2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals: Tomas Berdych keeps semi final hope alive
Kicking off the singles action for the day were Czech Tomas Berdych and American Andy Roddick. Trying to keep the hopes of a semi final qualification alive, both players gave it their all as they battled it out at the O2 Arena
London on Wednesday.
Having lost their opening matches, both professionals needed a win today to keep their hopes of a semi final qualification alive. Berdych had lost 3-6, 3-6 to Novak Djokovic on Monday whereas Roddick had seen defeat in a three-setter
against Spaniard Rafael Nadal. However, defeating Roddick by 7-5, 6-3, Berdych has managed to up his mark to 1-1 in the event. Roddick, with another defeat is down to 0-2.
Winning the toss, Roddick served first and with a well-placed ace at game point won the opener to take the lead 1-0. The Czech was hot on his tail since the first set. They went neck to neck with neither being able to break their
opponent’s serve. This continued for ten games with the score levelled at 5-5. In the eleventh game, Roddick was leading at 40-15; however, with well-placed shots the Czech was able to breakthrough taking the lead with 6-5. Serving for the twelfth game, Berdych
was able to win his third consecutive game taking a one set lead over the American. The two professionals now go into the second set with Roddick to serve. The American again took the lead at 1-0, though the set pretty much followed the first set in suit from
here on. Winning games on their service, the score was tied at 2-2. Berdych broke serve in the seventeenth game to take the lead. He then won the next game as well to take a 4-2 lead over the American. Although Roddick managed to make the score 4-3 by another
win, the nineteenth game turned out to be the American’s last win. Berdych went on to win the next two consecutive games to win the second set 6-3.
After his disappointing performance in his opening match, the Czech regained his confidence defeating the American. Talking to the press after the match, the smiling Czech said, "It feels great. None of these matches are easy,
especially today against Andy because I played him this year three times and he won all three. I'm happy after losing to Djokovic to get back on the court and start to play my tennis again and feel good on court. That's what I needed.”
Meeting for the ninth time on the courts, even with this defeat Roddick still leads their head-to-head score by 6-3. Their last meeting was at the final of the Miami Masters this year. Roddick defeated the Czech then by straight
sets. However, the Czech turned the tables on the American in their second meeting of the season. Serving six aces and losing only nine points on service, Berdych was able to seal victory for himself in eighty-five minutes. Roddick, who hit nine aces overall
commented on the match after, saying, "[On] the set points, [the] first return I hit well. I came under it, hit a really good forehand. He kind of took a chance a little bit. He hadn't gone forehand on a second serve. He went there on both of them. Obviously
I wasn't looking [for a] forehand on either one. In retrospect, I should have been."
Roddick now faces Djokovic in a must win clash on Friday whereas Berdych goes on to meet the only remaining member of Group A, the Spanish phenomenon Nadal.
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