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Place: Melbourne, Australia
Date: January 14-27, 2008
128 Draw
Surface - Hard
 The 32 Seeds
1. Roger Federer (SUI)
2. Rafael Nadal (ESP)
3. Novak Djokovic (SRB)
4. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
5. David Ferrer (ESP)
6. Andy Roddick (USA)
7. Fernando Gonzalez (CHI)
8. Richard Gasquet (FRA)
9. Andy Murray (GBR)
10. David Nalbandian (ARG)
11. Tommy Robredo (ESP)
12. James Blake (USA)
13. Tomas Berdych (CZE)
14. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)
15. Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
16. Carlos Moya (ESP)
17. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)
18. Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG)
19. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
20. Ivo Karlovic (CRO)
21. Juan Monaco (ARG)
22. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
23. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)
24. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
25. Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
26. Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)
27. Nicolas Almagro (ESP)
28. Gilles Simon (FRA)
29. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)
30. Radek Stepanek (CZE)
31. Igor Andreev (RUS)
32. Dmitry Tursunov (RUS)
Men's Singles Draw
(1)Roger Federer (SUI) vs Diego Hartfield (ARG)
Fabrice Santoro (FRA) vs John Isner (USA)
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) vs (WC)Joseph Sirianni (AUS)
Thierry Ascione (FRA) vs (25)Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
(21)Juan Monaco (ARG) vs Carlos Berlocq (ARG)
Robert Kendrick (USA) vs (q)Amer Delic (USA)
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) vs Ivo Minar (CZE)
Werner Eschauer (AUT) vs (13)Tomas Berdych (CZE)
(12)James Blake (USA) vs Nicolas Massu (CHI)
Michael Russell (USA) vs Fabio Fognini (ITA)
Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) vs Filippo Volandri (ITA)
(q)Robin Haase (NED) vs (17)Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)
(27)Nicolas Almagro (ESP) vs Marin Cilic (CRO)
Jiri Vanek (CZE) vs Jurgen Melzer (AUT)
Hyung-Taik Lee (KOR) vs Chris Guccione (AUS)
(q)Konstantinos Economidis (GRE) vs (7)Fernando Gonzalez (CHI)
(3)Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs Benjamin Becker (GER)
(q)Rajeev Ram (USA) vs Simone Bolelli (ITA)
Sam Querrey (USA) vs Olivier Rochus (BEL)
Xavier Malisse (BEL) vs (32)Dmitry Tursunov (RUS)
(19)Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs Steve Darcis (BEL)
(WC)Denis Istomin (UZB) vs (q)Lukas Lacko (SVK)
Ernests Gulbis (LAT) vs Marat Safin (RUS)
Thomas Johansson (SWE) vs (15)Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
(10)David Nalbandian (ARG) vs (WC)Robert Smeets (AUS)
Mariano Zabaleta (ARG) vs Peter Luczak (AUS)
(WC)Alun Jones (AUS) vs Albert Montanes (ESP)
Nicolas Kiefer (GER) vs (22)Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
(30)Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs Vincent Spadea (USA)
(q)Denis Gremelmayr (GER) vs Sergio Roitman (ARG)
Santiago Ventura (ESP) vs Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)
Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs (5)David Ferrer (ESP)
(8)Richard Gasquet (FRA) vs (WC)Nick Lindahl (AUS)
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs (q)Wayne Odesnik (USA)
Kristof Vliegen (BEL) vs Olivier Patience (FRA)
Andrei Pavel (ROU) vs (31) vs Igor Andreev (RUS)
(18)Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) vs Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP)
Alejandro Falla (COL) vs (q)Kevin Anderson (RSA)
(q)Sam Warburg (USA) vs Juan Pablo Brzezicki (ARG)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs (9)Andy Murray (GBR)
(14)Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) vs (WC)Mathieu Montcourt (FRA)
(q)Harel Levy (ISR) vs Andreas Seppi (ITA)
Dudi Sela (ISR) vs (q)Martin Slanar (AUT)
(q)Jamie Baker (GBR) vs (20)Ivo Karlovic (CRO)
(26)Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) vs Julien Benneteau (FRA)
Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) vs Marc Gicquel (FRA)
Nicolas Mahut (FRA) vs Jose Acasuso (ARG)
Michael Llodra (FRA) vs (4)Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
(6)Andy Roddick (USA) vs (q)Lukas Dlouhy (CZE)
Donald Young (USA) v Michael Berrer (GER)
Evgueni Korolev (RUS) vs (q)Marcel Granollers (ESP)
(q)Roko Karanusic (CRO) vs (29)Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)
