Weekend winners

Nikolay Davydenko recovered from being bagelled in the first set and then saved two match points in the second set to defeat Rafael Nadal 0-6, 7-6, 6-4 and win the Qatar Open title in Doha.

Wildcard recipient Yanina Wickmayer won the Auckland title, defeating top seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 6-2 in the final.

In another women's tennis event Down Under, Kim Clijsters defeated Justine Henin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 in an all-Belgian final in Brisbane on Saturday.

The doubles final was won by Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka who edged Melinda Czink and Arantxa Parra Santonja in a match tie-break victory, 2-6, 7-6, 10-4.

In the men's event, Andy Roddick took the Brisbane title by holding on for a 7-6, 7-6 win over Radek Stepanek.

In the men's doubles final, Marc Gicquel and Jeremy Chardy upset no. 1 seeds Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes in the final, 6-3, 7-6(5).

Marin Cilic has defended his Chennai title by defeating Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6(2), 7-6(3) in the final.

Spaniards Marcel Granollers and Santiago Ventura won the doubles title, defeating Janko Tipsarevic and Rendy Lu Yen-hsun 7-5, 6-2 in the doubles final.

(Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Elena Dementieva takes the ASB Classic title

Olympic champion Elena Dementieva eased to a 6-4 6-1 victory over fellow Russian Elena Vesnina to capture the Auckland Classic title today.

Dementieva, 27, wrapped up the victory in just 88 minutes and completed the tournament without dropping a set. What a great start for the long tennis season.

“I played some good tennis, especially in the semi-final and final. It’s been a great beginning of the year,” she told a news conference.

The win was world number four Dementieva’s 12th title of her career and fourth in the last 12 months, highlighted by winning the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in August.

The unseeded Vesnina, 22, was playing in her first WTA final after teaming up with Dementieva in the doubles.

“Maybe I was bit tired,” she said.

“It was long week for me, a lot of long matches. Maybe I was a bit nervous today.”

(Via Reuter; Images via sports.sina.com)

Israeli Shahar Peer rejected calls to pull out over Israel’s invasion of Gaza

Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer has rejected calls for her withdrawal from the ASB Classic tennis tournament over Israel’s invasion of Gaza, saying she can take no responsibility for her nation’s military action.

A New Zealand protest group, Peace and Justice Auckland, said they had written to Peer asking her to withdraw from the WTA tournament as part of a comprehensive international boycott of Israel.

The group said they had not received any reply from Peer and would protest outside the tournament venue tomorrow when the 5th seeded player was scheduled to play a quarterfinals match.

“On the eve of the tournament last Sunday evening we wrote to Shahar requesting she respect international calls for a comprehensive boycott of Israel and withdraw from the tournament,” protest leader John Minto said in a statement.

Peer was provided with extra security as she played a second round match Wednesday, beating Barbora Zahlavova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

She later told journalists she could do nothing about the politics of the Middle East.

“I have nothing to do with this,” she said.

“I’m Shahar Peer. I came here to play tennis. I know I’m from Israel and I’m proud of my country and that playing tennis is what I’m going to do tomorrow.”

Peer, 21, said she had tried to ignore the events in Gaza but her own brother, a military reservist, had been called up.

“Two days ago, I was crying a bit, actually more than a bit, so it was a hard time for me,” she said.

“I hope as soon as possible it will end and we will all be happy, because no one wants to be in a war.”

Peer said she had never previously been the focus of protests and had even been the first Israeli to play in the Muslim country of Doha, Qatar, where she was warmly received.

She said the protesters had the right to express their view.

“It’s their choice and they are choosing what they want to do,” she said.

Peace and Justice Auckland said its letter to Peer highlighted the attacks and invasion of Gaza by the Israeli army and the heavy death toll of Palestinians.

“The sports boycott of Israel is a key part of any boycott campaign because it is much more visible than a trade or investment boycott and can have an important psychological impact,” Minto said.

“We saw this with the successful sports boycotts against apartheid South Africa which had a big impact in South Africa and around the world.”

(Via AP; Image via Yahoo! Sport)