Berdych outsmarts Tsonga to reach final
Source: Agencies |
October 9, 2011, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
Czech Tomas Berdych won with an ace to sink ruffled top seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 yesterday and set up a China Open final against Marin Cilic after he triumphed in a battle of the Croat big servers in Beijing.
Tournament favorite Tsonga was seeking to build on his recent win at Metz but the Frenchman repeatedly sent back wild returns.
The annoyed world No. 7 at times blamed the balls but the umpire's indifference unsettled the Wimbledon semifinalist, whose errors proved costly despite some exquisite rally wins and powerful baseline shots.
Berdych, who needed his left ankle re-strapped in the third set, proved the hungrier of the pair and kept his nerve to edge his opponent and break serve twice, booming an ace to seal the contest.
The 26-year-old will meet Cilic in today's final at the newly opened Center Court at China's National Tennis Center after the Croat relied on a dominant serve to beat compatriot Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-3.
In the women's draw, Andrea Petkovic produced a clinical 6-2, 6-0 victory over Romanian Monica Niculescu to set up a final against Agnieszka Radwanska after the Pole beat Flavia Pennetta.
Italian Pennetta could not rekindle the blistering form that saw her take out world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in Friday's quarterfinals and slumped to a 2-6, 4-6 defeat.
In Tokyo, noodle fiend Rafael Nadal overpowered American Mardy Fish 7-5, 6-1 behind a dizzying flurry of baseline winners to reach the final of the Japan Open yesterday.
The defending champion will meet Britain's Andy Murray today after the second seed thrashed Nadal's Davis Cup teammate David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3.
"I played closer to the baseline and did a lot of things better today," Nadal told reporters. "I felt when I had chances I was ready to attack."
Nadal has been spotted slurping instant noodles before and after his matches in Tokyo and slipping freebies into his racquet bag before going back to his hotel.
But the 10-time grand slam champion insisted his diet was healthier than that.
"It's not just noodles," he said after overtaking world No. 1 Novak Djokovic for most match wins this year with his 65th. "I've had teppanyaki, I've been to the fish market. Whatever country in the world we play in we always look for Japanese food."
Tournament favorite Tsonga was seeking to build on his recent win at Metz but the Frenchman repeatedly sent back wild returns.
The annoyed world No. 7 at times blamed the balls but the umpire's indifference unsettled the Wimbledon semifinalist, whose errors proved costly despite some exquisite rally wins and powerful baseline shots.
Berdych, who needed his left ankle re-strapped in the third set, proved the hungrier of the pair and kept his nerve to edge his opponent and break serve twice, booming an ace to seal the contest.
The 26-year-old will meet Cilic in today's final at the newly opened Center Court at China's National Tennis Center after the Croat relied on a dominant serve to beat compatriot Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-3.
In the women's draw, Andrea Petkovic produced a clinical 6-2, 6-0 victory over Romanian Monica Niculescu to set up a final against Agnieszka Radwanska after the Pole beat Flavia Pennetta.
Italian Pennetta could not rekindle the blistering form that saw her take out world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in Friday's quarterfinals and slumped to a 2-6, 4-6 defeat.
In Tokyo, noodle fiend Rafael Nadal overpowered American Mardy Fish 7-5, 6-1 behind a dizzying flurry of baseline winners to reach the final of the Japan Open yesterday.
The defending champion will meet Britain's Andy Murray today after the second seed thrashed Nadal's Davis Cup teammate David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3.
"I played closer to the baseline and did a lot of things better today," Nadal told reporters. "I felt when I had chances I was ready to attack."
Nadal has been spotted slurping instant noodles before and after his matches in Tokyo and slipping freebies into his racquet bag before going back to his hotel.
But the 10-time grand slam champion insisted his diet was healthier than that.
"It's not just noodles," he said after overtaking world No. 1 Novak Djokovic for most match wins this year with his 65th. "I've had teppanyaki, I've been to the fish market. Whatever country in the world we play in we always look for Japanese food."
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