Nikolay of Bavaria

The previous one was won back at the beginning of 2010 in Doha, at the first tournament of the season. Federer and Nadal, the world’s numbers 1 and 2, were beaten on his way to the triumph. These were the golden days. It seemed that Kolya’s life will get a new boost after his win at the year’s final championship, and the marvelous title conquered in Doha looked like a confirmation. But everything turned vice versa…

A wrist injury forced Kolya to miss the Masters tournament in Miami and all the clay tournaments of the last year. The season went awry as he managed to win at least two matches in only four tournaments, having taken part in fourteen. As a result, the Russian has finished the season outside of the top twenty for the first time in seven years.

The beginning of the current season was definitely encouraging. Davydenko didn’t manage to defend the title in Doha failing to show anything against Roger Federer in the final, but, for all that, he did get into that final and even beat Rafael Nadal on his way there, which is always a sign of Nikolay’a good shape. However, it turned out to be not a comeback, but rather a short outburst. Davydenko won only two games at the next eight tournaments. And finally there’s the long-awaited title!

Perhaps, Nikolay could have started looking for a new key fob for the new car even before the final, but he was right to beware. Too fresh was the example of Julia Goerges, who has shown how tennis players, particularly Germans, may act when they have the chance of their life. Well, at least for Goerges her whole life lied ahead, but Mayer had nothing to lose.

First meeting between Nikolay and Florian took place in the final game of the Sopot tournament in 2006, where Davydenko claimed the title. Since then the Russian managed to win a lot of other tournaments, while the 27-year-old German is still wandering in search of his first one. And what a chance here for Mayer! Since Sopot-2006 and until Stockholm-2010 Florian hasn’t reached any finals at all and now there was the final – and it was played at home, and a car was at stake, and his rival was equal to him in head-to-head stats (2-2), while the last game against him – that year, in the first round of Australian Open – he won. And even his current shape was good – on the eve of this tournament Florian was ranked 35th, while his highest ever ranking is 33rd. In general, all the circumstances were simply forcing Mayer to treat this final as the match of his whole life.

It is difficult to say if he succeeded or not speaking about the entire match, but the second set was, honestly, inspiring. As Marat Safin used to say: «If he could always hit the target with such shots, he would be in the top-10». Davydenko often just could not catch up with Mayer’s speed. So good was Florian in the second set that the winner’s name ceased to be as clear as it was before. But the beginning of the third set proved unsuccessful for Mayer, he failed to keep up and had no chance to reverse the situation, especially as Nikolay was very vigorous.

As a result, Florian has been left without a title again and can go to Francesca Schiavone for consolation, while Kolya has won his 21th title and the second one in Munich. The first Bavarian title he took back in 2004 and that was Davydenko’s third career victory. In the final he beat Martin Verkerk, the world’s No. 17 at that time (he has finished his career by now), and No. 5 Rainer Schuettler was also defeated on his way to the final. At that time Davydenko was just outside of the Top-30 – as well as he is now. And just like then this victory will skyrocket Davydenko into the topmost thirty.

Anyway, it’s not about that top thirty or forty. It’s all about the hope of the nation, whether it is or it isn’t alive – especially as this is its last hope. There is nobody behind Davydenko. Well, there’s Mikhail Youzhny, but he is not really behind, he is somewhere near and he is still not very young. By the way, it is Youzhny whom Kolya replaced as the Munich Open champion. As soon as they’re gone, Russian men’s tennis will be nothing to look at – maybe, even for a long period of time. That’s why we don’t want them to leave, as early defeats are equal to leaving. Please, don’t leave us, Kolya.