(24)Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) vs Frank Dancevic (CAN)
(WC)Jesse Levine (USA) vs Martin Vassallo-Arguello (ARG)
Mardy Fish (USA) vs Boris Pashanski (SRB)
Michael Zverev (GER) vs (11)Tommy Robredo (ESP)
(16)Carlos Moya (ESP) vs Stefan Koubek (AUT)
Luis Horna (PER) vs Agustin Calleri (ARG)
Paul Capdeville (CHI) vs (WC)Brydan Klein (AUS)
victor Hanescu (ROU) vs (23)Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)
(28)Gilles Simon (FRA) vs Bobby Reynolds (USA)
Arnaud Clement (FRA) vs Rainer Schuettler (GER)
Florent Serra (FRA) vs Florian Mayer (GER)
(q)Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs (2)Rafael Nadal (ESP)
Round 1: Tomas Berdych vs Werner Eschauer
Order of Play - Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Court 7 Matches Start 11:00 AM
Alun Jones (AUS) vs Albert Montanes (ESP)
followed by
Sophie Ferguson (AUS) vs Timea Bacsinszky (SUI)
followed by
Angelika Bachmann (GER) vs Anastasia Rodionova (AUS)
followed by
Werner Eschauer (AUT) vs Tomas Berdych (CZE)[13]
The Berdych army!
Supporters of Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic shout out
during his first round Men's Singles match against Werner Eschauer
at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia,
Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008. (AP Photo/Rick Stevens)
Berdych cruises through
Tomas Berdych, the Czech No. 13 seed, earned safe passage into the second round after defeating 33-year-old Austrian Werner Eschauer 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. World No. 13 Berdych had previously won their three meetings on the ATP Challenger circuit. In July last year, Eschauer reached his maiden ATP final in Amersfoort (l. to Darcis). Berdych now meets Oscar Hernandez of Spain.
Match Berdych / Eschauer 2008 Australian Open SEE PHOTO
Round 2: Tomas Berdych vs Oscar Hernandez
Order of Play - Thursday, January 17, 2008
Court 3 Matches Start 11:00 AM
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) v. Tomas Berdych (CZE)[13]
followed by
Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) v. Sania Mirza (IND)[31]
followed by
Sam Querrey (USA) v. Dmitry Tursunov (RUS)[32]
followed by
Na Li (CHN)[24] v. Maria Elena Camerin (ITA)
Berdych advances comfortably
Czech Tomas Berdych opened the action Thursday with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-3 win over Spaniard Oscar Hernandez. The 22-year-old raced to the victory in one hour and 32 minutes. Berdych, who is seeded No. 13 in the Melbourne for the second year in a row, achieved his career-best showing at the Australian Open last year when he reached the fourth round.
Berdych will face No. 21 seed Juan Monaco in the third round after the Argentine staved off a five-set challenge from American Amer Delic. With Monaco serving for the match at 5-3 in the third set, Delic launched his counterattack. He fell just short of completing the comeback as Monaco prevailed 6-3, 7-6(6), 5-7, 7-6(8), 8-6.
Match Berdych / Hernandez 2008 Australian Open SEE PHOTO
Tomas Berdych celebrates after beating Spain's Oscar Hernandez
in their Men's singles second round match at the Australian Open
tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008.
(AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Round 3: Tomas Berdych vs Juan Monaco
Order of Play - Saturday, January 19, 2008
Margaret Court Arena Matches Start 11:00 AM
Juan Monaco (ARG)[21] v. Tomas Berdych (CZE)[13]
followed by
Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) v. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)[9]
followed by
Jessica Moore (AUS) Greg Jones (AUS) v. Rennae Stubbs (AUS) v. Todd Perry (AUS)
followed by
Lindsay Davenport (USA) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) v Gabriela Navratilova (CZE) v. Klara Zakopalova (CZE)
not before 7:30 PM
David Nalbandian (ARG v. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
 Persistent rain showers throughout the day forced the cancellation of play on the outside courts at the Australian Open on Saturday. The men's third round singles match between 13th seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and Argentine 21st seed Juan Monaco had been moved indoors to Vodafone Arena. A decision on the other men's and women's third round singles matches and all of the men's and women's second round doubles matches had yet to be made, though organsiers said they expected them to be rescheduled for Sunday.
