07 January,2009 08:47 AM IST | | Nikhil Subramaniam
TO THE FORE! Nikolay Davydenko of Russia returns to Austrian Daniel Koellerer during their first round match of the ATP Chennai Open in Chennai on Monday. Davydenko won 6-2, 6-3. pic/AFP
World No 5 Nikolay Davydenko's attitude towards his game is baffling given his shrug-of-the-shoulder responses to queries
For a top men's player, Nikolay Davydenko's attitude towards his game is baffling. The World No 5's usual response to questions about his plans and his opponents is a shrug of the shoulder.
Like yesterday, when asked about his plans for second round opponent Lukas Dlouhy, Davydenko said, "I don't know. I think like today. Best to do that," And nothing more.
Perhaps, it is because the season has just started that the Russian can afford to appear more relaxed than normal. But the fact is that Davydenko's game has taken a tumble since he attained the fourth rank in 2007.
Last season, Davydenko under constant scrutiny after the match-fixing scandal slipped two positions but recovered towards the end of 2008 to finish as No 5. And the rise of Andy Murray to the fourth spot means there is more pressure on him than before.
After a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 win over Austrian Daniel Koellerer yesterday, Davydenko said, "Since this was my first match of the year, I'm happy to start on a winning note. I want to improve as it's not the result but my game which matters to me," Davydenko said.
Davydenko smashed eight aces yesterday, which is not his typical style of play.
At his best, Davydenko is a tenacious defender. He can keep on running around to return points. But he insisted this is no time to change his game. "I won't rely too much on serve. I'm not Andy Roddick. I have more to my game but today I was just serving better than usual."
