Russian Revolution at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships
- Russian Players to contest titles at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships -
Dubai, UAE, February 17th, 2008: When Mikhail Youzhny, Nikolay Davydenko and Svetlana Kuznetsova compete in the 2008 Dubai Tennis Championships the Russian trio will face different challenges.
Youzhny last year brought off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament when he overcame defending champion and world number two Rafael Nadal in straight sets on his way to a final showdown with Roger Federer. Now he has the pressure of trying to live up to his reputation as a giant killer when play returns next month.
The Dubai Tennis Stadium has proved to be one of his most successful venues. His victory over Nadal was not his first in Dubai, with a win over the Spaniard putting him into the 2004 semi-finals. And he continued his winning ways by reaching the quarter-finals in 2005 and a semi-final in 2006, both ending in defeat by Federer.
“It’s tough to beat Roger,” said Youzhny after also losing the 2007 final to the super-Swiss. “The only chance to beat him is to serve unbelievably good. When you play against Roger we understand you can be up 5-0 and the set is not finished.”
Kuznetsova has a similar reputation to live up to, after contesting the final in 2004 and then advancing to the semi-finals in both 2006 and 2007. Each time it took four-time Dubai champion Justine Henin to stop her run.
“It was strange,” said Kuznetsova, recalling last year’s defeat. “I started very well and ended up bad, and she was the opposite. I didn’t do enough with the ball in the third. The game changed completely. She got so much into it and played unbelievable, and me, I got worse. I got a little bit tired mentally.”
The amiable hip-hip loving Kuznetsova will be on guard not to suffer a repeat, and Davydenko will also be anxious to do things a little differently this year. Despite rising to four in the world, claiming 11 titles and reaching three other finals, he has failed to make any impact on the Dubai Tennis Championships.
His best performance came in 2005 when he reached the quarter-finals before losing in a close two sets against Andre Agassi. But he suffered first round defeats in 2004 and 2006, and last year he was upset in the second round by Olivier Rochus.
All three Russians have been in spectacular form this year to underline that they will be strong contenders for the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships title, with Davydenko reaching the semi-finals in Doha, Youzhny winning Chennai with yet another victory over Nadal, and Kuznetsova reaching the final in Sydney. But they will face the strongest possible competition against opponents such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic.
“It is encouraging that a player of Davydenko’s stature should keep returning to Dubai to chase that elusive title, despite suffering so many disappointments,” said Colm McLoughlin, managing director of tournament owners and organisers Dubai Duty Free. “We wish him well this year, and hope that Youzhny and Kuznetsova can continue their previous success.”
Play at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, which is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, begins on February 25th 2008 with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour tournament, and is followed by the ATP event from March 3rd to 8th.
