Miami 2017 QF: Roger Federer vs Tomas Berdych

[underground]

Federer needs to take a break again, he is running out of juice on these courts where every point turns into a baseline battle. I agree with those saying he should focus on the tournaments that suit him best, and skip some of the others.

But I guess he thinks he plays his best tennis and can beat anyone anywhere. Some things never change...

He'll have a well deserved rest after Miami. He should still give it all here though, after all it's a month off after this. Just like the AO, where I thought he might run out of gas, instant he pushed the extra mile to get the trophy.

 

[racquetreligion]

NK is hitting a bit short in his rallies and will be punished by Fed is the Master is sharp and takes no nonsense
NKs only hope is to rain down Gulf war like bombs from his serve to hurt him like he has before
Fognini is a tough one, Id like to see him play with a good mindset but Nadals variety just got to him in their
last matches with Rafa using more depth to avoid the Fog blanketing them for winners.

4 weeks of intense tennis is pretty taxing on the mind, personally these events should be separated with a few weeks rest in between with some 250 biscuits events thrown in.

 

[Sartorius]

Federer needs to take a break again, he is running out of juice on these courts where every point turns into a baseline battle. I agree with those saying he should focus on the tournaments that suit him best, and skip some of the others.

But I guess he thinks he plays his best tennis and can beat anyone anywhere. Some things never change...

It appears he'll do exactly that on clay. Miami might be clay-ish slow, but it's still a hard court. He understandably backs himself on it, and whatever happens now it's already been a good week for him. Berdych was a great win.

He'll have a well deserved rest after Miami. He should still give it all here though, after all it's a month off after this. Just like the AO, where I thought he might run out of gas, instant he pushed the extra mile to get the trophy.

Yup. The battery seems to be running low, but I think he can pull it off somehow. Very tough matches ahead, yet if he can get pass Nick he has a day off, and then he can leave it all out there in the final knowing it's downtime after. If he loses, it's okay. If he wins, great.

 

[Krish0608]

LOL, he is having hard beating Birdman/Agut in Miami and they he stands good chance to win clay event. 2017 Fed = Overrated.

He won Australian Open. And backed it up with Indian Wells, beating Nadal in both the tournaments. Nothing overrated about it at all.

 

[D.Nalby12]

He won Australian Open. And backed it up with Indian Wells, beating Nadal in both the tournaments. Nothing overrated about it at all.

He is rated much higher than 2015 version, that I don't agree. Without Djokovic 2015Fed would have dominated the tour like he is doing now. I Give him credit for maintaining such high level after surgery, that's it.

 

[1HBH-DownTheLine]

NK is hitting a bit short in his rallies and will be punished by Fed is the Master is sharp and takes no nonsense

I agree on this one. Kygrios doesn't hit as deep and Fed will step in and punish everything. We'll see how he handles Nick's serve and how much he can come over the ball on his backhand returns. They might be more of a flat block.

 

[stringertom]

It's true. Federer has proven himself a great opportunist through the years. He can only beat who is in front of him. If he can sneak a few wins against Nadal, and Andy remains injured, he is a good chance to return to the top. I think he deserves it. All the time he was out last year he obviously worked tirelessly to retool his game and also change his body type slightly (more powerful). And there has been an even further (!!!) consolidation of the expert transition attack playing style he ushered in under Annacone's coaching, and further honed with Edberg's help.

Ljubed up BH sure doesn't hurt either!

 

[3fees]

Federer trailed 4/6 in the third-set tie-break, but Berdych missed his opportunities with a backhand unforced error and a forehand into the net. With two match points missed, his level of play may have increased nicely, yet closing for the victory was not there at all, what a colossal error. Thats the difference between champions and players--ability to close matches.

Cheers
3Fees

 

[BeatlesFan]

Thats the difference between champions and players--ability to close matches.

And Federer lost his serve at love while serving for the match at 5-4.

