This has been an exhausting and fraught Wimbledon for Tomas Berdych but all the effort will feel worth it now he has reached the semi-finals following his straight-sets victory over Frenchman Lucas Pouille on Wednesday. It is the Czech’s first appearance in the last four here since 2010 when he went on to reach the final.
Few give Berdych any chance of repeating that feat given he faces Andy Murray next, when not only form and quality will be against the No10 seed but also what is sure to be a partisan Centre Court crowd. Equally, however, it would be foolish to underestimate the 30-year-old’s desire to overcome the odds and rewind the clock six years to the time he was recognised as being among the next big stars of the men’s game, literally given his 6ft 5in frame but also in terms of talent after he beat Roger Federer and Djokovic at this venue prior to losing 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 to Rafael Nadal in what was his first slam final. Many observers expected a major title to follow soon after. But they, and he, are still waiting.
That is not to say Berdych’s career has been one long disappointment since. After all, there have been three slam semi-final appearances since – twice in Australia and once at the US Open – and a place in the world’s top four which, given the strength of the men’s tour over the past decade or so is no mean feat. Berdych has been a consistent performer but he wants more and feels the progress he made here in 2010 could be the key to him making an even more lasting mark at this year’s championship.
“Those are definitely the experiences that I will try to look back on,” said Berdych after his 7-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Pouille on Court No1. “Mostly is the fact that was the first time when I showed that I can play well for two weeks, that I can beat the best guys not only at the beginning of the tournament but also in the later stages. That’s the things that I’m going to try and focus on.”
Berdych can take heart from his record against Murray, having won six of their 14 encounters, though the Scot has triumphed in the last four, including the 2015 Australian Open semi-final which is best remembered for Kim Sears, Murray’s then fiancée, directing verbal abuse at the Czech from her seat in the players’ box. The attack is believed to be related to the fact Berdych was being coached at the time by Murray’s former assistant coach Dani Vallverdu.
Berdych had no desire to relive that incident before what will be his first meeting with Murray on grass, nor did he want to speak too much about the fact he approached Ivan Lendl to be his coach after sacking Vallverdu in May and prior to the Cech-born American deciding to work with Murray for a second time last month. “I approached Ivan and he said he doesn’t want to be involved in tennis. Then he comes back to Andy. So that’s how it is,” was Berdych’s take on the matter through somewhat gritted teeth.
The focus now is on beating Murray, and Berdych will go into their encounter on Centre Court on Friday afternoon with that rarest of things – a break. The match against Pouille was the fourth time in four consecutive days that the Czech had competed here through a combination of rain and bad light, with his time in SW19 embracing arguments with an umpire and three matches that went to at least four sets.
That perhaps explains why Berdych looked tired and occasionally ragged against Pouille, but he got the job done, sending down 10 aces on the back of a trademark strong serve and showing enough power in his groundstrokes and variation with his play at the net to suggest that Murray will not have it all his own way where the pair square up once again.
“I will try to push him as hard as I can, being aggressive,” said Berdych. “I don’t want to give him the time to create the game.”
