| 31 March 2010
Tomas Berdych has been a man-in-waiting for most of his career, but last night he arrived in major style as he dusted off Roger Federer in the best match so far from Miami
The Sony Ericsson in Miami this past week should have been a major spring event for both the men and the women, but instead it's been something of a major snooze. Writing about this event was going to be a major challenge, and I was already looking back on Indian Wells as some blessed dream of tennis heaven.
Top seeds fell early, Djokovic and Murray were gone long before the tv coverage began last Sunday night. Ivanovic lost early again, so her woes continue even with a new coach. Kuznetsova again was seeded Number One, and again she lost in pretty woeful fashion. If this keeps up, we should probably start a retirement fund for her, just so we don't have to see any more of her dreadful matches. Now she has tweaked her shoulder so maybe all of us will get a much-needed break.
Yesterday Marin Cilic should have gotten by Verdasco, thus giving us that lovely quarterfinal match-up we were looking forward to when the draw came out, namely a Cilic-Federer quarterfinal.
Tomas Berdych had other ideas about that. In fact, last night the big Czech had lots and lots of ideas. He came out on court just bursting with energy and confidence and that one quality we have never seen much of from him - steadiness of mind and body. His serving was massive, deep and consistent bombs both up the T and out wide. The forehands were deadly and consistent most of the way, but it was the attitude on display that really impressed us about Berdych. After losing a tight second set tiebreak, we would have expected Federer to have the momentum going into the third, but Berdych stayed right with him.
With a 7-1 match win streak against Berdych, it appeared that Roger Federer might have his way yet again with the Czech. But Berdych kept his cool, and his focus, and the lads took us on a wild ride deep into the night, ending with a third-set tiebreak that seesawed back and forth as well.
A key challenge of a call gave Federer match points on his serve, and it looked for sure like the big Berdy was on his way home. The crowd was roaring its approval and hope that Federer would close the deal, but at least they were respectful towards Berdych. Instead of letting the call get to him, Berdy made a face and stuck out his tongue. To my amazement, he seemed to shrug it off. Had the man undergone a brain transplant somewhere in this match that we didn't catch? This was very unusual, not the stuff we get from Berdych normally. He should be going down in flames at this point, with the crowd howling for his blood.
Instead Berdych took Federer's serve, hammered a big forehand deep into the Roger backhand, then took that reply and stroked another huge one into the opposite corner for a winner. So much for that match point. A moment later it was, perhaps ironically, a forehand that trickled over the baseline from Federer and gave Berdych the biggest win of his career.
Federer was again having a night that did not show him at his best, but we sort of expect him to muddle through nonetheless. His serving was off and on, the freebie points were harder to earn because Berdych seemed to read the serve well. The forehand was a more woeful shot for Roger, fading in and out throughout the match. At least Roger wised up to the fact that this was a different Tomas Berdych tonight, and he would have to beat his man if he wanted the win. Federer came close, very close, but frankly I thought Roger was lucky to get what he got, because he was not playing all that well, and Berdych kept it up consistently throughout.
This has to be one of the most satisfying matches of the year, maybe one of the greatest ever. To really be a "great" one on the all-time list it nearlyhas to be a five-setter in a Slam, not just a three-setter. But this was fine stuff to watch, fascinating tennis. Berdych is truly a worthy opponent for Federer. Forget your Djokovics and your Murrays, this is the guy I want to see box Federer around. The shotmaking was stunning. I can hardly wait for the repeat of this one!
OK, Tomas, see what you've done? You've gone and whetted our appetites, and now you simply have to deliver in the future. Can he do it?
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