Nikolay Vladimirovich Davydenko (Russian: Николай Владимирович Давыденко; born June 2, 1981 in Severodonetsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union) is a Russian[1] tennis player. Davydenko's best result in a Grand Slam tournament has been reaching the semi-finals, which he has done on four occasions – twice each at the French Open and the U.S. Open. He was runner-up at the 2008 Tennis Masters Cup and then went one better the next year winning the 2009 ATP World Tour Finals. He has also won three Masters Series shields. He is one of the players who has a winning record against Rafael Nadal.
Nikolay Davydenko
Nikolay Davydenko
Nikolay Davydenko
By Isaac Butler
I do not understand what it is like to have my job performance be easily quantifiable and rankable alongside others.
I do not understand what it is like to give up all pretense of a normal childhood because I showed natural prowess at something.
I do not understand what it is like to pursue that thing with such determination that it is the only thing I am good at.
I do not understand what it is like to engage in that pursuit knowing that I will retire from that one thing by the age of thirty five, and if I do not earn enough money doing this thing by then, I will have to find some other means of making a living.
I do not understand what it is like to have to live up to the expectations of almost single-handedly representing my country at major conferences for my job.
I do not understand what it is like to be the single best person in the world at one aspect of my job, but not the best at anything else.
I do not understand what it is like to remake my body as a way of getting better at my job, and then have to completely adjust the way I do my job around my new body.
I do not understand what it is like to be exceptionally good looking, exceptionally rich and married to a super model.
I do not understand what it is like to be one of the best at what I do, but have the misfortune to live at a time where I am one year younger than the greatest of all time and four years older than a man who may turn out to be even better than that.
In other words, I do not understand what it is like to be Andy Roddick. He is a player I have recently gone from loathing to having an odd kind of respect for, a man who rose very far very fast very young and has hovered on the edge of greatness. It's looking increasingly like he won't ever achieve it, and unless Nadal's body completely gives out, the chances Roddick will win more than one major in his career are slim. A series of injuries and illnesses (including mononucleosis this year) certainly haven't helped. I find it admirable that he realized his style of play was no longer working and so he remade himself, losing tons of weight, getting a new coaching staff, and dealing with losing matches while he adjusted to his new body.
The big story from last night's game (beyond the upset) will of course be Roddick's epic temper tantrum over a correctly called but incorrectly explained foot fault. What makes it hard to root for and empathize with Andy Roddick is his habit of being, for lack of a less helpful term, a complete dick on the court when he's disputing calls. He does not do this with the temperamental, borderline-insane flair that made McEnroe thrilling to watch. He's just kind of a jerk, imperiously using his own experience to try to dispute calls, regularly asking "Have you ever seen me do X?" as if by having a longer career he deserves the ability to decide for himself what the call should be.
Last night, deep in the hole of the third set, Roddick appeared to be throwing a fit almost so he could get the energy up to keep going. And the fit went, through several games and a commercial break. While unlike Serena Williams, he never threatened anyone, he still protested with theatrical flair, mocking the physical impossibility of the call and telling the chair that he must have gotten his line judges from 1-800-rent-a-ref. The commentators (particularly the brothers McEnroe) ate it up, but watching here in Minneapolis, I could see that whatever temporary boost to Roddick's energy came from it, ultimately he was sunk. Having watched Andy Roddick for the last few years, I can't help but agree with some of my friends that the great barrier to Roddick's game is Roddick's attitude. He's frequently gracious and self-effacing and funny off the court. Compare, for example, any ad with Roddick in it to any ad with Federer in it. The former are generally goofy (Roddick doesn't know how to use the internet!) whereas the latter, even when humorous, are all about Federer being a better (and richer) person than you. In interviews as well, Roddick comes across well. But-- his Wimbledon loss to Federer notwithstanding-- the pressures of the court always seem to get to him.
Nikolay Davydenko
Nikolay Davydenko
Nikolay Davydenko
Nikolay Davydenko
Nikolay DavydenkoNikolay DavydenkoNikolay DavydenkoBy Isaac Butler
I do not understand what it is like to have my job performance be easily quantifiable and rankable alongside others.
I do not understand what it is like to give up all pretense of a normal childhood because I showed natural prowess at something.
I do not understand what it is like to pursue that thing with such determination that it is the only thing I am good at.
I do not understand what it is like to engage in that pursuit knowing that I will retire from that one thing by the age of thirty five, and if I do not earn enough money doing this thing by then, I will have to find some other means of making a living.
I do not understand what it is like to have to live up to the expectations of almost single-handedly representing my country at major conferences for my job.
I do not understand what it is like to be the single best person in the world at one aspect of my job, but not the best at anything else.
I do not understand what it is like to remake my body as a way of getting better at my job, and then have to completely adjust the way I do my job around my new body.
I do not understand what it is like to be exceptionally good looking, exceptionally rich and married to a super model.
I do not understand what it is like to be one of the best at what I do, but have the misfortune to live at a time where I am one year younger than the greatest of all time and four years older than a man who may turn out to be even better than that.
In other words, I do not understand what it is like to be Andy Roddick. He is a player I have recently gone from loathing to having an odd kind of respect for, a man who rose very far very fast very young and has hovered on the edge of greatness. It's looking increasingly like he won't ever achieve it, and unless Nadal's body completely gives out, the chances Roddick will win more than one major in his career are slim. A series of injuries and illnesses (including mononucleosis this year) certainly haven't helped. I find it admirable that he realized his style of play was no longer working and so he remade himself, losing tons of weight, getting a new coaching staff, and dealing with losing matches while he adjusted to his new body.
The big story from last night's game (beyond the upset) will of course be Roddick's epic temper tantrum over a correctly called but incorrectly explained foot fault. What makes it hard to root for and empathize with Andy Roddick is his habit of being, for lack of a less helpful term, a complete dick on the court when he's disputing calls. He does not do this with the temperamental, borderline-insane flair that made McEnroe thrilling to watch. He's just kind of a jerk, imperiously using his own experience to try to dispute calls, regularly asking "Have you ever seen me do X?" as if by having a longer career he deserves the ability to decide for himself what the call should be.
Last night, deep in the hole of the third set, Roddick appeared to be throwing a fit almost so he could get the energy up to keep going. And the fit went, through several games and a commercial break. While unlike Serena Williams, he never threatened anyone, he still protested with theatrical flair, mocking the physical impossibility of the call and telling the chair that he must have gotten his line judges from 1-800-rent-a-ref. The commentators (particularly the brothers McEnroe) ate it up, but watching here in Minneapolis, I could see that whatever temporary boost to Roddick's energy came from it, ultimately he was sunk. Having watched Andy Roddick for the last few years, I can't help but agree with some of my friends that the great barrier to Roddick's game is Roddick's attitude. He's frequently gracious and self-effacing and funny off the court. Compare, for example, any ad with Roddick in it to any ad with Federer in it. The former are generally goofy (Roddick doesn't know how to use the internet!) whereas the latter, even when humorous, are all about Federer being a better (and richer) person than you. In interviews as well, Roddick comes across well. But-- his Wimbledon loss to Federer notwithstanding-- the pressures of the court always seem to get to him.
Nikolay DavydenkoNikolay DavydenkoNikolay Davydenko 
