Roger Federer plays Nikolay Davydenko in the final of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha.
Davydenko began 2010 in stunning fashion, beating Federer and Nadal in successive matches to win the Doha title and this year he has looked the most impressive player in the draw all week. In his four matches in Doha, Davydenko has not only not dropped a set, but he has also broken his opponents serve in every single set, allowing himself comfortable victories. He will, however, face his toughest test of the week against his nemesis Federer.
Federer is going for his third Doha title and unlike the injury-striken Nadal who Davydenko dispatched in the last four, he has looked sharp this week. He too has not lost a set, and he strolled past Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 7-6 in the semi-finals. Federer will be keen to take advantage of Nadal's defeat and continue his momentum from the end of last season.
Federer holds a 14-2 head-to-head record against Davydenko and that will be surely in both players minds. However Davydenko did beat Federer in the Doha semi-finals last year and then went on to seriously push him at the Australian Open.
“I think Nikolay actually has a very good record in finals, and that makes him tough to play in a final. I feel well and I’ll definitely have a chance with all my experience and the level I’m playing at right now,” Federer said.
It promises to be an exciting match in Doha and could well go the distance.
