Masters Cup

Gold Group:

N Djokovic (Ser) bt N Davydenko (Rus)

7-6 (7-3) 0-6 7-5

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on the action

By Piers Newbery

1445: That's it from us for today, we'll be back on Wednesday at 1000 GMT for Murray v Simon.

1443: "Djokovic did go walkabout in the second set but he held it together. Davydenko knows he gave that one away. Del Potro and Davydenko will play off for the other semi-final place, so that will be the big match on Thursday."
Times correspondent Neil Harman tells 5 Live Sports Extra

Third set:

Djokovic 7-5 Davydenko
The Shanghai rush-hour must be a shocker because the fans are streaming out of the stadium despite the deciding game of the match being about to start

Two service winners get Djokovic off to a great start. Davydenko forces the error for 30-15 but then misses with a backhand and looks disgusted with himself. It's 40-15, two match points and Djokovic..... nets a forehand. The Serb makes no mistake on the second though, thumping a forehand winner and he's through to the semis.

Djokovic 6-5 Davydenko
Davydenko nets a forehand on the first point and at this stage every mistake is potentially decisive. A backhand error from the Russian leaves him under pressure at 30-30, and when he does get a game point he plays awful backhand volley.

The camera keeps returning to his charming wife, who's grinning gamely as her husband toils away. He goes long with a forehand and it's break point for Djokovic. Another terrible Davydenko forehand gives up the break and the Djokovic supporters are on their feet in the stands.

Djokovic 5-5 Davydenko
"Let's Get Physical", exhorts Olivia Newton-John over the sound system. "Let's just smack down some massive serves", responds Djokovic. Three thumping efforts take him to 40-0, at which point he decides to serve-volley and dumps a forehand in the net. Back to Plan A, and a service winner gives him the game.

Djokovic 4-5 Davydenko
The Djokovic backhand breaks down twice in a row to see Davdydenko move 40-0 up. A fizzing forehand return from the Serb followed by a Davydenko error raise the pressure a little but another poor backhand from Djokovic gives up the game.

Djokovic 4-4 Davydenko
An ace and a brilliant cross-court backhand get Djokovic up and running and he holds to love. Tough one to call now and a tie-break looks likely. That should guarantee a break.

Djokovic 3-4 Davydenko
Davydenko suffers one of his periodic wobbles on serve, opening with a double fault. Djokovic gets to 0-30 up but misses with a backhand and looks ready to scream. A great rally follows, with Davydenko taking it after a drive-backhand volley and a stop volley. An ace and a big forehand complete the comeback.

Djokovic 3-3 Davydenko
Djokovic holds to love and he looks more focused now. So he should really - every round-robin win is worth $100,000 and if the Serb takes this one he's guaranteed a semi-final spot and the chance to win another $315,000. That's more than I earn in a month.

1413: "I really though djoko would give a better showing of himself in this tournament. he might get away with this and come out the victor but no signs of form returning, really, really sloppy stuff."
From NapoleonEinstein on 606

Djokovic 2-3 Davydenko
Davydenko gives Djokovic no chance as he finds a fantastic length off his groundstrokes, and he thumps away a short forehand to take a love game.

Djokovic 2-2 Davydenko
All looks well in Djokovic world as he gets to 40-0 with some much more purposeful stuff.... and then he double faults. Davydenko gets low to hook a backhand winner down the line but he cannot keep the pressure up as he swings a forehand into the tramlines.

1403: Davydenko is relaxing in his chair as the trainer gets to work on his left foot. He appears to be trying to remove it, but I'm sure he knows what he's doing.

Djokovic 1-2 Davydenko
Davydenko holds to love and he still looks the stronger, but he seems to be calling for the trainer at the changeover as he takes his, er, trainer off. Hopefully the soothing sound of Boney M's "Rivers of Babylon" will perk him up.

