#6) Monachium 2010


R32 : Chardy 6/1 6/4
R16 : A.Beck 6/3 6/3
QF : Hajek 6/1 6/3
SF :  Petzschner 7/5 7/6
F : Cilic 6/3 4/6 6/4

Dobra robota

Youzhny Beats Cilic To Capture Munich Crown

On his third appearance in the Munich final, Mikhail Youzhny finally laid his hands on the BMW Open by FWU RETAKAFUL trophy with a hard-fought 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory over top seed Marin Cilic  Sunday.

By virtue of winning the ATP World Tour 250 clay-court tennis tournament, World No. 15 Mikhail Youzhny received 250 South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking points, €68,450 and also a new BMW 325i convertible from the title sponsor; while runner-up Cilic collected 150 ranking points and €35,980 in prize money.

The Russian, who had finished runner-up in the Munich final in 2007 (l. to Kohlschreiber) and 2009 (l. to Berdych), won his first ATP World Tour clay-court title since capturing his maiden trophy at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart (d. Canas) eight years ago.

Reflecting on his success in Munich, Youzhny said: “It is a good tournament, there is a nice atmosphere. I have a lot of friends here. It is a well-organised tournament for the players, whenever you need something they try to help and that’s important for the players.”

Victory also halted a run of three successive final defeats for Youzhny. Since winning his fifth ATP World Tour title in Moscow (d. Tipsarevic) last October, the Muscovite had finished runner-up in Valencia (l. to Murray) in November and this season in Rotterdam (l. to Soderling) and Dubai (l. to Djokovic).

The 27-year-old Youzhny went into the final with the confidence of a 3-0 career lead over Cilic and made a dream start to the match as he raced to a 3-0 advantage before going on to close out the first set.

The No. 11-ranked Cilic was quick to respond, breaking serve at the first opportunity in the second set and, despite being pegged back by Youzhny, was able to break again in the 10th game to level the match at one set apiece.

In a close deciding set, Youzhny saved one break point in the fourth game before breaking Cilic’s serve to love in the seventh game. The Russian then held his nerve to serve out victory in two hours and 51 minutes.

“It was a really tough match," assessed Youzhny. "There were some tough moments for me. At the beginning of the third set I think two or three of my games were going from deuce to advantage and back to deuce, so it was really tough."

“The momentum swung in different ways in the first, second and third sets," said Cilic. "I think I missed my chances at the beginning of the third set when I had a break point and after that he was trying to get back into it. I think my fatigue made a slight difference in the end when I missed a couple of easy balls on my serve. He served pretty good all through the match and didn’t miss too many easy balls, so it was really tough. But I was fighting very well and I’m pleased with that."

The 21-year-old Cilic was bidding to become the first three-time winner on the ATP World Tour this season, having already defended his titles in Chennai (d. Wawrinka) and Zagreb (d. Berrer). The Croatian, also a semi-finalist at the Australian Open (l. to Murray) in January, has compiled a 25-7 mark on the season.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … uzhny.aspx

US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwycięstwie w 3 rundzie

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. John said he thought you were able to read his serve better than most of the other players. Do you feel that way? If so, why?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Today was tough match. I returned well, but I have some problems in my serve. But maybe I was little bit lucky today that I have good return.

Q. What's it like out there when there is almost everybody for your opponent? Did you like that atmosphere? Did it bother you? Was it fun?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, was good atmosphere, but of course it's better to play not against guy from USA here. Because when is all crowd not against you but for your opponent, it's tough. Anyway, we are only two players on the court. Yeah, maybe can help a little bit, but not all the time.

Q. You won the last match last year against Isner. What was the difference between this match and the last one?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Everybody knows he has injury before this tournament, and I think he's not recovered 100 percentage. So that's why sometimes he's moving looks likes not so well. But sometimes he starts moving normal. It was tough moment. But when we play in Montréal, it was another story. He come after final. I think he play final before in Washington, so he was a little bit tired. But it was I feel pretty the same match. It was really close.

Q. Going into a match against him, are you willing to say that he's going to hit many aces and you just have to look for your spots on the return?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, of course you understand it will be aces. But here main point, if you have some chances, try to take these chance, because it will not be too many chances. But if you can take in main moment like point, it's really important against Isner. And, of course, when you have two, three aces in a row, it could happen.

