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  • Can Nalbandian move one step closer to defending title

    11/1/08 12:52 PM | David Cox
    - David Nalbandian's chances of becoming the first man to retain the Paris Masters title increased considerably with the exit of world No. 1 Rafael Nadal. Can the Argentine get past Nikolay Davydenko to reach the final once more?

    In recent years Marat Safin has won three times in Paris (2004, 2002 and 2000) and Pete Sampras claimed the title twice in the 90s but no one has ever won it back-to-back. Sampras was very close in 1998 but lost in the final to Greg Rusedski.

    Nalbandian's chances looked unlikely at the start of the week. He made the Basel final last week, beating Juan Martin Del Potro in the process, but was soundly dealt with by Roger Federer in the final and with Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic also in the field, when talking about possible winners, the Argentine's name didn't really come into the equation. Amazingly, if he wins the title he will also qualify for the Masters Cup in 8th place.

    Now with a semifinal line-up of James Blake, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Nalbandian and Davydenko, it's anyone's title. Nalbandian was at his brilliant best on Friday against Murray. It was always going to take some performance to end the Scot's unbeaten run and Nalbandian just had one of those days where everything came off the sweet spot.

    Davydenko should not be discounted either. Before we forget, he won here in 2006 and if Nadal hadn't been injured yesterday, that quarterfinal could have been a cracker, given Davydenko's form in his demolition of Tomas Berdych on Thursday. In the seven games against Nadal, he was striking the ball in the same vein.

    They have quite a history; nine previous meetings with Nalbandian leading 5-4. Nalbandian has won their two biggest matches so far (6-0, 7-5 in the 2005 Masters Cup semis and 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 at the 2006 French Open quarters). However, Davydenko has won the last two (6-3, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6 in the 2007 French Open fourth round and then again this year in the Davis Cup semis, squaring the Russia-Argentina tie at 2-2 with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-0 win).

    Prediction: Nalbandian in 3

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