Tomas Berdych raises his racquet to the crowd as he celebrates victory
after his mens singles match against Argentinian Juan Monaco
at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, 19 January 2008.
Berdych won 3-6. 6-3. 7-6. 6-2. / Torsten Blackwood
MATCH REPORT: Berdych bounces Monaco
Saturday, 19 January, 2008
By Carla Okai
Czech 13th-seed Tomas Berdych has triumphed over Juan Monaco from Argentina in the third round of Australian Open 2008, 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-2.
Berdych was slow to start and Monaco soon broke his serve to take a 4-2 lead, moving on to win the first set in convincing style.
Berdych took his game up a notch in the second set, holding his serve confidently and repeatedly venturing to the net. The Czech broke Monaco's serve in the eighth game to eventually take the set.
Holding serve was a rarity early in the third set, as both players broke each other twice to find themselves back on serve.
Berdych had the momentum in the third set tiebreak, applying increased pressure from the baseline and stretching his opponent to the limit.
Despite Monaco's powerhouse hitting in the fourth set, his serve let him down as Berdych broke him in the second game.
Unable to penetrate the 13th seed's serve, Monaco failed to get back into the match and Berdych quickly prevailed.
Match Berdych / Monaco 2008 Australian Open SEE PHOTO
Round 4: Tomas Berdych vs Roger Federer
Federer next will face 13th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych who hit 53 winners in overcoming No. 21 seed Juan Monaco of Argentina in four sets 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-2 in two hours and 35 minutes on Vodafone Arena. World No. 13 Berdych now matches his best showing at the Australian Open, having reached the fourth round last year (l. to Davydenko).
Tomas Berdych has a 1-5 head-to-head record against Federer
Top seed and defending champion Roger Federer survived a thrilling encounter against Serbian Janko Tipsarevic, prevailing 6-7(5), 7-6(1), 5-7, 6-1, 10-8 after four hours and 27 minutes on Rod Laver Arena on Saturday.
.../... He (Federer) will have to prove it again on Monday in a round-of-16 match against Tomas Berdych. At 6-foot-5, the Czech is entirely capable of playing the aggressive, overpowering type of tennis that Tipsarevic says is the only way against Federer.
Berdych famously did it at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, giving the Swiss one of the most shocking and disappointing defeats of his career.
Match Berdych / Federer 2004 Athens Olympic Games SEE PHOTO
Since that first encounter between them, Federer has won every meeting, making their head-to-head 5-1.
But the world No. 1 is always wary of the possibility of the No. 13-ranked Berdych striking a purple patch and just blowing him off the court. And there is still the matter of whether he is 100 per cent recovered from his pre-tournament health scare, especially after four hours and 27 minutes on court with Tipsarevic
After ultra-smooth sailing against Hartfield and Santoro, and the sobering five-set ordeal witht Tipsarevic, how Federer does against Berdych should provide the best barometer of where he really stands in his quest to win a 13th Grand Slam title.
Round 4: Order of Play - Monday, January 21, 2008
Rod Laver Arena Matches Start 11:00 AM
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) v. Ana Ivanovic (SRB)[4]
followed by
Venus Williams (USA)[8] v. Marta Domachowska (POL
followed by
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] v. Tomas Berdych (CZE)[13]
Federer finds a way past Berdych in difficult win
Federer needed to fight off two set points in the second set en route to a 6-4, 7-6(7), 6-3 win over Czech Tomas Berdych. Federer, who last year romped to the title without dropping a set, was keen not to get dragged into another extended battle after being taken to 10-8 in the fifth set in the previous round by Serb Janko Tipsarevic.
Federer broke Berdych on his first break point opportunity at 4-4 30/40 in the first set when he lured the tall Czech to the net and then drilled a crosscourt forehand past his lunging opponent. The Swiss dropped just four points on serve in the opening set but was broken in his first service game of the second set and soon found himself down 0-3.