Q. How important was it to get the break right off the start? He was playing from behind almost from the beginning of the match.

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: He start bad. It was break, but he miss I think three or four easy balls. So it was, of course, important I won the first set because I have this break. So, but, after it was another story.

Q. When he won the second set, what was your mind frame? At what point did you think you were really going to win the game?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, I have two break up, 5-2. Look like everybody going to my hands. Some points he play well; some points I have a lot of mistakes, and match changes. So after 5-2, it's starting new match. You can say like this. But I am happy, you know, because after tough situation, when I lose the second set, two break ups, I come back to court and start to play again.

Q. You've now won on center court, Arthur Ashe at the US Open. How much momentum do you think that gives you going to the next round?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I hope a lot. I hope. But we will see next round.

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/interv … 45867.html

Michaił Jużny postawił się hiszpańskiej koalicji i w czwartej rundzie ograł Tommy'ego Robredo 7:5, 6:2, 4:6, 6:4. 28-letni Rosjanin rozgrywa najlepsze US Open od 2006 lat, a w ćwierćfinale zmierzy się ze Stanislasem Wawrinką.

Podrzuciłby kolegom receptę na długowieczność.

Misza gra znakomity sezon, to już Jego 2 QF w turnieju wielkoszlemowym w tym roku. Wcześniej był w ćwiartce na Roland Garros.

US Open 2010: 2 w karierze wielkoszlemowy półfinał Jużnego.

Poprzednio Misza w tej fazie turnieju WS był także na US Open, 4 lata temu. Wtedy w 1/4 wyeliminował Rafaela Nadala, z którym zagra jutro o finał. Davai!

US Open 2010 - wywiad po porażce w półfinale

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Rafa said in the interview on court after the match, he said that he thought perhaps you might have demonstrated that you were a bit tired, and maybe it was a result of the difficult match that you had to get to your quarterfinal match. Would you agree?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I cannot say I'm really tired, but, yeah, was not fast enough today. I mean, my decision was not really fast. I mean, I moving well, but my head was one step back of my hand and my legs. So that's why I thinking too long, you know, where I have to play. That's why some mistakes and that's why made the score like this one.

Q. What were the conditions like out there?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Conditions today, it's was okay. Little bit windy, but, you know, after windy it was previous matches, it was okay.

Q. You've played Nadal a few times. Do you think he's playing better than you've ever seen him play?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I feel now he looks like serve better than to play before. But tough to say, because play last time against him I think one and a half year ago, long time ago.

Q. More specifically, how do you think his serve is better? I didn't hear the other thing that you said was better. Can you explain a little bit more, please?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, my opinion is it's not maybe little faster, but now he serve T wide, the same percentage, I think, and really high percentage first serve.

Q. In terms of defense to offense, is there any better player in tennis than Rafa?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Well, tough to say, no? Now tough to say who is better than Rafa. I mean, he's No. 1 and he play really good tennis.

Q. You've come close twice now to getting to Grand Slam finals. What do you think you need to do different to sort of take that next step?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, it's two different semifinals. Four years ago it was another story. I playing more from emotions in all matches before. Maybe I have little bit tougher draw in this year. But this year I really glad because I didn't show really my best tennis, my opinion, because I actually serve not so well the whole tournament. But anyway, I was in the semifinal. So this year, I didn't show my really best tennis and I am in the semifinal. This is good. So maybe if I can show my really best tennis in semifinal or Grand Slams, maybe I can do something more. Maybe no? We'll see.

Q. Overall were you pretty happy with the last couple of weeks?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah, but right now, you lose the match you cannot be really happy. But actually it was good tournament for me.

Q. First of all, if you can elaborate on that a bit. I mean, you know, I guess it takes a little time to look back and reflect and say, Hey, I got to the semifinals of a Grand Slam. But is it almost that much more difficult? Because you were playing such good tennis coming in, and, you know, you start to think about maybe I can be a finalist here? Or can you look back and say, This was a great two weeks for me; I've played some great tennis?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, have to be realistic. Okay, how Rafa play today I don't have lot of chances to beat him, actually. So that's why if thinking like this one, I can start to think about, Oh, I can win Australia; but I pull out third round; I can win Wimbledon, but I lost second round. So anyway I try to be optimistic, and anyway it was a good two weeks for me.

