Refreshed Davydenko looking to continue success starting with the Capitala World Tennis Championship

26 Dec, 2009

Russian will draw on experience gained from the inaugural event when he takes on the world’s best in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, UAE : Nikolay Davydenko is confident his stunning end of season form will put him in a strong position to win the Capitala World Tennis Championship which starts next week.

Davydenko returns to the Abu Dhabi tournament for a second time and knows the confidence he has – along with the experience gained playing at the Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex – should put him among the top contenders to win the award-winning event.

With some time spent in the Maldives with his family recharging the batteries after winning the Barclays ATP World Tour finals earlier this month, the ice-cool Russian will arrive in the Capital brimming with determination and high expectations.

"After some time out I feel pretty refreshed and am now very much looking forward to getting back on the court again and returning to the form I showed towards the end of the season," said Davydenko, who fell in the semi-final to Rafael Nadal at the inaugural Abu Dhabi tournament earlier this year.

The top Russian captured five ATP World Tour titles in a season for second time in his career (2006), capped by winning his biggest career title at the year-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.

He finished in the top six for a fifth consecutive year and extended his streak of winning at least one title for seven seasons.

In what was a season of mixed fortunes, which saw him pick up a heel injury during the Chennai tournament and hamper his performance early in the year, Davydenko from May onwards compiled a 50-13 mark with four titles to mark his resurgence on the Tour once again.

Reflecting on the year behind him, Davydenko said: "The first few months of the year for me were tough for me - I missed some big competitions which gave the other players a head start to the season, but I’m very proud of my achievements in 2009. It feels great to have finished the year so well, and I’m looking forward to keeping that momentum going in 2010."

Davydenko faces a star-studded line-up of the world’s best tennis talent in Abu Dhabi, including world number one and two Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Tickets for the showpiece tennis event, which runs from December 31 2009 – 2 January 2010, are selling fast and can be purchased through www.boxofficeme.com and at selected Spinneys outlets.

Tickets are still available for Day 1, priced at AED 65, from www.boxofficeme.com and at selected Spinneys outlets. As well as the on-court action, visitors can enjoy a multitude of other activities at the Tennis Village, free and open to the general public and featuring Speed Serve challenge, Batak machine, player autograph signings and a range of F&B outlets.