Tennis: Nadal shocked by 'Mr Invisible' Davydenko again
Rafael Nadal
Nadal failed to convert two second set match points in a 0-6  7-6 (10/8)  6-4 loss to Nikolay Davydenko - known as 'Mr Invisible' - which will once again raise the question whether he has the confidence to fight his way back to the pinnacle.
 Little more than a week before he begins the defence of his Australian Open title  Nadal also let slip a 3-1 final set lead  and retreated into more defensive and containing patterns which contributed significantly to the courageous Davydenko revival.
 Australian Open title  Nadal also let slip a 3-1 final set lead  and retreated into more defensive and containing patterns which contributed significantly to the courageous Davydenko revival.
 "Maybe I needed to be a bit more calm " Nadal said about the second match point which got away. "But probably that's because I have not won a tournament for so many months."
 "In this tournament I came back to play my best tennis for a long time " claimed Nadal  making the best of his disappointment.
 "Anyway I lost today (Saturday). He played unbelievable tennis - he was just better."
 During that phase the Russian began uncertainly  Nadal imposed a flatter- hitting  earlier-taken  more enterprising attack which he had been employing previously this week  and had romped through seven games without reply.
 When Davydenko began to play more as he had against Roger Federer in the semi- finals  taking the initiative wherever possible  hitting stridently and if necessary finishing the rally in the forecourt  Nadal fought back aggressively from 3-5 down  and looked odds on to close the match out in the tie-break.
 On one of his match points  at 6-5  Davydenko played just too well  but on the second  at 8-7  Nadal earned himself a relatively pressure-free hit on the forehand from inside the baseline - and unaccountably put it into the net.
 Once he had also let slip an early break of serve in the final set  Nadal's lack of confidence  born from injury  a long sequence without a title  and doubts about his future  began to reveal itself.
 He retreated more often into what he knew best - the style in which he contains his opponent's attacks from several feet behind the baseline  relying on mobility  tenacity  and change-of-paced winners from counter-hitting positions.
 It made the man who has become known as Mr Invisible for having so low a public profile only the second player to beat both Federer and Nadal in the same tournament twice - the other is David Nalbandian of Argentina.
 It also raised the question  now that he has his 20th title  including the ATP World Tour Masters in London at the end of the 2009 season  whether he can also take away Nadal's Australian Open title.
[TGT] failed to convert two second set match points in a 0-6  7-6 (10/8)  6-4 loss to Nikolay Davydenko - known as 'Mr Invisible' - which will once again raise the question whether [TGT] has the confidence to fight [TGT] way back to the pinnacle.
 Little more than a week before [TGT] begins the defence of [TGT] Australian Open title  [TGT] also let slip a 3-1 final set lead  and retreated into more defensive and containing patterns which contributed significantly to the courageous Davydenko revival.
 Australian Open title  [TGT] also let slip a 3-1 final set lead  and retreated into more defensive and containing patterns which contributed significantly to the courageous Davydenko revival.
 "Maybe I needed to be a bit more calm [TGT] said about the second match point which got away. "But probably that's because I have not won a tournament for so many months."
 "In this tournament I came back to play my best tennis for a long time " claimed Nadal  making the best of his disappointment.
 "Anyway I lost today (Saturday). He played unbelievable tennis - he was just better."
 During that phase the Russian began uncertainly  [TGT] imposed a flatter- hitting  earlier-taken  more enterprising attack which he had been employing previously this week  and had romped through seven games without reply.
 When Davydenko began to play more as he had against Roger Federer in the semi- finals  taking the initiative wherever possible  hitting stridently and if necessary finishing the rally in the forecourt  [TGT] fought back aggressively from 3-5 down  and looked odds on to close the match out in the tie-break.
 On one of his match points  at 6-5  Davydenko played just too well  but on the second  at 8-7  [TGT] earned [TGT] a relatively pressure-free hit on the forehand from inside the baseline - and unaccountably put it into the net.
 Once [TGT] had also let slip an early break of serve in the final set  [TGT]'s lack of confidence  born from injury  a long sequence without a title  and doubts about his future  began to reveal itself.
 He retreated more often into what he knew best - the style in which he contains his opponent's attacks from several feet behind the baseline  relying on mobility  tenacity  and change-of-paced winners from counter-hitting positions.
 It made the man who has become known as Mr Invisible for having so low a public profile only the second player to beat both Federer and [TGT] in the same tournament twice - the other is David Nalbandian of Argentina.
 It also raised the question  now that he has his 20th title  including the ATP World Tour Masters in London at the end of the 2009 season  whether he can also take away [TGT]'s Australian Open title.