Montanes won on his third match point when Davydenko's weak backhand return hit the net. The Spaniard will play either fourth-seeded Ivan Ljubicic or Jarkko Nieminen in his first career indoor semifinal.
Davydenko's seventh ace gave him the opening set and he looked in total control when he broke for a 2-0 lead in the second with a superb crosscourt winner.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad hereBut a sloppy sixth game ended with Davydenko's two-handed backhand into the net, allowing Montanes to pull even at 3-3. Davydenko then missed another chance in the 11th game when Montanes saved a break point with a net volley.
Montanes wasted his first match point, serving at 5-4 in the third set, as Davydenko pressured him into unforced errors on his backhand.
But Montanes broke straight back for another chance to close out on serve at 6-5, then missed his second match point when Davydenko's crisp forehand bounced inside the line.
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