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| Nickname(s) | Kolya Iron Man The Machine |
|---|---|
| Country | Russia |
| Residence | Volgograd, Russia |
| Date of birth | June 2, 1981 |
| Place of birth | Sieverodonetsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 70 kg (150 lb) |
| Turned pro | 1999 |
| Plays | Right-handed; two-handed backhand |
| Career prize money | $13,690,449 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 375–230 (62.0%) |
| Career titles | 20 |
| Highest ranking | No. 3 (November 6, 2006) |
| Current ranking | No. 5 (May 24, 2010) |
| Grand Slam results | |
| Australian Open | QF (2005, 2006, 2007, 2010) |
| French Open | SF (2005, 2007) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (2007) |
| US Open | SF (2006,2007) |
| Major tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | W (2009) |
| Olympic Games | 2R (2008) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 51–54 |
| Career titles | 1 |
| Highest ranking | No. 31 (June 13, 2005) |
Nikolay Vladimirovich Davydenko (Russian: born June 2, 1981 in Severodonetsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union) is a Russian 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.
Personal life
Years later, Davydenko explained his peripatetic youth, "I stayed four years in Russia. Eduard worked as a tennis coach for kids and we practised together. He pushed me pretty hard. At 15 we left for Germany. A Russian who lived there convinced Eduard it would be better for me and help me to learn more about my game with better coaches. In Europe I could play more tournaments and earn more money than in Russia."[citation needed]
Davydenko was granted Russian citizenship in 1999 at the age of 18, and has represented Russia ever since. In 2007 he applied for Austrian citizenship (so as to obtain a dual citizenship), and has also previously applied for German citizenship.
Tennis fans have nicknamed Davydenko "Kolya", the Russian nickname for Nikolay. He has also been called "Iron Man" because he plays in more tournaments per year than any other player, just like fellow Russian and former World No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Another nickname is "The Machine" due to his aggressive, consistent style of play.
Davydenko's favourite players growing up were Ivan Lendl and Yannick Noah. During his spare time he enjoys cycling, fishing, soccer, and hockey. He is also a Guns N' Roses fan. He speaks Russian, German and English.
Before the Davis Cup in 2006, Davydenko married his girlfriend Irina, who was his traveling companion for three years. He currently resides in Volgograd, Russia.
Early career
Davydenko started playing at the age of seven with his brother, Eduard. During his junior tennis years, he moved to Salmtal, Germany with Eduard to further improve and participate in more tournaments.
Davydenko turned professional in 1999. In 2000, he played mainly on the Futures Tour, where he captured one title and reached three finals. He made his ATP debut at Amsterdam, reaching the semi-final. Later in August, he won his first Challenger title in Monchengladbach