Djokovic 1-1 Davydenko
We've been a bit short of stunning shots in this one but Davydenko comes up trumps with a magnificent backhand lob to get to 15-40 and two more break points. He nets a return on the first and a backhand on the second and Djokovic gets on the board. It's his first game for 41 minutes, according to Jonathan Overend on 5 Live Sports Extra.

1352: "Looking forward to tomorrow - Fed really having to step it up against Roddick, and seeing how Murray handles Simon who must be full of confidence at the moment. As for this match, I'll go for Djoko to shade it...but only just."
From MrInvisible on 606

Djokovic 0-1 Davydenko
Much like Djokovic, my colleague next to me has just eaten a bagel. They're everywhere. Back to the action and all of a sudden Djokovic has woken up. He earns two break points at 15-40 but Davydenko bosses the first and the Serb goes long with a regulation forehand on the second. Davydenko comes through and I fear Djokovic might be reaching for racquet number five soon.

Second set:

Djokovic 0-6 Davydenko
Yuk. A tired Djokovic backhand into the middle of the net gives Davydenko a set point at 30-40 and the Serb sticks a backhand wide. That was about as bad a set as the Aussie Open champion can ever have played. Mrs Davydenko looks pleased though.

1341: On the subject of the next ATP chief executive: "I think that Brad Drewitt, the tournament director here, as an ex-player has a great advantage. He understands the politics of the game, gets on well with the players - he'd be well received."
Times correspondent Neil Harman tells 5 Live Sports Extra

Djokovic 0-5 Davydenko
Davydenko races 40-0 clear before Djokovic connects with a sweet forehand return. Davydenko then hits an ace down the centre though - no problem.

Djokovic 0-4 Davydenko
It's all happening at the changeover. Davydenko is having a moan to the umpire about the amount of time Djokovic is taking between points. Meanwhile, Djokovic is making his chair and the surrounding area look like a a teenager's bedroom as he unwraps his fourth racquet of the day, discards the others and leaves the wrapping on the floor. His mum won't be happy.

Back to the tennis and the Djokovic mood continues. He floats a cross-court backhand wide to slip 30-40 and break-point down but escapes with a big serve. A woeful Djokovic forehand then gives Davydenko another chance and the Russian takes it with a forehand.

Djokovic 0-3 Davydenko
Djokovic looks well and truly peeved and gets a few whistles from the crowd. Not good whistles, the jeering type. He goes long with a backhand and chucks his racquet to the ground for the third time in as many minutes. Cue more booing from the possibly well-oiled crowd, as they compete in the 'lucky lager' competition. Davydenko holds.

Djokovic 0-2 Davydenko
Djokovic is in a bit of trouble at 15-30 and takes an inordinate amount of time preparing for his next serve, which turns out to be a winner. A double fault follows though and he troops back to the chair to change racquets, blaming it on a broken string. It's break point for Davydenko and Djokovic goes wide with a backhand, although he does go to Hawkeye. It takes ages but confirms the call.

Djokovic 0-1 Davydenko
Davydenko kicks off with another double fault but it does not signal a collapse and he steels himself to hold serve.

1319: Apparently at the chageover between sets the crowd have a 'lucky lager' competition. They all hold up their cans and the person shown on the big screen gets a lorry load of the stuff. Something for Wimbledon to think about there.

Djokovic 7-6 (7-3) Davydenko
Davydenko could and should be fuming after that. A double-fault on the second point of the tie-break followed by two errors hand Djokovic a double break. The Serb misses a routine forehand at 4-0 and the Russian gets back to 4-3 down, but Djokovic does brilliantly to hit two aces for 6-3. Davydenko then gives up the set with another double fault.

Djokovic 6-6 Davydenko
Davydenko is pushed back by a fierce Djokovic service return and makes the error for 30-30 but the Russian digs deep and hits ace number four of the day. Djokovic goes long with a return and it's tie-break time.

