Berdych Needs to Step Up to Beat Roddick

Berydch is yet another talented, young player who seems fragile, whether physically or mentally, much like Gasquet, and even like Baggy, who mentally implodes sometimes too. Murray is often moody as well.

That’s why Djok is the break out young guy – he’s so focused and mentally up. He perseveres. I think he would’ve beaten Hewitt too, though it may have gone 5. He was razor sharp last night.

September 3rd, 2007 at 2:04 pm

I agree that Blake might struggle in the daylight, and now he’s going on much earlier than planned.

September 3rd, 2007 at 2:05 pm

I would be careful and watch my food and drink for the next few hours if I was Federer. Just a little suspicious that the biggest two competitors in the quarter of the draw on a collison course would Roddick would develop mysterious flu symptoms that caused them to withdraw just prior to or during their matches … I know that the people that run the US Open want to see Roddick play (or not play?) Federer in the quarters …but lets see if Roddick can make it under his own steam. Berdych is a very skilled player … he is young and was in good health… and very likely to knock off Roddick today. This looks awfully suspicious… and the comments from the CBS Commentators during the match were exceptionally ignorant …suggesting that Berdych needed a psychiatrist instead of a doctor while the kid was obviously in physical distress and upset he wasn’t able to compete for the cup. This is a sad day for tennis … and should be properly investigated! I wonder what’s going to happen next??

September 3rd, 2007 at 2:14 pm

Clearly TennisFan has a point Sean, Johansson isnt in the same level as Berdych and Gasquet. These two had a real chance of getting pass Roddick, maybe not the USOpen organizators, but someone else…

September 3rd, 2007 at 2:40 pm

It not a full blown conspiracy theory yet … that would probably require one or two more strategic “mysterious flu-like symptoms” to develop. Santoro & Johansson aren’t ranked players … and I don’t seem to recall any “mysterious flu-like symptoms” in their case.

I know many people are interested in a Federer-Roddick matchup …but honestly I think a Berdych-Federer matchup would have been a better contest.

Nadal is starting to play much better, but I don’t give him good chances against a healthy Djokovic on hard court.

So I expect a Federer-Djokovic final (a very close contest) … unless “mysterious illness” intervenes.

September 3rd, 2007 at 2:43 pm

Sean –
From the looks of it, there’s not going to be much of a showdown. I doubt Roddick will even take a set. Sure, Andy’s serve is working, but not much else. Roger, OTOH, looks golden.

September 3rd, 2007 at 2:46 pm

I really don’t think there are any conspiracies – although with the whole Davydenko scandal, those thoughts do enter one’s head. In addition, this has been an exceptionally weird/volatile tournament so far, with injuries, cramping, “flu-like” symptoms, and retiring.

Berydch called a trainer at 2-2 so he was obviously not feeling well before he got on the courts. But he couldn’t play his best game against Nadal at Wimbledon too, and it was windy there as well, which makes me think there was a nervous element involved.

This may hurt Roddick – he’s not had much match prep other than against Johanson. Mind you Federer has played only low-ranked players, but at least he’s played full matches.

September 3rd, 2007 at 2:53 pm

Apparently Berdych has gone to a hospital for blood tests … he must think that it was more than a bout of the nerves. I wonder if we will get to hear any more about the diagnosis?

September 3rd, 2007 at 3:58 pm

Sean-
True about the hype – and there’s ample time to promote it as the de-facto final. I wonder if CBS may attempt to hijack the match’s broadcast.
As for p.mac – I don’t think much of him – but perhaps even he has learned (temporarily) not to make inane predictions.

Blake looks the fresher of the two, playing with some surprising flashes of brilliance. Tommy gets my vote in the “guts department” though.

September 3rd, 2007 at 4:13 pm

An entertaining match between Haas & Blake …but I haven’t seen any tournaments recently where the players choked on so many consecutive points back to each other.

Does anyone know if Federer is able to play tonight? … just kidding

September 3rd, 2007 at 5:57 pm

Haas has the upper hand, back with the conspiracy, it is clear that the Berdych thing is awkward, the nerves thing at this level causing those symptoms is unheard of. Obviously Fed hasnt had any top ranked player so far, its just the 4th round! Even so, his rivals had been interesting, and he’s been playing flawlessly at the Open, so Roddick has even less chances that last year.