Q. Do you feel in a way today you might have beaten yourself as opposed to Rafa beating you? Is there a bit of that?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I feel I play really good one game at 4 3, first set, like was lot of emotions. But if I can play like this on every game against Rafa, maybe it's not for sure maybe I can get chance to win. But I don't have so much emotion like I have this game, so I can like sometimes wake up for some points or some games, but I cannot be consistent for all match.

Q. I think you said in your last press conference that you're hoping to be the bad guy.

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: What?

Q. You were hoping to be the bad guy or the bad person. That didn't happen.

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Anyway you have to be nice.

Q. Do you think you have to play your absolute best tennis against Rafa? Is he in that kind of form, that that's the only way you can beat him? Generally, not just you.

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: I think some part of my games has to be best, like I have to -- if I serve like best what I can, maybe I have chances. But, no, now it's tough to say what I have to do. Match is done and I lost this match. Now I can say whatever about how I have to play to beat him or how he has to miss some points. But I doesn't want to dream about this.

Q. What do you think overall are the one or two things that make him so tough, that make him the No. 1 player? What are his greatest strengths?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: He's consistent. He play really high level for all year. Not everybody can play like this. Some players play really well maybe three tournaments, and four, five tournaments play not so well. Even top players. But Federer and Nadal I think is more consistent players. His level is a little bit higher than all other players.

Q. So if final against Federer and Nadal, which one you think?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No comment. We will see tomorrow. (Smiling.)

Q. The atmosphere out there was quite electric today. I mean, you know, it's the final weekend of the US Open; it generally is. But particularly when you broke back at 4 4 in the third, you really seemed to be able to pump yourself up, and the crowd was clearly with you at that point.

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Yeah.

Q. Did you feel that? Can you talk about your mindset at that particular moment and the atmosphere in general?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, atmosphere was well today, I mean. And, yeah, in 4 All crowd for Youzhny. I feel this one, but I going slowing down after this game actually. I play good one point, and finally I miss really easy volley and Rafa played good.

Q. Was there a moment when you thought you might be able to turn things around?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: No, I didn't try to think about now. I don't know, because it's I just try to continue to play little maybe a little bit more emotions, but it was not easy.

Q. I saw you had a black ribbon on your T shirt today. Was that to mark today's events, or was that the reason?

MIKHAIL YOUZHNY: Of course the reason because everybody remember the 9/11. Today, nine years, so that's why we still remember.

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/interv … 09734.html

MAJOR MIKHAIL
DEUCE



Known for his trademark military salute and fighting spirit, Russian hero Mikhail Youzhny continues to carry on his late father’s legacy with the guidance of his long-time coach.

Mikhail Youzhny strokes the ball smoothly and accurately across the net placing it within easy reach of his longtime coach Boris Sobkin’s forehand. Youzhny, the St. Petersburg Open defending champion, is preparing for his semi-final match. They warm up in silence. After 18 years together, words are not necessary between this player and his coach. Now as they hit, Sobkin is wondering if Youzhny has enough energy left in the tank today to compete with the talented Dmitry Tursunov.

He would soon find out.

Locked at four games all in the first set, Tursunov’s powerful ground strokes have Youzhny on the run. All the racing from side to side has left Youzhny’s leg weary and bone tired, for he has not fully recovered from a viral infection that forced him to pull out of the previous week’s Kremlin Cup in Moscow. Yet, despite it all, Youzhny has just broken Tursunov’s serve to take a 5-4 lead in the first set. Now his body is fast breaking down. Youzhny asks Chair Umpire Carlos Bernardes for a toilet break. Request granted and he quickly rushes to the locker room where he is soon doubled over and puking his guts out.

Back on the court, Youzhny manages to hold serve and take the first set.

