Rafael Nadal vs. Tomas Berdych: Quarterfinal Preview – Australian Open 2012
Spanish number one, Rafael Nadal, locks horns with the Czech tennis ace, Tomas Berdych, in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open 2012. These two contestants have a long lasting rivalry with the Spaniard bagging bulk of the victories.
No one can defy the fact that Nadal is the hot favourite to win this encounter as well but Berdych can turn the tables on the Spaniard if he manages to frustrate his 2nd ranked opponent.
Czech tennis ace has played 14 matches with the Spaniard at elite platforms and he has been lucky three times; apart from that it was all about Nadal. The arch rivalry started way back in 2005. First encounter both these players
played was in Bastad during the Synsam Swedish Open. Nadal was stunned in the first set but bounced back to win the next two sets and start the emphatic run of triumphs against Berdych.
Ironically next three encounters were won by Tomas Berdych, all upsets. First of the hat trick of upsets came in Cincinnati during the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters 2005. It was coupled with couple of triumphs next
year in Rogers Masters contested in Toronto and Masters Series in Madrid. Nadal saw himself falling over to the Czech; He organized himself and made it clear that he was not out there to lose anymore battles.
The series of victories for the Spaniard started in Masters Series Monte Carlo 2007. It was the time when Nadal registered the start of multiple triumphs over Berdych. He followed this victory with a win at Wimbledon 2007, Sony
Ericson Open 2008, Cincinnati 2009, Davis Cup 2009, Indian Wells 2010, Wimbledon 2010, ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Tour Finals 2010, Mubadala World Championship 2010 and Miami last year.
World number two, Nadal, is out there to reclaim his throne and his eyes tell the story. He is fuming with revenge from the reigning world number one and Berdych might be a victim of severe battering just because he was in the
way of the Spaniard. Problem might occur when Nadal’s aggression turns into anguish and frustration will creep in; that is the disaster for Spaniard as he drowns himself from a well set position to a dismal tramp state.
Both players are in emphatic run of form at the moment. They have just lost twice in their last 10 battles. Berdych lost to Andy Roddick and Bernard Tomic in AAMI Classic last year while Spaniard lost to Gael Monfils and David
Ferrer. Other than these two mishaps both players have been cruising in all the contests they have played and confirms a world class battle in the quarterfinal of the year’s first Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific region, the Australian Open.
Crowd will favour Nadal and Berdych will not just have to fight the Spaniard but all the people in the arena. The Spaniard will land at the courts with one aim in the mind, to oust the Czech; he has all the skills in the world
to overpower his opponent. The only chance for Berdych is to pray for an injury to Nadal.
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