September 3rd, 2007 at 6:15 pm

Sean – not only did Berdych have set point on his own serve in tiebreaker, but he served for the set at 5-3, and lost (deservedly) to love.

The fact of his being poorly is not relevant – since, after all, he undeniably got to 5-3 and, furthermore, looked much the better player whilst so doing.

Berdych can no longer be called a young hopeful. The years slip by. This Olympian athlete with the beautiful game thickens and slows until, almost without noticing, nobody any more expects anything much of him. A 3rd round, perhaps, 4th maybe if things go his way.

Nature is cruel to those who don’t fulfil their godgiven talent.

September 3rd, 2007 at 7:04 pm

I agree with Grendel, Berdych has stopped to be a promiseful talent, but that has nothing to do with the mysterious outgoings. Specially Gasquet, he reached Wimbledon SF with spectacular playing, I doubt Roddick could have prefer him again after their Wimbledon QF match

September 3rd, 2007 at 7:29 pm

grendel – True to your name … you are an antagonist! Your comments re: Berdych are simply horse-do. Berdych did not “deserve to lose the match”. He would have given Roddick a very tough challenge (in fact I expected he might win)if he hadn’t been hit by “mysterious illness”. It was quite obvious he was ill in the first set and didn’t even have the energy to go after some easy balls… although he pushed the set to a break point before collapsing. Berdych is 21 years old (not exactly at the point of “slowing down”) … and this kid has the potential to win a slam … Roddick does not.

September 3rd, 2007 at 7:39 pm

Tennis Fan, I didn’t say Berdych “deserved to lose the match”. I said he deservedly lost the game to love when he was serving for the set – i.e. Roddick did nothing particularly to win it, Berdych just fell apart, as he so often does in these circumstances.

Berdych has “the potential to win a slam”? Absolutely – if he can get his head together. It’s distressing the way he doesn’t seem to change in this respect. Perhaps a new coach might help.

Sean – on that 3-3 point in the Haas/Blake match you mention, the two great lobs were by Haas, but Blake’s return of the first one was almost as impressive. Hope Haas isn’t worn out for his match with the Russian “tennis playing machine”. If he manages to come through that one, a very entertaining match in prospect with Fed. Haas can do everything, just like Fed – but he has strange lapses. You think he’s a world beater and he suddenly looks mortal.For a few games, even agianst Federer, you’ll think, Jesus, perhaps he’s going to win…. And then…..

September 3rd, 2007 at 8:15 pm

hail Federer!

September 3rd, 2007 at 10:16 pm

OMG Tennis Fan!

Sounds like a fascist salute! Of course, some Federer fans are rather extreme, militant, and/or intolerant.

Credit to Lopez for playing a fantastic 1st set and a darn good 2nd one too.

September 3rd, 2007 at 10:38 pm

Absolutely, Lopez played incredibly well in the first two sets. It was just amazing how Federer somehow managed to win the second … when it felt like he was being outplayed all of way through … how does he do it. He’s got nerves of steel and will be tough to beat.

September 4th, 2007 at 7:31 am

Have you all noted that Federer hasn’t made more than 12 unforced errors in his matches. He is playing one of the best tournaments so far, even when pushed by big serves, which can give us a clue about Roddicks match.

If he keeps playing like this I don’t see Djoko (even in 110%) or a 80 or 90 % Nadal (assuming he keeps getting better) beating him in the Final.

This one is taken! Lets prepare for the masters in Shanghai and see which side Djoko will be.

September 4th, 2007 at 1:00 pm

Daniel,

Federer does seem to be playing “cleaner” than in the last two Masters Series tournaments.

But I wonder if Federer’s low error count has something to do with, that (a), until last night, he hadn’t played a player ranked higher than 120, and that (b), thus far he’s mainly had to face “big servers” and so hasn’t been in too many long rallies, other than in the Capdeville match perhaps. Admittedly Lopez isn’t known as a “big server” but that was certainly his weapon last night. Roddick will be another “big server” for Federer to face.

It’ll be interesting to see if Federer can keep down the errors when he meets, say, a Nadal or something. Only time will tell.

