The Berdych Report

[shawnbm]

This could be a very tight match. Tomas has been around long enough and knows how to battle with Roger. I don't know who is going to win.

 

[isabelle]

This could be a very tight match. Tomas has been around long enough and knows how to battle with Roger. I don't know who is going to win.

Tomas ate a bagel for lunch !!

 

[Kirijax]

After a so-so outing at Indian Wells, Berdych comes into Miami with a lot of points to defend. He made the semifinals here last year so he will have to get through Nadal's quarter of the draw. He is seeded 8th and received a first round bye. He will face No. 121 South Korean Hyeon Chung in the 2nd round. This will be their first meeting.

Berdych has made at least the quarterfinals of all five tournaments this year. But all progress, real or imagined, seemed to evaporate with the loss to Federer last week. Berdych has a ways to go to get his first Masters 1000 title in ten years. Never mind a Grand Slam right now. As it stands, it seems he will have to sell his soul to the devil, hope that every top player is stricken with something while he alone is immune, or play out of his mind for two miraculous weeks a la Cilic to get that Grand Slam title. In other words, there always a chance.

 

[Kirijax]

His bad losses to the top players aside, you have to be impressed by Berdych's solid season so far.

Doha 250: Final (Lost to Ferrer)
Australian Open: Semifinal (Lost to Murray)
Rotterdam 500: Final (Lost to Wawrinka)
Dubai 500: Semifinal (Lost to Djokovic)
Indian Wells Masters: Quarterfinal (Lost to Federer)
Miami Masters: Semifinal (Lost to Murray)
Monte Carlo Masters: Final (vs. Djokovic)

He hasn't lost to anyone outside of the top ten this year. He just needs to figure out how to beat the top guys in the final round. He's been with his new coaching staff for about half a year now so he could be peaking at the right time. I don't think he's ready to beat Djokovic in a Masters final yet but he really seems solid this year and if a draw goes his way, he just might surprise everybody soon.

 

[Billie]

Tomorrow is a new day, don't count Tomas out yet. He played really well today and he did beat Nole once on clay. Plus - remember the last time they played, it was a tight match, really.

 

[Kirijax]

Berdych is in another Masters SF. If he gets to the finals with Murray, he will move up to No. 4 in the world for the first time ever. (I think) Gotta break through that barrier and win a title!

 

[tented]

Berdych is in another Masters SF. If he gets to the finals with Murray, he will move up to No. 4 in the world for the first time ever. (I think) Gotta break through that barrier and win a title!

Even though he lost today, he lost to Rafa. On clay, no less. In other words, not a major setback. Berdych should be happy he got to the semis, vs. hugely disappointed he lost to Nadal.

Just trying to come up with some positive spin on it for your thread, Kirijax.

 

[Kirijax]

If the Live ATP Rankings are correct, Berdych is going to move up to No. 4 in the rankings for the first time ever.

1. Djokovic
2. Federer
3. Murray
4. Berdych (10 points ahead of Nishikori)
5. Nichikori
6. Raonic
7. Nadal
8. Ferrer
9. Wawrinka
10. Cilic

Congrats to the Birdman! :clap And all of this without a title since October in Stockholm. Time to win a title somewhere. Paris maybe?

 

[Kieran]

The fella never wins titles. I call him the Top Ten Sticky because it's against a law somewhere to publish a rankings without him in the top ten. Just keep making quarters, semis and finals, and that's where you'll be...

 

[Kirijax]

Berdych finally does it! The new rankings are out and for the first time since he turned pro in 2002! Way to go Tomas!

clap:clap

Tomáš Berdych favorited your Tweet
4m: @tomasberdych Congratulations! What a great accomplishment! Good luck at @rolandgarros!

 

[Kirijax]

Best looking couple in tennis?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Now that birdman has got his own quarter, would he live up to his seeding?

Actually, he had very good European Clay Warm-up as well. He lost only to member of big-3.
Unfortunately, he is regressing from F to SF to QF (in MC, Madrid and Rome). But, it is not
due to his play. That is the stage at which he ran into a member of big-3.

So, if Bird gets Rafa, he may be toast.

 

[Billie]

Yeah, they might be the best looking couple (even though I don't like Esther's outfit in that photo). Tomas' eyes are so beautiful and I saw them up close.

Congratulations to Tomas, his highest ranking ever, well done!!!! :clap

 

[herios]

Not many titles, but he got a gorgeous lady
:clap

 

[nehmeth]

Has Berdych's game gone into the crapper because he got married or because he hired Vallverdu??

Even Kirijax has dumped the poor Czech in favor of the dour Scot.

:cover

 

[Kieran]

Berdych's season is exactly the same as every year he's ever had since he was born: won nothing, made quarters, top 10...

 

[Kirijax]

Oh Berdych My Berdych...

While he's not my favorite player, maybe No. 4 or so, I do have this cursed tendency to root for underdogs and with the guy hitting 30 this year, I was hoping he could maybe come away with a token Slam like Wawrinka to finish out his career. And that forehand! Surely someone with a shot like that... He did finally win Shenzhen a couple weeks a go but I do think they guy's level has really tapered off since he got married. For some, marriage is better than gluten-free tennis balls, while for some, it just knocks the edge right off. This is what has happened for Berdych I'm afraid.

 

[isabelle]

So Birdie qualified for London too ? Well done guy

 

[nehmeth]

Tomas played some of the best tennis I've seen from him in his quarterfinal against Novak. He was going for his shots, putting the ball either behind his opponent or out of his reach. Easy power was putting Novak on his heels and I was surprised at how deftly Berdych comported himself at net. If the groups are aligned rightly, he could have a good run at the tour finals.