Davydenko plays down title hopes

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:30

The Russian missed the majority of the first three months of 2009 with a heel injury and has recently been troubled by a muscle strain in his left leg that forced him out of last week’s Austrian Open.

“I’m a bit disappointed because I started the clay-court season and I said to myself I was going to be in form for Roland Garros,” Davydenko said.

Davydenko added: “But after Madrid I injured myself. I couldn’t play at Kitzbuhel last week, which prevented me from preparing correctly for Roland Garros.

“I am lacking matches, lacking physical freshness. I don’t know what five-set matches are going to do to me.”

Fernando Gonzalez, the 12th seed, and Robin Soderling, the 23rd seed, also made it through to round two thanks to three-set wins against Jiri Vanek and Kevin Kim, respectively.

Seventeenth seed Stanislas Wawrinka, of Switzerland, encountered more problems, needing a deciding set to get past Nicolas Devilder 6-3 5-7 2-6 6-4 6-4.

Nicolas Massu, Nicolas Kiefer, Denis Istomin, Mikhail Youzhny and 30th seed Victor Hanescu were other winners on Monday.

Italy’s Potito Starace secured a second-round meeting against British number one Andy Murray, the third seed, after opponent Mischa Zverev retired through injury at the start of the third set of their match.

Germany’s Zverev was 6-7 (5/7) 7-5 1-0 down when he called it a day because of stomach problems and cramps.

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