September 4th, 2007 at 1:53 pm

I am hoping for Nadal and Djoko to win their matches fast, like they did in previous rounds, so when they meet, we can have an excellent match, and the winner could face Federer in shape.

It will be interesting to see Djoko x Moya and how Djoko will behave after Cincy.

In the other hand, Ferrer who is having a great tournment can push Nadal. If this happens, Nadal can feel his knees and get compromised in the semis, since I believe neither Wawrika nor Chela can give him trouble.

I am anxious for the final to see if Fed can keep his awesome level of play against his “only” rivals.

September 4th, 2007 at 2:32 pm

Daniel,

Yep – it will be interesting to see how Moya and Djokovic match up, presuming Djok gets by Monaco this afternoon. Moya’s playing well so far, and has eliminated the Latvian teen mystery, so we’ll see.

I think Djok should be able to win it, but it might be a battle.

September 4th, 2007 at 3:30 pm

Nadal doesn’t seem too injured right now – he was moving perfectly in his last match. I always wonder how serious his injuries really are….

would be nice to see a 5 set nadal djoke semi. the winner will anyway lose the next day, partly due to this ridiculous US open policy of semi and finals on two consecutive days (best of 5). heck, it gave sampras his 14th slam on a platter (he faced schalken, while agassi had to battle hewitt who took his juice out before losing)

September 4th, 2007 at 4:18 pm

Monaco playing fabulous today – making it a nice battle against Djok, although with Djok now 2 sets up, it seems Monaco has injured himself. Tough to say what will transpire after these trainer timeouts. Never seen so many of those…

September 4th, 2007 at 5:56 pm

Djok now suffering same symptoms as Berdych was: shortness of breath, can’t move, given stomach medication by trainer. Weird. If he gets through this match in 3 he’ll be lucky; if he doesn’t I could see him retire.

Even if he does get through, can he bounce back again, for Moya, a player he just lost to in Cincy?

September 4th, 2007 at 6:45 pm

Djoker plays in adidas, his parents in the stands are decked out in Nike. WTF?

September 4th, 2007 at 6:47 pm

There is a great deal to be said for England being so lousy at all sports, and in particular, tennis. This means that in England, we get to watch proper matches, except for the first round at Wimby, where they put on all kinds of English no hoper wild cards . Fortunately, they lose straight away, and we soon get down to some proper tennis. There was a time when Jeremy Bates used to get to the third round, always playing long 5 setters, and that was pretty agonising, since his matches were always televised at the expense of infinitely more interesting ones, but we’ve had none of that for a while now – Henman being a legitimate player.

But now, someone called Jamie Murray, a Scot, brother of Andy, has got to the semi-finals of the mixed doubles. So we were watching a rather enjoyable match between Djokavic and Monaco, when suddenly it was removed from the screen, and we were presented with this character Jamie Murray and 3 other people whose names escape me. Just like that.

Apparently the English are deemed to feel so starved of tennis success that an excellent match between 2 top players is removed so that we can cheer on some obscure Scot, an even more obscure Indian, and two other characters from somewhere or other, play tennis with each other.

My son, who is even more annoyed than me, has glumly informed that Murray and partner won the first set. So, no doubt, Djokovic will be in the middle of a thriller with Nadal, it’ll suddenly be whipped off our screen, and Sky Sports will proudly announce exclusive presentation of Jamie Murray in Mixed Doubles Final.

September 4th, 2007 at 7:01 pm

LOL Grendel – well at least they don’t cut away to log-cutting like they sometimes do here in Canada.

For the record, if you’re not following online, Monaco just took 3rd set with some fabulous plays at net. He almost lost tiebreaker when a ball fell out of his pocket and he lost point – gotta get deeper pockets!

September 4th, 2007 at 7:08 pm

Congratulations grendel. The lame Scot is no more.

September 4th, 2007 at 7:29 pm

Berdych could learn a lot from how Haas fought through a 4-6, 0-2 deficit. Haas saying Berdych was “crying” pre-match was kind of funny but very telling. When Haas with a reconstructed shoulder and Blake post back break get after each other for 5 sets you have to wonder what Berdych was suffering from etc. If it was a legit nasty flu etc. I am sorry, but otherwise his showing was beyond poor.

September 6th, 2007 at 9:30 am