Estoril, Portugal - Second seed Nikolay Davydenko had to overcome a crisis of confidence in a 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 quarter-final win over Frenchman Marc Gicquel to advance at the Estoril Open on Friday. The Russian hung on to claim his tenth straight victory, a run which began last month at the Miami Masters.
Davydenko moved closer to a potential seeded final against top seed Roger Federer, who calmly negotiated two rain interruptions as he crushed local hero Frederico Gil 6-4, 6-1.
"I don't expect to win 6-0, 6-0, he's in the quarters and had to beat some players," said Federer. "He's playing on home soil also, that makes it more difficult ever for me.
"You expect a player ranked where he is to maybe give you some mistakes and be a bit nervous. But it was only after second rain delay that I felt I had the edge."
The world number one will play on Saturday against German Denis Gremelmayr, who beat Czech Jiri Vanek 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
Davydenko wil drag himself once again onto the clay of the Estadio Nacional against Florent Serra, a winner of Italian Flavio Cipolla 6- 1, 6-1.
Davydenko admitted that he's running out of psychic energy after his Miami title and Davis Cup victories for Russia at the weekend.
"I was nervous today on the court, maybe due to the weather, maybe after playing so much. I didn't know what to do out there. I think I'm mentally tired.
"Every time I made a mistake, I just felt crazy. I don't know how tomorrow will go. Maybe better if the weather is clear."
Federer and Gil were forced to the clubhouse for more than 30 minutes midway through the opening set and for almost that long at the third game of the second.
Federer won the first set after giving up one break but closing with another. But the improbable conditions also sent him crashing to a service breakdown as he began the second set.
The top seed got that one back and returned after the second interruption with all guns firing as he swept to the victory, wrapping things up with his fifth ace.
"He played well for set and a half," said Federer, 14-4 this season. "Thank God I came back from the second rain delay and had the right game plan. I had to play a really good match today to win."
On the women's side, second seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia advanced into the semis against Italian Tathiana Garbin 6-0, 6-1.
Czech Iveta Benesova defeated French eighth seed Camille Pin 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