But the 12-time Grand Slam champion, who has reached the past 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals, fought his way into a tie-break. But there he also found himself in trouble, trailing 2/5 after he dumped a mid court forehand into the net. But he survived two big first serves from Berdych to claw back both mini-breaks. However, at 5/5 Federer over hit a routine forehand to hand Berdych a set point. But the Czech tried a low-percentage drop shot that never had a chance of making it over the net, leaving his coach Jaroslav Navratil gesticulating in bewilderment in the stands.
Federer survived a second set point when trailing 6-7 when Berdych hit a low forehand long and wide to the backhand side. The World No. 1 then won the next two points to close out the set. In the third set Federer claimed the only break of the set to go ahead 4-2, assisted by a brilliant topspin lob and a Berdych double fault.
Roger Federer of Switzerland speaks to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic
following their men's singles fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament
in Melbourne, 21 January 2008.
Federer below best but still too good
Swiss top seed Roger Federer has cruised into the quarter-finals with a straight sets victory over Tomas Berdych.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion overcame the Czech 13th seed, 6-4 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 in one hour 59 minutes and will play American 12th seed James Blake in the last eight.
Blake beat unseeded Croatian Marin Cilic 6-3 6-4 6-4.
Federer was backing up after he was was taken to five gripping sets by Serbian Janko Tipsarevic over almost four-and-a-half hours in the third round.
But any concerns over his physical state disappeared despite being behind in the second set tiebreaker against Berdych.
"I'm quite pleased with the result pulling up from a tough match against Tipsarevic who played a fantastic match," Federer said.
"Tomas has been playing well and he's always a dangerous guy on any surface and it's unfortunate for him, but I'm very happy and hope to keep going."
Match Berdych / Federer 2008 Australian Open SEE PHOTO
Berdych had two set points in the second set tiebreaker but failed to cash in.
"He was playing better than me to be honest in the second set, he got the early lead, he played well in the tiebreak and I didn't make the serves I needed to and in the end he made a wrong shot selection," added Federer.
Federer said he ate dinner at 1am and had a massage after his marathon match with Tipsarevic on Saturday which almost tipped him out of the tournament.
Berdych, who beat Federer at the 2004 Athens Olympics, made too many costly forehand errors to keep the pressure on the top seed.
Federer broke his serve three times and dominated the points 105 to 85 to run out a comfortable winner.
Berdych made 27 unforced errors, while Federer did as he pleased with 45 winners.
The Swiss is chasing his fourth Australian title and has won his last 18 matches at the season-opening major, eight short of the best held by American Andre Agassi between 2000-2004.
Federer is also after his 13th Grand Slam title, which will place him just one off American Pete Sampras' record of 14.
He claimed the opening set with a service break in the ninth with a beautiful forehand winner and clinched it on the second of three sets point in the next serving game.
Berdych broke the top seed's serve in the second game of the second set but was broken back in the fifth after going three break points down.
But the Czech missed two great opportunities to level the match in the tiebreaker.
He had set points at 6-5 and 7-6 but faltered under pressure with two forehand errors as Federer jumped to a 2-0 sets lead on his first set point when Berdych overhit a forehand.
Berdych again dropped a service break in the sixth game of the final set with another wild forehand and Federer cruised to victory.
Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic walks off the court
after losing to Switzerland's Roger Federer at the Australian Open
tennis tournament in Melbourne January 21, 2008.
Interview with Tomas Berdych
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. How disappointed are you?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, after the match, losing to Roger Federer, I don't think it's too much because, well, you can just make some, I don't know, miracle and beat him.
I mean, if you lose the match then that's like -- I don't know. It's not too bad.
Q. He said you played better in the second set and you should have won the second set.
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, I mean, that's absolutely true. I was pretty close to win of the second set, then all the game can be different, can be change.
But, yeah, I mean, there was small things, and he was better in the second set, and that's why he won.
Q. Would you change anything about the match, choices in the second set tiebreak?
TOMAS BERDYCH: Yeah, well, now I can see where was the mistakes or something. But, I mean, that's the sport. So, I mean, you have to decide on the court and you have to try to make the best decision what you can.
Now it's no chance to change anything.
End of FastScripts
Résumé: The country's leading tennis players, Tomáš Berdych and Nicole Vaidišová, both faltered in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Berdych lost to Roger Federer of Switzerland, the world's No. 1 player, in straight sets Jan. 21, while Vaidišová was outplayed by American Serena Williams in straight sets the day before.
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