 

[Big_Dangerous]

Federer trailed 4/6 in the third-set tie-break, but Berdych missed his opportunities with a backhand unforced error and a forehand into the net. With two match points missed, his level of play may have increased nicely, yet closing for the victory was not there at all, what a colossal error. Thats the difference between champions and players--ability to close matches.

Cheers
3Fees

I seem to remember Fed saving the matchpoint at 5-6 with a serve that Berdych was unable to return into the court, he hit a forehand that floated up and landed outside the doubles alley. Then Fed served an ace at 6-6 to give himself a matchpoint at 7-6.

 

[Mainad]

Federer trailed 4/6 in the third-set tie-break, but Berdych missed his opportunities with a backhand unforced error and a forehand into the net. With two match points missed, his level of play may have increased nicely, yet closing for the victory was not there at all, what a colossal error. Thats the difference between champions and players--ability to close matches.

Cheers
3Fees

He also failed to put in any decent 1st serves on either of his match points.

 

[Big_Dangerous]

He also failed to put in any decent 1st serves on either of his match points.

Saved one match point with a risky massive second serve, then of course he tried it again and double faulted. Although I will say that it couldn't have been easy to keep his nerve, especially when like 95% of that stadium cheered after he missed his first serve down match point.

 

[Mainad]

Saved one match point with a risky massive second serve, then of course he tried it again and double faulted. Although I will say that it couldn't have been easy to keep his nerve, especially when like 95% of that stadium cheered after he missed his first serve down match point.

It's tough when the crowd are against you but you gotta remember you're playing the guy on the opposite side of the net, not the guys in the stands. In sport, that's what separates the champs from the runners-up.

 

[World Beater]

Thought the below was funny...

What adjustments did you make after the first set that helped you raise your level for the next two sets?

TOMAS BERDYCH: Well, honestly, I haven't done much, you know. I think the first set it's been again the commercial for tennis from his side. I just have nothing to do on the court. Whatever I did it was just not enough. He was toying with me from one side to another. I had really no chance in the first set. So I was just really hoping to start good, you know, have a first good games, and try to stay with him. That's what happened. Then everything can change and turn from that. As I said, it's the beauty of the sport.

 

[Big_Dangerous]

It's tough when the crowd are against you but you gotta remember you're playing the guy on the opposite side of the net, not the guys in the stands. In sport, that's what separates the champs from the runners-up.

Or chumps!

 

[ultradr]

That's quite true, but only because in Nadal part of the draw, only Nadal managed to maintain his status. He was supposed to meet Dimitrov and Raonic and then Nishikori, but the level was a bit lower on that side. On the Federer side, Wawrinka is missing but all other expected favourites went through.

The most probable final now imo is Nadal/Kyrgios and i'm looking forward that match. I think Federer is tired now and he needs a good rest, he had a far better than i expected month. Title+ semi final is already amazing, if he makes it final, that's even better.

But I believe Kyrgios will certainly love the challenge to face Federer and then Nadal to win the biggest trophy of his career so far and i'd like to finally see him do this.

yep. Nadal's hitting better from 2nd set of Kohlschreiber match.
Something happened in that match.
Nadal's serve and forehand suddenly in pretty good state.

 

[coloskier]

Certainly the best backhands I've seen Berdych hit in a long time.

Berdych was trying to summon his inner Djoker USO final where everything he tried went in, and still lost. Berdych was in his own version of God Mode and choked it away as he always does.

 

[Mainad]

Or chumps!

Bravo! Missed a trick there, didn't I?

 

[racquetreligion]

Berdych was trying to summon his inner Djoker USO final where everything he tried went in, and still lost. Berdych was in his own version of God Mode and choked it away as he always does.

From Birdman full god mode

to

 

[Sereger]

From Birdman full god mode

to

within 1 point (DF)

 

[TheMusicLover]

If Miami is another final of an aging Fed and Nadal.. There is SERIOUS problems

Send me more "problems".

 

[every7]

Ljubed up BH sure doesn't hurt either!