Though the crowd is clearly favouring Youzhny, Tursunov is not backing down and after taking the second set, he has now broken Youzhny’s serve in the third. Serving at 4-2, Youzhny put up a defence that would have made Peter the Great proud. It would last for 13 minutes and 50 seconds. And when it was over, Youzhny had broken back and the crowd was shaking their heads in amazement and clapping wildly.

Throughout the match, Youzhny has been working the Tursunov backhand with off-speed slices and heavy spin forehands. Normally Youzhny does not grunt much at all, but when he does it comes from the forehand side and it means he is on the attack. It is not so much a grunt as a command, as if he is ordering the ball on a special mission. The next few games becomes a tug of war between the two men as Youzhny fights off the powerful Tursunov attack while he tries to sink his teeth into the meat of the point. For the man the Russians affectionately call ‘Mischa’, Mikhail Youzhny’s primary weapons are easy to detect: head, heart and legs.

At six feet tall and 160 pounds, Mikhail Youzhny does not tower over his opponents. His clean-cut face is accented by thick dark eyebrows and a hard set jaw. When determined, his features make for an imposing scowl. But when Youzhny is happy, a pair of dimples and a slight gap in the front teeth show a million-dollar smile.

Tursunov and Youzhny would continue to battle with each other until the final set tie-break. Immediately, Tursunov surges to a 6-3 lead. With his back pinned to the wall and facing three match points, Mikhail Youzhny is taking a beating like in a Rocky Balboa movie. Boris Sobkin is in the front row of the tribune, head in hands, rocking back and forth in his seat. There is just one problem for Tursunov. This is where Youzhny is most dangerous.

When it is over, and Mikhail Youzhny had somehow found a way to stave off defeat, Boris Sobkin was walking in the corridor with his hands clasped behind his back and shaking his head.

“This match is all you need to know to understand Mischa,” states Sobkin. “How you say? A picture is worth more than a thousand words.”

Ektarina Kempik, a waitress at the Gran Hotel Europa in Saint Petersburg, came to see Mikhail Youzhny play.

“I like him so much,” says Kempik. “I saw him in the restaurant of hotel many times and he is like star in Russia. For me he is what means Russian man: serious, hard worker and big fighter.”

Legendary Russian tennis player, Alex Metreveli, agrees.

“He is really a great fighter,” says Metreveli. “I cannot even remember how many matches he has won in tough situations. Russian people respect Mischa because he is a man who works hard. And his fighting spirit is just incredible. What he did in Paris for Davis Cup is just one of many such examples.”

Metreveli is referring to the 2002 Davis Cup Final in Paris. As typical of the French, it was a gala affair. French President Jacques Chirac was in attendance, and also Russian President Boris Yeltsin. With Grand Slam winners and ATP World Tour stars Marat Safin and Yevgeny Kafelnikov on the team, few if any thought that the young 20-year-old Mikhail Youzhny would see live action. Even Youzhny himself did not believe it.

“Captain says to me on first day that maybe I play final rubber as Kafelnikov was not 100 per cent fit,” recalls Youzhny. “But I did not believe him. How I can play important match with star like Yevgeny on team? And then Sunday morning I see Yevgeny arrive in running shoes and no racquets. Then I understand that I must play for Russia.”

Tatiana Naumko, the longtime coach of Russian tennis star Andrei Chesnokov has known Youzhny since he was eight years old. She was in Paris for that Davis Cup.

“Before match, I spoke to him,” says Naumko. “I say, ‘Mikhail, you must be like robot. Don’t think so much about situation. Just be robot: backhand, forehand, forehand and backhand, crosscourt and down the line. Be robot, Mikhail.’”

Not bad advice from one of Russia’s most successful tennis coaches, but just like a character from a Tolstoy novel, Youzhny was dealing with multiple burdens. Yes, there was the pressure of playing the final and deciding match of a Davis Cup Final. But there was something else; only one month earlier, Mikhail’s father had died unexpectedly.

“Everything that we have is because of our father,” says older brother and former player Andrei Youzhny, who was with the Russian team in Paris. “We are in tennis because of father. We are with Boris (Sobkin) because of father. Papa made so many sacrifices for our tennis. You know, he was Colonel in Soviet Army. And he stops his career to support our tennis each day. And Papa and Mischa are both born on same day, June 25th. Tell me, what is chance of that?”

