Tennis: Davydenko cruises past Haase

ROTTERDAM: Former world number three Nikolay Davydenko moved into the second round of the ATP Rotterdam Open after securing a straight-sets win over home favourite Robin Haase in Rotterdam. The Russian won 7-5, 6-2 in just under an hour-and-a-half. Compatriot Mikhail Youzhny also secured his progress after he broke Igor Kunitsyn seven times in his 6-0, 6-7, 6-0 first-round triumph. Meanwhile, Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber defeated Spanish eighth-seed Marcel Granollers 6-1, 1-6, 6-4, while Marcos Baghdatis also advanced to the next round after beating Matthias Bachinger 7-6, 6-2.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2012.