Search:
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Latest News
Featured News
Book Reviews
Videos
ATP Singles
ATP Doubles
WTA Singles
WTA Doubles
News
Scores
Rankings
Lucky Letcord Podcast
Shop
Pro Gear
Pickleball
Gear Sale
Popular This Week
Sinner on Rome Loss: I Am Closer Than I Expected
Gauff Hopes for Third Time Luck at Roland-Garros
Watch: Musetti's Magical Soaring Backhand Overhead
Ruud on Facing "A wall that shoots hundred-mile...
Five Things We Learned From New Book on Rafa Nadal a...
Draper: "I Don't Want to Be Normal"
Sinner and Saint: World No.1 Visits Pope Leo at the ...
Net Posts
Industry Insider
Second Serve
Add to Flipboard Magazine.
Video: Nadal on "Helping" Berdych Win
Tomas Berdych
wasn't slouching when he took the court for his Australian Open quarterfinal with
Rafael Nadal
, which was a victory of sorts in itself.
Berdych was not burdened lugging around a 17-match losing streak to Nadal. The Czech unloaded on his shots—and more than eight years of frustration—with a 6-2, 6-0, 7-6 (5) victory that sent him into his second straight Australian Open semifinal.
“I was definitely ready for it,” Berdych said of his first win over Nadal since the 2006 Madrid tournament. “I set up my plan and stuck with it all the way through for three sets. I started pretty well, but you’re playing Rafa – you have to keep playing until the last point. You’re playing with one of the greatest tennis players ever, so you have to expect he will bring something."
Nadal suggested he delivered an assist in snapping the streak by staking Berdych to early breaks.
"He played well, obviously, but I feel I helped a lot in the beginning," Nadal said. "It's easy to play well if you are one break up or two breaks up early in the score — that's a big deal, a big difference."
A surprisingly flat Nadal left his topspin shots dangling short. Berdych blasted mid-court balls, banging out 46 winners to 24 for Nadal, in joining Roger Federer and Andy Roddick as only the third man to dish out a bagel to the former No. 1 in a Grand Slam set.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion said he invited Berdych to step into the baseline and lacked the intensity to counter in the first two sets.
"It's obvious that before I didn't play with the right confidence, with the right intensity, losing court, playing very short," Nadal said. "I make him play very easy so you cannot to expect to win matches in quarterfinals of Grand Slam helping opponent to play well."
Posted:
Latest News
Rivalry Ruler: Alcaraz Snaps Sinner's Win Streak to ...
Rome Queen: Paolini Pounds Gauff Becomes First Itali...
Showdown: Sinner Stops Paul, Will Play Alcaraz in Bl...
GOAT By Era: Defining Women's GOAT for Each Era of T...
First Rome Final for Alcaraz, Who Could Face Sinner ...
After Midnight: Gauff Outlasts Zheng to Reach Rome F...
Tennis.Now
Tennis Gear
Partners
About
News
Pro Player Gear
Tennis Express
About Us
Blog
Tennis Sale
Fuzzy Yellow Balls
Contact Us
Live Scores
Privacy Policy
Podcast