Nikolay Davydenko, one of only a handful of players to have beaten Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the same tournament, has a new year's resolution of making a last bid to return the world's top 20 before retirement. Three years ago the former world number three from Russia caused a sensation here while capturing the Qatar Open title, first overcoming Federer and then winning the final from match points down against Nadal after dropping the first set to love.

Now a dashing new year's eve win over Victor Hanescu of Romania, by 6-2, 6-3, has prompted Davydenko to claim he is the fittest he has been since breaking his wrist in Rotterdam two months after his Qatari thunderbolts.

"I tell everyone from my family I will push myself - I want to (win) again," said Davydenko, whose greatest triumph involved another win over Federer, en route to winning the 2009 ATP World Tour finals in London.

And so the 31-year-old asserts that he is "practising concentration" because he is "already not so young" and "maybe has two more years, but maybe only this year left".

Serena dominates

Brisbane: Serena Williams stamped her authority on the Brisbane International on Tuesday when she crushed Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-2.

On a day that saw second seed Maria Sharapova withdraw with an injured collarbone and fifth and sixth seeds Sara Errani and Petra Kvitova bundled out, Williams was all business as she disposed of Cornet in exactly one hour. The 15-times Grand Slam winner broke Cornet in the first game of the match and was never troubled after that, as she broke the Frenchwoman once more in the first set and twice in the second.