Tomas Berdych hammers Lukas Lacko in the second round – Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships 2012
Fifth seed, Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic, sailed past Lukas Lacko of Slovakia in straight sets in the second round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai on Wednesday. The Czech lost just three games, beating Lacko
6-1, 6-2 in just an hour and nine minutes.
Berdych got off to a flying start, as he won first four games to race to a 4-0 lead. Lacko pulled one break back in the fifth but dropped his serve again in the next to trail 1-5. Berdych allowed the Slovakian to claim just two
points in the seventh game, sealing the set 6-1.
The Czech fired five aces and 60 percent of the first serves in the opener. Berdych had an average conversion rate, capturing 10 of the 18 first and seven of the 12 second delivery points. In comparison, Lacko’s condition was worse,
as he managed to hit just 39 percent of the first serves and won mere three of the 14 second delivery points.
The start of the second set was not much different from the first. Berdych snatched breaks in the first and third game, making the most of them to go up 4-0. Lacko had a chance of getting one back in the next but Berdych hit a
huge serve to shun it. The Czech successfully served out the set at 5-2.
Berdych carried on troubling the Slovakian with his powerful serves. The Monte Carlo, Monaco resident pounded three aces and bagged 13 of the 15 first delivery points. The world number 7 cleared all the six break threats he countered
in the second set.
The Czech is pitted against third seed, Andy Murray of Great Britain, in the next match. Murray toppled Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 in the second round.
Unlike the last two seasons, Murray is looking in good form after the Australian Open.
Talking about his match against Berdych, the Brit said, "I've always enjoyed playing guys that are big hitters. That's his game. I'll have to try and find a way of neutralising that by getting the first hit in the rallies, using
a lot variety in my game. He can make mistakes, but you need to force him into doing that. He's not just going to give you that. If you leave the ball in the middle of the court, he hits the ball very, very well."
The Czech leads three time Grand Slam finalist, Murray, 3-1 in their head to head record.
Tags: