit of ATP World Tour champion Davydenko that really grabbed the headlines.

Davydenko had complained of discomfort after his three-set win over Florent Serra on Tuesday, but was clearly in more pain against Berrer.

He frequently over-hit the ball, suffered an early break of serve to go 3-1 down and was unable to break back against the powerful left-hander.

When Davydenko netted a high backhand volley, it was clear he was struggling and was not fit to carry on.

“I thought I could win anyway,” said world number 56 Berrer.

“At the moment I am self-confident. My way of playing hurts a lot of guys.”

In the last eight, the German will play former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, after he beat Indian qualifier Somdev Devvarman 6-3 3-6 6-1.

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Robin Soderling will attempt to become the first Swedish winner of the ABN Amro indoor tournament in nearly two decades after an upset 7-6, (3) 6-4 victory over second-seeded Nikolay Davydenko in the semifinals on Saturday.

Anders Jarryd’s win in 1993 was Sweden’s last.

Davydenko fought back from 5-2 down to force a first set tiebreak, which went Soderling’s way after the Russian double-faulted. It was Soderling’s first career tiebreak win over Davydenko.

A break in the ninth game of the second set ensured victory for third-seeded Soderling, who lost the 2008 final to Michael Llodra.

“It’s always tough, he is the best returner on the whole tour,” said Soderling. “I very happy to beat one of the best players in the world.”

Soderling plays Mikhail Youzhny in Sunday’s final, after Youznhy surprised Djokovic with a 2 set, 2 tie breaker win 7-6, 7-6.

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Robin Soderling was in a ruthless mood Friday as he crushed Julien Benneteau 6-0, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, an ATP World Tour 500 indoor hard-court event in Rotterdam.

The Swede, who had endured successive first-round losses at the Aircel Chennai Open (l. to Ginepri) and the Australian Open (l. to Granollers) to start the season, showed he is back on top form in the 64-minute rout. The third seed converted all five break point chances he created, while saving the one threat he faced on serve, and won 22 of 32 points on Benneteau’s serve.

Soderling is bidding to reach the final in Rotterdam for the second time, after finishing runner-up to Michael Llodra in 2008. The Tibro native, who reached his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros (l. to Federer) last year, will take on Nikolay Davydenko on Saturday.

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Roger Federer staged a remarkable turnaround to beat Nikolay Davydenko at the Australian Open and reach his 23rd successive Grand Slam semi-final.

The top seed looked in big trouble when Davydenko held a point for a double-break lead in the second set having taken the opener.

But Federer fought back from that perilous position to record a 2-6 6-3 6-0 7-5 win.

“I’ve played him many times and I know he goes through phases although they weren’t a notch on what he did in that first set.” Federer said.

“I just tried to stay positive. I wasn’t playing bad but he was just playing so well.

“It was obviously a bit of a surprise to come back that great because obviously he has been on an incredible run.”

Davydenko, the form player on the ATP World Tour, started like a train and raced through the opening set as Federer struggled with his game, making 17 unforced errors – he later revealed the setting sun had caused him problems and that he used a toilet break after the set in a bid to change the momentum.

However, the Russian continued his onslaught at the start of the set two but when leading 3-1 missed a great chance to move a double-break up.

Instead Federer held serve and that proved the turning point.

A forehand winner saw him break Davydenko’s serve for the first time in the following game, sparking a remarkable run of 13 straight games for Swiss.

By the time the sixth seed halted that streak he trailed two sets to one and was a break down in the fourth.

To his credit, Davydenko broke back to get the set back on serve and did so for a second time when Federer served for the match at 5-4.

A string of superb returns enabled Davydenko to save a match point in that game, but Federer refocused and simply broke serve again to lead 6-5.

This time he served out to book a semi-final meeting with either Novak Djokovic or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“I was having problems with the sun in my eyes also in the opening set,” Federer added.

“I was waiting for it to move. I never use my toilet breaks so I thought I will use it and I hoped that maybe in that time the sun would move maybe one centimetre, maybe three.

“It might have been one point that it affected, but maybe that is important in the end.”

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Today’s quarter final match will feature two of the ‘elder’ statesman of modern day tennis. Both Federer and Davydenko have been around for a while, and while Roger is always in form, Nikolay has only found his best form in the past few months. He was a dismal 13-1 against Federer until November, but since then he has won both their recent meetings. Can he do it again, or will Federer elevate his game to another level, the level he reserves for the Grand Slams?

Both of their better halves will be in the players box watching, and I wonder if they ever talk to one another. Not about tennis! About babies of course!

If I was writing the script for the 2010 Australian Open, I would have Davydenko and Murray meeting in the final. Two players seeking their first Grand Slam title, and maybe in Davydenko’s case, his last chance! A win for the balding Russian would be a fairy tale ending to this years tournament.

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Nikolay Davydenko survived a scare against Fernando Verdasco before finally reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The Russian has looked in imperious form in the early rounds in Melbourne and seemed on course for another comfortable win as he went two sets up against the Spaniard.

However, Verdasco came storming back to take the match into a deciding fifth set – before Davydenko managed to finally see out the win 6-2 7-5 4-6 6-7 (5/7) 6-3.

“I’m really tired,” said the sixth seed after his victory. “It was difficult to play against him because all match, he was serving fast, playing fast.

“He’s strong physically, but not mentally. I knew he would have power in the fifth set, but he can make mistakes.”

Next up for Davydenko will be world number one Roger Federer – a player he has beaten in their last two meetings, including earlier this month in Doha.

Davydenko believes he has the mentality to deal with the Swiss legend.

“I believe I am still strong mentally,” he said. “I don’t know if I can win here, but I’m feeling good.”

The Russian will have to improve upon a nervy display against Verdasco if he is to lift the trophy next weekend.

The sixth seed is now unbeaten in 13 matches but he struggled to close out the match despite playing the better tennis in the fourth set.

Verdasco committed 21 unforced errors in the set – he would finish with 81 in total – but still claimed it, coming from a mini-break down in the tie-break to level the match.

Davydenko’s shots had become tentative and as the decider began it was Verdasco – a semi-finalist in Melbourne 12 months ago – who looked the more likely winner.

However, to his credit, Davydenko refocused and gained the decisive break in the sixth game of the final set before serving out for a quarter-final berth.

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Top-seeded Roger Federer, third-seeded Novak Djokovic and No. 6 seed Nikolay Davydenko were straight-set winners in third-round action at the 2010 Australian Open on Saturday.

Federer, seeking his 16th major title, defeated 31st-seeded Spaniard Albert Montanes, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, while Djokovic, who titled here two years ago, pasted Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.

The three-time Aussie Open champ Federer will face the  22nd-seeded Lleyton Hewitt.

Federer has now made it through to the round of 16 of every grand slam since losing in the third round of the 2004 French Open.

In the fourth round, Djokovic will battle Pole Lukasz Kubot, who was a walkover winner over No. 20 Mikhail Youzhny due to the Russian’s wrist injury.

Davydenko needed just one-hour, 49-minutes to get by 30th-seeded Argentine Juan Monaco, 6-0, 6-3, 6-4. The Russian will next face No. 9 seed Fernando Verdasco, who was ahead 6-1 before Austrian Stefan Koubek retired from their match.

Another high-profile match on Saturday pits 10th-seeded 2008 Aussie Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga against 18th-seeded German Tommy Haas.

The winner of that match will meet 26th-seed Nicolas Almagro, a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 winner over Alejandro Falla in third-round play.

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