Davydenko and Serena wins at Miami

Miami: Russian fourth seed N i ko l ay Davydenko d e f e at e d S p a n i s h s e c o n d seed Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the $3.77 million Miami ATP Masters Series Sony Ericsson Open hardcourt event on Sunday. Davydenko won $590,000 and his 12th career ATP title, his first since capturing the crown at Moscow last October and what he dubbed the biggest title of his career. Davydenko’s best Miami result in six prior appearances was reaching the fourth round two years ago. “For me it’s surprising standing here (as the winner). I never play good in Miami,’’ Davydenko said. “For me to beat Nadal in the final, first time in my career. I think it’s crazy.’’ Reigning French Open champion Nadal, ranked second in the world for a record 140 weeks in a row since July of 2005, had won both prior meetings with Davydenko but struggled from the start. Davydenko became the first Russian to win the Miami crown by despatching two foes in a row he had never beaten. He ousted Andy Roddick in the semifinals despite having lost all five prior matches with the sixth-seeded American.

And in Women's final Former World No. 1 Serena Williams successfully defended her title at the WTA Sony Ericsson Open by defeating fourth-seeded Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 5-7, 6-3. Williams captured her second title of the season, the 30th of her career and her fifth at this money-spinning event on Saturday. The 26-year-old American cruised through the opening set in just 28 minutes as Jankovic hit just three winners and made 11 unforced errors. The Serbian, who has been battling a cold all week, found herself in trouble over and over again because of a weak second serve. But Jankovic rallied to take the second set 7-5 before Williams, who struggled repeatedly on match point, eventually won 6-3 in a sloppilyplayed third set. Eighth-seeded Williams also won her fifth championship here, having won last year in addition to claiming three straight titles from 2002-04. Williams has amassed a 47-5 record during her 10 appearances at this hardcourt tournament, also finished as a runner-up in 1999 to sister Venus.

Nadal booked SF birth at miami

World No.2 Rafael Nadal rallied for a three-set victory over James Blake to book his semifinal berth at the ATP and WTA Sony Ericsson Open on Wednesday. Nadal, seeded second behind world No.1 Roger Federer, defeated Blake 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 as he moved a step closer to his first title of 2008. It was the Spaniard’s second victory over Blake in as many starts, following his quarterfinal win over the American at Indian Wells. Prior to that, Blake had won the first three career meetings between the two. Nadal earned the break he needed in the third game of the of the third set, and held on to close out the match in 1hr 55min. Nadal said the key to his changing fortune against Blake was a more aggressive, albeit riskier, stance. “I think just before I was running a lot, two meters behind the line,’’ he said. “I think right now I’m playing a little bit more aggressive.’’ In the semifinals, Nadal will face Czech 10th seed Tomas Berdych, who eliminated Russian Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-4 in the day’s other men’s quarterfinal. In women’s action, fourth-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic reached the semifinals when Russia’s Elena Dementieva retired while trailing in the second set of their quarterfinal clash. Jankovic led 6-1, 3-1 when Dementieva, battling a back injury for which she received treatment after the first set, decided she cannot continue because of pain in her lower back. Jankovic, who had saved five match points in her battling second round victory over Sweden’s Sofia Arvidsson, booked a semifinal match-up with Vera Zvonareva, who beat Russian compatriot Dinara Safina 7-5, 6-4. Jankovic’s abbreviated quarterfinal echoed her experience at Indian Wells, where she reached the semifinals when American Lindsay Davenport retired from their contest with a back injury. The Serbian will make her fourth semifinal appearance of the year but is still seeking to make her first final of 2008, having lost in the final four at the Australian Open, Dubai and Indian Wells. On Tuesday, third-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and American Serena Williams, the eighth seed and defending champion, advanced to the semifinals. Williams easily defeated world No.1 Justine Henin of Belgium, while Kuznetsova downed Venus Williams.

Serena beats Henin at miami

World No.1 Roger Federer rolled over unseeded Jose Acasuso 7-6(5), 6-2 in a fourth round match at the $3.8 million ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament here at Miami on Tuesday. “Now I feel like I’m playing well,’’ said Federer who faces American Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals. Second seed Rafael Nadal, who lost to Federer in the 2005 final, also reached the quarterfinals by beating 15th-seeded Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-4. Ninth-seeded American James Blake is through to the quarterfinals after claiming a 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 27 Radek Stepanek. Roddick will join his compatriot in the last eight. Roddick struggled in the first set before rallying to beat unseeded Frenchman Julien Benneteau 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov failed to move through as 10th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych claimed a 6-2, 6-2 win in their fourth round match. On the women’s side of the draw, Svetlana Kuznetsova spoiled the prospect of an all-Williams semifinal. Hours after Serena Williams was victorious in her quarterfinal, Kuznetsova defeated Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4. Williams was attempting to capture her fourth title at the event, having won the tournament in 1998, 1999 and 2001. Younger sister Serena had held up her end of the bargain earlier on Tuesday with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over top seed and World No. 1 Justine Henin. Henin had won three straight in the series against Serena — claiming quarterfinal victories at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open — but was outplayed by the American. Serena, who beat Henin here in last season’s championship match, captured three breaks in each set of the 80-minute match. It was another tough loss for the 25-year-old Belgian, who was playing her first tournament since being upset by Francesca Schiavone in the quarterfinals at Dubai. “Today I didn’t make as many errors,’’ Serena said. “I stayed positive no matter what happened.”