By DPA
Gstaad (Switzerland) : Top seed Nikolay Davydenko stood within striking distance of his win at the weather-plagued Allianz Suisse Open tennis tournament when rain and darkness forced him off court.
The Russian, who has lost twice in the first round in the alpine village Gstaad, will come back to try and finish off Frenchman Gael Monfils with the pair locked at 6-3, 4-6, 5-5 in their opening-round struggle.
Both players decided that slippery conditions on the clay and increasing rain – plus fast-fading light – meant it was not worth the risk to try and conclude.
The tournament at one point fell a dozen matches behind schedule on Tuesday as a second day of drizzle put paid to the first-round programme on a chilly day.
The hard-luck event remains six matches behind schedule, but with an improving forecast for Wednesday.
World No.5 Davydenko stayed alive against Monfils as he broke when the French youngster served for the upset win in the final set.
There was a similar interruption for Spain's Albert Montanes, level with Russian Igor Andreev 6-3, 3-6, 5-5.
French fifth seed Paul-Henri Mathieu defeated Argentine Sergio Roitman 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 to move into the second round for the third time in four appearances.
One more victory this week would give the world number 28 his first quarterfinal showing at the venue.
Spain's 2006 runner-up Feliciano Lopez dimmed home hopes by derailing the injury comeback of Michel Kratochvil 6-2, 6-3.
Austrian veteran Werner Eschauer, winner of four lower-level Challenger titles in Switzerland, kept his luck as he reached the second round over another home-grown hopeful, Swiss Michael Lammer 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.