The world no.4 Nikolay Davydenko won the biggest title of his career when he upset Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-2 in 83 minutes to become the Sony Ericsson Open champion.

The Russian, who has been in sublime form, beating Andy Roddick for the first time and now Nadal, picked up the winners cheque for $590,000 and a valuable 500 ATP ranking points with the second Masters Series title of his career having won in Paris Bercy in 2006. 

Davydenko got the decisive break in the seventh game of the opening set, breaking Nadal to love after the Spaniard had failed to take advantage of a couple of break point opportunities in the previous game.

The Russian held on to his serve from there and closed out the 45 minute set to 30 with a brutal two-handed backhand drive down the line which elicited a wide defensive lob from the Spaniard.

Davydenko got off to a flyer in the second set with an immediate break of the Nadal serve, and then got the double break to go up 4-1 with a heavily whipped acutely angled forehand crosscourt winner which the Spaniard, stranded on his baseline, could only admire. The Russian was dominating the majority of the baseline rallies, driving the Spaniard side to side with early balls that Andre Agassi at his best would have been proud of. His aggressive tactics paid handsome dividends as Nadal found no way back into the match.

The Russian closed out the match on serve in style serving at 5-2 with a glorious inside-out forehand, executed from mid-court, which raced away from the helpless Spaniard for a clean winner. The elated Davydenko overcome with the enormity of his achievement, raised his arms in delight and then held his head in disbelief. He had just won the biggest match of his career.

And how!

Davydenko converted 4 out of 5 break point chances and hit a total of 19 winners. Nadal was 1/3 and hit 12 winners.

"This is my second time to win a Masters Series title, it's like for me something important", said a delighted Davydenko. "I was fighting every match, saved a match point in the second round and now in the final I've beaten Nadal for the first time in my career. I think for me it's mostly crazy."

Davydenko's aggressive style of play today was the key to his victory and he took a lot of heart from the way Novak Djokovic had played to beat the world no.2 in Indian Wells.

"If I play against Nadal not so fast, little bit slow, he have chance to make long rally and play very good from baseline. I played faster and he have no chance. He need to run and he get no control. He didn't have so good control from baseline and I think that was good for me. I remember Djokovic beat Nadal in Indian Wells; he play the same game. I remember he have good forehand, backhand, baseline, and he played short cross to him and very good control; also play fast. Nadal have no chance." 

Although Nadal, also a losing finalist in 2005, felt he had played a good tournament, he confessed that his level in the final was inadequate.

"I think he play a good level", Nadal said. "He played a good match, but I didn't play well today. So when you don't play 100% at this level against top players, it's tough to win, especially on the hard surfaces. So, I congratulate him more because he play better than me. I played very good tournament; won against very good players. I played at my best level against (Tomas) Berdych, (James) Blake and (Paul-Henri) Mathieu. Today I didn't play my best. He play well and I lose."

Andre Jones

Crandon Park

Key Biscayne

Miami