Tomas Berdych.net

    Defending champion Berdych beats Johansson

In the battle of two former GERRY WEBER OPEN champions Tomas Berdych defeated Thomas Johansson 6-3, 7-5.

Last year, Berdych benefited of Roger Federer´s withdrawal. If he wants to repeat his success this time out, he will not be able to avoid a showdown with the Swiss star. In the first round, an average performance was enough to hold off Johansson. The 33-year-old, who sensationally won the 2002 Australian Open, appears to be past his prime.

22-year-old Berdych entered the match as the favourite. He showed early what would later make the difference. While Johansson failed to convert the first break points at 2-2, Berdych broke his opponent´s serve one game later to easily take the first set.

The match appeared to be in for a quick ending when Berdych broke the Swede again in the first game of the second set but Johansson bounced back, making good use of his strongest weapon, the double-handed backhand, and immediately gained the rebreak. After wasting a couple of set points at 3-3, Berdych showed his potential at 5-5 - a strong return, a few well-placed passing shots, a stop. He broke Johansson again and wrapped up the match, making it 7-5.

      Berdych begins well at Halle

      Berdych Falls

Defending GERRY WEBER OPEN champion Tomas Berdych crashed out of the tournament following a 6-2, 7-5 loss against Robin Soderling.

Until today, Berdych boasted an impressive record at Halle. In 2006, it was not before the final that Roger Federer stopped his run, and in 2007, the Czech edged Marcos Baghdatis to win the crown. His title defence, however, ended early as Soderling displayed great serves, strong returns and further well-placed shots. Berdych won just nine points in Soderling´s ten service games. "He served extremely well," Berdych praised. "And my return did not work."

Soderling impressed by maintaining his high level of play right until the end. It was almost scary to see him winning twelve straight points at the end of the first and early in the second set. After 30 minutes, he had taken a 6-2 lead and also got the second set off to a good start.

As far as his own service was concerned, Berdych eventually got his act together and kept the match open until the 11th game. He won the final eight points to eliminate the defending champion. On his first match point, he got a lucky bounce off the net. Berdych reached the ball but could not fire it back.

"It was a great match," the Swede said afterwards. "Tomas is a very good grass court player. He proved that last year. You have to play very well to beat him. I played two very good sets." Asked about his chances at the GERRY WEBER OPEN, he said: "Everything is possible – even though Roger is here."

Back in 2005, he wasted three match points against the Swiss star in a close 7-6(5), 6-7(6), 4-6 loss. "I came quite close back then but it was not enough," he added. After his strong performance against Berdych, he will be among the favourite to challenge Federer´s grass court hegemony this time out.

      Interview

Berdych "not in the match"

Q: What happened?
BERDYCH: Well, it wasn't one of my best days, especially here in Halle. I mean by the tennis side not anything else. I wasn't quite in the match. In the beginning he was playing pretty good, solid and I couldn't stay with him closer to the end of the first set. When you lost an easy first set, then it's really tough. He was playing solid and pretty good on his serve. For him, it was enough to win the match. But I didn't play anything special and I think the worst thing was the movement on the court. Well, it happens sometimes but I have to try to avoid this thing to be better.

Q: You mentioned movement. Why was movement difficult today?
BERDYCH: Well, I don't know. I didn't feel well when I was moving. I don't know how to explain. It wasn't a day when you feel like strong on the court and you can be everywhere, good moving on the court and everything works. I have to try to find out what was wrong or what was the mistake for next time to do it better.

Q: How is the court playing compared to the other years you have been here?
BERDYCH: I think it's pretty similar. I don't know if other guys said something different. I was playing my first match on court I and that court is quite different than the centre court which is nothing special because here the court is just temporary for this week. For the court it was fine.

Q: Did you expect before the match that something can go wrong today?
BERDYCH: I saw Robin play a couple of matches on grass, especially last year when he was pretty close with Nadal in Wimbledon and some other matches. I know his game a little bit, with his really good serve and his strong strokes from the baseline. Right now it really works on the grass because the surface is changed a little bit. If you serve well and then you first hit hard a forehand or backhand, then it is really tough to get back from the defence. His game suits the grass tennis. I think he is going to make better results than just the second round.