Mardy Fish upsets Tomas Berdych to reach quarterfinals – Wimbledon Championships 2011
American number 1 Mardy Fish, ranked 9th in the world, prevailed over world number 7 and last year’s finalist Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic in straight sets 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4 in the fourth round of Wimbledon Championships
at the All England Club in London on Monday. The American took two hours and 22 minutes to overcome his opponent.
Fish and Berdych could not create any break point opportunity in the opening set, squaring off the score at 6-6 and taking the set to a tie-break. The American smashed a back hand volley to bag a single mini-break in the tie-break,
sealing it 7-5. The tenth seed fired 74 percent of the first serves and seven aces in the first set. Fish played attacking game, hitting fourteen winners in the first set.
After winning the opening set with closest of margins, the American needed a single break of serve in the second set to seal it 6-4. Fish claimed eight of the ten net approach points in the second set. The American capitalised
on one of the four break point opportunities he created on Berdych’s serve in the second set.
With winning momentum on his side, Fish claimed an early break of serve in the third set, breaking Berdych in the third game and consolidating on it to grab the set 6-4. The American served brilliantly as he delivered seven aces
and won an incredible 92 percent of the first service points in the third set.
This is for the first time in nine attempts that Fish has reached the last eight at the Wimbledon Championships. The right-hander captured his lone grass court title at the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, beating
Olivier Rochus of Belgium in three sets 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the final last year.
The American said, “I've had good success on grass in my career, but just never here. This is obviously a huge tournament for me. Suits my game probably better than any other tournament for me Grand Slam wise.”
Fish has reached his third grand slam quarterfinal overall. The American lost to compatriot Andy Roddick in the 2007 Australian Open quarterfinals. The 29-year-old was beaten by Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals at the US Open
in 2008.
The six feet and two inches tall said, “You can't go out there thinking you can't win. But I've never been past this spot in a Grand Slam. Past this spot is where I want to be, where you set your goals for. So game-plan-wise
we'll come up with something. A lot of it's mental. So half the battle is walking out there believing you can win, and I'll definitely do that.”
Fish is slated to take on world number 1 Rafael Nadal of Spain in the quarterfinals.
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