The stage was set and the Davis Cup trophy would be decided between France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu and Mikhail Youzhny. From the start, Mathieu was the better player, winning the first set and quickly going up a break in the second.

“I knew exactly what was problem with Mischa,” claims Andrei. “He had so many emotions inside of him and he could not play. I could see he had the wrong emotions. I knew what I must do.”

Andrei sent a message to the Captain Shamil Tarpischev for Mischa to take toilet break. That would be his opportunity to talk with his younger brother. When Youzhny returned to the court he was given a warning from the chair umpire for receiving coaching. Whatever Andrei said must have been very powerful, because Mikhail Youzhny instantly became a different beast. Youzhny clawed his way back to even the match and then seized the Davis Cup for Russia in the fifth set.

“So many people ask me and Mischa what I said to him,” says Andrei. “We never say. And I will not tell you what I said because it is between family only.”

“It was so tough feeling for me because father had just died,” Youzhny admitted. “On one moment I was very happy. And another I was wanting my father to see me play such an important match for Russia. For him to give us everything so we could play tennis and then not to see me play was really, really tough.”

“It was terrible,” recalls Sobkin. “Happiness, sadness. Happy to win, but sad his father could not see him. So many tears from everybody.”

It was his father, Mikhail Youzhny Sr., who decided that his sons should play tennis. And like many boys, little Mikhail followed in the footsteps of his older brother, Andrei.

“In summer we learn tennis,” says Andrei. “And in winter we learn figure-skating. Then one day when we get a little older, the coach speaks to father if we want to play tennis seriously. If we want to try professional, we must go to Spartak Club. Father said, ‘Yes, why not. Let us try.’”

It would be easier said than done. Every day they would make the long commute to the Spartak Club. It would take them over an hour each way, underground by metro and then two buses. And their mother, an economist, would take on two extra part-time jobs to help pay for it.

“At Spartak Club we have such a good tradition of players,” says Tatiana Naumko, “Little boys many times were standing behind fence watching Andrei (Chesnokov) practice. He was like hero to young boys. And little Mischa was there behind fence watching too.”

“Our parents had to find a way to get us a coach,” says Mikhail Youzhny. “It was not so easy. In the beginning me and Andrei would watch how coaches were working with students. Then we would make our own drills with a bag of old balls that we collected.”

“Mischa and Andrei were practising together all the time without coach,” remembers Sobkin. “In the beginning, Mischa is all the time breaking racquets and crying. Not so many coaches want to work with boy with strong character like this. So, they would practise on one court for 15 minutes and then comes a member so they must leave court immediately and move to another court. Ten minutes maybe 20 minutes later comes another member and like this all day. There was something in Mischa’s eyes, a sparkle, maybe, I don’t know. Sometimes the eyes tells more than parents. Of course, I did not see Mischa is Top 10 player then. But I could see he had something special.”

It was in 1995 that Mikhail Youzhny, a 13-year-old ball boy, got his first taste of what being a Russian hero was like. In the deciding match of the Davis Cup tie of Russia versus Germany in Moscow at the Olympic Stadium, Chesnokov saved 10 match points against Michael Stich for a 14-12 victory.

“After the match there were so many people wanting to be near Chesnokov,” remembers Youzhny. “I went to locker room and so many people surround Andrei and he could not see that he forgot his tennis shoes on floor. I was so small that I could see them on the floor, and I took the shoes and put them in our apartment. They are still there today.”

When asked if any other Russian players had an influence on young Mikhail Youzhny, Boris Sobkin replied tongue-in-cheek. “Let us say like this, ‘Fortunately, other Russian players did not disturb him too much.’”

Maybe not other players, but there is no denying the influence of coach Boris Sobkin. It is true that Sobkin did not follow the ranks of the traditional tennis coach. Instead, he worked as a professor of mathematics at a very prestigious Soviet University. Still he was a good enough amateur player to be a sparring partner for Chesnokov.

“He is so smart,” says Andrei Youzhny. “Boris is always studying everything and how to make Mischa better. Even after all these years. Boris is like idol for me.”

