Richard defeated Nikolaj Davydenko in the 2nd round of the US Open 6-3 6- 4 6-2.
In the beginning, both players seemed to check out each other. Richard took his first breakpoint opportunity to go up 4-2. Davydenko, on his turn, had an immediate rebreakpoint, but Richard came up with what looked like an ace, but finally counted as a service winner. Good serving ensured that Richard never was in danger and could close out the first set 6-3.In the second set, Richard had to face breakpoints in the forth game, but again good serving and errors from Davydenko allowed him to hold. When he himself had breakpoints in the seventh game, he took them convincingly, which brought him the second set.
The pattern continued in the third set, Richard converted his breakpoints, Davydenko did not. The last game at 5-1 showed Richard's tension, there were two double faults in it. When he had finally won, he could not even smile or raise his hands in a victory gesture. But in a debriefing, he will understand that he killed some demons today. Well done!
His next opponent is the winner of Anderson-Bellucci.
