Fresh off wins over Roger Federer and Andy Murray, respectively, Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych will face each other on Saturday in the Cincinnati semifinals. The winner will go up against either Juan Martin Del Potro or John Isner for the title.
Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych will be squaring off for the 18th time in their careers when they meet in the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open on Saturday afternoon.
Nadal is dominating the head-to-head series 14-3, including 7-3 on hard courts. Since losing three of his first four against Berdych, the Spaniard has won 13 in a row. They have faced each other twice this season, with Nadal prevailing 6-4, 7-5 in the Indian Wells semis before cruising 6-2, 6-4 at the same stage of the Rome tournament. Berdych has not defeated his nemesis since the crowd-silencing match at the Madrid Masters–when it was on indoor hard courts–in 2006.
If Berdych wants to get back on the scoreboard, he is not exactly catching Nadal at the right time do so. Cincinnati’s No. 4 seed captured the Montreal title last Sunday and so far this week he has taken out Benjamin Becker, Grigor Dimitrov, and Roger Federer. With an Indian Wells triumph also in tow, Nadal is an almost-hard-to-believe 14-0 on hard courts in 2013.
Berdych, though, is in great form as well. The sixth-ranked Czech owns a 40-15 record for the year, which includes quarterfinal finishes at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Berdych lost early in Montreal to Vasek Pospisil in a third-set tiebreaker, but he is back on track in Cincinnati. The No. 6 seed earned a place in the last four with convincing straight-set wins over Jarkko Nieminen, Tommy Robredo, and Andy Murray.
Despite his opponent’s incredible form, Berdych should have some chances in this one. In addition to his own high level of play, the court favors him and he has also played Murray in the afternoon while Nadal has contested all of his matches this week at night. Daytime conditions generally help Nadal, but he is not used to them in Cincinnati. Berdych can push the former world No. 1 around if he serves well and is finding the range on his forehand, but past head-to-head history is too glaring to expect an upset. Once again, Nadal should wear Berdych down at the end of a tight match by running the big man back and forth via a steady diet of heavy forehands.
Pick: Nadal in 3
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Reblogged this on Tennis Abides.
Ricky’s due for a correct prediction. 😉
Keep your mind sharp, stay confident and be strong like a lion, Rafa!
yeah berdych would be tricker than he normally is because this is a fast hard court where rafa is not as comfortable .. Anyway, i do not see rafa losing here..only a red hot delpo can take down this rafa here… Rafa in two sets for me : 6-4 7-5
Berdy always becomes a mental midget on the sight of Rafa. I would be surprised if he even manages to take away a set.
I want a Rafa-Delpo final
Rafa used to have a 1-3 record against berdych and he was one of rafa’s nemises on hard court..how much has that changed haha…
I think Thomas is ready for one more “match of a life-time”, and Rafa has to cool down…sometime! Berdych in 3.
Rafa will have plenty of time to cool down next week.
Rafa needs an easy match after b2b 3 setters. Rafa 64 64
Delpo seems to wrap it in straights (:-
If Rafa has to win, he better in straights..3 back to back setters will take too much out of him
Some BHDTL by Isner to break back :D. I wanted this to get over so that we can get on with the Rafa Berdy match
rafa’s two back to back 3 setters were not that taxing..both baby fed and fed do not engage in grueling rallies..both were under 2.5 hours too
Looks like Izzy’s not quite done (:-
isner is a much more dangerous player for the top guys than raonic …
Wohoo Isner has pulled off another big upset
DElpo served for match, held match point and lost it.
Isner back to back 3 setters..seems to really play well in USA..danger in Newyork whoever faces him.
well done to the big man…but del po had nothing left in the tank in the decider…the meltdown in the 2nd set was also strange…
Ricky got his prediction spot on lol good job..
Isner’s run to the final is much more impressive than raonic’s though
Oh great. Now if Rafa beats Berdy he has to face this guy! I really thought Delpo had this thing in the second set. He just seemed to let it get away from him. Maybe he was tired or hurting a bit.
Pardon me if I am not thrilled to see Isner in the final. Oh and he’s much more dangerous than Raonic.
Berdych has a relatively weak 2nd serve, rafa should be all over it ! just like he was i the wtr final of oz 2012 (set 3 & 4)
this is the closest rafa’s serve has been to that uso 2010 level…he is serving tremendously well..
p.s, where’s holdserve? !
Rafa has been having federer-like service games this week…the last game was son in 1 min 32 sec…both have made a fine start