2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals: Match Review – Novak Djokovic vs. Tomas Berdych
Four pros of Group A took to the courts on Monday to kick off their World Tour Finals (WTF) title run at the O2 Arena, London. Serb Novak Djokovic met Czech Tomas Berdych in the afternoon while Spaniard world number one Rafael
Nadal faced American Andy Roddick in the evening.
Djokovic enjoyed a superb opening into the tournament as he avenged his Wimbledon defeat at the hands of Berdych in the semis earlier in the season. Awarding a twin set score defeat of 3-6, 3-6 to the Czech; the Serb took the 1-0
lead in the round robin stage in eighty-eight minutes. Djokovic’s win makes the pair’s head to head score 4-1 in the Serb’s favour.
Talking to the press after the game Djokovic said, “I couldn't ask for a better start of the tournament. I was trying to focus on my game and do the things that I planned to do tactically with my coach. I think I did well.
You have to be really on the top of the game in order to win, because these players who are taking part in this tournament are the best players in the world. There is no easy match [or] easy opponent.”
Berdych got off to a bad start as he committed two double faults in the opening game. Djokovic took advantage of this completely to take the lead. Throughout the set, Djokovic remained the dominant force winning points of his opponent.
After the third game, Djokovic managed to win eleven out of twelve points in his next three service games. An unforced error on Berdych’s part in the ninth game sealed the first set victory for the Serb. The second set went pretty much the same way and in
thirty-five minutes, the Serb recorded his 40th hard court win for the season bringing his win loss mark to 40-10 on hard courts. Serving five aces, committing only one double fault and losing only fifteen points on service Djokovic clearly had
an impressive opening match in the event. His performance in the match is testament to the fact that he intends to bag the WTF title again. He intends to lift the trophy again that he did once before in 2008 when the WTF was held in Shanghai for the last time.
Although Berdych served seven aces and committed only nineteen unforced errors, he never posed much threat for the Serb. Talking to the press after the match he blamed himself instead of giving Djokovic the due appreciation. He
said, “For me it was [an] average match. I didn't bring anything. I had couple of chances. I had it twice, three times, like 30/0, 30/30 on his serve, and then he just took those two points. It's tough to be coming here after a couple of months when I
didn't do that well. Then, of course, you struggle a little bit with confidence. You can practice as hard as you can, but winning [builds] confidence.”
Djokovic will next face either Spaniard Rafael Nadal or American Andy Roddick later in the event.
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