1305: "True (see 1246 entry), but we've yet to see Murray do anything this week to cause his opponents concern."
From george_the_second on 606

Djokovic 6-5 Davydenko
This is more like it. After a slow start there's a real intensity out there now. Djokovic nets a forehand and we're at 30-30 but Davydenko goes wide with a backhand, and the Serb arrows a backhand winner down the line to take the game.

Djokovic 5-5 Davydenko
It worked! Some outdated R&B does the trick as Djokovic climbs all over the Davydenko serve and gets to 0-30. The Russian recovers to 30-30 but then hits his first double-fault of the day - gasps all around - and follows up with a wayward forehand. We're all square.

Djokovic 4-5 Davydenko
An early double fault does not bode well for Djokovic but he responds well and serves his way out of trouble. Maybe the sound of the intro to "Mo Money Mo Problems" by the late Notorious B.I.G on the changeover will inspire the Serbian to break serve. Maybe.

Djokovic 3-5 Davydenko
Davydenko thumps his second ace of the day down the 'T' as he holds to 15 and the Russian has yet to drop more than one point in a service game so far.

1246: "This is the most open season finale i've seen for many a year. On current displays however i cant see anything that mr murray should worry about."
From Rob in Bridgend via text on 81111

Djokovic 3-4 Davydenko
A shocker of a drop shot from Djokovic draws a collective groan from the crowd but he serves his way out of trouble, wrapping up the game with a backhand winner.

Djokovic 2-4 Davydenko
Well, Djokovic does find one stunning forehand return winner but it comes when he's 40-0 down, and Davydenko follows up with an ace to keep the Serb in his place. Great serving from the Russian so far.

Djokovic 2-3 Davydenko
Another solid hold from Djokovic but he needs to start making some headway on the returns.

Djokovic 1-3 Davydenko
Davydenko holds easily enough and Djokovic really hasn't found his range yet. It's all a bit low key in the Qi Jhong Stadium. Hopefully we will have a repeat of the blaring 80s hits at the changeovers. I still can't get "Livin' On a Prayer" out of my head two days later.

1234: "Belting match. I am going for murray v del potro and roddick v djokovic in the semi finals. Early days though."
From Ed via text on 81111

Djokovic 1-2 Davydenko
That's better from Djokovic. He smacks down the first ace of the day and takes a love game with a big forehand that leaves Davydenko swishing at air.

Djokovic 0-2 Davydenko
Davydenko fires a wrong-footing forehand before dictating a superb rally from the baseline, stepping in to crunch away a winner for 30-15. Djokovic makes another forehand error to give up the game and there are worrying early signs on that wing for the second seed.

Djokovic 0-1 Davydenko
A tentative approach to the net from Djokovic does not pay off as Davydenko floats a forehand past him to go 15-30 up. The Serbian then nets a forehand and he's two break points down. Another loose forehand on the second hands Davydenko an unexpectedly easy break.

1222: "I reckon if Djokovic wins this match he's definitely through because......." (lengthy calculations follow)
Jonathan Overend on 5 Live Sports Extra

1217: Djokovic wins the toss and decides to serve first. "We can't be absolutely certain that the winner would qualify but he'd have one-and-a-half feet in the semi-finals," Times correspondent Neil Harman tells 5 Live Sports Extra

1213: Out of the billowing smoke and amid thumping music comes the unlikely figure of Nikolay Davydenko. He's followed by Novak Djokovic, who is rather more suited to making a big entrance.

1209: Both men won their opening matches so a victory here would all but guarantee them a semi-final place.

Meanwhile, fans of Mario Ancic continue to struggle with the news that their man in not at the Masters Cup after all, despite a misleading picture in the previous live text. Rest assured the person responsible will be paying for this error in merciless abuse and enforced tea runs for the rest of the day, at least.

1204: The second and final match of the day between Novak Djokovic and Nikolay Davydenko is about to begin in the Qi Jhong Stadium. The pair have met only once before, in the Davis Cup earlier this year, and Djokovic was forced to retire after three sets, so not much to learn from that.

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