“Boris’s mind does not have limit,” says Naumko. “He is constantly learning. And I believe that this is why Mischa is still improving at his age.”

And make no mistake, Mikhail Youzhny is still improving at 28 years old. He matched his best ever showing in a Grand Slam at this year’s US Open where he defeated John Isner, Tommy Robredo and Stanislas Wawrinka en route to the semi-finals, where he lost to eventual champion Rafael Nadal. He followed that performance by winning the Malaysian Open two weeks later for his seventh ATP World Tour title.

When asked about his good form this year, Youzhny was coy.

“What means good year?” Youzhny asks furrowing his dark eyebrows. “Sometimes you start the year good, and then you finish bad. Or sometimes opposite. I think better to wait until season is over and then evaluate.”

“Youzhny is extremely solid mentally,” states Peter Lundgren, coach of Stanislas Wawrinka. “He has the ability to adapt to all types of conditions. And he can change the speed and direction of the ball very quickly. But his backhand slice is one of the best in the world. His slice has a lot of variety and he can neutralise an opponent’s offence quickly with it.”

While the slice keeps Youzhny alive, it is the topspin backhand down the line that deals the deathblow. Though his racquet hand is strong and calloused, when he strikes the ball it is as if he is wearing a velvet glove. However, if there is a chink in his armour it is his serve, or the lack of it. Youzhny serves up less aces than a poor luck poker player.

“That is something that must improve,” admits his brother. “I am confident that Boris will find a solution.”

“Actually, we have a lot of things to improve,” states Sobkin. “We are planning now. But, of course, I will not discuss this publicly.”

“Boris sees tennis the way few people do,” says ATP World Tour player and close friend, Sergiy Stakhovsky. “He is extremely intelligent and his practices with Mischa are very unique, a lot of angles. But there is more. You know he and Mischa have very interesting relationship. They both read so much. I mean Mischa is reading so many books all the time. When I first started to be around them, I was surprised at how high level conversation they are having. And Mischa is always joking with Boris, but then Boris is joking back to Mischa but higher level joke. And they keep going and on like this and in the beginning I was like, ‘Wow, what planet is this?’”

Youzhny’s bid for a place in the 2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals came to an end when a back injury forced him to retire against Ernest Gulbis at the BNP Paribas Masters. The long year was now over and it was time for Mikhail Youzhny to go home to his wife, Julia, and young son, Maxim.

Outside the Pullman Hotel in Paris it is cold and raining when Sobkin and Youzhny load their tennis bags into the tournament courtesy car for the ride to Charles de Gaulle Airport and flight back to Moscow. These days, Boris walks with a slight stoop in his back and Mikhail takes a little longer to recover after matches than he used to do. But one thing that has not changed after nearly two decades of working together is the sparkle in Youzhny’s eyes and Boris’s steady hand on Mikhail’s shoulder.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/DEUCE- … uzhny.aspx

2010 w liczbach

Ranking: 10
Tytuły: 2 (Monachium, Kuala Lumpur)
Finały: 3 (Rotterdam, Dubaj, Sankt Petersburg)
Mecze: 43-19
Zarobki: $1,900,349

Jużny żegna się z Pucharem Davisa.

2-krotny zdobywa tego trofeum (2002, 2006) zapowiedział, że nie zagra już w reprezentacji swojego kraju w PD. Jako powody swojej decyzji Misza podał chęć koncentracji na rozgrywkach ATP Tour i spędzania większej ilości czasu z rodziną.

Mikhail Youzhny retires from Davis Cup tennis

MOSCOW (AP)—Russian tennis player Mikhail Youzhny says he is quitting Davis Cup tennis because he prefers to spend time between tournaments recovering and relaxing with his family.

The 11th-ranked Youzhny also tells Sport-Express that he has stepped down to make way for younger players.

Youzhny, who is 28, is Russia’s top-ranked player. Possibly his greatest Davis Cup moment came when he rallied from 2-0 down in the decisive fifth match against Paul-Henri Mathieu in the 2002 final against France to secure Russia its first title.

He also was on the team that won the title against Argentina in 2006.

Russia plays Sweden in the first round of the Davis Cup on March 4-6.

http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/news?slu … up-youzhny