Roger Federer: Unlucky No. 13 vs. Nikolay Davydenko Ends ATP WTF Run

There is something to be said for the underdog finally winning the prize, grabbing the brass ring, or walloping the big bully on the playground. We love those loser-makes-good stories. They make the rest of us who lose all the time feel good about our own paltry lives.

This is especially true if the “bully” is just that—a neanderthal who deserves his comeuppance! However, if the favored-to-win happens to be “your” hero—the star whose victories embellish your day and whose miraculous athletic feats sooth your battered ego—you may not be able to surrender to that “feel good” moment.

Such was the case today as world No. 1 Roger Federer caved to mounting pressure from the wily and crafty undersized Russian, Nikolay Davydenko in the semifinals of the ATP World Tour Finals Saturday. Definitely the underdog in this contest, Davydenko took down the mighty Swiss in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, in a match that went right down to the final serve and Federer’s return into the net.  

Federer, who’d beaten Davydenko in 12 straight encounters, had not even lost a set to the Russian since 2006. But Davydenko and Federer had not met since the Estoril Open on clay in 2008, when the Russian had retired due to injury. In the interim, Federer began his slow decline from the untouchable summits of 2004 to 2007.  

Federer has not seen those heights consistently in two years. This was not the Federer of Davydenko’s memory—the man whose ground strokes sailed past him as if he were standing still and whose serves seemed unreachable.

Today the Russian met a man whose serves often failed to make their mark and whose ground strokes were frequently uncertain and mistimed. This was not the Federer of Davydenko’s worst nightmares.

Nervous in the first set, Davydenko settled into the match and broke the Federer serve two times in the first five games, taking a 4-1 advantage. Although Federer broke back to make it 4-2, Davydenko broke the Federer serve again to lead 5-2—ultimately closing out the first set at 6-2.  

In the second set, Federer’s serve returned but his ground strokes and his return game were still misfiring, and Davydenko stayed even with the Swiss until it was 5-4 with Davydenko to serve to even the score at 5-5.

It was at this juncture that Federer broke the Russian’s serve and took the second set, 6-4. The match would be decided in the third and final set.  

The players remained on serve at 5-5, when, inexplicably, Federer began to misfire on his own serve. Ultimately, the Russian broke, taking the lead at 6-5 with an opportunity to serve it out.  

Davydenko held onto his nerves and took the set and ultimately the match.

The crowd was stunned. The commentators were stunned. Federer was stunned. It was an amazing performance from the Russian who waited seven years to finally score a victory over the amazing man from Switzerland.  

You cannot love tennis and not applaud the tremendous effort and subsequent victory of Davydenko over the man he had never defeated in 12 tries. No. 13 proved to be very lucky indeed for the 28-year-old Russian pro. He deserved the win. He played almost flawless tennis after taking out Robin Soderling the day before.

With less rest and more pressure, the Russian played his best tennis of the tournament in the last two days. Depending upon his opponent tomorrow, you have to root for the Russian to win it all. If this is not his year, then it never will be.  

Davydenko has defeated the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 players in the world on his way to the finals. The Russian deserves to win the ATP Tour Championship.  

In the meantime, those of us who have been accused of worshiping too ardently at the throne of Federer must learn to live with imperfection. Federer has become human once again. We have to accept that he cannot and will not win everything from this point forward. 

Nonetheless, let us not overlook the fact that Federer is still the No. 1 player in the world. Let us also not forget that of the top four players, only Federer advanced to the semifinals.  

Rafael Nadal never factored into this tournament. Novak Djokovic played one solid, competitive match against Davydenko, winning in three tough sets. But the Serb faded at the end. Andy Murray lost out to Juan Martin del Potro by one game, after losing to Federer in three sets.

The four players at the top are no longer so distinctly separated from the next four. The top men are reaching parity. This enlivens the game and makes tournaments such as the one in London thrilling, exciting contests of survival where anyone can walk away a winner.

Federer fans will celebrate his fifth year-end No. 1 ranking and quietly mourn the death of his chance for winning his fifth ATP Year-End Championship Trophy.  

There is much to be thankful for in 2009. Federer won his 15th Grand Slam title and also captured the elusive French Open crown, making him one of six players to have won a career Grand Slam.

2010 is yet to come with an exciting and explosive retinue of players ready to do battle once again for the privilege of gaining the next highest ranking above them, ultimately to succeed Federer at No. 1.  

So as Davydenko celebrates his victory and readies himself for the final tomorrow against the winner between Soderling and del Potro in the other semifinal, the Federer fans left in his wake will wash the sand from their eyes and wait for 2010 to appear on the horizon.