Rafael Nadal beats Tomas Berdych to face Andy Murray at the ATP World Tour Finals
World number one Rafael Nadal collected his third straight win at the ATP World Tour Finals on Friday 26 November to progress to the semi-finals of the tournament.
The Spaniard, who will face home favourite Andy Murray in Saturday's semi-final, overcame Czech player Tomas Berdych in two sets, winning 7–6 (7–3) 6–1.
"It's a very important victory," said Nadal, happy with having improved over the course of the week. "I have played every day a little better and today was a great match against a very
difficult opponent."
Berdych, ranked sixth in the world, opened by holding to 15 before squandering two break points in the second game as Nadal came back to 1–1.
The two players then held their respective service games before Berdych defended two break points in the fifth game, holding to go up 3–2.
The world number held off Berdych in the first set, failing to break but turning in a trademark defensive performance to counter the Czech's heavy delivery from the baseline.
Berdych was brought to a deuce in the 11th game, but eventually hit a stunning forehand down the line to earn a 6–5 lead.
Nadal fuming after challenge by Berdych
The Czech then hit a backhand that Nadal let pass before the umpire called it out.
Berdych was awarded the point after challenging, going up to 30–15 to the fury of the Spaniard, who claimed his reaction came after the official's call, insisting that he could have returned
the ball if it had not been called out before his chance to do so.
"If I don't see the umpire saying 'out' I'm going to continue for sure because it's a big risk for me to say the ball is out," Nadal commented after the match, having calmed his nerves.
But the contentious moment seemed to work in favour of the Spaniard, who hit a forehand winner to bring the set to a tie-break in which Nada's powerful delivery proved too much for the
Czech.
In the first game of the second set, Nadal was brought to a deuce by Berdych before both players held their initial service games to 1–1.
After going up 2–1, Nadal needed two chances to break to claim the fourth game, holding out in the deuce in the next to earn a three-game lead over Berdych.
A double-fault from the Wimbledon finalist was then enough to earn Nadal his second break of the set, and the stable Spaniard applied enough pressure to hold at 5–1 and hand Berdych his
second defeat of the tournament.
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