Ivan Ljubicic stuns Tomas Berdych to reach last eight of Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters
World number 40 Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia upset world number 7 Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 in the third round at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in Monaco on Thursday. The Croatian took just one hour
and 21 minutes to oust his opponent in a one-sided contest.
Ljubicic broke his opponent once in the opening set and consolidated on the single break of serve to win the first set 6-4.
The Croatian served three aces and a single double fault in the opening set. The 32-year-old delivered 58 percent of the first serves, winning 78 percent of the points on them. In comparison, Berdych fired 60 percent of the first
serves and converted 73 percent of them into points in the first set. The Czech saved one of the two break points and failed to convert the only break point opportunity he received in the opening set.
After winning the first set, Ljubicic kept his opponent under pressure from the start of the second set. The Croatian broke Berdych in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead. The right handed broke his opponent again in the eighth
game, closing the second set 6-2.
Big serving Berdych failed to impress with his serve as he could not hit even a single ace in the second set, after hitting just one ace in the first set. The Czech hit just 55 percent of the first serves, converting 73 percent
of them into points in the second set. On the other hand, Ljubicic fired two aces and kept his first serve percentage at 61 percent. The Croat capitalized on both break points he received in the second set. Ljubicic did not face any break point in the second
set.
The Croatian will face world number 1, King of Clay Rafael Nadal of Spain in the quarterfinals. The Spaniard cruised past world number 18, French Richard Gasquet in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 in the third round.
This will be the eighth meeting between Nadal and Ljubicic. Nadal leads the Croatian 5-2 in the head-to-head record. However, Ljubicic defeated Nadal in three sets 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(1) when the pair met for the last time in the semi-finals
at the BNP Paribas Open last year.
Nadal knows that an experienced Ljubicic will not be an easy target and a tough match is waiting him. The Spaniard said, commenting on his next round opponent, “He's a very experienced player. He played well against Berdych. [I]
saw him play in the locker room. It's going to be a really difficult match tomorrow. I have to play like today if I want to have chances, and that's what I'm going to try.”
The Spaniard is looking to win a record seventh straight title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
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