Nikolay Davydenko stormed into the Qatar Open semi-finals on Thursday with an express train performance which gave him a chance of earning a first final for 20 months.
The former world No 3 from Russia's 6-1, 6-1 win over Simone Bolelli, the world No 83 from Italy, was the quickest of the tournament and maintained his hopes of regaining the Qatar Open title he so spectacularly won three years ago.
Davydenko did that by becoming one of only two players at that time who had beaten Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the same tournament, and he might have gone on to other glories had he not broken his wrist only two months later.
Now though the manner of his third successive straight sets win – lasting only 49 minutes – hinted at more triumphs still being possible for a 31-year-old whose last season on the ATP World Tour this may be.
“I was enjoying this today,” said Davydenko, whose movement to early taken, flat ground strokes was pulverisingly effective.
“In the beginning I was nervous, but then I was moving good.”
His buoyant mood belied the fact that he has not completely erased the aches and pains which have dogged him and dragged him down to 44 in the rankings in the last two years.
“Players are never one hundred percent fit in the body – if I die, yes, we have no pain,” smiled Davydenko.
