Berdych fires Vallverdu–is he done after double-bagel?

Tomas Berdych announced earlier this week that he has parted ways with coach Dani Vallverdu. Berdych and Vallverdu had worked together for 17 months dating back to December of 2014, a span during which the Czech compiled a 76-32 record.

The 30-year-old, however, is just 19-10 this season and has slipped to eighth in the world after reaching a career-high ranking of No. 4 almost exactly one year ago. He has not reached a final in nine tournaments and has advanced past the quarterfinals only twice.

“My results lately have not been what I expected,” Berdych wrote on Facebook. “As I am not a tennis player at the beginning of his career I have to act quickly when I feel that I need a change.”

Not what he expected? Well, that’s one way to describe eating a double-bagel baked by David Goffin. Such is the unfortunate fate that befell Berdych at last week’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia, where Goffin dominated a third-round meeting 6-0, 6-0. It was the first double-bagel suffered by Berdych in his entire career and the first such result ever issued by the Belgian.

Goffin wins and channels his inner Michael Jordan:

So, is Berdych done? One result–even one of the 6-0, 6-0 variety–is not enough to provide a definitive answer. But the two-time Davis Cup champion’s 2016 sample size is becoming alarmingly large by the tournament…and not in a good way. His clay-court swing also includes a loss to Damir Dzumhur in Monte-Carlo and he took only five games off Andy Murray in Madrid. Nine of Berdych’s 10 setbacks this year have come in straight sets, including two in back-to-back weeks to Nick Kyrgios in Marseille and Dubai.

Fellow Czech Ivan Lendl, who was reportedly Berdych’s first choice in 2014 before Vallverdu was hired, will obviously be on the short list of coaching candidates. Andy Murray, who recently split from Amelie Mauresmo, may also be interested in hooking back up with his former coach (Murray and Lendl worked together for two years until March of 2014). The Murray-Berdych link also includes Vallverdu, who was part of the Scot’s team until he joined Berdych.

You can bet if Lendl has a choice, the choice is Murray. You know, the same choice Kim Sears made.

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