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Defeated: Rafael Nadal - Source: Reuters -
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World number two Rafael Nadal lost 6-1 7-6 to Russian Nikolay Davydenko on Thursday to become the first player to exit the ATP World Tour Finals.
Five months after limping out of Wimbledon without defending his
title due to aching knees, the Spaniard bore little resemblance to
the player who once terrorised his opponents as he slumped to a 6-1
7-6 defeat by Russia's Nikolay Davydenko.
"I fought a lot. I tried my best all the time but it wasn't enough
to win these matches. That's it, no?" summed up Nadal, who lost
both of his Group B clashes in straight sets.
While Nadal was left to lick his wounds, Swede Robin Soderling
became the first qualifier for the semi-finals when he battered
world number three Novak Djokovic 7-6 6-1 for his second major
shock of the tournament.
Soderling, only competing in the year-end showpiece at London's O2
Arena after Andy Roddick's injury-enforced withdrawal, backed up
his opening win over Nadal with another magnificent exhibition of
power and precision.
It was the kind of display Nadal would have been proud of but
instead the Spaniard spent more time shaking his head in
frustration than producing winners during a lopsided first set
against Davydenko that flashed by in 27 minutes.
Trailing 4-2 in the second set, Nadal appeared to be heading
towards one of the worst defeats in his career when a child's voice
boomed out from the darkened arena: "Wake up Rafa, remember you're
the number two in the world."
Nadal appeared to heed the call and thumped his chest as he twice
came from a break down to force Davydenko into a tiebreak, though
after a tight battle featuring long rallies, crafty angles and
thumping smashes, the Russian managed to seal victory.
Nadal has no chance of progressing any further in the elite
eight-man event even if he beats Djokovic in his final round-robin
match on Friday.
Djokovic has played almost 100 ATP matches this year and it showed
as he appeared to throw in the towel in the second set.
The Serb, winner of the tournament 12 months ago when it was held
in Shanghai, barely had enough energy afterwards to answer
questions and he will have to pick himself up quickly for his match
against Nadal if he is to reach the semis.
"I didn't enjoy playing today's match, that's for sure," Djokovic,
told reporters. "I'm just fatigued from the whole season.
"He absolutely deserved to qualify for the semi-finals. I think
he's the best player so far in the tournament."
The only surprising thing about the match was that Djokovic
managed to drag the first set into a tiebreak, which the Swede
sealed with a big first serve.
Soderling won a tremendous baseline exchange to seal the first
service break of the match at 1-1 in the second set, splintering
Djokovic's resolve in the process, and raced away with the second
set in just 29 minutes.
"There are top nine guys in the world here and I've won two
matches in straight sets against the number two and three in the
world," Soderling said.
"I couldn't have asked for anything more."
