Anderson bewitched by Berdych
Czech ‘curse’ returns to haunt our Kev for 12th time against tricky Tom
OMAS Berdych guaranteed his place at the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals for the fifth straight year yesterday as he defeated South African Kevin Anderson to reach the semi-finals of the Paris Masters.
The Czech No 1, who won the Bercy tournament on his debut in 2005 for his only Masters tournament success to date, came through a tight contest 67, (4/7), 6-4, 6-4 in just under three hours.
He will now play either world No 2 Roger Federer or Canadian Milos Raonic for a place in tomorrow’s final.
It was the 12th victory for Berdych over Anderson in 12 career meetings.
“We’ve had some very close matches and some five-setters but I think the statistics do not tell the real story,” he said.
“It’s always tough against Kevin and today we played nearly three hours, but I think it was a great match.
“I’m so happy and feel lucky to have made it through so now it’s another semi-final and it’s been a great tournament for me so far,” added the Czech who had a 15-4 record in Grand Slam tournaments this year, getting to the Australian Open semi-finals as well as the last eight at the French and US Opens.
“I hope I can keep it going and keep playing good tennis,” he added.
Berdych, who also reached the semi-finals of the Miami Masters where he withdrew with a stomach bug before facing Rafael Nadal, is chasing an 11th ATP title and third this year after victories at Rotterdam and Stockholm.
The World Tour Finals are in London from November 9-16.
Meanwhile, as France look forward to their Davis Cup final against Switzerland, coach Arnaud Clement was dealt a blow
Tas his players flopped at the Paris Masters.
For the first time since 2006 the Bercy Arena will feature no home players in the quarter-finals after Gael Monfils became the final Frenchman eliminated at the hands of Novak Djokovic on Thursday.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the French No 1 and favourite to take on a prominent role against the Swiss on November 21, also fell at the third round stage as he went down in three sets to Japanese sixth seed Kei Nishikori.
Monfils, Julien Benneteau, who went out to Andy Murray, and Gilles Simon, a second round victim of Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, are the other players in the frame, but arguments can be made to draft in fresh troops.
Jeremy Chardy arguably produced the finest showing of the home players at Bercy as he came within a whisker of beating Federer in a match that went down to the wire.
Clement is set to organise a preparation camp in Bordeaux from November 11-16 when Chardy and Nicolas Mahut may be included.
Tsonga, who has struggled in recent weeks but did win the Toronto Masters in the summer, knows he has to raise his game against the Federer and Stan Wawrinka-led Swiss.
“When you talk about a peak, I always try to be better than the previous time every time I play. It’s difficult to calculate a specific day for your peak, or for you to peak.
“I just need to be good on the Davis Cup weekend. That’s all, I just need to be present.
“Whatever happens it would be a fantastic satisfaction, and it would really be an achievement in my career if I was able to win the Davis Cup,” added Tsonga.
France won the last of their nine Davis Cups back in 2001 while Switzerland are looking for their first.