The players traded service breaks early in the first set before the fourth-seeded Davydenko staved off two other Nadal break-point chances.

He captured the opening set when the No. 2 seed Nadal sent a backhander wide.

In the second set, he raced out to a 4-1 advantage, which led to his first victory in three tries against his Spanish foe.

"My tennis was so good today," he admitted. "I think it's the best tennis of the hard-court season. Just to beat (Andy Roddick and Nadal) in two sets is like amazing for me."

His victory was worth $590,000.

Nadal was a runner-up for the second time this season. He also lost the final at the Chennai Open in India before the Australian Open.

He earned a second place check of $295,000.